Rex Grue
Birrificio Montegioco

Rex GrueRex Grue
Beer Geek Stats
From:
Birrificio Montegioco
 
Italy
Style:
Herb and Spice Beer
ABV:
7.2%
Score:
Needs more ratings
Avg:
3.76 | pDev: 8.51%
Reviews:
5
Ratings:
9
Status:
Active
Rated:
May 24, 2016
Added:
Feb 21, 2010
Wants:
  5
Gots:
  2
No description / notes.
View: More Beers
Recent ratings and reviews.
 
Rated: 3.24 by Beerdudenumberone from Indiana

May 24, 2016
 
Rated: 4.25 by PeteRiz from Connecticut

Sep 01, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by Knoxrb12 from Illinois

Aug 10, 2014
Photo of SLeffler27
Reviewed by SLeffler27 from New York

3.63/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Pours almost clear, bright copper. A loose, foamy head quickly dissipates, leaving no lacing on an Oskar Blues highball glass.

Notes of honey offset white wine aromas. Sweet apple or grape juice is secondary, along with some odd spicing.

Rex Grue is oddly bitter. Notes of white wine are no surprise. Herbal qualities include chamomile. Balanced between sweet and sour, with a lingering, bitter finish that brings out fruity and honey flavors.

Medium body and alcohol are lifted by modest carbonation while light metallic notes are also distinguishable.
Mar 22, 2014
Photo of clayrock81
Reviewed by clayrock81 from Florida

3.8/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I don't know how they get their beers sometime, but the Birch in Norfolk just had (assuming it's already gone) the 2009 vintage on tap.

Poured into a wine glass for a cloudy orange body with minimal head and lace on top of a light, fruity aroma, touches of sweetness and also touches of white grape or something akin to a white wine and spice. Beer is light and smooth, easy to drink, the spices are mellow and crisp and there is a nice crisp edge from some gruit (more sharp and citric like grape/orange than something plush like pear or something tropical...). Thw sweetness strikes me as well and I think that's what makes this beer so easy to drink. ABV well-hidden and it finishes light and crisp and is an excellent drink to relax with.
Feb 11, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by JAHMUR from Connecticut

Nov 14, 2011
Photo of BeerNemesis
Reviewed by BeerNemesis from New York

4.23/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Rex Grue | 750 ml. | 7.2% ABV | 2011?

Brewer: Birrificio Montegioco
Style: Herbed / Spiced Beer
Glass: white wine glass

Appearance:
Hazy honey-orange with an ephemeral khaki cap. Sediment hangs in the beer, dispersing when I swirl the glass.

Aroma:
Sage, honey, caramel malts. Very funky and herbal.

Taste:
The first thing you remember is the last thing you taste: honey. Sweet, sticky and golden. It's quite remarkable actually. Sip after sip I am able to process the other flavors: caramel malts, hints of sage, cardamom, cinnamon, and other spices I can't readily identify. There is also a distinct floral characteristic to this beer.

Mouthfeel:
Medium to full bodied, grainy, hazy, and heavy. At the end, sediment adds a coarseness and solidity that may not be appealing to everyone. Carbonation is low, but appropriate.

Harmony:
I was very impressed. This is definitely not an "American Amber" as the BeerAdvocate implies (at the time of this writing). It is through and through an herbal/spiced beer. The vibrancy of honey makes it special.

Would I get it again?:
Yes

Bottled: ?
Served: July 10, 2011

Price = $13.99 at Whole Foods (NYC)
Jul 10, 2011
Photo of Richardberg
Reviewed by Richardberg from New York

3.65/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A - bomber to pint glass. Hazy, tang-colored liquid with ample bubbles and a little sediment.

S - caramel malts, yeast (not super funky, just present), and just a bit of spice. Wouldn't have pegged it as "clary sage" per se, but once attuned to it you can definitely notice there's a little something extra.

T - moments of sweetness and bitterness, but overall very balanced

M - nicely carbonated without drawing undue attention away from the aromas

D - not nearly as exotic as I expected from the label - "ale brewed with spices." However, unlike some other Italian spice beers & ancient-style ales I've had, this one comes together nicely. Taken for what it is, neglecting the vaguaries of translation and cross-border marketing, it's simply a fine craft brew.
Aug 19, 2010
Photo of ATPete
Reviewed by ATPete from New Jersey

3.55/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Paper wrapped 750ml bottle.

"brewed with Salvia Sclarea or Clary Sage."

Rex Grue pours a dirty orange brown color with a medium sized head. Lots of sweetness in the nose, notes of caramel, molasses and some cocoa powder. Floral, with an interesting note from the yeast and an odd but intriuging spice characteristic and some mild bitterness late on the quaff. Creamy texture in the mouth, lighter carbonation. Never had anything quite like this before, would love to revisit.
Feb 21, 2010
Rex Grue from Birrificio Montegioco
Beer rating: 3.76 out of 5 with 9 ratings