Founders Red's Rye PA - Founders Brewing Company

Maltmaiden

Alabama

4.6/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Orange/dark amber. Tad murky. small head. Good amount of lacing.

S: Floral hops. Toasted caramel malts. Lots of honey. orange peel. not getting the Rye but this is a huge and delicious bouquet.

T: All of the smells are there in the taste except maybe the orange. The rye does come through a little. Wow! this is delicious. Great balance of bitterness and sweetness. On the hoppier side for a Pale.

M: Outstanding. Thick and crisp. Perfect amount of carbonation.

O: Very good but I wish I could could taste the rye more.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 18:27:22 | More by Maltmaiden

monkbrewed

Michigan

2.61/5  rDev -38%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75

As a fan of rye beers and separately IPAs, I wanted to like this, but the beer has a sort of whacky, out-of-balance characteristic. The Michigan hop-head aesthetic is in full bloom here. Bell's Brewery has been setting the pace on these over-blown hop styles. The problem with this Rye PA is that the hops get masked by the rye grain charateristic. Sort of a train-wreck. Malty sweetness isn't evidenced by intent, but the result of this combination is sort of a sharp mush of bitterness. Over many beers this would escalate with growing fatigue on the palate. I've tried this on two occasions- once in the tap room at Founders and once at a bar in Ann Arbor. I did not finish either pint. Exceptionally poor label art too for Founders on this as well.

Serving type: on-tap

01-09-2013 19:14:40 | More by monkbrewed

mfnmbvp

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle. Bottled on my birthday this year, 05/14/2012, so this beer is about 7 and a half months old. Poured to a Boulevard tulip.

A - Non-aggressive pour yields virtually no head whatsoever, except for a thin wispy lacing around the top of the glass. Very murky, almost a bizarre orange / brown hybrid. Orange on the outer sides of the glass but dark brown in the center. Looks very robust and strange.

S - Hops. Rye. Vanilla / oak. Bready malts, and a strong scent of dark fruit sweetness. Raisins. Cranberry bread. More rye. Cinnamon. Some other spices that I can't identify. There is a lot going on here.

T - Very smooth, pleasant, cherry vanilla rye bitterness on the first sip. Very dry in the finish. The subtle oak / vanilla is lovely. The dark fruits like raisins and figs are definitely very prominent as well.

M - Bitter, hoppy aftertaste. The toasted rye lingers on for a bit along with vague notes of the vanilla.

Overall, extremely tasty and flavorful, backed up by a modest 6.6% abv. Try this beer.

Founders Red's Rye P.A. ---4/5.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 04:14:21 | More by mfnmbvp

SportsandJorts

Michigan

4.61/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

bottle poured into a pint glass

appearance- a dark red/orangish color. has a very thin white head that fades pretty quickly and leaves a lacing along the top and the sides. quite bubbly.

smell- pine, fruit and some malts. the piney flavor is the strongest.

taste- piney/citrusy hops, some fruity notes along with malt. finishes off with a very subtle rye taste. very complex flavor.

mouthfeel- lighter feel and quite carbonated. a little sticky but not overly. it is quite drinkable.

overall- quite a good beer. very complex and equally drinkable. the flavors are all balanced and nothing overpowers the drink. definitely a great buy for the ~10.50 i paid for a 6-pack.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 01:28:45 | More by SportsandJorts

King_KongDCO93

Minnesota

3.83/5  rDev -9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Amber with a light head. Dark enough that you can't see through it. Lightly carbonated.

S: Lots of Hop Aroma and some fruity notes

T: not as hoppy as I expected thanks to the dry hoping, it is really malty and sweet. It has a mellow bitterness from the hops and has a nice caramel, grapefruit, and toasted malt flavor. The grapefruit really come on at the end.

M: feel the bitterness but its not overpowering.

O: I am not a hophead nor do I like Grapefruit but this a really well done beer and I enjoyed drinking.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 21:48:50 | More by King_KongDCO93

VoodooBear

Puerto Rico

4/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Presentation: 12 oz. brown bottle with the "bottled on" date printed on the neck. Served in a Samuel Adams sensory glass.

Appearance: Rich, cream-colored ,1 finger head. Cloudy, very attractive dark amber color. Good lacing throughout.

Smell: Smells mainly of malt, some rye as well. Fruity aromas all over wrap up the entire package.

Taste: A spicy and herbal taste is predominant. It's a very clean and refreshing taste. Just the right amount of hop bitterness and some fruit sweetness on the background give it a very nice touch.

Mouthfeel: Creamy with a fair amount of carbonation. Full bodied and easy to drink.

Overall: A very complex, but at the same time, easy to drink beer. It's more refreshing than expected. Great look, smell and taste make for a very nice experience overall.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 08:52:26 | More by VoodooBear

IronLover

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Deep weathered copper orange in color and murky. Poured with a short white foam that quickly reduced to a thin cap that left lots of sticky lacings on the glass. Ripe grapefruit, sweet malt, rye and sweet dark fruit aromas. Smooth creamy feel over the top with lightly carbonated tangy feel across the tongue. Citrus grapefruit and herbal hop flavors with sweet malt and rye. Finishes with a sticky, bitter hop aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 21:04:47 | More by IronLover

Naters333

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass from a 12 oz bottle. Bottling date of 10/23/12. I have been sipping on this 6 pack for two weeks and decided to finally review.

A- Poured a nice deep amber color that is cloudy. Does have a nice red tint to the beer. Leaves an off white finger head that recedes quickly.

S-Earthy, pine, biscuit, bread, hops.

T-Smooth. A few hops. After taste of biscuit, bread.

M-Medium bodied. Smooth, earthy. Has the earthy taste of rye beers that I enjoy. Strong bread flavor. Can tell that is almost 7% abv. Has a nice bitterness.

O- A very nice beer. I was a little underwhelmed, because I was hoping for more, but overall a very solid beer. Well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 22:59:09 | More by Naters333

JamesMN

Minnesota

3.98/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Very hazy red/amber hue with a one finger foamy off-white head.

Aroma: Bready malt notes along with that classic peppery rye smell. Some sweet/citrusy hop profiles as well.

Taste: Spicy rye and earthy hops hit the tongue right away and make themselves known. Citrus flavors in the second half and a nice dry peppery finish. 6.6% ABV sounds about right and 70 IBUs is a little bit of a stretch but very nicely done.

Mouthfeel: A tad below medium bodied with average carbonation and good drinkability.

Final Thoughts: Just a straight up good beer and great example of the style. Would I drink it again? Sure.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 01:07:18 | More by JamesMN

Beer-A-Lot

Virginia

4.03/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a pint.

A - A superb-looking, amber-red color, with 2 fingers of head.

S - Wonderful bouquet of complex flavors. Floral, cherries, hints of citrus.

T - Very good taste. Not overly hoppy. Extremely smooth. Goes down really easy.

M - Medium bodied. Good creamy feel.

O - Just another outstanding offeriing from Founders. While I'm not a pale ale fan, Founders has achieved the ability to create balance and keep the hops from being too much at the front. A good thing, IMO.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 02:09:46 | More by Beer-A-Lot

beerme626

Kentucky

3.9/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Bottle from Lexington's Liquor Barn, into a weizen glass.

A: A rich, deep red, but with a slight one-finger head that disappears quickly, with only a light film on top. Still a beautiful color.

S: Strong rye, noticeable hops.

T: The sour rye is clear, and balanced decently by the hoppy flavor of a pale ale, but I wasn't blown away

M: Stickier than I would have liked. Not as tingly as many other pale ales I've had, including Hop Rod Rye

O: It was good, but not the best rye beer out there, even from my limited experience. Still, founder's is never a bad choice.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 04:04:01 | More by beerme626

PsilohsaiBiN

New York

4/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Reddish with some suspended yeast and a minimal white head that recedes fairly quickly.

Smell: Strong biscuity hops just punched me in the face!

Taste: Follows the nose perfectly, but with just enough malt backbone to balance this out. This hop pr

Mouthfeel: Full mouthfeel for the style despite the low abv.

Overall: Founders just does the right thing, can't knock this beer, even if it's not my favorite style. Then again, I could say that about most of their beers.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 06:55:00 | More by PsilohsaiBiN

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle from the brewery, 12oz into a tulip. Bottling date is smudged off the neck.

Deep reddish mahogany, with a cream coloured head. Nice retention and a good bit of lace. Nose has loads of caramel malts, some citrus, spicy hop qualities. A bit of bready character. Taste has bitter citrus, light spice, very nice fruity hop character and some toasty bread notes. Medium feel, medium low carbonation - delightful feel. Moderate bitterness. A very nice rye pale.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2012 02:51:23 | More by liamt07

zrbeer1579

Illinois

4.41/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: A nice crimson-amber with a half finger tan head, some lacing.

Aroma: Grapefruit, slightly floral, some sweet malt and some rye spiciness

Taste: Similar to the smell. Grapefruit hops, caramel sweetness, rye and its spiciness and also some light breadiness. The hop bitterness in the finish lingers and is quite enjoyable.

Mouthfeel: Median bodied, Carbonation seems right on. Slight dry finish. Smooth and very easy to drink.

Overall: A great rye ale. Great balance. Very to easy to drink as I said. I would recommend this beer to anyone. A damn tasty brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 02:14:16 | More by zrbeer1579

BasterdInABasket

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle dated 11/17/12 (three weeks old), poured into a NB Globe Glass
A- Pours a very hazy ruby-brown, one finger off-white head, minimal retention, decent lacing
S- A lot of grapefruit, a clean fruity hoppiness with definite sweet malt balance, earthy
T- More of the same from the nose, a terrificly balanced IPA, grapefruit dominates to start, as it warms more spice and pine comes through, delicious hoppy bitterness throughout
M- Not quite, but almost reminiscent of the mouthfeel of a DIPA, Very Smooth and creamy, while very good, could go for some more carbonation to give it a bigger bite
O- Love drinking this one, perfectly balanced flavors, lack of much carbonation is only complaint, regardless its a great beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 05:02:19 | More by BasterdInABasket

sevenarts

New York

3.55/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Deep, rich amber with a modest off-white head and just a bit of lacing left behind.

S: Sweet caramel malt with an edge of rye spiciness and some hoppy pine/citrus notes.

T/M: Well-rounded and balanced flavor with hoppy, juicy grapefruit, mild caramel maltiness, and a good amount of rye spice and pepper. Nice creamy mouthfeel is the beer's best attribute.

O: A fine, tasty rye ale with a good balance of flavors. Really drinkable and nice without being super-strong.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 00:31:50 | More by sevenarts

TheSixthRing

California

3.98/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance - Pours a deep orange amber with an off-white, 2 finger head. Average retention. Lacing is fair with nice stick.

Smell - Strong aroma of grapefruit upfront. Definite lesser notes of rye coming through with black pepper spice. Faintly sweet caramel notes.

Taste - Less hoppy on the tongue than on the nose. Starts with a faint earth and moderate pepper with subtle, sweetened grapefruit notes, then hits on a strong caramel backbone. Finishes with a twang of citrus bitterness and a more prominent peppery rye spice, while the caramel takes a back seat.

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied with fair carbonation. Smooth and drinkable.

Overall - Is this a case of entirely drinkable vs. playing it safe? This beer is certainly drinkable, but by that same token, it doesn't do much to excite me. I could definitely see myself buying this beer a handful of times a year if it were available on the West coast, and it'd make for a great session beer... but it's nothing I couldn't live without.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 04:39:56 | More by TheSixthRing

jbertsch

Massachusetts

4.15/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This beer was 15 days old. Poured into a tulip.

Reddish amber in color with a light tan head about one finger in size. Had dissipates to a ring.

Aroma is pleasant. Nice note of grapefruit hits you first. Rye spice is noticeable among the ctric hop notes.

Flavor is primarily spicy with dry rye malt. Pleasant bitterness adds some sharpness. Hint of grapefruit juice is found underneath the rye spice.

Mouthfeel is carbonated well. Fnishes a little short with some drying bitterness.

Overall this is wel made. Nice compliment of rye spice and grapfruity hops. Has a touch of refreshingness to it all, but its 6.6% can creep up on you.

Great rye beer thatnleads the pack in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 19:53:17 | More by jbertsch

Triglycerides

Rhode Island

4.23/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz pour into a tulip. Bottled 07/17/12

A: Pours a dark copper color which is kind of hazy with a off white head which doesn't seem to stick around too long but leaves nice lacing along the side of the glass.

S: Subtle caramel malt aroma with a very familiar piney/hoppy scent. The combination of the two is quite nice.

T: Delicious! The explosive combination of peppery rye, sweet malt, and hoppiness on the finish makes for an extremely tasty brew. There's also a nice hoppy finish which hangs around for a long while between sips.

M: Well carbonated and smooth. Works quite well for the dry finish you get from the hops.

O: A mighty fine brew indeed. Founders has certainly hit it out of the park with this once again. It'll definitely be a beer I'll seek out and I'd definitely suggest doing the same. Plus, at 6.6% it's a easy sessionable beer and one I'll keep in mind for the future.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 01:09:54 | More by Triglycerides

DelMontiac

Oklahoma

4.38/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From notes. Poured from a brown 12oz bottle dated 04/15/12.

Copper/orange and hazy forming peaked two finger off white froth, half of which stays for the duration of the glass. Lace is thick, super sticky and marks every sip.

Smells very like sweet melting caramel and fresh grapefruit peel. Rye and pepper hit deep in the nose.

Whoa, this beer tastes fantastic! Sweet doughy caramel backbone flanked by peppery rye and topped with a slight sting of bittering hops down the center of the tongue on the finish. Chopped pecans in the after. Very nice.

Love the feel too - quite velvety for an IPA and the carbonation is perfect. Sticky and full.

I love rye enhanced beers anyway, but this is one of the best I've encountered thus far. My friend and I didn't let the six of 'em hand around for long. Why didn't I bring more home...

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 00:29:11 | More by DelMontiac

eatatstokes

3.13/5  rDev -25.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Very drinkable, refreshing, a nice malt/hop balance. I picked this one by accident, but it didn't disappoint me. I don't usually care for this style, but the malty character followed by a nice hoppy aroma leftover in my nose made this beer enough of a happy accident. I wouldn't do it twice.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 07:58:34 | More by eatatstokes

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled 7/10/12
Old, maybe, not new.
my 600th.
Aroma has some hoppy smells. more malty with some spicy rye.
A reddish amber ale with a really tall head on the pour. It's thick and lingering but doesn't have much lacing.
Taste is smooth good and refreshing. Sutle hop flavor over a malty base with some rye crispiness.
Overall I like this but judging from reviews I think it's a bit dated being that I should have a bigger hop presence.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 12:59:07 | More by micromaniac129

TrappistJohnMD

Mississippi

4.18/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours dark amber with white head in tulip.

Smell is sweet malt, caramel and citrus.

Taste is sweet malts, caramel, light bit of rye and nice hops bitterness. Alcohol warming in the finish as well.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with average carbonation.

Overall an excellent example of the style. Founders never dissappoints.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 23:29:37 | More by TrappistJohnMD

haddon

Kentucky

3.73/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The pour is an amber/red color with a off-white head and has some lacing.

A pine hop aroma with rye spice and the mildly sweet caramel.

The bitterness of the grapefruit and pine blends well with the rye and sweet malts in the beer. I always seem to pick up the malt notes much more than the hops in red ryes.

The carbonation level is moderate and the body is medium to full.

Full disclosure: I am not a huge red rye fan but this is a very good example of the class. Founders always puts out quality beers.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 23:36:48 | More by haddon

poop_brew

Vermont

4.78/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: Served from a bottle, but poured into a glass. A very very orange-red brew with a haze. Great color!

S: Hops Hops Hops! Hops, Caramel and Rye hit the nose with a wonderful combination.

T: A great crisp rye and hop explosion. A strong hop in the back of the throat in-between sips.

M: A smooth carbonation with a perfect mouthfeel. Tangy and pungent.

O: I love this beer. Happened to fall upon it without knowing much about its Beer Advocate ratings. But man this beer is real good. I love founders.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 00:57:55 | More by poop_brew