Tasted: Rye Pale Ale 3.2

The almighty Rye Pale Ale.  Friend to all, savior to some.  As beers/recipes/flavors evolve, so do we in our ideals of what a beer "should" be.  This iteration of Rye Pale Ale arrived by the inspiration of Brewmaster Mike.  One day he was in the brew shop and saw a new hop that caught his eye.  This hop, Pacific Jade, supposedly has a very earthy, woody flavor to it that Brewmaster Mike thought would enhance the Rye Pale Ale.  This combination of new hop additions and a slightly lower mash temperature would culminate in a refreshing earthy noted beer that we would all enjoy.


Aroma:  7
Appearance:  10
Style:  7
Bitterness:  4
Maltiness:  4
Mouthfeel:  5
Head:  5
Balance:  5


These marks earn the Rye Pale Ale a 47 out of 55 and a percentage of 85%.  


The Rye Pale Ale, a well traveled beverage guides the consumer with its age and experience through an adventure through the backwoods just before dusk.  The journey begins in a field of rye where you sit enjoying some dried sunflower seeds, as the sharpness of the rye pinches at your nostrils and the sun beams light through a menacing cloud.  Your soon lead through a grassy meadow near a pine thicket as you search for cover from the ominous storm approaching, your sinuses cleared by the brightness of the needles.  Once hidden by the trees a hint of oak wafts through the air and in the darkness you realize that you are safe in the warm embrace of your guide and old friend, Rye Pale Ale.


This beer is a great variation on a theme.  The recipe that we've played with on and off has really surprised us all with every iteration.  I think this time around, the Rye exhibited itself appropriately.  It took what was changed and applied the flavors we chose as they should have been.  This beer is tough to mess up, and believe me, we have tried.  It just keeps coming back for more every time.  I think the only reason this beer received any negative marks is due to my own expectation of what I know of what the Rye is capable.  It wasnt quite as aromatic as it has been in the past, but that is most likely due to the change of hops we selected.  The style points that were lost were, again, due to my expectations.  I have preferred the version of the past to this one, but that does not mean that I did not enjoy it any less.  (In fact, at the time of this post, it is already gone!)  I think to fill out the numbers appropriately, this beer only needed a little more malt flavor and a little more bitterness.  This can be solved with a few simple additions of malt and hops (appropriate proportions to maintain balance, of course).  Other than that, this beer is fantastic and I would make it again in a heartbeat, as this style has become one of my favorites.


Recipe: Rye Pale Ale 3.2