Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye IPA - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

JamesMN

Minnesota

4.05/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Deep amber/mahogany hue with decent clarity. Thin soapy off-white head with some nice lacing.

Aroma: Biscuit, grassy hops, and just a hint of white pepper from the rye. Not sure of the age of the bottle but it's not all that aromatic.

Taste: A pleasant flavor at first sip that gets slightly more intense as I get further into the glass. Starts with the classic Pale Ale malt bill with the addition of rye that gives the bready flavor a nice peppery note without being overdone. The hops character and bitterness build together from right before midway until long after the finish. The hop flavor here is grassy and earthy with a hint of grapefruit buried deep below everything else. I'd estimate the bitterness is about 50-60 IBUs. Lots of good flavor at only 6.6% ABV. About a third of the way through the glass the flavor does intensify as the combination of rye and hop character saturate the palate but it never gets extreme and always stays balanced between the grains and hops. If I had one complaint it would be that I'd classify the flavor as more of a Pale Ale style than an IPA based on the biscuit malt taste that persists throughout.

Mouthfeel: A tad below medium in body with a pretty smooth feel despite the combination of bitter flavors. Above average drinkability.

Final Thoughts: Ruthless Rye IPA would make a great aperitif. It really wakes up the taste buds and does a good job of providing a flavor that is as-advertised. Fans of rye beers should check this one out. Would I drink it again? Yes, but I would not seek it out.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 19:16:09 | More by JamesMN

tittymcj

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Drank at a bar in Altoona, Pennsylvania.

Good looking beer. Nice and frothy, lots of head. Solid color and clarity.

Very smooth, if I remember correctly. Not a lot of bite, but not overbearing with the malty flavors. Very well balanced.

I'd recommend for being a good beer, but not particularly impressive on any front.

Serving type: on-tap

05-20-2013 13:51:53 | More by tittymcj

Kmat10

Alberta (Canada)

4/5  rDev +2.3%

05-20-2013 04:10:58 | More by Kmat10

BeerAficionadoMCMXC

California

4.33/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

This beer always gives me the knarliest farts. They fucking stink too. The beer's good, and the 6.6% always leaves my liver working hard to make me sober enough to work the next morning. I like the fact that I can drink a bunch of it, fart enough to make my domain a gas chamber, then wake up and walk out of the room without noticing the deadly smell that the beer gave me. It leaves a chalky hungover taste in your mouth after you drink 10 and wake up without brushing your teeth, but that's the life of a true alcoholic. An alcoholic's beer if the ABV were a touch higher and the farts were a bit stinkier.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 07:33:05 | More by BeerAficionadoMCMXC

nick_asian

Nevada

3.5/5  rDev -10.5%

05-19-2013 07:11:41 | More by nick_asian

Budinetz

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +2.3%

05-19-2013 06:55:07 | More by Budinetz

bluestar0828

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -10.5%

05-18-2013 21:10:51 | More by bluestar0828

jbarletto

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +8.7%

05-18-2013 15:05:08 | More by jbarletto

mattsucks

Ohio

3/5  rDev -23.3%

05-18-2013 14:10:30 | More by mattsucks

beernads

Florida

3/5  rDev -23.3%

05-18-2013 06:58:11 | More by beernads

anewlanguage

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -4.1%

05-17-2013 22:31:18 | More by anewlanguage

Newenglandcraftbrew

Maine

3.5/5  rDev -10.5%

05-17-2013 21:18:44 | More by Newenglandcraftbrew

BeerRefugee

Oklahoma

3.44/5  rDev -12%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Pours a light copper color. Moderate off-white head with good retention and moderate lacing. Medium rye and herbal hops in the aroma. Flavor is mild caramel malt, grassy and piney hops and a moderate dose of rye. The spiciness of the rye and bitterness of the hops predominate--I would have liked a bit more malt for some sweetness and balance. This is a beer that couldn't really decide what it wants to be--it needs more hops and rye to be a really aggressive rye IPA. Or it needs more caramel sweetness to be a more "mainstream" beer. Instead, they split the difference and the result, while good, is not as good as it could have been.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 21:05:43 | More by BeerRefugee

Xzfgiimtsath

Texas

4/5  rDev +2.3%

05-17-2013 12:45:38 | More by Xzfgiimtsath

somethingcreative

Indiana

3.25/5  rDev -16.9%

05-17-2013 01:01:53 | More by somethingcreative

AL89BR

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -4.1%

05-16-2013 23:04:07 | More by AL89BR

mverity

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +8.7%

05-16-2013 21:39:40 | More by mverity

InspectorBob

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -4.1%

05-16-2013 21:33:01 | More by InspectorBob

ajtorres311

Florida

3.25/5  rDev -16.9%

05-16-2013 15:38:34 | More by ajtorres311

Achilles811

North Carolina

3/5  rDev -23.3%

05-15-2013 23:41:20 | More by Achilles811

firstlighthiker

Tennessee

4.25/5  rDev +8.7%

05-15-2013 21:45:57 | More by firstlighthiker

twenty5

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -4.1%

05-15-2013 18:30:39 | More by twenty5

CoreyClark

New York

4.25/5  rDev +8.7%

05-15-2013 17:39:23 | More by CoreyClark

JG_McNaulty

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -10.5%

05-15-2013 13:52:59 | More by JG_McNaulty

jburd19

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +8.7%

05-14-2013 19:14:27 | More by jburd19