RCH Ale Mary

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Golden straw pour with massive sustained head and very heavy lacing. Good carbonation. Spiced aroma similar to pumpkin pie spices minus the pumpkin: nutmeg, cloves, slight cinnamon, some allspice, cooked squash and a bit of metallic flavor. Interesting

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

I had no knowledge of this beer while shopping at Ledgers in Berkeley. The reason I picked it up was simply to try a new ale. Well I VERY glad I did because this was a fanastic brew and it came at the perfect time (a cold October evening).

The aroma is astounding. Strong notes of cloves, buttered rum (think a Tom & Jerry mix), cinnamon, raisins, and ginger. Appearance is amber in color, slightly cloudy with a nice off-white two finger thick head. Mouthfeel was a bit overcarbonated for my liking. Flavors were fantastic with clear cut tastes like cloves, raisins, sweet caramel malts, cinnamon, and various other spices keeping it interesting. Quite the unassuming bottle and label, but don't be fooled. What's inside is every bit as interesting a beer you will find for Christmas. So why not celebrate the Holidays now. Do your self a favor. Get this beer.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

500 ml brown bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. "Hand brewed" by RCH Brewery, but bottle conditioned by Branded Drinks. ABV is 6.0%. Contains coriander seed oil. Deep amber colour, just a slight haziness, low head. Enticing and very special aroma - coriander, cloves and ginger, rum-drenched raisins, fortified sweet wines and herbal shampoo. Flavour is very spicy - one of the spiciest beers I've had so far, initially sweet and vinous, but with a ferocious attack of coriander, dry ginger and bittering hops in the finish. Dry aftertaste. I'd say they could with advantage have gone a little easier on the spices here, and we'd have a softer and more drinkable beer. The ale "base" seems decent enough. As it is, this is an INTERESTING beer, to say the least. Not for people who hate coriander and ginger.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Well now, what do we have here? Is the label meant to be a joke beer, with the possible play on words "Hail Mary"? Or is this is a CAMRA endorsed Real Ale? Or a spicy Christmas Ale of some sort? Actually, while I doubt that the first choice applies, this is definately a CAMRA Gold Medal Real (Christmas) Ale. A tasty one, too.

I guess I should have glanced at the label description before sampling this, since the spice was a huge surprise to me. "Um, Corinader? Pepper? Clove? Nutmeg? What is this, Anchor's `Our Special Ale' done ala Merry Olde England-style?". (Yes, dumb-ass, next time read the label...!)

Very nice aroma, with plenty of spice of course, but not so much as to overwelm the senses. Same goes for the flavor profile. Yes, this has some nice spices going on here, but enough of malt/hop-backbone to give some life to this medely of flavors and scents. Perhaps still a bit overkill (I guess it's hard for me to get too thrilled with a Holiday Ale a few days after the official start of Summer!), but it's hard not to notice that this is a very fine spiced ale.
//TB

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Clear amber colour (keep the sediment in the bottle) with large (1"), steady head, good lacing. Very nice and interesting aroma; cloves, honey and fruit. Very spicey taste, cloves, nutmeg and ginger prominent. Bitter finish, creamy mouthfeel. A challenge to the taste buds, but excellent nontheless.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 4 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 2

Medium amber color. Medium sized tight foamy head. Aroma is nutty, fruity, sweet and spicy. A medium bodied ale. Malts are fruity and sweet. Lots of ginger, coriander, cloves and cinnamon. Its not really a appetizing mix, and what in the frell is PIMENTO doing in there. There is also something I am assuming is spice oil. GAHHH. Sorry, guv this one is NOT my cup of tea. Mouthfeel is full. Finish is clean. Aftertaste is slightly bitter.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 9

red-orange colour, big creamy head with a beautiful lace, raisins and honey aroma, alcohol notes, smooth, bitter with a long dry apple finish - very complex and simply beautiful !

Aroma: 4 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

Poured with a gigantic head. I had let this sit for over a week, so I know my agitation was not a factor. Deep gold coloring with a little bit of cloudiness. The aroma is ginger bread with some carrots and some cinnamon. The taste is a dry ginger and bread crust with some celery. The spices are overwhelming. This is a weird beer.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 1 | Overall: 6

Cloudy Orange in color with a nice white head. Fruity spicey aroma. Very malty and hoppy. Pretty good.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 6

Apple cider color with fluffy tan head with big bubbles. Fantastic malty sour aroma that makes me want to jump in a vat of this. Label says CAMRA Gold Medal Winner 2001. In what category I wonder? Tastes like an ale. Pimento? Tastes liek a bit of a sour Old Ale.