Firestone Walker Wookey Jack Black Rye IPA

Firestone Walker Brewing Company
Paso Robles, CA

APPEARANCE: 2.75/3Black opaque. Tan head that laces the glass nicely.  Foamy with big bubbles.

AROMA: 3.5/4Peppery and hoppy.  Piney with tropical fruit aromas (New Zealand hops?) Subtle roast aromas.  Pretty.

TASTE: 8.25/10
Flavor: 3.5/4: Black pepper spiciness.  Citrus and tropical fruits hop flavors dominant. Sweet high notes fade to peppery bitterness.  Woody and sour.
Finish: 2.25/3: Bitter pepper tastes linger on the tongue.  Sour hints.  Bitterness sits in the center of the mouth.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Big.  Alcohol and pepper tingle.  A little chewy.  Bitter floods in nice and full.

OVERALL: 2.75/3: Union Jack with rye sourness and roasted malt coffee, burnt toast flavors.  Spicy, peppery, full and satisfying.

TOTAL: 17/20–Pour Me Another

COMMENTS:

Another winner from Firestone Walker.  A tad on the bitter side, but aroma, flavor, and body are great.  A gusty attempt on what is lately a popular style of beer.

Avery Anniversary 18 Dry-Hopped Rye Saison

Avery Brewing Company
Boulder, Colorado

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Copper. Rocky, creamy head, fine bubbles. Hazy. Pretty!

AROMA: 3.25/4
Citrusy. Pineapple, grapefruit, coriander, white pepper. Tropical.

TASTE: 7.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Very malty. Lots of pineapple, passion fruit, peppery notes. A lot of bittering hop.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Bitter up front. Sits on tongue, subtle bitter lasts. Middle drops out.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Light and bouncy, lots of high notes up front.

OVERALL: 2.5/3: Tasty, almost a tropical drink. Not too big, very refreshing, rye adds a nice peppery dimension.

TOTAL: 16/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Typical Avery: unexpected, well-crafted, tasty. Another nice anniversary from Avery, and a nice twist on a Saison.
Ben: Lots of pineapple and tropical flavors—almost a tropical mixed drink. Good in any case, I'd buy it again.

Tommyknocker Hop Strike Black Rye IPA

Tommyknocker Brewery & Pub
Idaho Springs, CO

APPEARANCE: 2.75/3
Dark brown to black opaque color. Espresso head fades but rings the glass. Nice coffee color.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Coffee. Grassy hop aroma. Some woody notes. Sweet cream at top. Subtle peppery nose.

TASTE: 6.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2.5/4: Mostly malt upfront. Woody hop flavor. Some roasted malt, some sourness.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Subtle hop bitter finish. Lingering pepper taste.
Mouth-Feel: 1.75/3: Dry and malty. Starts full then drops out.

OVERALL: 1.75/3
More subdued than we'd hoped for. Rye character overshadows the hop you'd expect in an IPA.

TOTAL: 13/20–I'll Try a Pint

NOTES:
Matt: With a name like Hop Strike I expect a powerful hoppy beer. This leaves me wanting. Just okay.
Ben: This is more a rye beer than an true IPA. Interesting, different, but one is enough. Meh.

Great Divide Hoss Rye Lager

Great Divide Brewing Company
Denver, Colorado

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Nice copper color, very clear.

AROMA: 3/4
Almost no aroma, but true to the rye (and lager, I guess) style.

TASTE: 7.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Very malty, very little hop–could be maltier.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Some lingering bitterness, sour at the front end. Cherry notes. Slightly astringent.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Malty, sweet, slightly sour, dry at close.

OVERALL: 2.25/3: A crisp lager; the rye is subtle but present.

TOTAL: 15.75/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Good, but not spectacular–I was expecting something more. Slightly more interesting than your everyday lager.
Ben: A good beer–I'd buy a six.

Summit India Style Rye Ale (Unchained Series #3)

Summit Brewing Company
St. Paul, Minnesota

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Deep mahogany color–slightly dark for the style. Minimal head.

AROMA: 3.5/4
Sweet, hoppy. Grapefruit nose.

TASTE: 6/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2.5/4: Very hoppy throughout, could be maltier in the middle.
Aftertaste: 1.5/3: Lots of bitterness, hop flavor lingers.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Hop at finish, residual bitterness.

OVERALL: 2/3: Really, really hoppy. Too bitter.

TOTAL: 14/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt & Ben: Should be bigger. There is some sweetness imparted by the rye. Maybe too dark. Good, but should be bigger.