I love the design on the Ruhstaller beers. They are playful and simple. The neck is adorned with fabric and tape and though the graphic is busy, it isn’t annoying. It is like a piece of art that some may like and others may not. Plus their backstory on the beer is simple and straightforward as well. This hoppy beer made with hops grown in Dixon, California at the Ruhstaller farm. It is part of their Rapid Fire R&D series.
That bodes well but what about the beer itself? It pours a really dark reddish/brown. Akin to an imperial red, hence the lack of an IPA moniker in the name. The initial aroma has balsa wood notes and some caramel as well. It is one of those beers with a low ABV that taste stronger. The hop character is mostly woody and herbal and is pretty strong without being overwhelming. Their website alludes to a licorice taste that I don’t quite pick up myself. But I do get some toast notes here that balances the affair out.
