Rasselbock
Goose Island Beer Co.

RasselbockRasselbock
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From:
Goose Island Beer Co.
 
Illinois, United States
Style:
Roggenbier
ABV:
6.8%
Score:
86
Avg:
3.82 | pDev: 9.69%
Reviews:
24
Ratings:
89
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jul 16, 2020
Added:
Mar 08, 2014
Wants:
  13
Gots:
  9
There was particular attention to the malt bill using pale munich, wheat and rye. There was no fruit harmed in the making of this beer, however you can't avoid the beautiful banana esters and clove phenals that the Weihenstephan weizen yeast expresses. Rasselbock is a German style Dark, Rye, Wheat beer.

30 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Mitchster:
Photo of Mitchster
Reviewed by Mitchster from Michigan

4.12/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
Brewed with Munich, Rye, Wheat, Midnight Wheat, Rice Hulls. Hopped with Hallertau.
6.8% ABV, 28 IBUs.
Fermented with Weihenstephan weizen yeast.

Pours out to a slightly hazy (bottle conditioned) deep walnut, forming a creamy poofy light yellow head with excellent retention and a thick sheet of lacing. Nose of brown bananas and cloves, beautiful clean rich yeast profile...none of that burnt rubber/hot asphalt character that I've been getting mroe frequently in recent hefe's. Mouthfeel is very smooth and creamy with a medium rich body. The mouthfeel is fantastic, leaving the mouth with a smooth soft pillow afterwards. The taste is great. A very interesting mild roast flavor from the midnight wheat and the rye adds an interesting earthy sweet note. Bitterness is well balanced with a herbal spicy finish and an interesting "sweet sensation" akin to licorice...not really sugary sweet but sweet feeling, if you know what I mean. Caramel in the middle, then more roasted bananas in the finish.

A very interesting and enjoyable beer. I really like the mouthfeel and the smooth big body for this style. I could stand to drink a few more of these.
Feb 18, 2016
More User Ratings:
Photo of brother_rebus
Reviewed by brother_rebus from Maine

3.06/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 1.75 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.75
its not something I would seek again. Really cant tell if its old, or just is supposed to be this kind of brownish murk. It’s carbed well though, and tastes pretty OK. Earthy. Not too much hop but its there. It reminds me of St. B ABT12 but less syrupy kinda. Meh
Jul 16, 2020
Photo of GuyFawkes
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois

4/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottled 1/19/16; drank 3/3/16 @ the Yarchives.

Opaque brown/purple appearance.

A rough pour yielded a nice eggnog head; strong lace.

Caramel, banana & clove notes in the nose.

Medium mouthfeel.

Banana & faint clove flavors up front; smooth caramel notes on the finish.

Simple but very effective; dark yet easy to quaff. A fine brew.
Aug 15, 2019
Photo of bmeehan
Reviewed by bmeehan from Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
If you have an idea of what to expect from something like a doppelbock style of beer, this heads down that path. It's deliciously sweet and hoppy, but the sweetness is balanced perfectly. It's a great mix of flavor between something fuller bodied and something more floral.
Feb 16, 2017
 
Rated: 3.75 by BarrelAgedG from California

Sep 11, 2016
Photo of DMarlinJ
Reviewed by DMarlinJ from Michigan

4.19/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Very German and well done. I don't get a lot of clove but that is a good thing for me. I like the rye wheat blend but it seems more rye than wheat. Nice change of pace.
Aug 24, 2016
Photo of stortore
Reviewed by stortore from Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
12 ounce bottle into a stange glass. Bottled 1/19/16.

Pours a dark copper color, somewhat opaque, a big two finger head in a skinny, Stiegl stange, some foamy lacing, lots of streaming bubbles. The smell is rye, cloves, yeast, light banana, caramel, toffee, wheat, bread, some general spiciness, a little smoke. The taste is caramel, rye, banana, malt, spices- especially clove, wheat, some brown sugar. Very little bitterness. Smooth, semi- dry, refreshing, great body, well carbonated.

Great aroma, lots of flavor, this is much better than I expected. Liked it more, the more I drank. Lots of rye, which really appeals to me. Great example of the style. Only bought the one bottle, won't make that mistake the next time it comes around.
Aug 20, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by jgunther71 from Illinois

Aug 06, 2016
 
Rated: 3 by SSGCujo from Wisconsin

Jul 19, 2016
 
Rated: 3.65 by paulish from New York

Jul 15, 2016
 
Rated: 3.63 by entenduintransit from Tennessee

Jul 13, 2016
 
Rated: 3.96 by EdFed from Illinois

Jun 22, 2016
Photo of Franziskaner
Reviewed by Franziskaner from Missouri

3.77/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Dark copper in color with very little light penetration. There's a quarter inch of light khaki colored creamy foam on top. Light lacing. I smell wheat, light malt, and rye. Honestly it smells like a soft salted pretzel. I taste some dark wheat, along with banana esters and some dark malt. I'm not getting the rye flavor that is atypical. Perhaps this is more of a dark wheat? The mouth is fairly light and quaffable.
Jun 12, 2016
 
Rated: 3.86 by JeltMaaj from Illinois

Jun 11, 2016
Photo of BEERMILER12
Reviewed by BEERMILER12 from Maine

4.01/5  rDev +5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
A: Pours a deep reddish brown color with 2 fingers of head that fades down to a small cap

S: Lots of estery banana notes up front with some spicy rye and clove in there as well. Mostly a banana bomb

T: Follows the nose. Starts off with a big hit of the banana and some spicy rye and clove follows up quickly. Some light smokiness come out with the rye as well. Wheat also makes itself known towards the finish, although it is hidden slightly by the banana. Finishes with wisps of smoke and lingering banana and rye

M: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Surprisingly smooth

O: A solid hybrid brew that really throws out the banana notes. The rye and clove notes work well together and make for a surprisingly tasty brew. Worth a shot
Jun 07, 2016
Photo of metter98
Reviewed by metter98 from New York

3.82/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
A: The beer is hazy dark reddish amber in color (brown when viewed from afar) and has some clumps of yeast floating in suspension and a light to moderate amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a quarter finger high beige head that quickly died down, leaving some patches of bubbles on the surface and a collar around the edge of the glass.
S: The taste has flavors of yeast—bananas stand out in particular—along with hints of sweet malts, making it somewhat reminiscent of a dunkelweizen. Once the beer warmed up a tad, spicy notes of rye started to kick in.
T: The taste follows the smell, having some initial flavors of bananas and cloves from the yeast and spicy flavors of rye, the latter of which linger into the finish.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: I found this beer to be quite easy to drink compared to some of the other beers that I've had in the style, particularly because the weizen yeast adds some fruitiness that helps to balance off the spiciness of the rye.

Serving type: bottle
Jun 02, 2016
Photo of jksiazek
Rated by jksiazek from Illinois

4.02/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Tons of banana on palate with clove on the finish.
May 28, 2016
Photo of HoppyBeerisHappyBeer
Rated by HoppyBeerisHappyBeer from Indiana

3/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Good for what it says. Not my type of beer.
May 26, 2016
Photo of steveh
Reviewed by steveh from Illinois

4.34/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
I picked this up a while back, when it first hit shelves, and had been saving a bottle to review... and forgot it. Not quite 4 months in the bottle, let's see if I find it as good as the first 5 bottles.

L -- Clear, deep caramel brown with red highlights and a thick, firm, light tan head that settles slowly. Leftover yeast clouds up the appearance in the second-half pour, but is to be expected.

S -- Clove spiciness with banana undertones. Mellow bready malt back.

T -- Spicy and herbal up front with good breadiness and banana in the middle, rounding off with a dry, rye spiciness in the finish. The Breadiness and banana linger through a very smooth aftertaste.

F -- Mouthfeel is soft and lightly syrupy with a light-medium body.

O -- A very full-flavored, Dunkelweizen-like beer. Well-made and worth trying -- even 4 months in the bottle (I know a couple spots that still have this one left over).
May 12, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by shirtless_mike from Indiana

May 07, 2016
Rasselbock from Goose Island Beer Co.
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 89 ratings