Roanoke Railhouse Brewery Caboose
After the poor experience with Roanoke Railhouse’s IPA, I really wasn’t looking forward to trying out Caboose, the company’s 7.8% Imperial Lager. Thankfully, this Americanized take on a helles bock (complete with Willamette and Millenium hops varieties) is much better in every regard.
Appearance
Caboose pours a golden amber in color with a resilient white cap that fought to keep its form throughout the drinking process.
Aroma
Toasted bread, caramel, light fruit, subtle spicy hop character and a light sweetness all come together in the clean aroma.
Taste
I was mentally prepared for something to be off with the flavor given my past experience with the company, but the any off character elements never arrived. Caboose is a big lager with plenty of warmth from the higher alcohol content. A healthy dose of caramel and bready malt combine with a bit of cloying sweetness as the beer transitions to a light bitterness (42 IBU) from the spicy hops.
Overall
All in all, this brew is a big improvement over the IPA that I tried the other day, then again it didn’t really have to try all that hard. It’s a bit misguided perhaps, resulting in a brew that’s a little too sweet for my liking — especially for the style. Right now, I have mixed feelings about the company’s products, but I may pick up something from them in the future if I feel daring.
Rating:3.25/5