Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye IPA - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

SkeeterHawk

Texas

3.6/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I have had a soft spot here lately for Rye IPA's as I have really been enjoying Jester King's - The Wytchmaker. I just learned that it was retired, as was the Black Metal. Weird, because they are both really good beers. Anyway, let's give this offering from Sierra Nevada a shot.

Appearance: Pours a very slightly hazy burnt orange color with a small 1/4" head of off white bubbles after a pretty aggressive pour. The head was its original height for about 30-40 seconds and then faded to a pretty substantial ring where the beer meets the glass, and it already looks like there will be some lacing. After drinking the beer, there is some lacing left on the glass.

Aroma: The aroma is showcasing the fresh hops as much or more so than the Rye, which is a good thing in my opinion. Second sniffs are giving a little more earthy tones to the aroma that are probably Rye related, but still they are reserved. Overall the aroma is quite nice.

Taste: The flavor is led by some fresh hops and the Rye along with some substantial crystal malt are coming out to support the grain side of the equation. The mouthfeel is medium to light with plenty of carbonation, so it ultimately finishes a little dry. The balance of hops to malt is pretty even with a very slight edge toward the malt. As the beer warms up, it softens up and gets more palatable overall.

Opinion: This is a pretty decent beer overall. It has a nice balance of malt and hops, and the complexity of the Rye mixed with the freshness of the hops makes the aroma one of the nicer attributes in this beer. All this said, I wouldn't consider it "fantastic", so I won't have a problem drinking the one six-pack that I got, but I seriously doubt that I will be buying this again.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2012 01:53:17 | More by SkeeterHawk

jaswilson2

South Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -16.9%

05-25-2013 03:10:14 | More by jaswilson2

andrew8626

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +8.7%

05-25-2013 02:37:27 | More by andrew8626

Spaz7

California

4/5  rDev +2.3%

05-24-2013 21:09:27 | More by Spaz7

Redrover

Illinois

4.01/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this on tap at the Mellow Mushroom is Jacksonville Beach. It was served in a standard pint glass and the beer is brassy dark amber. There is a very sticky beige head.

It has a pleasant aroma of spicy rye, sweet malts and some pine.

The taste leads with a bit of pine resin and subtle peppery rye and caramel malts. Beer is well balanced with a lot of nice facets.

The mouth is semi-thick and a bit oily. It is coating.

This is a nice rye beer. Well done!

Serving type: on-tap

05-24-2013 17:19:01 | More by Redrover

Leitz

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +8.7%

05-23-2013 21:41:10 | More by Leitz

drh1382

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +8.7%

05-23-2013 20:10:09 | More by drh1382

ipas-for-life

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -4.1%

05-23-2013 13:10:02 | More by ipas-for-life

Illos

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +2.3%

05-23-2013 04:56:04 | More by Illos

UWBadgerFan4Life

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev +8.7%

05-23-2013 02:03:39 | More by UWBadgerFan4Life

tswater

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -4.1%

05-23-2013 00:45:13 | More by tswater

Marty91

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -10.5%

05-22-2013 21:54:03 | More by Marty91

DStoked

Ohio

3/5  rDev -23.3%

05-22-2013 13:47:10 | More by DStoked

watermelonman

California

3.68/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pouring to a deep gold amber, this looks great in glass with moderate head and lace. Mild carbonation keeps up throughout.

Citrus hops and rye dominate the smell, and in taste are joined by barely enough caramel malt to give body and balance. The flavors I want and love in a rye pale are a little flat and flimsy, especially considering the lighter mouthfeel, but in terms of a balanced IPA this is as well done as any. The spicy taste of rye is apparent but I usually want more body to back it. The finish is clean and lightly bitter.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2013 05:10:20 | More by watermelonman

BigOldOaf

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +8.7%

05-22-2013 03:01:17 | More by BigOldOaf

Kingcurio

Oklahoma

4/5  rDev +2.3%

05-21-2013 01:51:24 | More by Kingcurio

Lucoli

New York

3.75/5  rDev -4.1%

05-21-2013 01:22:53 | More by Lucoli

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