It’s hard to believe that only a few years ago, a beer like New Belgium’s new “RyePA” would have been some kind of great novelty. The concept of combining rye (or really using significant amounts of rye in general) with an American IPA was one that came out of left field a few years back, but was immediately accepted as if it had always been there. It’s easy to see why—the spicy character of rye often makes a spectacular counterpoint to the citrus and pine found so often in American hops. Once people started brewing these beers the secret was out—rye and American hops make great bedfellows.
In reality, so many rye pale ales and IPAs have been cranked out since then that it’s easy for seasoned craft beer geeks to dismiss another new one as derivative before even tasting it. Especially when it’s coming from one of the larger national craft brewers such as New Belgium, you might expect that new product to be a skippable offering. But here’s some advice: Don’t skip this one.
This new rye IPA is alive in the glass with a very piney, hop-forward aroma full of West Coast IPA character. There’s some of that spice you associate with fresh rye bread and a range of fruity notes as well. Citrus is strongly present, but interestingly, that citrus note is closer to lime than it is orange or lemon. It’s a familiar nose that still has a unique element to it.
The taste is, in a word, complex. There is a whole lot going on here, with a malt character encompassing flavors of biscuits, honey-like sweetness and of course a healthy dose of peppery rye. Sweetness is mild but present, countered by a medium-high impression of bitterness. Hops, as in the nose, are piney and lime-like citrus.
It’s fairly typical in terms of what you would expect from something labeled “rye IPA,” but the perfect balance makes it stand out from others in the same pack. It’s not bone dry and overly bitter, nor is it too much of a “rye ale” with a hop presence that can’t stand up to its malt. This particular “RyePA” hits an idealized sort of sweet spot.
When a brewery chooses to ride popular craft beer trends, they are tacitly inviting drinkers to judge that selection against all their peers currently embracing the same trends. Standing next to its competition, New Belgium’s RyePA handily holds its own.
Brewery: New Belgium Brewing
City: Fort Collins, Colo.
Style: Rye IPA
ABV: 7.5%
IBU: 75
Availability: Limited, 22-oz. bottles