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1634 Ale
Brewer's Alley Restaurant & Brewery
- From:
- Brewer's Alley Restaurant & Brewery
- Maryland, United States
- Style:
- Rye Beer
Ranked #74 - ABV:
- 5.8%
- Score:
- 81
Ranked #25,829 - Avg:
- 3.52 | pDev: 13.92%
- Reviews:
- 32
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- May 24, 2022
- Added:
- May 30, 2009
- Wants:
- 3
- Gots:
- 10
"1634 Ale" was created by Tom Flores, master brewer at Brewer's Alley, following research of historic recipes and raw materials available in centuries past. "We used ingredients that would have been found in the austere conditions of early colonial Maryland," said Flores of his rye-based ale recipe that also includes malted wheat, molasses and caraway. Flores says caramel and dark malts round out the flavor of the "lighter bodied ale."
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Ratings by Swift989:
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by dbl_delta from Pennsylvania
3.66/5 rDev +4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.66/5 rDev +4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
On tap at Brewer's Alley. Pours a dark brown with a minimal head. Virtually no lacing. Initial impression is caramel, muted molasses, and malts. Mouthfeel is on the light side of medium, but quite smooth. Finish is neutral. Overall, an OK but not memorable rye beer which I would classify closer to a brown ale. YMMV.
May 24, 2022Reviewed by GreesyFizeek from New York
3.07/5 rDev -12.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
3.07/5 rDev -12.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
On tap at Brewer's Alley in Frederick, MD.
This one pours a dark-ish brown color, with a small head, and a little bit of lacing.
This smells like caramel and a bit of spice, but not much else.
The idea behind this beer is honestly very cool, but the execution is lacking. It basically just tastes like a boring brown ale - I don't really get the influence of the wheat, molasses, or caraway - it's just kind of bitter and malty overall.
This is light bodied, and pretty thin, with a decent enough drinkability.
This doesn't really do what it says it was going to do in the description.
Aug 23, 2021This one pours a dark-ish brown color, with a small head, and a little bit of lacing.
This smells like caramel and a bit of spice, but not much else.
The idea behind this beer is honestly very cool, but the execution is lacking. It basically just tastes like a boring brown ale - I don't really get the influence of the wheat, molasses, or caraway - it's just kind of bitter and malty overall.
This is light bodied, and pretty thin, with a decent enough drinkability.
This doesn't really do what it says it was going to do in the description.
Reviewed by jmdrpi from Pennsylvania
3.73/5 rDev +6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.73/5 rDev +6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
12 oz bottle, no date
Light brown in color, white head. Aroma is herbal, spicy, bready. Taste is balanced, not overly sweet, finishes drier. Medium bodied.
May 20, 2017Light brown in color, white head. Aroma is herbal, spicy, bready. Taste is balanced, not overly sweet, finishes drier. Medium bodied.
Reviewed by AngusOg from North Carolina
3.56/5 rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.56/5 rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Obviously I'm no expert, but I could see this being a fairly accurate interpretation of a historical style. I could definitely see sitting at a tavern back in the day drinking one of these out of my tankard. All the same, makes me glad I live in the modern world of beer today. Just not really my thing. The best way to describe the taste is, like a piece of rye bread dipped into a moderately strong light ale. A fun beer to try, and I'm glad I got the chance, but I'm also really glad I only had a single and not an entire six-pack of it.
Jan 14, 2017Reviewed by Smakawhat from Maryland
3.55/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.55/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Poured from the bottle into a nonic pint glass.
Deep chestnut red, quite clear nearly crystal but slightly opaque but allows good head viewing from the bottom. The head only manages a simple tan two finger tall presence, and keeps a simple collar.
Very spiced dry notes, rye and caraway, surprisnngly not as sweet as I thought it would be, or much hint of molasses. Pretty solid, a bit neutral and one dimensional with no idea of what might be coming.
Palate does take the rye angle very noticeably. Pumperknickle dry, watery malt depth, and a big amount of tannic dryness on the aftertaste. Palate of rye tannic grain, watery bread, moderate bready sweetness that washes a little quick on the swallow. Not a lot of molasses character here, but not really complaining.
I am usually not a big fan of rye beer, but this is at least drinkable and not horrible to choke down.
Dec 12, 2015Deep chestnut red, quite clear nearly crystal but slightly opaque but allows good head viewing from the bottom. The head only manages a simple tan two finger tall presence, and keeps a simple collar.
Very spiced dry notes, rye and caraway, surprisnngly not as sweet as I thought it would be, or much hint of molasses. Pretty solid, a bit neutral and one dimensional with no idea of what might be coming.
Palate does take the rye angle very noticeably. Pumperknickle dry, watery malt depth, and a big amount of tannic dryness on the aftertaste. Palate of rye tannic grain, watery bread, moderate bready sweetness that washes a little quick on the swallow. Not a lot of molasses character here, but not really complaining.
I am usually not a big fan of rye beer, but this is at least drinkable and not horrible to choke down.
Reviewed by soupyman10 from District of Columbia
3.39/5 rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.39/5 rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Finger of off-white head, just a touch of head, amber color. Looks fine. Nose is a bit of dirty malt. Flavor is caramel malt, light spiciness, maybe a touch of prunes or raisins. Body is okay - a bit watery, thinner than I might like. This one is just okay; not bad for a small brewery with a somewhat unique brew, but not a whole lot going on, either.
Sep 04, 2015Rated by OzzyJoon
4.17/5 rDev +18.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
4.17/5 rDev +18.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Delicious beer had a dark beer taste
May 31, 2015Reviewed by BenWashburn from Maryland
3.59/5 rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75
3.59/5 rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75
The key with this one is not to drink it too cold. Of course, that's the key to a lot of complex beers. Keep it English pub temperature (56 degrees) and the flavors come forward some. Wish it had just a touch more molasses.
Feb 22, 2015
1634 Ale from Brewer's Alley Restaurant & Brewery
Beer rating:
81 out of
100 with
84 ratings
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