Saranac Rye IPA
Review Date
Some might say
that hops are the inspiration of beer, and while that may be true to a
degree, barley malt is the certainly the backbone. Hops, after all, are a
seasoning, but malt is what gives beer body, depth, and nutritional value.
Almost every beer you can drink is brewed with barley. Quite often, though,
brewers like to add other grains to their beer (in addition to, but rarely
ever entirely replacing barley.) Wheat is the most
common (who hasn't enjoyed a wheat beer?), but other grains can be used , too.
One of the best suited for adding flavor, I think, is rye, because of the
wonderfully spicy flavor it imparts. The Russians make a beer entirely from rye
(kvass), while the Germans brew one with barley and rye (roggen). Here in America, the
trend has been to brew pale ales and IPAs with a proportion of rye in the mash.
I think that's a great idea, since the spicy rye can serve as a delightful
complement to spicy dry hops. With its 2009 winter seasonal collection, 12
Beers of Winter, New York's Saranac brand has rolled out a Rye IPA
of their own. Some specs from the
company's website: Malt
Selections: Two Row, Rye Saranac Rye IPA
pours to a bright golden-orange color with a light creamy head formation and a
subtle nose of dry herbal hops. If this is an IPA, it's a very light-bodied one.
The original gravity of 14 Plato isn't all that high for the style, and you can
tell taking a sip. There's a hint of caramel, but not all that much, and the
beer doesn't have the chewy maltiness I like in the style. The rye is,
fortunately, quite predominate, and I like the bready, spicy character it lends.
The hops are perhaps
best pronounced of all here, and they're herball and grassy, dry and lingering
in the finish. Classic German and Czech hops (Hallertau and Saaz) may seem a bit
odd in an English style IPA, but here they're reminiscent of Fuggles or Goldings
in aroma and bitterness, I think. In any event, this seems more of a Rye ESB or
Rye Pale Ale than Rye IPA to me. Try
Terrapin's Rye Pale Ale which is a bigger beer all around, although I think
the rye stands out better here.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
Also From This Brewery
Hop Selections: Hallertau, Saaz
Alcohol By Volume: 5.95%
Original Gravity: 14.0
