Rico Sauvin | Against The Grain Brewery & Smokehouse

4.02/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pouring from a 16 oz. can into a Willi Becher style glass, this beer pours out golden like apple juice and rather clear. Some very small sediment, but that’s it. A pinky width, eggshell colored crown. Some stringy lacing.

The nose brings a dank fruit, along with a huge floral character. The fruit isn’t citrus like, but more grapefruit and huge white grape prominence.

The taste comes in with some of that dankness before showing that the floral presence is still alive along with the white grape element.

The mouthfeel is sticky, slightly syrupy but not overly so. A balanced bitterness and well carbonated.

Overall, this is solid and enjoyable. I like the white grape notes mixing with floral while keeping a dankness to it.

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4.19/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Picked this one up primarily because of the can art, thought it was glorious!
Poured a mostly clear orange/amber with two fingers of white head.
Getting a malty sweetness in the smell, some white grape, a little pine.
Taste follows, getting lots of dry white wine flavors with a bit of citrus bitterness. Not as heavy on the malt as I expected from the smell.
Feel is medium, a little prickly on the tongue.
Overall a tasty brew.

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4.08/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Piney hop aromas with a hint of lemon. Moderate malt sweetness, hints of grapes and biscuits. Hop notes are high on flavor and moderate on bitterness. Finish is clean with only a hint of astringency. Slight astringency in the bitterness distracts from the otherwise pleasant finish. Overall good, balanced, easy-drinking IIPA. Mostly citrus with a touch of floral, and a touch of earthy resin at the end.

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4.02/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the Pour Taproom (SC).
Pours with a lightly hazy golden-amber body that's topped by a durable white head that leaves plenty of lacing on the glass.
Medium+ carbonation; medium body. Lots of citrus in the pleasing aroma.
The flavor is bolder and richer than the aroma suggests, and leaves a semi-bitter lingering aftertaste. Mild bitterness for style.
Well hidden ABV.

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4.16/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 16 oz can into a beer mug.
L - Pours a a hazy deep Amber with a white head.
S - Smells of hops, grapes and berries.
T - I'm getting citrus and hoppiness of an IPA, followed by some caramel from the malt, with some berry fruitiness with white grape on the finish.
F - Soft mouthfeel with medium body and carbonation.
O - I'm really enjoying this beer. Every time I take a sip, I feel like I'm getting a different taste.

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4.4/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

I poured this into a snifter. The appearance was a hazy burnt orange color with a one finger white foamy head that dissipated within less than thirty seconds leaving some nice looking speckled lacing clinging yet concaving nicely. The smell had a sweet to bitter crushed grape, sweet passionfruit bonding into some light melon. Light gooseberries play with the aroma slightly underneath. The taste was moderately sweet carrying a nice dried fruit bitterness to blend superbly. A dry sweet sticky lemon slides into the aftertaste along with the gooseberries, grapes and passionfruit. The finish is semi-dry. On the palate, this one sat about a medium on the body with a fairly decent sessionability to sipping quality about it. Carbonation is quite low. Overall, I say this was an absolutely amazing DIPA that I would love to have again.

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3.86/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Pours translucent orange with moderate head and moderate lingering lacing. Smells of tangerine and pine. Taste is same but stronger, with some blood orange notes. Feel is refreshing and not dry at all. Solid double IPA. Well done and 8.2% ABV is well hidden.

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4.01/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Please get a different label artist - your stuff looks very unappealing in a world where first impressions are hugely meaningful as a differentiator within a big wide market of competitors ready and willing to take your sales.

Pours a clear amber gold with a foamy 2 finger head that settles quickly. Aroma is vaguely tropical with some grape tones as well and little breadiness. Taste is sweet up front without much bitterness. Hops come through nicely with a very pleasant blend that sits squarely in the stone fruit category. It finishes with a little astringency that I would say fits the white wine they describe. It really is about the fruit hops and light sweetness though. Feel is thin and clean with no real alcohol flavor (for a DIPA)

Overall I think this is a pretty good beer. I did not enjoy the last beer from them and I was a bit reticent about this one but I am pleasantly surprised. Nice work on this one.

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4.38/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

From Miguel. In Teku glass. Watching House of Cards 1x09-10. Curious flavor profile. Sweet, with tropical fruits, resin and white grapes. Superb aroma. Abv very well hidden. Highly drinkable for such an abv

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3.96/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured from the 16 oz can into a Duvel tulip. Body is slightly hazy orange-amber with a half-finger of whitish head on top. Leaves good lacing on the glass.

S: Good strong nose of fruit - tropical fruit, oranges and white grapes.

T: Interesting. Modest bready malt foundation is followed by an odd mix of fruit (white grapes come to mind again, along with a touch of pineapple) and a more herbal or tea-like quality, along with juniper berries, chardonnay wine and peppery spice. Finishes with a modest "green" taste - not sure if I'm getting pine needles or grassiness, but that's the general impression.

M: A tad bit on the creamy side, feel wise. Call it medium in heft.

O: I almost didn't buy this, but changed my mind based on the guy at the beverage center. Pretty sure I'm not getting my $4.49 worth - at that price point I've had world-class beers - but if you like Nelson Sauvin hops, then maybe it's for you. Me - not so much.

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3.9/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

1 PINT can
Served in a stemless, oversized wine glass

This beer pours amber with some burnt orange highlights. Chunks of yeast are visible. It is topped with an inch of tan head that leaves decent lacing.

I get some tropical fruit in the aroma with hints of pine.

The tropical fruit theme continues into the taste along with hints of grape. There are lots of fruit flavors.

Medium mouthfeel

It is a juicier IPA with little bitterness, but the flavors or aroma don't really pop out at me. It is a good beer on the cusp of greatness.

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4.34/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Appearance - Pours deep golden color with thick foamy off white head.

Aroma - Lots of fresh fruit, mango, grape and pineapple. no alcohol slight sweet malt.

Taste - Very unique taste, up front there are pineapple, mango and tangerine. About midway the grape comes in nice sweet caramel as well.

Feel -Medium bodied well carbonated no sign of the alcohol and slightly dry finish.

Overall - A really well done beer great flavors, very smooth.

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4.02/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

16 oz. Can

Poured into a Squatters true pint glass, a pretty nice slightly hazy dark golden orange color, very nice carbonation, with a very nice thick/creamy three-finger off-white head, which also leaves some pretty nice sticky lacing behind. The nose is hoppy, malty, slight citrus, kinda fruity, sweet. The taste is hoppy, malty, sweet, citrusy, fruity. Medium body, ABV hidden fairly well. Overall, a tasty brew, a different take on the style.

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4.09/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

This beer pours a pale amber with an average head. The aroma features soft tropical fruits - some guava and pasionfruit, as well as tangerine, grass, white grape, and floral notes. The flavor is very floral and fruity, with lots of rosemary, white grape, guava, and passionfruit. with just a touch of tangerine flesh. The mouthfeel is quite light with small bubble carbonation. Overall this is a very nice soft and fruity beer,not challenging, but very tasty.

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4.25/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 16 oz tall boy can into a clear glass tulip. Just delivered to Wine Warehouse a week ago, printing on the bottom of the can is smudged.

A: Amber with a pink grapefruit juice tinge and 2-finger off-white head with decent retention and a nice collar of lacing.

S: Very interesting,unique, and complex aroma with pink grapefruit rind, green grapes, and tropical fruit. Malt is very lightly honey sweet.

T: Flavor is also very one-of-a-kind with a lot of pink grapefruit at first followed by green grape, tannin and light but not overbearing tea-like flavors, and finished with tart berry. Moderate bitterness.

M: Extremely drinkable with lighting body and moderate carbonation with a very dry finish.

O: I was really impressed by this beer -- a very unique hop aroma and flavor profile with bursting flavor that is also unusual but very enjoyable in a very consumable package. Excellent work by AtG and I look forward to trying a few more of their beers. Great can art on this one, not so much on a few of their other offerings.

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4.18/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from pounder into tulip, massive 2 finger head, nice retention and lacing. Crystal clear amberish golden in the glass. Smells of caramel malt, some pine, grapefruit and grape must. Taste is initially sweet caramel malt with pine/pineapple showing up. In the middle there is some grapefruit with some minerality. Has a mild bitter finish, maybe a tad on the semi-dry side. No alcohol apparent. Nice DIPA, not afraid to showcase off a great malt bill here. Love the way the Nelson hops come thru, but really think I like them in a saison more. They really shine there

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4.4/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

16 oz. can

Pours foggy hazy amber orange with a frothy white foam head. Smells like grapes, caramel malt, grapefruit, orange citrus, some guava, with floral earthy herbal grassy pine. Tastes like grapes, toasty caramel malt, grapefruit, orange citrus, guava, with floral earthy herbal grassy pine. Feels medium-light bodied, creamy and slick with moderate low carbonation. Overall a nice Nelson hopped double IPA.

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3.73/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A - Pours a clear amber with a two finger sturdy white head. Heavy amount of soapy lacing.

S - Aroma is piney hops, grapefruit and grapes.

T - The taste is sweet malts, piney hops, grapefruit rind and tangerine with the grapes shinning in the finish.

M - Medium bodied with medium carbonation. Creamy mouthfeel with a crisp finish.

O - This is a nice DIPA. Easy drinking and worth checking out at least once.

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4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a two week old can. The beer pours a nice, clear amber with a decent white head but no retention.

The smell is super fruity with lots of grapes. There is also some tropical smells backing the grapes. The smell is really fantastic.

The taste follows and is very grape-forward with a nice tropical backer.

A very nice beer showcasing the Nelson hop.

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4.15/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours a lightly hazy golden yellow color with a thumb sized cream colored head.

Aroma is good malt sweetness with nice light bright hops, white grapes, apricot, light pineapple, passion fruit and some floral sweet notes.

Taste is like the nose light sweetness hints of caramel light end of hop flavors brighter fruit and floral mixture with some light lingering rind like bitterness. A nice fruit sweet tropical with good flavors not overly bitter just enough lingers to not distract from the floral fruity goodness.

Mouthfeel is medium with pretty level carbonation levels.

Overall like it, its different hop profile makes it nice change from the usual west coast big guns.

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4.04/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 16 oz can into a snifter. Pours deep amber with a big, white, foamy head. The beer is slightly turbid and has good head retention with pretty nice lacing.

Aroma is citrus complemented by apricot and white grapes.

The taste follows the nose, with pleasant, not at all overwhelming hop flavors of citrus, apricot, white grapes, and a vague fruitiness likely attributable to the notes of passion fruit and gooseberries mentioned on the can.

Overall, this is a really nice DIPA showcasing a hop I've not had before. This is one of my favorite offerings from Against the Grain.

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3.83/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Hazy light orange with a foamy head. Solid retention and streak lacing. The aroma is tart fruit and some bread malts. The flavor is a bit more tropical fruit and citrus. Some melon, floral and herbal qualities also. A bit of alcohol in the finish, but faint. A complex beer, worth trying once.

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4.31/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

2014 vintage; drank 5/1/14 @ the Palace.

Poured from the bottle into the glass.

Murky light orange hue.

Bright white head; thick lace.

Fresh flower, honey & pine nose.

Medium mouthfeel.

Grass, pine & pineapple flavor; a dry finish. A touch too bitter but flavorful.

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3.84/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Reviewed from notes. Ignoring the advice printed on the can, it was poured from the 16 oz. can into a Russian River pint glass.

A: Slightly hazy gold, with a big two-finger white head with great retention especially for a hoppy beer. Quite a bit of visible carbonation at first, though it cuts off quickly.

S: Melon, grassy, and dank hops over biscuit malts. Minimal caramel aroma, but a definite touch. Bits of tropical fruit in the background.

T: Melon, grassy and dank hops with some tropical fruits and spicy character as well. Biscuit malts add a good amount of sweetness, but minimal if any caramel flavor (which I appreciate) - just a doughy sweetness. Some bitter grapefruit rind in and through the swallow...not overly bitter, but there's a kick of alpha acid in the end too.

M: Medium body, carbonation sensation is on the low side. Alcohol presence seems restrained for a DIPA, but still noticeable.

O: A good beer, but not anything that will jump into a regular rotation. This doesn't seem overly "Nelson Sauvin-y" honestly. Not necessarily a knock, but I expected different flavors to pull through. But regardless, it seems put together well.

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4.52/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

I am so happy to have finally made it into my AtG stash of CANs here at Chez Woody! The CANQuest (tm) is experiencing a bit of a backlog, but I am making a determined effort to winnow it all down to a more reasonable level. Wish me luck!

From the CAN: "Sexy Beer for the Sexy Man. Brewed with Nelson Sauvin hops as sexy as Rico himself, this Double India Pale Ale has a strong, fruity flavor resembling that of fresh crushed Sauvignon Blanc grapes, gooseberries, and passion fruit. Let it be known that Rico is out for one thing, to be inside you!"

The Crack! was appropriately loud, inspiring me to CANduct an inverted Glug. This resulted in two-plus fingers of dense, foamy, puffy, tawny head with good retention. Color was a slightly hazy Amber to Deep Amber/Light Copper (SRM = > 13, < 17). Nose was very fruity, more passion fruit than grapes, although there was certainly a vinousness to it. Mouthfeel was big and full, more like a dollop than a draft. The taste was a big WOW! The grapiness really jumped out and then was held in check by the tropical fruitiness of passion fruit (I do not have gooseberry in my vocabulary), creating a really interesting CANbination. The alcohol was really well-hidden and I was surprised at how quickly it was being CANsumed by yours truly. A word as to its taste - fruity does not necessarily equate to sweet. This was not precisely bitter, either, but it was clearly hop-driven. Warming, the tropical fruitiness really began to shine through. Man, I could drink this all day! Finish was fruity, but dry, which is the hallmark of many white wines. Wow! This was a really different beer and one that I would be happy to have aCAN.

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