Rustic Ale
Rustic Ale is an American Amber Ale from Capital Brewery in Middleton, Wisconsin. I really used to like the beers from Capital, and they still have some winners, but as of late it seems they have been going the way of the middle-of-the-road brewery with less than exceptional beers. They are just a touch better than Leinenkugel’s, whose beers are always middle of the road, or overplayed up as far as adding artificial flavors to the beer. Apple Spice or Fireside Nut Brown anyone? But regardless, I have heard some good things about Rustic Ale and decided to give it a shot. So here is the review.
The aroma dominated by toasted malts, with a slightly sweet caramel character. Some breadyness is in there as well. There is a very low citrus hop aroma, and at first I didn’t really get any hops at all. Most American ales have a bit higher hop presentation than this one, but according to the guidelines hop aroma can be moderate to low, and this one is low. Perhaps even a bit too low. Although I like the malt presentation quite a bit, the beer would be better with just a touch more hops in the aroma. If they are trying to keep that low, they may have overdone that aspect in my opinion. 8 points
The color is a bright coppery hue. Although the description on the website states that the beer is cloudy, this beer in my glass is fairly clear. It poured a decent dense 1/2 inch head. Fairly good retention. 3 points.
The flavor is a bit thin. There is some toasty malt and some light caramel in the malt presentation as well as some nice citrus hop flavor. But there is also a prickly sensation from the carbonation. It is almost seltzer water-like. There is a dry feel to the beer as well. The beer is not bad, just not what I am expecting. The malt profile and hop bitterness seem to me to be just a bit low for the style, but the overall flavor is fairly good and balanced. The only real gripe I have is that the overall flavor is too thin and not nearly big enough. If the carbonation adds flavor to this type of beer, it is my opinion that the rest of the flavors are not contributing enough to the overall presentation.10 points.
The mouthfeel is just a bit too light. The feeling in the mouth is watery and not nearly as full as it should be. The carbonation may be too high, but my money is on the rest of the beer not living up to what it should. 3 points.
Overall the beer is quite drinkable and will appeal to a lot of beer drinkers. But for hardcore craft beer lovers, this beer will just barely satisfy your lust for malt and come nowhere near killing your hop craving. The beer could use a boost in malt and a slight nudge in the hop department. Other than that, the beer is good and quite drinkable. But is this a great example of an American Amber Ale? I say no. 5 points.
My overall score for this beer is a 29 out of 50. Which could translate to a C+. For those who don’t know, I use the BCJP guidelines and the BJCP scoresheet for my reviews. If you want to see the scoresheet to relate to the scores I am giving. You can view it here. The BJCP uses a 50 point scale for beer, with a score of 45-50 being and outstanding world-class example, 38-44 is an excellent example of style, 30-37 is very good, 21-29 is a good beer, 14-20 is a fair beer, and 0-13 is a highly problematic beer.
