Tall Stacks Ale
Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery

 

On tap

Pours a deep Amber color with a small foamy white head. Smells of caramel malt, toasted grains, earthy and grassy hops. Tastes of toasted malt, caramel, faint earthy hops. Medium body, medium carbonation, foamy mouthfeel and finish

 

 

I have had this beer several times on tap, this time form a Growler opened about 6hr after purchase, Great fill, very little head space and held carbonation well.

A: This pours a Amber color and actually the Brewer refers to it as an AMBER so the style listed here is probably in error. This beer has limited head retention but very good lacing.
S: Not a lot of aroma here for me, they may have used the hops up front for bittering.
T: A good amount of bitterness mostly up front, a good amount of maltyness comes through as well.
M: Not to dry and a good amount of body.
D: Very drinkable, this growler may not make it through this evening

Appearance: This brew pours WONDERFUL tan full head. Lacings are insanely plentiful. Can you believe it? I swear even the head had lacings!!! That was a first for me! (even being a homebrewer that would be a noble goal) Color is a deep reddish brown. Carbonation is average for American ales but a little high for English styles.

Smell: Aroma is full and headdy but not overpowering. Malt presence is accentuated by caramel and a little breadyness. Perhaps even a little citrus....but not really a strong character.

Taste: The English malt immediately jumps out. Very smooth, but not creamy. Miminal citrus and butter detected during sustain.

Mouthfeel: VERY smooth. Malt rolls across the palate quite well. There is no aftertaste or reminant alcohol present.

Drinkability: OMG....this is an EASY drinking brew. It will leave you wanting more. Too bad this is not available in bottles.

Prosit!
Nikki

Pours brown in color with some ruby highlights. Nice inch high head sits atop the beer. Smell is all malt. Taste is nice malts and is medium on the mouthfeel. Decent beer. Easily the best of the three that I had tonight, but that is not saying alot. Decent. RB needs to step up their game and brew something complex and interesting.

A very light amber color with very little head and very little lacing combine to make this beer less than enticing when viewed in the glass. This disappointing appearance foretells a similarly disappointing nose, not from bad smell but from almost no aroma. The flavor is a bit malty, with very little hop characteristic of what you would expect in a pale ale. This one is very drinkable, partly because it lacks an appropriately thick mouthfeel and bitter hop finish.

Had to finish my wife's beer.... she didn't like it.... but this is MY review.... This was served into a pint glass with just a thin cap when it arrived at our table.... this further diminished to no foam at all... not even a ring. The liquid was a much DEEPER amber that the Crosly Field APA.

The nose was, again pretty subdued. Maybe a hint of caramel or roasted malt.

Taste: Just edges out the Crosley Field APA.... not by a long shot, just slightly. More roasted malt.... but still, not enough hops... needs more in my opinion.

Mouthfeel: appropriate carbonation, richer than the Crosley Field APA.

Drinkability: solid APA from Rock Bottom.... nothing objectionable....

Appearance - slightly reddish iced-tea color. Very thin head on the pour but what's there laces well to the sides.

Aroma - a sweet caramel and roasted grain nose. Does a fine job of fighting through the happy hour bar smells.

Taste - good roasted malts at the base. A touch of sweetness followed by a balanced hoppiness. Finish is dry, slightly citric, low-key. I like it.

Mouthfeel - moderately carbonated, solid body without feeling overly big.

Drinkability - fine session beer for any season.

Very similar to the Crosley Fields APA, except for a few minor 'English'-like changes. The malts are more pronounced, taking on toffee-like aromas and flavors. The hops, though balance out the malts, are not as pronounced with the bittering, citrus flavors, or pine-ey aromas. Instead, there is an earthy, grassy character, more akin to an English Pale Ale. Not quite as spicy or carbonated as most APA's, but perhaps more drinkable. It's balance, albeit on the malt side. Another quality brew.

Sampled from a pint at the Cincinatti Rock Bottom just prior to the start of the Tall Stacks Festival.

Aroma is softly hoppy (with a conifer tone to it, not citrus) with a touch of fruitiness in this dark amber beer that came from the faucet with no head.

Initial flavor is of brown bread and malt that fades in the face of an incresingly bitter citrus hop break.

The finish continues the theme of the hops, but this is emphasized and overridden by a chalky mineral linger on the palate.