Another Rye IPA

In 2011 Harpoon released a "Rye IPA" as part of their 100 Barrel series. I tried it, I liked it, I even bought a small bunch to keep in my cellar. I suggested to them that it should be a regular item rather than a small batch, but that hasn't happened.

Jump to 2012, Sierra Nevada has released their own take on a rye IPA, quite different from the Harpoon version, While I slightly prefer the Harpoon version, this is what I can get, and in 12oz bottles rather than 22oz, While I do drink alone since my cats don't drink, I don't typically have 22oz of anything with lunch or a snack, I prefer to share with friends or at the least with a solid dinner.

I cooled the brew to 40F and left it set for two days, and cooled the tasting mug to 50f. On the pour I have to say that the head really wanted to be the boss, I poured gently and down the side of the mug until the last little bit, and still got all the head you see. There were a lot of bubbles rising, see below.

The aroma was slightly sweet, and I was afraid I was going to get too much finishing (or aroma) hop. Not to worry, the first taste was heavy on bittering hops, perhaps slightly more than the malt and finishing hops could balance, but very tasty. The taste felt as though it was on the rook of my mouth, and faded gradually and evenly.  The taste is not subtle, and I don't expect many people will taste it and honestly say "it's okay." This seems like one of those brews you like quite a bit or not at all.

Food pairings - this is a problem brew, and I like hops. So far I have found it goes well with very salty potato chips or sharp cheddar cheese. It didn't please me with a turkey and Swiss cheese on seeded rye with Dijon mustard (Grey Poupon). I plan to try it with sauteed sirloin tips and scalloped potatos, and probably with a burrito as well. Check the comments in a few weeks.

Overall - I like this brew quite a bit, so maybe Rye IPA is going to be the "next big thing" in craft brewing. I have tasted two, I have liked two, hell of a fine way to start your birthday.

Here's the neck label with some brewing details, click to see large and the rest of the pictures I took, including one showing just how many bubbles there were in this brew.