Blessing
Rapscallion

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From:
Rapscallion
 
Massachusetts, United States
Style:
American Amber / Red Ale
ABV:
8%
Score:
87
Avg:
3.9 | pDev: 10.77%
Reviews:
87
Ratings:
95
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Dec 11, 2013
Added:
May 12, 2002
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Rated: 3.5 by phishfoolme from Massachusetts

Dec 11, 2013
 
Rated: 4.5 by DoogeeZ from New York

Oct 07, 2012
 
Rated: 3.75 by will1256 from Minnesota

Aug 25, 2012
 
Rated: 4.25 by beerman999999 from New York

Jun 30, 2012
 
Rated: 3.5 by bluerabbit from Massachusetts

Jun 04, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by polishkaz from Connecticut

Apr 23, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by SHCC from Massachusetts

Mar 16, 2012
Photo of tigg924
Reviewed by tigg924 from Massachusetts

3.8/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Appearance: minimal head, high carbonation, golden orange in color, clear

Smell: citrus and bread

Taste: citrus, bread, small holiday spices

Mouthfeel: light body, sweet with slight bitterness, moderate carbonation

Overall: I liked this. A different take on an amber almost like a holiday version. The alcohol hits hard, but I could see myself getting another pint of this.
Jan 11, 2012
Photo of mdaschaf
Reviewed by mdaschaf from Indiana

3.78/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Had on tap at Gallows in Boston.

A: Served in a pint, Blessing was golden orange in color with a small head that did not last long. Thin, streaky lacing down the sides.

S: On the sweeter side, a little bit of citrus hop, candied sugar, and some orange zest.

T: Similar to the aroma in terms of the candied sugary/sweetness. Nice amount of citrus with some bready malt. Again, a good bit of zest in this one.

M: Medium bodied with medium carbonation. Easy drinking and smooth.

O: Solid beer, not out of this world, but its not trying to be. Was a good beer to have with dinner.
Dec 01, 2011
 
Rated: 4 by waiting4lunch from Massachusetts

Nov 23, 2011
Photo of woodychandler
Reviewed by woodychandler from Pennsylvania

3.86/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Served in a Unibroue tulip, it had a solid finger's worth of eggshell-white foam. The color was an orangish-amber with ruby highlights and NE-plus clarity. Hell, I could read stuff on the other side of the room. The nose was slightly sweet, but not enough to be off-putting. Mouthfeel was medium with a hot alcohol burn on the tongue. Yow! The finish had a mild sweetness, but I was still contemplating the evaporation rate of the alcohol. More, please, sir!
Dec 03, 2009
Photo of jlindros
Reviewed by jlindros from Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Had on tap at Allora Ristourante in Marlborough a few weeks ago. I hope I can remember it as I'm looking back over my notes.

A: Clear golden orange color with light head that fades slowly.

N: Nose has some wheat and slight yeast, as well as light sweet malts and touch of Belgian malts and hints of vanilla citrus zest.

T: Starts a lot like a Belgian wit with lots of Belgian malts, wheat, citrus, some candi sugar, and some bubblegum. More vanilla and citrus build up and adds a nice tangy taste in the middle. Slightly sweet malts in the middle as well.

M: Mouth is smooth and buttery with good carbonation.

F: Slightly dry finish with some more butter and citrus. A touch of bitterness also comes through. It has a strange finish that has a sweet center but dries off quickly for what I can only call a dry sweetness.
Oct 05, 2009
Photo of hopdog
Reviewed by hopdog from Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
12oz bottle.

Poured a deeper and lightly hazy amberish color wtih a huge sized off white head. Aromas of fruitiness, caramel, dark fruits, and light yeast. Tastes of caramel, dart fruits, lightly tart cherries, and burnt brown sugar. Light alcohol in the finish.

Notes from: 9/14/07
Feb 03, 2009
Photo of brdc
Reviewed by brdc from Wisconsin

3.03/5  rDev -22.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Rather difficult to judge this one.
Mostly golden, with a minor reddish hue, very little whitish head.
Aroma betrays the taste, and it shows too much alcohol, more than it really has. It also shows some caramel, minimal bitterness, in a very thin body.
Quite limited.
Aug 21, 2007
Photo of jwc215
Reviewed by jwc215 from Arizona

3.7/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Pours slightly hazed orangish brown with a thin, lasting off-white head. Some trailing lace sticks to glass.

The smell is of caramel, pine and lightly spiced yeast.

The taste is of pine with sweet caramel. It becomes earthy with bready yeast. Not sure if it is trying to be a Belgium - it goes in several directions. What starts as pine becomes earthy. Candy sweetness with hops that are more drying than bitter finishes it off. Interesting...

Medium bodied and dry.

Seems like a mix of styles. It has a decent taste to it, but I don't know if the hop profile, which itself is fine, goes so well here. It is something different, and interesting, but I have mixed feelings about this one.
Jun 09, 2007
Photo of sstackho
Reviewed by sstackho from Canada (ON)

3.88/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12oz bottle, with no obvious freshness date - just an obscure code. Pours a surprisingly rich dark copper that I wasn't expecting. Floaty chunks could be seen in the bottle before opening, but not once poured. Aroma is spicy and rather nice, but not particularly hoppy. Initial taste is crisp and sparkly from carbonation, that quickly blends into a nicely rich full taste. There's a nice little bit of spiciness to the taste that is nicely balanced with the hops, along with some fruitiness. I am very pleasantly surprised by the quality of this beer. I thought that this was like an IPA, but I got something quite different and pleasing instead. I wish more were made like this.
May 25, 2007
Photo of Kudashov
Reviewed by Kudashov from Massachusetts

2.96/5  rDev -24.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
Cloudy brown with a 1 finger head which does not stay long . Looks like dark apple cider . Hops / lemon aroma . Citrus .It is a nice brew . My first taste is hoppy , I still feel that bitter lemon too . The flavor is groovy . I will try this again . Cheers . A Blessing
Feb 04, 2007
Photo of dherling
Reviewed by dherling from New Jersey

3.97/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured out a dark cherry brown, opaque, with a bubbly and foamy off white head that settled into a thin film quickly. The nose offers citrusy hops, grapefruit, and some nice spicy malt character for balance. The taste was surprisingly more malt driven, while the hops slowly developed on the palate and through the finish. You get notes of apricot, then sour apples, rotting pears, apple cider vinegar, flowery hops, and then finally some citrus and grapefruit. I find the ocmplexity interesting. Sharp bubbly mouthfeel, and overall a good, fairly well balanced beer.
Dec 10, 2006
Photo of Doomcifer
Reviewed by Doomcifer from Rhode Island

3.9/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
First time having a Rapscallion brew even though the brewery is about 30 minutes from my house.

Pours a red amber, pretty clear, slightly cloudy...absolutely stunning head!! Head retention is amazing as well with loads of lacing decorating my glass. Thick, whipped cream, chunky, frothy head. Beautiful!

Smells of sweet fruits, sweet maltiness, cherries, yeast, pineapples, biscuity...very complex aroma.

Taste is fruity again, with pineapples, tart green apples, white grapes, slightly peppery, bready, some yeast. The finish is dry and hoppy though. This is very complex and very strange and unique indeed.

Mouthfeel is pretty carbonated, medium consistency, dry finish.

This beer is very drinkable but maybe a bit too much after a couple pints. The taste is very pleasing and very unique, beckoning you to take another sip...one after another after another...but does start to get a tad cloying. I am really enjoying this beer and am pleasantly surprised. I am not sure if all these flavors mesh perfectly together but it is still very satisfying. It has red ale qualities, ipa qualities, belgian qualities. Check it out for yourself.
Nov 01, 2006
Photo of tastybeer
Reviewed by tastybeer from North Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
Great looking frothy orange tinted cream colored head. Big sheety lace and the retention keep it rather attractive. The ruby red color is nicely highlighted when held up to the light. So it turns out both smell and taste are intrestingly crazy. Nose is creamy, very very floral and natural smelling with leaves/earth, sweet with brown sugar and honey, and fruity all over the place. Soft bready malt aroma attempts to round it out. Taste is softly toasted, flowery and fruity (to the extreme) with a suggestion of spice, phenolic, and has the added bonus of a sourish-bitter, mildly dry finish. Mouthfeel has a very nice texture. The effervescent carbonation keeps it dancing around in your mouth. Drinkability is no problem but for me, after one or two is the time to move on to something different.

Very interesting and certainly enjoyable for all that it is.
Aug 10, 2006
Blessing from Rapscallion
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 95 ratings