Rahr & Sons The Regulator

Two posts in one day? What is wrong with me? Answer: there is so much beer to drink and so little time (in other words, it's not my fault).

Another Rahr & Sons beer on the docket for the night (day, whatever). And this one is a lager. A doppelbock, to be exact. This should be exciting, right? The Regulator sounds intimidating. Here it goes...

The Regulator pours a lovely ruby red-mahogany, crystal clear, with a variable light tan head (size seems to depend on the type of glass used, as it often does; for most beers I tend to use a footed/stem glass but even those have a wide variation in bowl shape). The body, while clear, does not look thick nor oily, and actually seems a bit watery, which might be the only downside to the whole appearance package. Unfortunately, I fear the appearance might be the best part of this beer.

This was not a particularly aromatic beer, and the little I could pick up was less than astounding. There were bits of chocolate, hints of caramel, and hints of bread, and not much in the ways of hops either; with doppelbocks being a malt bomb most times, this was rather underwhelming and did not bode well for the taste.

As I expected, the taste was also unimpressive but not bad, mind you. It had hints of chocolate and hints of caramel, but nothing stood out. Doppelbocks are supposed to be big, bold beers (see classics such as Ayinger Celebrator and Weihenstephaner Korbinian; or even an American take on the style that is quite popular: Great Lakes The Dopplerock) and The Regulator did not live up to the standard. Not to mention the finish was somewhat dry, like a bread verging on stale that calls for a drink of water after eating it or perhaps butter on the bread itself.

Available around Texas, $7-9 for a 22 oz bottle.

Rahr & Sons Brewing
The Regulator Doppelbock
TCSH - 6-6.5/10
Aka - Worth trying once. Split it, and the cost, with a friend.

Dallas

Rahr & Sons Lã Grange

Now, for all intents and purposes, Fort Worth is my backyard (please don't hate me, all you great people from Fort Worth), and Rahr and Sons is my metaphorical playground. I have visited on several occasions, have several Rahr pint glasses, and have sampled many of their beers. But on to THIS beer...


Lã Grange... Most of us, hopefully, think of the song by the Southern rock legend ZZ Top, who were from Texas, but what a lot of people don't seem to realize is Lã Grange is referring to a whore house. Thankfully, this beer does not.

This Texas saison, or "farmhouse" ale, pours out hazy golden straw yellow with a large, fluffy white head. One can make out a few bubbles rising from the bottom of the glass. It looks exactly like what you would want to be drinking on a hot summer's day after working out on the farm for several hours, or with your plowman's lunch.

The aroma is earthy; it has lots of strong yeasty notes that lend to both fruitiness and some mild funk that is characteristic of saisons. One thing I appreciated about this beer is that they did not use brettanomyces in the production of this product, as many saisons do (and I love brett in my beers, especially sours). The taste follows the nose pretty well; there are nice fruit flavors such as white grapes and pears, some spices and straw-like characters, and some funk to round it out.

Lã Grange also has a nice feel in the mouth, being bubbly but not excessive, and not too thick that you're eating bread but not too thin that you're drinking water. This beer also has a nice, crisp, refreshing finish, perfect for the Texas heat, for sure. Available throughout Texas, $6-7 for a 22 oz bottle.

Rahr & Sons Brewing
Lã Grange Farmhouse Ale
TCSH - 8.5/10
Aka - A must try.

Dallas