Rain City Roast
Reuben's Brews

really neat beer, cool packaging too, didnt look like a normal release from these guys had to do a double take. a very pleasant beer, different even though there are a lot of coffee cream ales out there in the world now. im not sure how fresh i am catching this one, as there is some subtle green pepper coffee fade as well as a little bit of astringency in this, but i like the beer a lot anyway, and could imagine this popping off even harder if it were brand new. pale beer but definitely strained a shade or two towards brown with the coffee addition. there is some slight haze, and the head rises and falls pretty fast. the nose on this is fruity coffee, perhaps naturally processed, a raisin and even dried cherry note, black tea, subtle sweetness, cocoa, and some corn in the grain bill is a neat call, its smoothing sweetness is very unifying here, subtle as it is it makes a difference. the flavor does have a little oxidation, but a ton of cool fruitiness too, and i like the base cream ale being smooth and easy but not necessarily all that minimal or light. it has creamy feel, a long flow, and it holds the coffee flavor up well. dry cocoa powder, tobacco, trace smoke and maple too, even faint ground black pepper. really neat and obviously high quality coffee in this, and pretty boldly dosed. light bitterness from it, some mild astringency from it kind of fading, but still poppy flavors and an appreciable caffeine hit by the bottom of the can. fine carbonation, medium grainy body, light tang at the end. this is a little bit outside the norm, or what i think of as the norm, for these guys. an exciting release that i hope is a sign of things to come. i love coffee beer, and this is a unique one. well done.

 

 

L: Orange, hazy body.
S: Odd. Coffee, orange citrus hops, a few floral notes, but mostly coffee.
T: Follows the nose. Upfront coffee that clings to orange blossom with passing sweetness, then floral and roasty notes. Not much sweetness past the initial fruity coffee flavors.
F: Carbonation is high. A bit of a thin feel, quick to finish.
O: A combination of flavors that confuses my brain. The way the coffee and the orange intermingle isn’t bad, but I don’t know if I like it, either….. But hey, I appreciate brewers that try stuff like this and take it to the shelf. Sometimes it beats having hazy ale #3762.