Fegley's Brew Works Rude Elf's Reserve
A Belgian style ale brewed with cinnamon, nutmeg, sweet gale, cloves, coriander and allspice. Formerly known as Rudolph’s Reserve.
3.4
197 reviews
Bethlehem, United States
Community reviews
Smooth for a high 10.5. Aroma is nice and a pleasant carmel color. Taste is very subtle l, but packs a bite even after just one brew. Nice!
Appearance-Clear deep, rich amber, creamy off white head, nice lacing.
Aroma-Christmas mulling spices, clove, nutmeg,allspice,cinnamon.
Taste-Sweet yet spicy, clove and nutmeg are big, alcohol and cinnamon. Malty and doughy. Not something I would want a lot but it was interesting
Pours a rust oramge. Has a malt, fruit and caramel aroma. Has a sweet fruity malt and caramel taste (but not prunes or too bitter). A sweet aftertaste. No dry flavors here.
The aroma is yeasty, fruity, spicy. The appearance is amber, white head. The flavor is yeasty, fruit, cinnamon, fruity, peppery. The Finnish is peppery, yeasty, specs. Medium in body. Decent overall.
Transfer from BA review on 12-10-12-
Served on tap in a 10 oz chalice glass
Appearance – The beer is served a ruby red color with a small white head. The head fades very fast to leave a lingering film and a small level of lacing.
Smell- The aroma is heaviest of spice notes mixed with some fruit and sugar. Cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom are all prevalent and mix nicely with a candied sugar and light dark fruit aroma.
Taste – The spices make their presence known upfront in the taste as they did in the nose. Cinnamon and cardamom mix with a dark fruit and malty base of the brew. Soon other spices of nutmeg enter as well as some flavors of a brown sugar and apple. A light yeast taste enters the tongue, more toward the end, along with a light alcohol and citrus flavor. From the mix of the spice and alcohol, a pleasant warming taste is left to linger on the tongue.
Mouthfeel- The body of the beer is on the medium side in terms of its thickness with a carbonation level that is slightly on the higher side. The high carbonation is good for the drinkability while the medium body is a good compromise from keeping it too easy to drink, but yet still being god for the spice and the fruit flavors.
Overall – A tasty spiced Belgian style ale. A very drinkable (and dangerous at 10.5 % abv.) and wonderful winter style brew to sit back and sip in the company of friends. A good on to try if you get the chance.
12 ounce bottle into tulip glass, 2013 vintage bottling. Pours slightly cloudy reddish copper color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense light khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty lacing clings on the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of caramel, cherry, pear, apple, light banana, bread, candi sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, pepper, herbal, allspice, and yeast earthiness. Nice aromas with solid balance and good complexity of malt, spice, and yeast ester notes; with good strength. Taste of caramel, cherry, pear, apple, light banana, toast, candi sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, pepper, herbal, allspice, and yeast earthiness. Moderate yeast/herbal spiciness on the finish; with lingering notes of caramel, cherry, pear, apple, light banana, toast, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, pepper, herbal, allspice, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a while. Very nice balance and complexity of yeast ester, spices, and malt flavors; with a great malt/spiciness balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium-high carbonation and medium bodied; with a slightly slick and moderately crisp/prickly mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is well hidden with only a light warming present after the finish. Overall this is a very good spiced Belgian strong ale. All around good balance and complexity of yeast ester, spices, and malt flavors; and very smooth to sip on for the big ABV. A nicely enjoyable offering.
Bottle thanks to DrSilverworm. Hazy dark orange pour with a small head that collects to a nice ring. Big Belgian spice aroma of cinnamon, all spice, clove and nutmeg. Tastes has a nice Chai tea element mixed with Belgian yeast and sweet bread. Very spicy but it works pretty well. Smooth finish, moderate carbonation. 10.5% abv seems very well hidden. Would be a nice beer to enjoy during the Christmas holiday.
Pours a slightly hazy orange with a small cream head. Smells of nutmeg, sour cherries. Taste is sweet, mildly bitter and sour - cherry, nutmeg, allspice - fruity yeast.
Clear amber color with an off white head. Spicy scent and flavor. Tastes like ginger snaps!
Pour is burnt orange, with a small off-white head. Aroma is of candi sugar, plums, pear, cloves, and allspice. Taste is sweet at first and leads into a Belgian yeast and spice finish.
Smells like gingerbread and fruitcake. Murky brown with fast diminishing head. Alcohol burns through the mix and brings warmth. A real winter warmer.
12oz bottle thanks le docteur ver d’argent. Potpourri nose. Glad the hop distracts from the holiday nonsense. I get a feeling this is a blend. Sweet but mellows as it warms.
Bottle thanks to the strapping DrSilverworm. Solid winter beer with spices and shit. Not bad.
12 oz. bottle shared by DrSilverworm- thanks again, Chris! Pours a clear, deep, reddish-amber color with a small eggshell head. Aroma of leaves, toasted malts, brown sugar, caramel, overripe fruit, and cardboard. Smells kind of old. Flavor of booze-soaked bread, figs, raisins, caramel, brown sugar, cookie, and spices. Medium-bodied, with moderate carbonation and a sweet, spicy, boozy mouthfeel. A little much for me.
This one poured a ruby red color with an off white head. Aroma was of lots of spices, mainly cinnamon and numeg and lots of alcohol. Flavor was simiarlar, apple, cinnamon and boatlaods of harsh booze. Not too great.
Bottle. Light copper pour with a finger of white head that dissipates quickly. Coriander, nutmeg, sweet spices, pumpkin pie, soda and chocolate. Lighter than expected body. Wanted more kick and dryness. A bit too sweet for me but a good beer to have while relaxing on a cold day
Bottle. Thx canon. So far I don't know why I keep trying. Spice beer is very low on my list. Nutmeg and coriander kills me.
12 oz bottle from DrSilverworm. Pours a slightly hazy dark reddish amber color with a medium sized off white head. The aroma and flavor have allspice, nutmeg, additional herbs and spices, caramel, yeast sweet malts, fairly smooth, if I didn’t read the bottle I wouldn’t have guessed that it was over 10 %.
POPE, Philadelphia tap ($6): Pours dark brown with a tan head. Aroma is a whole heck of a lot of spices, like allspice, cloves, and I even got something akin to ginger. Nice roasted malts and plenty of sweetness as well. Taste is similar. Nice body. Alcohol is well covered. I thought it was quite nice.
Warms you right up, reddish color, slightly spiced but well balanced! Full bodied. Winey.
Pours a cloudy amber with load of spice, cinnamon, clove, and heavy malt. Flavor is moderately to heavily sweet with a slight booze finish. Overall a great beer for enjoying with Christmas!
12oz bottle, thanks to Dan H. Shared with b3shine. Clear amber color. Little, bubbly off-white head, couple dots of lace. Really nice spice, ginger, nutmeg nose. Good clove in the flavor. Nice moderate sweet, mild bitter, lightly spicy taste. Alcohol is very well-hidden. Bigger body. Smooth, kind of crisp lighter carbonation. Lightly dry finish. Very tasty, impressively easy-drinking winter warmer. Hides alcohol impressively well for 10%.
Bottle to snifter (shared by DrSilverworm). Looks good; a transparent deep orange with off-white lacing. Smells solid; Belgian yeast, clove, and winter spices with a fairly sweet backbone. Tastes like it. Smells with clear but learnt notes of nutmeg. Nice on the palate! And very smooth for the abv. Good beer.
12 oz bottle. Clear purple brown with white froth. Nose is cherry, nutmeg, honey and rye. Oily medium body with a tang. Taste is nutmeg, clove and candi finishing with bitter spice. A simple holiday brew; not a bad choice for a cold evening. Similar to the other Elf but without the cough syrup notes.
One of my favorites and doesn't disappoint!! Sweet hop smell to start, spices and hops on the taste, salt bitter aftertaste--but overall still great!!
Bottle into an ale glass. Pour is ruby and high co2 that drops fast. Aroma is all it says on the bottle, spice and malt. Taste is the same with a warmth. Finish is a nice wash of spice.
On draft at Isaacs. It was ok, tasted and smelled exactly like the description. Cinnamon, spices, candy sugar, coriander and nuts.
The blend was a little off for me, but it was interesting.
Has a very robust aroma of spices and malt. Pours a mahogany body with a white head. Goes down smooth with a little after taste.
Nice seasonal beer. It has a nice palate with a good mixture of winter/Christmas spices.
I woudl take it on christmas day probably, it is spiced and very strong, decent but nto great.