Last Stand
Short Fuse Brewing Company

 

Nice to have a less common style. This is about right to me - a rye hefeweizen essentially. Tasty, like a cross between a dunkelweizen and a hefeweizen but with a little more spice. The only thing I'd say - this beer was a little thin and had a creamy feel that didn't quite go with the flavor.

11/26/28 Purchased again, this time at The Beer Temple. I've edited my initial review below and pretty much stick to my rating. Using rye and a hefe-yeast may not sound good, but it is properly refreshing in the winter. And I'm glad Short Fuse offered it again. But unless others step-up and review Last Stand, it's OK to keep it "retired" on BA as there are only 27 ratings last month on UnTappd, so not wide distribution.

Initial review
Carried contactless to the curb at Beermiscuous Lakeview (my go-to for supporting Chicagoland's obscure micros.)

I've had too few roggenbiers, so my rating relative to style certainly is more guesswork than expertise.
I personally think that rye should be used more for spice and hops less. This will expand the American palate.
So, I appreciate Short Fuse's effort here very much and compliment them for thinking outside the American palate.

Looks are slightly above average... for a hefe-yeast I expect more foam. Smells got something in there that seems new... but, where is the hefe's big banana ?!! I like the balanced Tastes of dark bready and herby hops. Last Stand sits very pleasantly in my mouth; slightly refreshing, but mostly medium to full for its modest ABV.

I hope Short Fuse offers this up again next year and I hope to try other Roggenbiers to compare. Prost !

 

NO can date, thanks to falloutsnow for this trade
Pours a med-larger frothy off-white head with moderate retention, big soapy lacing, hazy auburn to chestnut color

Nose brings a nice spicy rye note with caramel, toffee, sweet malts, some fruity aromas, little spicy hop note, a bit of an herbal earthy character, and a hint smokey, a little tobacco

Taste brings more spicy rye and whole wheat bread, dark German rye bread like flavor, getting a touch yeasty and bready, light fruity flavors, hops kick in with med-lighter bitterness and herbal earthy hops, more of the caramel and toffee in the middle, and biscuity as well, hops kicking up late with med bitterness and getting spicy with the rye

Mouth is med to fuller bod, med foamy carb

Overall pretty nice, roggenbier crossed with altbier, enjoyable

A very nice roggenbier in the style of Thurn und Taxis from back in the day.

Pours a light beige-colored foam that fades in average time to a thin ring around the perimeter of the glass. Lacing is modest, with some small blotches and dots clinging to some sides of the glass. Body is a light copper orange color with light bringing out dark orange-yellow hues (SRM ~9). Transparent, but sediment is in bottom of can.

Aroma features some pleasantly moderate spicy phenolics balanced with moderate sweetness and character of medium-colored caramel malts, pleasant/interesting marshmallow-meets-mushroom yeast character.

Flavor of phenolic spice, tangy caramel as from CaraRye, some mild background fruity esters. Front: sweetness from medium/medium-light caramel malt use, mild fruit esters (including very faint banana I guess) from weizen yeast, mildly spicy phenolics, slight twang from rye/yeast/roast malt. Mid: spicy phenolics, plenty of hefeweizen yeast character (mildly mushroom/earth-like), mildly sweet and tangy caramel malt, slight hint of roast malt usage . Back: spicy phenolics from yeast, caramel sweetness, slight mushroomy yeast character, subtle esters from yeast, slight hints of roast. After: lingering mildly spicy phenolics with a slight fruit ester character (that does have a mild hint of banana) and medium-colored caramel character/sweetness, just a hint of a roasted (mild chocolate) character peeking through occasionally.

Beer is medium-light to medium in body, with carbonation of fairly high intensity, resulting in a mostly foamy mouthfeel. Closes dry, medium-light stickiness on palate/lips.

(C+, B, B, B+/A-, B)

Aroma is bubblegum/bananas, rye/malts and mild sweetness. The flavor is bubblegum/bananas, fruit and a long and spicy rye/slightly sweet malt finish.