Beer of the Weekend #326: Ruthless Rye IPA

I think it is safe to say my March LV recommendation will be a bock. Which is hard to say, but I am sure it will be among the standard bearers of Bavarian doppelbock. However, I am giving another Hotek recommendation a try tonight: Ruthless Rye IPA, brewed by the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company of Chico, California.


Hotek is a self-professed hophead so I need to take his hoppier suggestions with a grain of salt. Why are hoppy beers all the rage? I have no clue. Frankly, though, I have never asked. Perhaps if I see Joe tomorrow I will ask him. (Elaborate, oh wise one.)

Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. No freshness date.

Appearance: Straight pour into a pint glass. The color is honey/copper. Two fingers of thick, eggshell-colored head dissipated slowly to leave a billowy cap and trails of foam along the sides.

Smell: Grapefruit citrus. (Surprise, surprise.) There is also orange and a little lemon, but the grapefruit stands out. Below are English bitter-esque hops, caramel malts, and, shockingly, rye. It all comes together nicely, but the citrus scents, especially the grapefruit, dominate.

Taste: The mouthfeel is smooth and creamy, and the flavor offers a nice jab of bitterness and citrus. The hops linger on the tongue with a grainy texture and, at moments, become metallic in taste. Each sip keeps the roof of the mouth tingling, and the tongue and back of the cheeks feel the effects of the aftertaste. The caramel, bitter-esque flavor, and rye are in the background and provide a little balance, but they are overshadowed by the hops.

Drinkability: Solid stuff, and it does get me jonesing for spring. I am not sure if it makes for an ideal spring seasonal, though. IPA, it seems, is in season all the time.

Fun facts about RRIPA:

-Style: BA classifies it as “American IPA.”

-Price: $1.79/bottle at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.

-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.

-Alcohol content: 6.6 percent ABV.

-Food pairings: BA recommends curried cuisine (especially Thai), peppery cheeses (Monterey/Pepper Jack), sharp cheeses (Blue, Cheddar), pungent cheeses (Gorgonzola, Limburger), poultry, fish, shellfish, and salmon.

-Ruthless Rye is Sierra Nevada’s spring seasonal.

-Here is some nerdiness from the beer’s webpage:

Rye has been a staple grain for millennia—sought after for its stubborn resilience in the field and revered for its unique flavor. Ruthless Rye IPA is brewed with rustic grains for refined flavors—combining the peppery spice of rye and the bright citrusy flavors of whole-cone hops to create a complex ale for the tumultuous transition to spring.

Everything after the first line appears on the neck label.


The Quiet Man’s grade: A-.

Comments

Popular Posts