Old Reading Beer
Ruckus Brewing

(16 oz can, best by: 10/13/21; purchased cold single... poured into my '19oz Human Robot Branded Sahm Tubinger Mug')

L: clear, yellow-gold liquid, mild haze; thick, tight, white foam sponge... spitty collar, areola cap; haze subsides... the branding will getcha

S: grits?, buttery biscuit... expression takes a nose dive once the sipping commences; beach sand?

T: auspicious first contact, then salty puddle flush... it's actually salty??... husky, grain powdery aftertaste, dry and lightly crackery-toasty... getting further in, and a little lemon peel/pith blossoms along the sides of the palate... licking stainless

F: dimpled plush texture up front, papery parching finish... light-bodied, flash touch of chewy roundness, dropping off in another flash... dry and drawn... subtle lingering warmth

O: thought I'd already reviewed this; was just looking for a day capper... drinkable?!... drink cold out of the can, avoid a glass unless frosted... tastes like an old timer spooned some Morton's into this... whaaa? nope. (1828)

 

 

Dispensed from a tap unto a clear pint, this is probably the clearest and most colorless beer available. After mere seconds, it's self decapitated. Water provides almost the same amount of glass lacing. There's very little of the standard American mass produced lager smell. It drinks more like beer soda, extremely sweet. There's no body to provide any decent mouth feel and there's an annoying slight yeasty aftertaste.

 

 

 

 

I reviewed Old Reading in a CAN when it had recently been revived by a couple of local entrepreneurs. They subsequently folded and Ruckus took over the label. It is still being brewed at The Lion in Wilkes-Barre FWIW.

From the bottle: "The Touch of the Pennsylvania Dutch".

I got an initial finger of French Vanilla-colored head which fell pretty quickly while I was typing. Color was a deep golden-yellow with NE-plus quality clarity, enabling me to see into the future. Croesus and Midas were seen scouring my reefer for another bottle. Sorry, fellas, just this one. Nose had an odd chemical/disinfectant smell to it. Hmm. Mouthfeel was medium and thankfully, it did not taste like it smelled. Instead, it had a clean, honey-like lager taste that is the hallmark of an adjunct-free lager. Hallelujah, Hollywood! I do not think that even the original brand was adjunct free, so this represents an upgrade and retooling of the recipe. Finish was semi-dry and very refreshing. Very nice, except for the nose.

 

12oz bottle. I assume that this is the same-ish beer currently being distributed in these parts as 'Reading Premium Beer'. Also, does this have something to do with that railroad from Monopoly?

This beer pours a clear, quite pale golden yellow colour, with one finger of thin, foamy white head, which melts away before my eyes, leaving nothing in the way of even semi-permanent lace around the glass.

It smells of moderately sweet pastry-like malt, more toward the southern biscuit or bready side of things, with a slight drupe fruitiness, and a bit of light grassy, earthy hoppiness. The taste is more sweet, grainy malt, rather redolent of a bakery's enticing general essence, some aged orchard fruit, and nicely metered leafy, grassy hops.

The bubbles are pretty sublimated and sedate, the body a decent medium weight, and all is smooth enough. It finishes sweet and malty, the pastry notes just not willing to let go.

A tasty APA, I suppose, but focused in a quite different direction than I have steeled myself against lately - no big Yankee hops, no caramel malt. This is actually more of what I've come to expect from an above average American Blonde Ale. APA, ABA - more than splitting hairs, I know, but it's good to have an idea what you're getting into in such a broad category (with either style, I might add).