Salmon Fly Honey Rye - Madison River Brewing Company

Duff27

Illinois

2.75/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Two inch white head atop a pale, cloudy gold with lots of effervescence. Moderate lacing and decent head retention.

S- Lemon zest. Not the most peasant.

T- Not sensing the rye. Not offensive but just not much tastes there. Some bread, some grass...hints of citrus (lemon).

M- Nicely carbonated but somewhat thin mouthfeel.

D/O- Very crisp, very refreshing. At 5.5%abv, would be a good lawnmower beer in the summer. First Montana beer reviewed. Thanks fdkayti!

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2011 02:45:08 | More by Duff27

ChrisCage

Alberta (Canada)

3.68/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A- Pouring this into my glass didn't produce much of a head, and what there is quickly disappears into the night, leaving only a small trace layer and foamy ring over the brew. The color is an ever so slightly hazed light amber and lacing is modest, leaving a thin line of foam clinging to the glass. Hopefully it is better than this unexciting look starts it out.

S- This is a first, but this is also my first Rye beer...there is a moderate soapy, spiced aroma that reminds me of a weak saddlewood soap....interesting! After this initial surprise, there is some malt and honey detectable, however these smells are mild. There is also some decent fresh leafy hops present to help balance the profile out.

T- Slightly spicy/sour is my initial reaction...kind of earthy. The bittering hops used are definitely present on the finish, however, before this, the honey used does help sweeten out the sourness, which I liken to citrus zest/rind. Quite pleasant to the taste!

M- Not real thin so I guess it leans towards towards medium bodied. The carbonation is there, but it isn't palate scrubbing and actually compliments the spiced flavors. It is refreshing, yet flavorful at the same time.

D- This is a nice beer to enjoy several of in a sitting. The refreshing nature keeps me coming back for another drink and it has a unique flavor that clings to the palate for quite awhile after the swallow. It's a nice change of pace from the usual and I recommend giving this a try.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2010 00:22:34 | More by ChrisCage

NWer

Washington

3.63/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. bottle poured into a brandy snifter.
Yes, it has a salmon on the label. How appropriate.
Pairs wonderfully with the salmon I had today.
Nice pale color - deeper than a lager but lighter than an ale.
Noticeable effervescence from the first sip. Very pleasant taste.
I enjoyed this beer very much and could easily have another.
Update a year later:
Is this the same beer I had last year that I enjoyed so much?
Very thin and boring. Either they changed or I have.
Gotta knock it down a few pegs.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2010 22:34:03 | More by NWer

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.55/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

More typically rustic Montana imagery on the label: a river, fishing, and a railroad bridge.

This beer pours a somewhat cloudy pale golden colour, with one finger of soapy white head, which falls away quickly, leaving a trace of lace that even the Mantracker couldn't follow. It smells of mildly honeyed grain malt, and slightly spicy hops. The taste is biscuity, bready malt, a subtle echo of field honey, and some spicy, earthy hops. The carbonation is a bit on the low side, the body medium weight, smooth, and a little zingy, and it finishes off-dry, the sweet bready malt playing off the earthy hops.

An enjoyable enough rye beer, even with the spiceness quite reserved; the other attributes are well qualified to back it up.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2010 04:00:39 | More by biboergosum

DesMoinesMike

Iowa

2.75/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

The final specimen from my Yellowstone haul. I haven't had many rye beers before so I didn't really know what to expect. Well, I've had plenty better

It's a lightly-cloudy copper with a small amount of carbonation. The aroma and taste were a small amount of rye. Nothing much there but a small amount of sourness. The honey seemed absent. It didn't make me wretch, but I'm not going to go looking for another one.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2010 02:23:31 | More by DesMoinesMike

loren01

Oregon

2.55/5  rDev -19.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

A: Pours a slight hazy golden color, good sized white head, slight lace down the glass.
S: Not much here, slight hop scent
T: Slight honey flavor with a little bit of rye aftertaste
M: Moutfeel is good. Beer is fairly light bodied
D: Nothing too exciting here at all, not much smell or taste with this one.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2009 23:51:46 | More by loren01

JohnGalt1

Idaho

3.38/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz picked up somewhere in Montana about a month ago.. this is I'm pretty sure the last bottle left.

Poured into my shaped SA glass... 2 finger head with nice lace... the brew is just slightly hazy and a tad shade darker than straw.

Nose is only mildy malty.. some background honey essence .. a mild amount of earthiness..

Flavor is like a mild American Amber with a touch more sweetness... and I guess I'm getting a little bit of rye spiciness, but I am pretty suggestible when it comes to these things...

Body is on the light side with a fairly abundant carbonation.. overall I wouldn't turn one of these down... but I would get bored fairly quickly.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2009 06:56:57 | More by JohnGalt1

elliot23

Montana

3.9/5  rDev +22.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Nice label on the bottle of fly fisherman floating under a steel bridge.

The beer poured a pale amber in color with almost a 2 finger head that faded rather quickly.

The nose emits scents of earth, lemon, honey, and some grain. Almost like standing on a farm in the summer time.

Taste is mildly refreshing. It is an easy to drink beer that has hints of spice and a small dose of honey sweetness. Hops can be detected which help to balance out the sweetness of the brew. Lemon can be sensed on the back of this drink as the finish is fast and clean.

A good summer drink.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2009 04:25:42 | More by elliot23

drpimento

Wisconsin

2.13/5  rDev -33%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Think this coulda been a good one, but it seems to be turning. The sour dominates all else. But hidden in there is a pretty good beer. I do pick up some good grainyness, a little honey, a bit chewy. Some head and lace. Decent body. Honey finish. Be interesting to try another. Maybe someday.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2008 04:02:30 | More by drpimento

malcontent

Illinois

2.1/5  rDev -34%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

Dangerously pale gold considering it's an ale. Slight chill haze teamed with paltry head certainly does not help things.

Well, now I'm utterly confused. Mostly apples on the nose with undercurrents of honey and grain chaff. So far I'm yet to detect anything that says "rye."

This is a poor man's Lienies Honey Weiss. Initially lemony, then sloppy malt sweetness laced with honey. Aftertaste is flat and vaguely chemical. Not even a hint of rye.

Ugh. I hate slamming craft brews but this is awful. Listless, sticky on the finish and a stale taste that lingers. It could be a bad bottle but there's nothing to indicate anything but poor brewing.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2008 18:51:08 | More by malcontent

emerge077

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pastoral scene of fishermen under a train bridge on the red label.

It pours a hazy amber tone, true to it's honey namesake. A good finger of foam off the initial pour, that recedes into skim and irregular lacing. Very tiny amount of unfiltered sediment is visible.

Slight grassy and malty aroma, fairly subdued...more earthy rye bread tones when agitated. Whiff of sourdough is apparent too. The aromas don't really add much, and are pretty mild overall.

Mild rye presence, with subtle sweet spiciness in the finish. Light bodied, sort of wimpy, it could use a touch more body. Needs more hops and spicy rye flavor. As it stands, it's very light and sessionable. It showcases balance without flying the extreme flag.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2008 01:41:20 | More by emerge077