Rein-bold Extra Dry
Aksarben Brewing Co.

Clear, dirty gold in hue with some amber influences. Massive off-white head, I poured it softly into a glass and I still got three fingers of foam. Head retention was good; the bubbles were slow to fade to a tiny cap. I was happy to see some subsequent lacing; grant it was only a few specks here and there. Overall, this is a handsome beer!

The nose doesn’t offer much; I found some caramel notes and something else that I can’t put my finger on. It is a combination of fruit essence and tap water. Low potency; sure, the nose is inoffensive but there isn’t anything noteworthy about it. I am not given a reason to take a drink. I can’t call it inviting, maybe neutral at best. But the cold hard facts are such, the nose is a dud.

Oh my… the palate is foul. It tastes like highly metallic water splashed with “malt” and sweet, muddled, flowery paper, and some mouth-drying “flavors.” The fact that extract is used is way too obvious. More hops please! Maybe some malt too while we’re at it. The finish is very dry and empty. At best this is dull but maybe I am being nice; really this is a pitiful beer. I found it flavorless and drab. I think this recipe needs major tweaking.

Medium-light in body, heavy carbonation, it is similar to soda water. In fact, the mouthfeel is rather runny. Lousy mouthfeel; plus the aftertaste is sweet, tacky, and (yet) dry. Blah.

I hope Aksarben Brewing Co. knows its target audience. Sadly, I don’t think I am in the mix. IMO, this beer is way too safe. Way too boring. But it is also flawed; I have had rookie homebrews that were better then this. I wish I could report better news but this beer is a dud and I can’t see why I would drink this again. I purchased a bottle at the brewery. I say: skip it.