The Drunken Polack

You won’t see many Gordon Biersch reviews on this site.  While their beer isn’t a drain pour, they just aren’t exciting.  You will usually never see me seek out one of their brews or go to the restaurant.  But right now it looks like all the Gordon Biersch brewpubs are allowing their Brew Master to brew a beer of their own, one that’s not part of their regular lineup.  The Virginia Beach one decided to brew a India Pale Ale with Rye.  If you’ve read this blog before you know I have this thing for Rye.  No idea what it is, but I love it.  So I had to try this beer.  It’s an one off, so it helped me decide on paying the kind of outrageous prices on their growler fills.  When I first had this beer last Friday I didn’t like it.  Shit I thought it was horrible, almost dumped out the growler.  But last night I decided to give the beer another try, just for the heck of it.  Well damn what do you know, it wasn’t that bad at all!

This one pours a deep amber color with a two finger white head.  Small bit of retention and lacing throughout the glass.

Up front you really don’t get much out of the aroma at all.  Cold this beer really doesn’t give much.  Key with this one as with a lot of beers is to let it sit a bit.  I had a bad feeling that whoever is trying this beer at the brewpub isn’t getting the full effect.  The beer there is served very cold, which is fine, but the normal beer drinker out there doesn’t let the beer sit like us crazy beer driven people and let the aroma come out.  When it’s warmer you’re presented with a nice citrus, caramel, and rye aroma.  It’s actually very nice.

Same with the taste.  Cold, this beer gives nothing.  Warm this beer shines a little bit.  Honestly this is the best beer I’ve had from GB and I really wish they would give their Brewers more freedom and maybe let them have one tap dedicated to a revolving brew of their choice.  The citrus and spiciness from the rye come through nicely. It’s deep and rich as it gets warmer.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and slick.  Goes down easily.

I liked it that much better last night that I finished the growler.  Like I said, their brewers need more freedom.  Maybe they wouldn’t put out all the shit beer they do.  Then again most of the people out there don’t care and in my opinion don’t know any better.

Found: Gordon Biersch, Virginia Beach, VA
ABV%: Damn I don’t know
Price: Like 16 bucks for the growler
Website: http://www.gordonbiersch.com/
What the company says: Local beer only.  Nothing on their website
Other beers to try from this brewery: Gordon Biersch Hefeweizen, Gorden Biersch Marzen
Other beers to try within the same style: Founders Rye PA, Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye
Rating: B+

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Another day, another Dogfish Head beer.  Well sorta.  This one is actually a beer from The Bruery but it’s a collaboration between the two.  It’s labeled as a Herb/Spiced beer but to me it acts between a mixture of the Herb/Spiced beer and a Saison.  It’s brewed with Kumquats and The Bruerys seven spice schichimi togarashi blend along with sake yeast.  It rings in at a healthy 8.25%.  On to the review!

Faster, Bigger, Better, Bolder which full name is actually Faster, Bigger, Better, Bolder (Gradually, Quietly, Steadily) pours a glowing hazy golden color with a nice two finger pure white head.  Bubbles shoot everywhere.  This is actually a very nice beer to look at.  That might sound weird but it’s a beautiful beer.

Like I said above this is a bit of a clash of two styles.  I pick up a good amount of what seems to be a Belgian Yeast.  This was brewed with sake yeast but part of me wants to believe it might of been brewed with maybe both?  It has a nice clean smell to it.  Full of spice, citrus, tropical fruits, honey, and Kumquats.  Nice aroma.

While the smell to me was nice and big and full of aromas, the taste kind of tastes a back seat here is more subdued.  It was just more light.  Kumquats and spices hit first.  Then a bit of other fruits come through but like I said, it’s lighter than the aroma.

Mouthfeel is nice.  Medium bodied.  Nicely carbonated and dry finish.  Goes down nicely.

I enjoyed this beer.  I just really wish it packed more in the taste department.  Would easily put money down for this again.  But get it now if you see it, it looks to be a one time deal.

Found: Grape and Gourmet, Virginia Beach, VA
ABV%: 8.25%
Price: Around 12 dollars
Website: http://www.dogfish.com. http://www.thebruery.com/
What the company says: Two of the most out-of-the-box breweries around, The Bruery and Dogfish Head, combined forces on a brew; the result is as intriguing as one might expect. Inspired by the strength of the Japanese people to remain sturdy during the recent earthquake that hit their small island nation, the beer’s depth of flavor comes from flavors steeped in tradition. The ale is brewed with a spin on the traditional shichimi togarashi, or Japanese seven spice blend. Ginger, cayenne, white sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and nori were added to a base blonde ale that was created using two kinds of rice. Replacing the typical orange peel included in shichimi, whole kumquats were pulverized and added to the whirlpool, giving the spiced beer a kick of fresh citrus. A blend of sake yeast and The Bruery’s house yeast was used to ferment this beer into a dry and complex ale, different than anything you’ve likely had before.
Other beers to try from this brewery: Dogfish Head 90 Minute, Dogfish Head Immort Ale, The Bruery Black Tuesday, The Bruery Saison Rue
Other beers to try within the same style: Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel Rosée D’hibiscus, Brewdog Dogma
Rating: B+

I had this beer back in 2011 at GABF.  But I don’t remember it.  It was right in the middle of the night and I was already probably 25 beers deep.  I know I had it though, it was scribbled in drunk handwriting on my notes.  So I was hyped when I got this as an extra in a trade.

Right off the bat this beer has a ton going for it.  First off Three Floyds brews it.  Then it showcases my favorite hop at the moment.  Citra.  Last but not least it has a cool ass name and a cool ass label.  I fucking love Zombies.  So could this 6.2% Pale Ale live up to the hype?  As Dave from the show Storage Wars says “Yuuuuuuuuuuuup”

Zombie Dust pours dark amber orangish color.  Very little head is poured and not much lacing throughout the glass.

Right off the bat you know this is not your normal Pale Ale.  A unique and big smell for the style.  Citra says hello here.  Citrus smacks the nostril.  Other tropical fruits come in next with some floral notes and a biscuit malt backbone.  Let this one warm up a bit, then just sit there and take it in.  It’s not super hoppy.  It’s not super malty.  It’s just right.

This beer pulls off a bit of a magic trick when it comes to the taste.  Up front is bitter citrus.  Then it melds into the tropical fruit and honey taste, then once again it does another trick and ends with a caramel and biscuit malt.  It’s unique to any Pale Ale I’ve had.  It’s big and packed with flavor while being totally balanced along the way.  Lovely.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and smooth.  Goes down perfectly.

Man oh man what a great Pale Ale, what a great beer.  This easily ranks up there for me.  Now what is my favorite APA of all time?  I’ll let Zombie Dust and Daisy Cutter duke it out.  Someone send me a case of this please.

Found: Extra in a trade
ABV%: 6.20%
Price: Don’t know.  Got it in a trade.
Website: http://www.3floyds.com
What the company says: This intensely hopped and gushing undead pale ale will be ones only respite after the zombie apocalypse. Created with our marvelous friends in the comic industry. Art by Tim Seeley
Other beers to try from this brewery: Three Floyds Dark Lord, Three Floyds Dreadnaught
Other beers to try within the same style: Half Acre Daisy Cutter, Alesmith X
Rating: A+

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What we have here is the latest entry in DFH’s Music Series.  First there was Bitches Brew which I thought was a really well done beer.  Next up was Hellhound on My Ale which in the end grew on me.  Now we have Faithfull Ale.  In honor of Pearl Jam’s 20th Anniversary as a band.  Damn I’m getting old.  This beer is a Belgian Strong Pale Ale brewed with Currants.  Currants is a type of fruit.  They almost look like grapes.  There are different kind of Currants but this beer in particular is brewed with Black Currants.  I think I’m going to look into brewing a beer soon with different types of Currants.  But anyway of track here.  On to the review.

Faithfull Ale pours a hazy golden straw color.  A slight bit of head is formed but quickly disappears under the good amount of carbonation.  Basically no lacing throughout the glass.

As soon as you put this brew up to your nose you’re hit with a sweet aroma.  Very Currant forward aroma.  Honestly over powering and not much more.   I was able to pick up honey and a Belgian Yeast smell.  But a very fruit forward aroma full of currants.

More of the same here with the taste but maybe a tad bit more balanced.  Currants up front hit the palette and linger into a slight Belgian Yeast,  honey, and spices.  Alcohol peaks through.  Once again this, it states this is brewed with Currants on the label, it’s mostly what you get.

Medium bodied.  Nicely carbonated with a slight dry finish.

Overall this is my least favorite beer in the line.  Doesn’t mean it’s a bad beer.  I’d put it more in the mediocre range.   Very Currant forward and just not much more.

Found: Some bar in PA
ABV%: 7.00%
Price: Don’t ask.  Paying bar prices for a bottle of beer.
Website: http://www.dogfish.com
What the company says: Faithfull Ale is a celebration of Pearl Jam’s 20th anniversary as a band and its extraordinary debut album, “Ten.” In recognition of these milestones, this Belgian-style golden ale is delicately hopped to 20 IBUs and fruit-forward from 10 incremental additions of black currants over a one-hour boil. Faithfull clocks in at 7% ABV
Other beers to try from this brewery: Dogfish Head 90 Minute, Dogfish Head Immort Ale
Other beers to try within the same style: North Coast Pranqster, Russian River Damnation
Rating: B

This past Christmas the fiance and I went up to the Philly area to visit her family.  Of course on the way I made it a point to fit in some kind of beer.  Victory was sorta on the way (OK not really) so we stopped by early afternoon for some beers and some of their food which is always pretty darn good.

As always I try to try some of their brewpub exclusive beers or their one offs.  They had a few on tap.  The first one was called Ranch S IPA.  From what I remember Ranch S is named after the Ranch the hops were picked from.  I could be wrong but I think I’m right.  I also believe this is the first beer in the a line of beers that will carry the Ranch S name.

The bottom line is, this was a really good Double IPA.  I wouldn’t mind seeing this somewhere down the line make it into bottles.  I know I would buy a few.  It was so good I picked up a growler of it to go.

Ranch S poured a clear orange color.  A nice two finger white fluffy head is poured with great retention and lacing.  Just a really nice looking brew.

The aroma is inviting.  Full of citrus, grapefruit, and spicy hops.  It’s hoppy but still balanced thanks to the biscuit malt that’s picked up.

For an DIPA ringing in at 9%, this is a easy drinker.  Alcohol is pretty much non existent.  Instead it’s bursting with flavor.  Nice and fruity mixed in with some floral and spice notes.  Good stuff.  Almost like a mixture between an East and West Coast IPA.

Mouthfeel is great on this beer.  Bordering on heavy.  Slick and oily.  Goes down great.

Like I said, this stuff will hopefully be bottled one day.  Rating: A-

Next up is a Hefeweizen.  Decided to go with something a little bit lighter this time around.  Its called Summa Ale and rings in at 5.90%.  At first I didn’t think to much of this beer.  But as I drank it overtime I started to enjoy it more and more.

Pours a hazy golden straw color.  Nice fluffy white head.  Looks like you could sleep on it.  Great retention.

The aroma is straight up Hefe, nothing more, nothing less.  Still it’s nice.  Slight citrus, spices, of course the number one thing doing it’s thing, the yeast.   Brings up some nice banana and lemon.  There’s a slight bready malt flavor that sticks around.

With the taste at first you’ll get the breadiness hitting the palette followed by the lemon and banana.  The end hits you with some zesty spiciness.  Not a overwhelming brew. Just totally drinkable and enjoyable.  Something I would of had another of.

Mouthfeel is bordering on light but still somehow remains creamy.

Rating: B

Last but not least is a beer I could easily get around here but have never tried.  Headwaters Pale Ale.  I picked up a growler of it to take back to my fiances parents house in hopes they would want to drink some.  In the end, they didn’t like it.  But it’s OK.  They tried at least.

This pale ale pours a clear dark copper color.  Huge white fluffy head.  Lacing everywhere.  As soon as I put this up to my nose I was impressed.  This is one hopped up pale ale!  Full of floral and piney hops with some citrus lingering.  Nice presence of caramel malt.

The taste doesn’t quite match the amount of hops that the smell has but it’s still very hoppy for just a regular pale ale.  Some IPAs would be jealous.  The citrus comes in more here with the piney hops following.  The beer finishes with a nice toastiness.  Kind of like a biscuit.

Mouthfeel is a little bit on the light side, almost watery but it all fits together nicely and I don’t mind this kind of mouthfeel for a 5.10% beer.  Goes down just really nice.  Rating: B+

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Back from the Sexual Chocolate release and back to reviews.  This beer in particular I got down around in Atlanta while visiting my family.  My fiance bought for me even though I fought her about it.  Nothing like feeding the addiction.  I heard about this line of beer that Terrapin did for the Georgia Theater and we do get Terrapin in my neck of the woods but this line never made it here.  This one in particular is called the Iron Tankard and it’s a  Old Ale ringing in just below 10% abv.

Iron Tankard pours a dark murky orange color.  Very little head is poured and small bit of lacing.  For the most part it’s a dead beer.

Smell is pretty damn nice.  Very sweet.  Caramel, Toffee, dark fruits, molasses, brown sugar and a whiff of alcohol.  I was pretty hyped to try it.

Ugh there is something off about the taste on first sip.  It was off.  But I let it warm up a bit.  Ahh there we go.  Totally different beer.  Deep and complex.  Just a lovely mixture of stuff here.  Fruity, sweet.  Nice amount of toffee and caramel.   Dark fruits round out the taste.  I’d say this could use a little aging possibly to bring the alcohol down a bit but right now it’s drinking just fine.

Mouthfeel is nice.  Slick and syrupy.  Coats the mouth and throat.  Goes down just very very nice.

In the end this was a winner for me.  I would of loved to get another bottle to age and see where it went.  But right now it’s drinking very very nice.  A winner from Terrapin and something I’d like to see them bring back down the road.

Found: Total Wine down by Atlanta
ABV%: 9.40%
Price: Around 9 dollars a bottle
Website: http://www.terrapinbeer.com
What the company says: Terrapin’s Georgia Theatre Sessions is a series of commemorative beers, each named after a period of time in the theatre’s history.
Other beers to try from this brewery: Terrapin Big Hoppy Monster, Terrapin Moo-Hoo
Other beers to try within the same style: North Coast Old Stock, Great Divide Hibernation Ale
Rating: A-

Reviewing today will consist of a couple of Mikkeller brews.  Lately I don’t know what it is but I’ve been gravitating towards this brewer.  It doesn’t hurt that they produce good beer and they produce a shit load of different beers. First up is a American Pale Wheat Ale named Drink’in the Sun 11.  What I didn’t know when I picked up this beer was the low abv it is.  It rings in at 2.40%.  Quite sessionable.  This is defintely the lowest beer I’ve ever reviewed.

This one pours a hazy straw color.  When I popped the cap on this one it was lively.  Poured out of the bottle.  A bright white two finger head is poured.  Great retention and lacing.  A nice looking beer.

The aroma is a mixture of lemon zest, slight bit of citrus, and a grainy biscuit like malt backbone.  Nothing is huge in this beer but everything is nice when it comes to the smell.

The taste on this beer is actually quite enjoyable but you can tell it’s low in alcohol.  It’s just not huge on taste.  Wheat hits the tongue first followed but the lemon and citrus.  Not big but something I would visit again. Especially for a long day of drinking.

Mouthfeel is a little bit watery.  But is highly carbonated and is kind of rough on the palette.

In the end I enjoyed this beer.  Not huge on taste but at 2.4% it’s understood.  Took me by surprise but in a good way.

Found: Aleyeah, Decatur, Georgia
ABV%: 2.40%
Price: Around 6 dollars a bottle
Website: http://www.mikkeller.dk/
What the company says: Didn’t see it on their site
Other beers to try from this brewery: Mikkeller Black Hole, Mikkeller Santas Little Helper
Other beers to try within the same style: Bell’s Oberon Ale,  Three Floyd’s Gumball Head
Rating: B

Sometimes when I hear a beer has a certain spice or chili in it I walk away kind of disappointed by the lack of it.  Mikkeller definitely didn’t do that with this beer.  The number one ingredient in this beer is Chipotle and I’m glad it is, especially since it has it in it’s name.  Oh this beer is also nicknamed Texas Ranger but it’s not not he bottle.

Texas Ranger pours pitch black.  Small tan head is poured.  Good retention and no lacing.  The smell on this beer isn’t huge on chipotle.  Instead it’s mixed in there nicely with some sweet chocolate and slight roasted malt.

In the taste is where the Chipotle takes over and I loved it.  It’s hot.  It added up more and more as you are drinking it.  I didn’t want to put my glass down.  The other ingredients sometimes peek through the chili.  Smokiness, chocolate, roasted malt.  But the chili is the key here.  I can see this being to much for some people but for me it was great.

The mouthfeel is bordering between light and medium.  Low carbonation.  Burning adds up more and more as you drink this one.  Burns the mouth and the throat as it goes down.

I’m a firm believer if the your beer is named after a certain spice or chili that it should be noticeable in the beer.  Mikkeller did that and did it nicely here.  It’s hot and it burns but not enough to scare people away.

Found: State Line Liquor, Elkton, Maryland
ABV%: 6.60%
Price: Around 12 dollars a bottle
Website: http://www.mikkeller.dk/
What the company says: Brewed with Chipotle Chilli Peppers at De Proef, Belgium.
Other beers to try from this brewery: Mikkeller Sour Bitch, Mikkeller Big Worst
Other beers to try within the same style: Stone Smoked Porter, Deschutes Black Butte
Rating: A-

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What’s up folks?  What we have here is probably the hottest IPA on the planet right now and no it’s not from the West Coast.  Which I know to some, including me is a surprise.  No this beer is from The Alchemist, which resides out of Vermont.  If you read a lot of beer news you’ll know that their brewery was pretty much destroyed and flooded when the hurricane hit the East Coast earlier this year.  At the moment they are only canning one beer and it’s this one.  Pretty damn good beer to start with if you asked me.  But from what their site says you should see more beers out there soon from this brewery.  Can’t wait.  Bring it on.  If there as good as this beer, well watch out Beer World.

Heady Topper pours a hazy orange color.  Barely any head at all is poured.  Minimal lacing.  While this beer doesn’t look that exciting the nose on this beer is.  You want a barrage of hops?  Look no further and I really mean it here.  Full on wall of pine with a mixture of grapefruit, mango, citrus which is hard to explain.  Just straight up hoppy while someone being a tad bit balanced with the smallest amount of grainy malt.

See that picture on the can of the hops exploding out of the guys head as he drinks this beer.  Yeah that’s basically how I felt.  Possibly out of every beer I’ve ever had in my life, this might be the one that they somehow pulled out every bit of juice you can probably get from a hop, I think you get what I mean.  It’s just pure hop juice.  But not in a bad bitter way.  Yes it has a bit of bitterness to it, but it’s wrangled in.  In the taste more of the grapefruit comes through.  Pine comes in next with the other fruits following.  Just pure lovely hop juice.  But with all this talk of hops, it’s hard to believe me that this beer still remains kind of balanced somehow and totally 100% fantastic and drinkable.  Small bit of a malt backbone is present.  Just enough.  A small amount of alcohol is there too.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied.  Slightly carbonated.  Medium amount of bitterness.  Not over the top.

When I first took a sip of this beer I told my fiance I thought it was OK.  But as I drank it and drank it I fell in love.  They say to drink it out of the can instead of pouring it.  I tried it both ways and we both agreed that it’s a tad bit smoother in the can but both ways are still fantastic.  One of the best IPAs on the planet lives up to the hype and I’m glad it does.  If someone lives in Vermont I’ll pay you for a few packs of this stuff.  Please contact me =)

Found: Beer Trade
ABV%: 8.00%
Price: N/A
Website: http://www.alchemistbeer.com/
What the company says: Is our double I.P.A.! Loaded with hops, this one will put hair on your chest. ABV 8% IBU 120
Other beers to try from this brewery: I’ve never had a beer released by them other than the Stone Collaboration
Other beers to try within the same style: Russian River Pliny the Elder, Three Floyds Dreadnaught IPA
Rating: A++

The Alchemist/ Ninkasi/ Stone More Brown than Black IPA – Stone knows how to make hoppy beers.  Stone knows how to make some of the best Black IPAs on the planet.  So if Stone released this beer by themselves I would just mark it up to their hoppy greatness.  But when you combine in The Alchemist, who makes one of the best IPAs out there (from what I hear, haven’t got to try it yet) and another good brewery, Ninkasi.  You have one of Stones best collaborative beers period and there’s been a bunch.  I just wonder who brought what to the table on this one.  It’s basically what the name of the beer is, a nice hopped, more brown than black American Double IPA.

This one pours a dark, murky brown color.  Small amount of tan head is poured and whatever is there pretty much disappears.  The aroma is evident as soon as the bottle is opened.  I just stuck my nose in the bottle and marveled at it’s hoppy as hell smell.  Total West Coast IPA here.  Grapefruit is the biggest aroma here with citrus and a small amount of roasted malt.  But this is a hop monster.  Lovely.

Taste matches the aroma here.  Huge amount of hops.  This is not a balanced beer but that’s OK.  It’s so flavorful it doesn’t matter.  Huge grapefruit and citrus.  Malt backbone of roasted malt and caramel.  Awesome awesome stuff here.  I could enjoy a ton of this stuff.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and chewy.  Coats the mouth slightly.

I just fell in love with this beer.  My fiance loved it too.  I need to snag some more of this before it’s all gone good.  Maybe you guys should release this again.

Found: Grape and Gourmet, Virginia Beach, VA
ABV%: 7.40%
Price: Around 3.50 a bottle
Website: http://www.alchemistbeer.com/, http://www.stonebrew.com/, http://www.ninkasibrewing.com/
What the company says: You can read all about it here http://www.stonebrew.com/collab/default.asp#mbtb
Other beers to try from this brewery: I’ve only really had beers from Stone.  So let’s go with Stone Ruination and Stone Smoked Porter
Other beers to try within the same style: New Glarus Black Top, Southern Tier Iniquity
Rating: A

Lagunitas Sucks Holiday Ale -  My lovely fiance got me this beer for Christmas.  She made the review twice so far.  I guess that’s what happens when I share all my beer with her =)  Lagunitas took a break from Brown Shugga this year and came out with this as their seasonal.  It’s a IPA coming in at 7.85%.  It’s highly rated on both Beer Advocate and Ratebeer.  So I was excited to open this beer up.  It really didn’t disappoint and they should make this one again.

This IPA pours a clear golden, slightly orange color.  Basically no head is poured and very little lacing.  Small amount of carbonation.  The aroma is really nice on this one.  It’s full of tropical fruit.  Mango and grapefruit.  Mixed in there is a sweetness from the malt and some honey.

The taste is light and delicate with being full of hops and sweetness.  Tropical fruits again with sweetness from the malt and honey like taste.  It’s teetering from being a nice huge hoppy beer but is pulled back a bit from the sweetness.  But it’s tasty and a joy to drink.

Mouthfeel was actually a tad bit disappointing.  It was very light.  But crisp.  Nice bitter after taste.

Lagunitas is a great brewery.  Yes they make great stuff but they also price their beers in such a way that you don’t feel bad for picking up a few of these babies.  A really great IPA.

Found: Grape and Gourmet, Virginia Beach, VA
ABV%: 7.85%
Price: Was a gift from my lovely Fiance.  If I had to guess, maybe less than 2 dollars a bottle
Website: http://www.lagunitas.com/
What the company says: Nothing on the site about this one
Other beers to try from this brewery: Lagunitas Brown Shugga, Lagunitas Imperial Red
Other beers to try within the same style: Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA, Russian River Pliny the Elder
Rating: A-

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What we have here is Sierra Nevada’s new Winter seasonal brew.  It’s a Rye Beer but they call it a Rye IPA.  I’ve been excited to try this beer ever since I heard about it.  They’ve made some really decent IPAs in the past the Rye is one of my favorite things you can put in a beer.  But I have to ask one question?  Since when did SN decide to have some badass artwork on their labels.  I’d like a poster of this please.

Ruthless pours a orangish amber color with a nice two finger white head.  Not much lacing.  The smell is pretty damn nice but not huge.  Of course there is the rye.  I love rye if I didn’t say that already.  It’s very noticeable in this brew.  Coming in second is the aroma of citrus.  Then lingering is a bit of pepper.  Not a lot.  Sits in the background.  It’s the rye doing it’s thing again.  Inviting smell.

The taste pretty much matches the aroma here.  Rye hits up front first, then melds with citrus.  I did pick up some piney hops in the taste.  Something I didn’t pick up really in the aroma.  Ending with the pepper spicy taste.  Everything is balanced here.  Not a hop monster,  not a rye monster.  A highly drinkable and really good Rye Beer.  What I did notice is that this beer is a bit better when colder than when it’s cooled down a bit.  Something I usually don’t agree with but I do here.

Mouthfeel is nice.  Medium bodied.  Good carbonation throughout.  Smooth.

This beer is replacing Glissade on their roster.  Which is something I agree with 100%.  I didn’t think Glissade was very good.  This tops it in every way.  Not the best Rye Beer I’ve ever had but it’s something I would buy over and over again.  Highly drinkable. I don’t usually buy six packs of stuff but I would with this.  Especially for 8 dollars.

Found: Local Supermarket
ABV%: 6.60%
Price: Around 8 dollars a six pack
Website: http://www.sierranevada.com/
What the company says: Nothing about this beer on their site yet
Other beers to try from this brewery: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Sierra Nevada Bigfoot
Other beers to try within the same style: Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye, Founders Red Rye PA
Rating: B+ (Almost an A-)