Steel Toe Brewing - Rainmaker

Tonight I'm drinking a bomber of Rainmaker from Steel Toe Brewing located in St. Louis Park, MN.  If you have been following us over the last month or two you have certainly noticed the high remarks I've had for these guys in our reviews.  Their Size 7 IPA is one of the best I've had.  Dissent is a fantastic dark ale that isn't quite a stout but slightly bigger than a porter.  I have yet to review Provider which is a lightly hopped, unfiltered light ale.  But I have tasted it and it's very good.  Rainmaker is the last of the four brews currently available from Steel Toe that I have yet to sink my beer-craving palate into.

Rainmaker is a double red ale brewed with caramel and dark roasted malts with a big pile of hops added in for good measure.  I wonder what category this brew falls under in our poll?  At 6.5% ABV, I'd say its right between 'maintaining my ability to walk' and 'enjoying a good imperial brew'.  I won't know until I try it!

As I fill my pint I find that the color isn't quite what I had expected.  More brown than red, but still clear and topped off with a voluptuous amount of tan foam.  The citrusy aroma reminds me of a subdued version of Size 7.  This isn't necessarily bad.  It leaves room for some toasted bread and caramel aromas to accompany the grapefruity hop aroma that initially leads things off.  The flavors are very similar to the aromas.  Citrusy hops are at the forefront once again with sweet malt and a hint of mild roast providing a solid amount of balance.  The body is just a bit thin for my liking, but I wouldn't consider it a flaw, just a preference.  Although, as it warms, the sweetness comes through a bit more and mimics some of that extra body I was looking for.  The finish is nice and smooth with some hop bitterness and just a hint of alcohol helping to dry it all out.

Overall - I'd put Rainmaker on the same level as Dissent - a well brewed beer with a lot of good things going for it.  Size 7 is still my favorite of the four available brews from Steel Toe.  It was just so good!  But Rainmaker is definitely a beer I'll go back to when I'm looking for a darker, fully hopped red ale.  I wish all four beers were on tap in my house.  That would make me a happy boy.