Hoss Rye Lager - Great Divide Brewing Company

SkeeterHawk

Texas

3.93/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I am a big fan of the Oktoberfest style when done well, and adding Rye to the mix sounds interesting. I haven't been too impressed with the majority of the lagers that come from American breweries, so I am looking forward to this one changing my mind. Let's see what this one has to offer as I believe that this is the first Lager that I have tried from Great Divide.

Appearance: Looks pretty Oktoberfest like being a light golden orange color with some mild reddish tint and a small white head of small active bubbles on top. The head faded back into the beer within about 30 seconds, but remained as a small ring at the edge of the beer for quite a while. There is no lacing or anything left on the glass after drinking.

Aroma: I initially got quite a bit of the expected toasty malt notes and a reserved Rye presence, which I am glad for as the Rye could easily dominate this beer being as reserved as it is. There is a little bit of hops noticeable as a floral component and they smell noble, which is good for this style. There is a sweet caramel becoming more noticeable as the beer warms up some.

Taste: The Rye is a little more noticeable in the flavor than in the aroma. The profile is decidedly malty overall as it should be, and the grain seems to be well mashed, which is unusual for an American brewer as they typically just single infusion everything. There is some hops and they are floral and noticeable in the beginning of the flavor, but they fade pretty quickly to let the sweetness take over in the end to linger. There is a little bit of heat noticeable from the alcohol late after the sip, which is a little unusual for the style, but it isn't a major detractor. As the beer warms, the Rye is getting much more noticeable as the finish carries on and the beer sits on your palate. The body is medium with slightly low carbonation for what I would like for this beer, so it comes across as a tad watery and that is probably why I am noticing the alcohol.

Opinion: This is a pretty good beer overall. I like the blend. The Rye is done well so that it accents the beer rather than running the show. There is still obviously enough to taste, and I am glad that they told me it was there as I might have mistaken its presence for earthy hops or something else at first. Either way, I will finish what I have, and will not fear a lager from Great Divide as they seem to know how to brew one.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2011 03:53:02 | More by SkeeterHawk

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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: into da pint: clear medium amber beer with a whipped foamy tan head, left some lace lines and head showed good persistence

S: mild hops and sweet malts, some rye and fruity/floral notes

T: softly sweet maltiness, vague fruitiness, suggestions of rye and caramel, maybe even some mellow orange-iness

M: smooth, creamy, silky; light feel, slight tingle of carbonation/rye spice

O: I've only had two other marzens, and this was better than both - the kind of beer to turn you onto a style (if its typical of the style) - great drinkability, wonderful flavor and aroma profile - another slam-dunk from Great Divide.

Serving type: bottle

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