Hoss Rye Lager - Great Divide Brewing Company

Hopdaemon39

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a mug- pours a clear, dark copper color, with minimal head, only a few spots of lacing.

Smell is sweet, malty and delicious. Lots of caramel, sweet barley malt, some yeast, perhaps a little rye.

Taste is excellent- full taste, lots of caramel, some nice rye notes, not any hops per se, but it's not too sweet so there must be some in there. Not much else to say.

Mouthfeel is great- medium body, low carbonation. This is a great marzen. One of the better american ones that I've had.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 23:12:47 | More by Hopdaemon39

womencantsail

California

3.68/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The pour is a light amber color with an off-white head. Smells sweet with plenty of cereal and malt notes. A definite rye aroma, some yeast, a little bit of earthy hop character, and a light fruitiness. The rye is very pronounced on the palate. Sweet bread with a bit of toast flavor, some floral and spicy hops, and just a touch of yeast. There is a mild bitterness on the finish.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 04:57:15 | More by womencantsail

SouljaSaia17

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Have had this beer twice before and am happy to review it, since its a beer I always seem to come back to. As part of my mix a six of course!

A: Pours a fizzy light amber color with a 1/2 inch bubbly white head that quickly fades away.

S: Nice spicy Rye aroma, with some earthy notes and a hint of caramel and malts.

T: Taste consists of Rich malt notes, spice from the Rye, dark fruit and some cherry.

M: Nice rich malt, spicy flavor that finishes with a crisp, dry finish.

O: I would say another great beer by the great divide. Easy to drink, flavorful and has a cool label. Very nice Marzen Lager, Hoss is the boss!

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2012 03:25:15 | More by SouljaSaia17

soju6

Missouri

3.75/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a clear copper color with a decent head that fades to nice lacing.

S: Aroma of fresh grain, some malt sweetness and a bit of spice.

T: Starts with a nice clean crispness and a bit of malt sweetness. there is a bit of spice and fruit in the background. Nice bitterness and a clean finish.

F: Fairly medium body, very crisp and quite refreshing. Has a nice character.

O: Nice beer easy to drink. Quite good for the style.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2012 21:17:38 | More by soju6

beertunes

Washington

3.53/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottled on 4/6/12. Poured into 9oz Pilsener glass. Poured a clean, clear copper-amber color with about 1/4 inch of light tan head that had very good retention and good lacing.

The aroma was mostly a good malt scent, the Rye was very subdued, and there was just a mild tinge of hops in the background. The flavors were bolder.The solid malt base got a nice kick from the Rye and there was a nice hop tanginess at the back of the tongue.

The body was crisp and clean, and the Rye flavor lingered for a few moments. Drinkability was very good, I could easily have a few of these at a sitting. Overall, a very nice brew, worth looking for.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2012 22:12:38 | More by beertunes

schlimenhaumer

New York

3.68/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the bottle into a Miller Lite pint glass at high altitude near Denver, CO.

A: Pours a transparent reddish copper color with a thin off-white head of minimal retention.

S: Sweet malts, dark fruits, rye and some faint bittering hop notes.

T: Opens with sweet malts that give way to dark fruits. The finish brings out spicy rye notes followed by a little bit of bitterness on the back end.

M: Medium-bodied with a dry finish.

O: Not a bad brew, but a bit lacking in terms of rye character. I wouldn't seek this one out, but I'd happily drink it again.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2012 13:09:00 | More by schlimenhaumer

stampfler07

Georgia

3.63/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Pours a clear reddish-golden with a bubbly white head, leaves light lacing, head falls flat fairly quickly

S- Earthy malt aromas, faint hop, not really much to speak of

T- Sweet malt with dark fruity tones dominate the beginning, light bitterness comes in at the middle, at the finish the rye flavor comes out nicely and lingers

M- Slight warming, moderate carbonation and light-moderate body, faint dryness on the finish

O- Pretty enjoyable overall, more of an aroma would be nice but the rye flavor is well integrated

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2012 03:00:54 | More by stampfler07

beagle75

Iowa

3.75/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a becker glass.

A: Clear, light amber color with one finger of off-white foam head. Moderate lacing remains and a few occasional bubbles rise in the column.

S: Rustic caramel and grain, with a trace of apricot jam. Carbon dioxide seeps through the cracks, but dimethyl sulfide is essentially absent.

T: Begins off-dry, with soft crystal malt, brief floral aromatics, and mild carbonic acidity. Caramel qualities come on strong in the middle, with well-integrated mixed fruit belatedly revealed in the first act when it tapers off here. Flavors clean up for the short finish, with little bitterness. A sharpness attributable to rye emerges only after the beer warms, but so does some mid-profile soapiness.

M: Medium viscosity, slightly syrupy on the palate and presenting some chew, with low carbonation.

D/O: This is a decent American-brewed amber lager that compares favorably to Karl Strauss's own. The brewer has taken some care here to develop tactile qualities of substance, and they overlap into the flavor. Unfortunately for the rye, crispness and spice fight a losing battle against qualities of fruit, caramel, and an overall heaviness that is on the high side for the style.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2012 23:13:43 | More by beagle75

Humulus85

Minnesota

3.4/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

From a 12oz bottle into my Darkness snifter for effect. Bottled on 4/6/12

Pours a dark amber, crystal clear. A very stiff pour barely produced an off white one finger head. Zero retention, very little lacing.

Nose is very malt dominant as expected. Clean pale malts, with a touch of caramel malt, and a hint of biscuity rye.

Follows the nose. Layers of bready malt, nice and clean. Pretty straightforward, but well balanced with the exception of a lack of rye. It's there but kinda subdued. If you're gonna label something a Rye Lager, the rye should play a prominent role in the flavor profile.

Medium and body with a nice creamy texture. Well balanced, with a slightly sweet finish. Good carbonation. Very drinkable.

Overall this is a tasty, but (in my opinion) misleading brew. Tastes like a good Marzen, and within that framework this is a pretty solid representation of the style. Still needs more rye. It's like a very less skillful Surlyfest. I can't say I'd buy a sixer of this, but I would never refuse one. Recommended to any fan of Amber lagers or Marzens. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2012 01:23:12 | More by Humulus85

MadScientist

New York

4.35/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer was bottled on 9/15/2011

A: This is a beautiful, medium copper with excellent clarity and an white head.

S: A medium-high rye spicy aroma dominates the smell with a moderate toasted malt aroma and some earthiness. There also seems to be a light spicy hop aroma but it wouldn't surprise me if I was mistaken.

T: The flavor is mostly toasted malt and rye spicy, earthiness. There is some malt sweetness and a decent hops bitterness with the balance favoring the bitterness. There is a bit of dark fruit and cherry flavors in there as well. It finishes dry and crisp with some bitterness and spice in the finish.

M: It is a smooth and creamy, medium bodied beer with a medium-light level of carbonation.

O: This is a very tasty beer makes me understand why Reinheitsgebot forbid the use of rye in Germany. A very flavorful, spicy and crisp beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2012 00:21:32 | More by MadScientist

axeman9182

New Jersey

3.23/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle, bottled in April of 2012. This came to me via Amanti Vino's Beer of the Month club and was poured into my Duvel tulip.

Hoss Rye Lager pours a deep burnt orange/auburn, falling just short of having full clarity. There's a finger or so of white foam capping the beer. It fades pretty quickly, and lacing is fairly spotty. The nose is pretty dull and lifeless, but what is there is nice. There are some bready and toffee aromas, and the delicate spiciness of rye creeps in a little bit in the background. The flavor has a little more vivacity to it, with biscuit and caramel maltiness coming together for a lingering opening. Earthy, lightly peppery rye comes in for the close, but seems to die out before the beer hits the back of my palate. The mouthfeel is definitely not "crisp". The body's a little bit chewy, and the carbonation lacking, and leaves the beer giving a syrupy impression. I think a rye marzen could be a pretty interesting beer, but Hoss Rye Lager just suffers on the execution end.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2012 03:02:41 | More by axeman9182

mountdew1

New Hampshire

4.18/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into an imperial pint glass. Color was a darker amber reddish color. Had a very thin (less than 1 finger) bubbly white head. Head lasted a while, and clung nicely to the sides. Smell had a touch of sugar, a tad of hops, with a strong wheat/grain profile as well. Taste was extremely well balanced. A small bit of sweet, a little hint of peppery spice, with a mellow banana bread almost. Felt good in the mouth. Coated very well, but the carbonation seemed to be all over the place. At times it was subtle, other times it was up front. Overall a good representation. Not quite sessionable, but not overpowering either.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2012 23:15:14 | More by mountdew1

dannydetox

California

3.65/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

another easy drinking beer, hoss rye lager is an interesting spin on the marzen style. orange amber in color with a short-lived whitish head. carbonation is mild for a lager. hoss delivers welcoming notes of rye alongside caramel malts in the nose. down the hatch you get more maltiness, but not in a syrupy sweet way. clean, dry finish and a medium full body round out the brew.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2012 00:10:16 | More by dannydetox

5thOhio

South Carolina

4.63/5  rDev +23.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I've been a fan of ryes before ryes were cool and this one doesn't disappoint.

Pours a rich copper with a 1 inch head that dissipates slowly to one half inch. Thick lacing.

Nose is malty and slightly spicy.

Taste surprisingly starts out sweet and malty, but is followed by spicy rye notes and ends with a nice bitter hop bite. Excellent and complex.

I'd love to try this rascal on tap.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 22:10:29 | More by 5thOhio

BeerDawgs

Georgia

3.6/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - a clear copper color, with a slight head retention and some sticky lace on the glass

S - sweet malts.

T - Big malty flavor, with a huge rye backbone and aftertaste. Sweet up front.

M - Highly carbonated

O - - a good beer for the style. I like the rye component. Good, but not worth buying again

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 05:02:58 | More by BeerDawgs

Gatch

Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap @ Great Divide in Denver, CO.

A: Really dark brown with shades of blood red. Light brown, foamy head that leaves little lace and retention.

S: Heavily smoked malt with hints of beef jerky and smoked meat.

T: Same as the nose. Awesome smoked, roasted malt character. Subtle hops in the finish. Some spicy rye throughout. Killer flavor.

M: Smooth but right amount of carbonation. Great rye flavor and lager characteristics.

O: Incredible beer. Unique and so damn good.

Serving type: on-tap

06-13-2012 00:28:42 | More by Gatch

megahurts4

Louisiana

4/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Great Divide Hoss

Appearance: clear amber, medium-small head, and some good lacing.

Smell: hops, little malt, and slight rye-grain.

Taste: sweetness, faint touch of hops, and then a rye finish.

Mouthfeel: medium and faintly syrup-like.

Overall:
This is a good brew with an evenly balanced nut-rye flavor. It goes down easy and doesn't overpower the pallet.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2012 05:54:50 | More by megahurts4

Durge

Connecticut

3.98/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Another find at the World of Beers in Altamonte Springs, FL this brew appears golden amber with a solid haze and a modest but stubborn white film on top. Lacing is pretty decent. The aroma brings a pleasant apple caramel malt with an interesting cereal grain that overall makes me want to get a taste. The taste gives me a very interesting tropical fruit over yeasty caramel. And yes, I get many grainy overtones like rye, rice and also a slightly sugary corn malt. It’s medium-light bodied with a very fine but titillating carbonation. Some smokey hints. Very nice.

Serving type: on-tap

05-19-2012 03:45:19 | More by Durge

McNealc31

Ohio

4.18/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a crisp, transparent amber, as expected. Floral and fruity hops come through most in the aroma. Loads of roasted, sweet malt are noticed first, followed by dark fruit,, spicy rye, and a very late bitter kick from the hops. As it warms, the flavors, especially the rye, become more pronounced. It's rather fruitier than I anticipated, but it works.

Rye isn't the foremost flavor here, but it's there. Overall, it's well balanced and tasty. Little higher ABV than you might expect from a lager with 6.2%. Definitely worth a try

Grade: B

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2012 23:41:08 | More by McNealc31

mrasskicktastic

New Jersey

4.15/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Clear amber brew, small head, narrow broken ring of lace.

S - Bread, honey and moss. A faint hint of copper. It's actually rather nice.

T - Very rich honey and biscuit malt flavor, a bit of forest floor. Some faint bitter vegetables accompany lingering honey and biscuits in the aftertaste.

M - Smooth, medium bodied, a little waxy, pretty refreshing.

D - Good. I think this is a great malty lager. I'll drink it again, but the style isn't one I seek out.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2012 03:22:29 | More by mrasskicktastic

avalon07

South Carolina

3.15/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a copper color and a clear consistency. There was an inch of foamy, long-lasting head. Good lacing.

S: A surprisingly muted aroma of malt and a hint of fruit.

T: Tasted of malt, light hops, and a little bit of cherry in the finish. Mostly, this beer is shockingly one-dimensional (the malt takes over) and kind of on the thin side.

M: A well-carbonated beer with a smooth finish. Medium-bodied.

O: A decidedly underwhelming beer from Great Divide, a brewery that's usually pretty consistent.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2012 13:10:52 | More by avalon07

mactrail

California

3.23/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pleasant but undistinguished. I remember liking it more in the bottle. Clear coppery amber color in the pint glass.

Taste like not much at first. Some honey and malt flavors. Just a touch of roasted malt. Hard to find the flavors on the tongue. slightly winey. A scratch of Belgian flavors. Mild taste but it does have an interesting bready tang. Not much aroma.

I suppose the flavors in this with the Belgian hint are actually better than average for this style. Wishing it had more carbonation or better mouthfeel. On tap at Cueva in San Diego.

Serving type: on-tap

03-31-2012 06:03:07 | More by mactrail

YouSkeete

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +26.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Deep amber color with some ruby tint. Gorgeous foamy khaki head with very nice retention. Dark rye, oak, wood, hops, and creamy malt. Pleasantly earthy and floral. Rye bread, spices, smooth malts and yeast in the beginning of the taste. A fresh, well rounded medium sized body with moderate carbonation. Crisp mouthfeel with a mildly dry yet refreshing finish. Incredibly easy and comfortable to drink.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2012 22:43:44 | More by YouSkeete

flagmantho

Washington

3.68/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 12oz bottle into a pint glass. Bottled 1/23/2012.

Appearance: orange hue with a tiny hint of haze and a good effervescence. Head is a finger of frothy ivory foam. Nice.

Smell: really nice aroma which is biscuity, bready, sweet and floral. Usually that biscuit aroma doesn't appeal to me, but it is used to good effect in this beer.

Taste: biscuity and a little spicy, the flavor is a bit less sweet than the aroma. Here the appeal starts to fade for me; the rye seems a bit out of place, though I do appreciate what the brewer was trying to do.

Mouthfeel: medium body with a really good carbonation and very nice creaminess. I like it.

Overall: not a bad beer, but the flavor, while interesting, doesn't largely appeal to me.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2012 18:54:01 | More by flagmantho

tobelerone

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A very clear amber beer with two fingers of white head that settle slowly. Lacing is very good. Rye pops out in the aroma, nicely spicy, on top of a very bready malt base. Flavor follows the nose; chewy, bready malt, combined with prominent rye, puts me in mind of pumpernickel. Very well-rounded and refreshing, delicious lager overall, with a nice floral hop note in the finish. Dry and crisp, medium bodied, with medium high carbonation. Quite good and was a welcome antidote to a steady succession of highly hopped west coast ales. Another winner from Great Divide, an underrated brewery making consistently fine, highly drinkable beers.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2012 22:04:22 | More by tobelerone