Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye

Beer: Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye
Brewery Location: Healdsburg, CA
Beer Style: American IPA
Serving Style: Bomber
ABV: 8%


I've been trying to get some more Bear Republic offerings since I was pretty impessed with Racer 5, and this is my second offering from them. I never thought I would like any beer with rye in it, but Fouders Red Rye has got me convinced that I will always give something with rye in it a chance. The Founders offering is one of my favorites. I split this bottle with my best friend and beer drinking buddy Kevin.

This beer pours a deep mahogony hue with three fingers of very dense tan head on it. The head collapes fairly quickly, but does leave good spotty lacing on my pint glass. There is some significant amount of spent yeast and hop particles in this offering as well. I smell this beer as I pour it. The hop scent is extremley dominant on this offering with big wafts of grapefruit rind, sticky pine needles, and pineapple. The malt isn't as dominant as the hops but does present itself with scents of grain and caramel. The first taste brings on all of those hops with the grapefruit and pine flavors coming to the forefront, but the malt is much more pronounced in the flavor profile than in the nose. The malt has flavors of the caramel, grain, rye, candied fruit, and a certain honey sweetness is present as well. The flavors meld very well together and I think the rye is the perfect compliment to the bitterness of the hops and adds a fruity spicyness to the beer. The mouthfeel on this beer is super smooth and medium bodied. I can't say to much more about this beer other than I will purchase any time I have the opporutunity.

Overall I was pretty happy with this offering. I am not sure why they classify this as an american IPA. It walks and talks like a double IPA, and has the mouthfeel and finish of a top notch barleywine. This is worth getting your hands on if you can get it.

Cheers!
Matt