Rock Creek All
American Ale
Review Date 11/18/2001
Try?
Re-buy?
If you live
outside of the Mid-Atlantic coastal area of the United States, this may
indeed be a hard to find beer for you. It’s worth seeking out if you happen
to be in the area, however, as are most of the beers sold under the Rock
Creek label.
Certainly, All-American Ale should gain some popularity in this period of heightened patriotism in America. Its label features red and white stripes with a depiction of a colonial fife and drum crew in the center. The beer should be appreciated for much more than its colorful packaging, however, since it is an exceptional and very flavorful brew.
Rock Creek Brewing is now part of the Chesapeake Bay Brewing Company, and its beers are brewed in Raleigh, North Carolina. The company also produces the Potomac River brands and has earned the respect of beer enthusiasts across the nation for its flavorful brews crafted with European and domestic malts and hops.
Rock Creek All American Ale pours to a dark reddish color with a creamy head and a vibrant hoppy-malty nose hinting at olives and rich crystal malt. The palate absolutely explodes with flavor: first rich, chewy stewed malt with a touch of chocolate and roasted character and a full, satisfying mouthfeel; then an emerging citric hop flavor and finally a no holds barred hop bitterness that lingers for some time after you sip.
As with many beers, Rock Creek All American Ale can be dissected as you sip to give you an idea what ingredients went into making it. The full, rich chewy character indicates crystal (also called caramel) malt. This malt has a high percentage of non-fermentable sugars, which are not consumed by yeast and thus impart body and flavor to a brew.
The touch of roasted character and notes of chocolate indicate some chocolate malt was probably used. The slightly dark tint to the color of the brew hints at this too. Actually, there isn’t any chocolate in chocolate malt, but it is roasted until it can impart flavors similar to cocoa. You’d be surprised how little of this specialty grain needs to be added to beer to affect its flavor, too.
Finally, the spicy hop character definitely suggests piney Cascade hops used late in the boil to impart aroma. Centennials are used for bittering and added early on, a good dose of them probably. A slightly higher alcohol content than is normal for most beers (5.8% by volume) imparts a bit of warmth in the finish.
This is a wonderful beer indeed, an admirable and hoppy example of an American Red Ale. I enjoyed it with cold shrimp dipped in spicy cocktail sauce (heavy on the horseradish). The bitterness of the beer complemented the spicy horseradish perfectly.
Certainly, All-American Ale should gain some popularity in this period of heightened patriotism in America. Its label features red and white stripes with a depiction of a colonial fife and drum crew in the center. The beer should be appreciated for much more than its colorful packaging, however, since it is an exceptional and very flavorful brew.
Rock Creek Brewing is now part of the Chesapeake Bay Brewing Company, and its beers are brewed in Raleigh, North Carolina. The company also produces the Potomac River brands and has earned the respect of beer enthusiasts across the nation for its flavorful brews crafted with European and domestic malts and hops.
Rock Creek All American Ale pours to a dark reddish color with a creamy head and a vibrant hoppy-malty nose hinting at olives and rich crystal malt. The palate absolutely explodes with flavor: first rich, chewy stewed malt with a touch of chocolate and roasted character and a full, satisfying mouthfeel; then an emerging citric hop flavor and finally a no holds barred hop bitterness that lingers for some time after you sip.
As with many beers, Rock Creek All American Ale can be dissected as you sip to give you an idea what ingredients went into making it. The full, rich chewy character indicates crystal (also called caramel) malt. This malt has a high percentage of non-fermentable sugars, which are not consumed by yeast and thus impart body and flavor to a brew.
The touch of roasted character and notes of chocolate indicate some chocolate malt was probably used. The slightly dark tint to the color of the brew hints at this too. Actually, there isn’t any chocolate in chocolate malt, but it is roasted until it can impart flavors similar to cocoa. You’d be surprised how little of this specialty grain needs to be added to beer to affect its flavor, too.
Finally, the spicy hop character definitely suggests piney Cascade hops used late in the boil to impart aroma. Centennials are used for bittering and added early on, a good dose of them probably. A slightly higher alcohol content than is normal for most beers (5.8% by volume) imparts a bit of warmth in the finish.
This is a wonderful beer indeed, an admirable and hoppy example of an American Red Ale. I enjoyed it with cold shrimp dipped in spicy cocktail sauce (heavy on the horseradish). The bitterness of the beer complemented the spicy horseradish perfectly.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
