Sweetwater Crank Tank Rye'd Ale - SweetWater Brewing Company

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to thirdeye11 for sharing this bottle.

The beer pours a yellow color with a white head. The aroma is oranges and lemons with some biscuit malt. I don't get any rye in the aroma.

The flavor is more like I expected. I get a nice amount of rye, which is complimented with some bitter oranges and biscuit malt. Low to medium bitterness.

Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2010 20:15:54 | More by Mora2000

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine Issue #45 (Oct 2010):

Love us some hopped-up rye. A well-laced, dull, golden-colored beer. Piney, citric, pungent, hemp oil and minty hop nose is big enough to take on the malt and then some with the spice of the rye to boot. Smooth and bitty, with a dry-ish medium body. Thick rye malt rakes across the palate with a clean, spicy graininess. Hops jump on the taste buds and don't want to let go; some sharp bitterness and then rind-like and juicy citrus and wildflower. Rough around the edges, olde-school style ale and a charity beer at that. Seek it out, enjoy and support.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2011 23:24:43 | More by BeerAdvocate

tempest

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Split a bomber with a friend. I wish this was a regular beer from SweetWater. The rye adds a gentle spice to the toasty malt flavor, which then pairs wonderfully with the flowery citrus hops. I'm not easily impressed by pale ales, but this was a great take on the style and a fine rye beer.

Update 9/1/11: Just got a fresh new bottle and damn it's tasty - bright, fruity, with biting herbal hops.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2011 22:07:50 | More by tempest

JamnesCameron

Illinois

4/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured into my New Holland pint glass. Pours a slightly hazy copper with an off white head of about two fingers that dropped really quickly. Leaves a thin wisp of foam and some lacing.

Aromas of tangerines, oranges, grapefruit, spicy rye maltiness.

Flavors of spicy rye malt, citrus fruit, tangerines, grapefruit. Fiinish is short, with a firm bitterness that is not overpowering.

Mouthfeel is light, a little on the thin side, with a mouthcoating bitterness. Good level of carbonation.

Overall a decent beer, for a good cause. Nice sessionable beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2011 01:22:15 | More by JamnesCameron

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

4/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I picked this beer up on a recent holiday trip and served it in one of those goofy-lookin' Sam Adams glasses (``Take pride in your beer!"). Appearance is a beautiful honey-gold color with a nice head that has decent retention. Nose gives off solid tones of orange rind, lemon zest, and flowers.

Flavor-wise, what we have here is a nice, hoppy beer with more of a fruity (as opposed to a bready or malty) sweetness. You get flavors of sweet pears and you get nice notes of lemon and mandarin oranges from the rye and the hops. Very unique flavor. I liked it a lot. The mouthfeel is good and firm and the finish is dry and perfectly refreshing.

The sales of this beer go to Camp Twin Lakes, a nonprofit that helps out young people with severe illnesses or disabilities. Perhaps charity beers don't sell because at the bottle shop where I found this, they were practically giving it away at $3 a bomber; buy 2 get 1 free. Terrific beer, nice worthwhile cause, and a great bargain. I'd buy it again if they sold it where I live.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2012 00:09:12 | More by deadonhisfeet

kylehay2004

Florida

4/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2.5 finger frothy head leaving nice lacing on a clear amber with slight golden hue.

S: Very hoppy with a nice grapefruit note. Light bread notes.

T: Hops and rye which are balanced and each well represented.

M: medium body and moderate carbonation.

Overall a very nice beer with a stronger than usuual rye note that many of these rye beers actually lack despite being rue beers..

Serving type: on-tap

01-29-2012 00:39:12 | More by kylehay2004

beer2day

North Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cloudy gold with 1-finger medium cream head. No lace and no head retention.

Nose is rye straw and grass. A bit lemony and a touch of apricot. Intriguing.

Flavor brings in a good dose of rye malt and light, creamy apricot underneath. Velvety smooth. Nice dry finish with good resiny, earthy hops. Gets a bit floral, too, and even a tad sweet.

Feel is very smooth and quite creamy. Balances the rich malt content well.

I'd get this again.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2012 02:15:51 | More by beer2day

thetomG

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Nice hazy straw yellow color with a thin layer of white head that sticks around as you sip leaving behind spotty lacing.

Aroma is ok, but not a whole lot going on here - I really just get a slight hint of citrus and some hoppy scents. Flavor is bolder and has a medium bitterness to it. Tasty.

Mouthfeel is a bit flat, but not bad - this one is very easy to drink. Would definitely try this again.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2010 03:33:49 | More by thetomG

morebeergood

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This bottle was a gift from joshman, from his trip down to Atlanta. Poured into stemmed beer glasses. Dull orange colored body. Full sized head and good lacing. Very fine particles seem to be floating around. Smell was like a freshly cut orange; you could feel the tingle in your nostrils. There was a ton of hops in the flavor. Very fresh tasting on the palate. The rye gave the body a crispness to it. But there was a faint scented soapy note in the aftertaste. This was an excellent beer in terms of drinkability. Paired well with a gourmet shrimp pizza. A nice treat from the deep south.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2011 04:31:26 | More by morebeergood

chinchill

South Carolina

3.95/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle served in a pint glass.

Pours a darkish orange-golden with a thin off-white head. Small amount of sediment in the bottom of the bottle. Some suspended fine sediment and light rising carbonation is visible in bright light. The sediment eventually settles, leaving a roughly clear beer.

Sweet, citrusy aroma hints of toasted grains and rye. ... smells delicious.

Sweet, smooth start but ends with a very dry finish. Excellent carbonation.

Nice citrus hops aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 02:49:41 | More by chinchill

Reagan1984

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Picked up this bomber while visiting my folks in Atl.

Even with an aggressive pour only a minimal head. The beer is a hazy dull light amber/brass color.  Not much in the way of lacing.

Aroma is fresh and sharp. A snack of grapefruit in your face with a hint of pineapple just below the surface. A touch of toasty grain.

Pretty nice beer. What was the pineapple portion of the aroma manifests itself as some nice tropical fruit flavors. These are more pronounced vs some citrus peel notes. You can clearly detect the dry/spicy nature of the rye which provides a clean dry finish.  Moderate bitterness. A slight taste of powdery yeast towards the end.

Body was a touch light and slight prickly carbonation.

A nice little beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2010 22:08:44 | More by Reagan1984

mikereaser

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into my Dogfish Head glass on 2/9/11.

A - Pours a nice light copper with an inch of white soapy foam that quickly faded leaving a bit of lacing

S - Lots of pine and citrus hops fill the aroma. Lots of grapefruit and lemon with some malty sweetness in the background

T - light malty sweetness with more of the citrus hops with the spiciness and rye grains coming through with some pine hops coming through in the finish.

M/D - A little watery than I was hoping but the taste is pretty decent. Nice hop usage and not overly malty. Light enough to drink many but a bit too watered down to want to have many.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2011 04:18:27 | More by mikereaser

claspada

New Jersey

3.93/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big thanks to rwinzing for providing this super solid extra.

Pours a hazy light copper color with a 1-2 inch slightly off-white soapy looking head. The head slowly recedes into a thin pancake on top leaving thick, sticky lacing. I love that thick sticky look, so inviting, sign of good things to come...

Aromas begin with of solid amounts of citrus hops with milder amounts of earthy and herbal hop smells backing it up. Also present are somewhat bready pale malt flavors and faint hints of earthy rye. Rye is not as dominant as I was hoping for but I will reserve judgment for now.

The tastes are really quite similar to how it smells. Pale malt flavors kick things off and are joined almost immediately by large amounts of citrus hop flavors. Midway through the hop flavors fade out just a bit, allowing mild amounts of bready flavors and even milder amounts of earthy rye to work their way into things. The malt and faint rye carry through to a solid but no where harsh, bitter finish.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with nice ample amount of carbonation. It's got a nice thickness with a crisp clean dry finish from the rye malt and the adequate hops.

Overall, this is a very great beer. Very drinkable; I could easily drink this in larger amounts than one 22 oz bomber, which is my real issue with this beer because it should be sold in 6 packs at a more reasonable price. While I really enjoyed it, I didn't love it exponentially more than Terrapin's Rye Pale, which I can readily get here in NJ for a presumably much more reasonable price point. While I enjoyed it, I would have preferred some more rye to balance the high citrus bitterness. Recommended but no need to seek out with any level of effort.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2011 16:09:38 | More by claspada

jsdunlop

North Carolina

3.93/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pours out an orangish amber color with slight cloudiness and a sticky, white head with good lacing and retention. Smells of grapefruit, apricots, and a floral bouquet of roses. Taste begins with citrus and grapefruit, mild apricot, and some fermented pear. Touch of black peppery spice noticed with a light sweetness that lingers around. Mildly bitter finish. Mouthfeel is watery and this one has very little carbonation. Overall, it's an easy drinker, not too heavy on the hop addition while being subtle enough with the rye to where it is noticeable, but not overwhelming. I noticed an abundance of apricot flavor that was enjoyable and seemed to blend nicely with the citrusy hop addition.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2011 04:00:13 | More by jsdunlop

match1112

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

a: body is a hazy orange/ light copper color. a half a finger of bright white head settled rather quickly to a thin patchy cap.

s: smells more like an ipa than a rye beer. citrus up front with rye malts taking a back seat.

t: big citrus burst at first with a nice rye presence to balance it out without it being bitter.

m: a little light on carbonation and a medium feel to the body. slightly oily from the hops and a dry finish.

o: a decent rye beer. would of liked to see more rye and less hops. this combination does work well together to create a smooth drinkin beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2011 02:47:22 | More by match1112

trappistlover

Arizona

3.85/5  rDev -2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

(22oz bottle courtesy of BeerSommelier!!). Pours hazy golden color with white head. Aroma has some cardboard, wood, citrus, florals, and honey? Taste has a nice sweet malt backbone (honey-like notes again coming through) with a little hop bite and spicyness from the rye. Light to medium bodied with a slick texture. Slightly bitter and smooth finish. This is a very refreshing beer, but it also has some nice complexities. Definitely worth a try. Thanks Matt!!

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2011 03:19:05 | More by trappistlover

sk8man121

Maine

3.85/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to gford217 for the extra!

22 oz bottle poured into Chimay chalice.

A: Pours a semi-transparent light-orange with apricot highlights. 1-finger head settles just slightly. Nice.

S: Sweet, fruit malts are omnipresent. Rye comes through, but just slightly.

T: Sweet malts from the nose dominate the flavor. Hops and fresh cream serve as a transition into a rye-heavy finish. Sweet as can be, although it somehow avoids being cloying.

M: Medium-high carbonation causes this to cream up quite nicely. Once the bubbles fade, however, it drinks rather thin.

O: I really didn't know what to expect from this. While sweeter than I like in a beer such as this, it's put together quite well and is more drinkable than I thought it would be upon first sip.

Not worth seeking out if it isn't available nearby, but definitely not a bad beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2011 04:39:52 | More by sk8man121

rajendra82

Georgia

3.83/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

The cloudy golden yellow appearance, and the foamy head gave a lot a AIPA vibes, and the spicy-herbal hop smell that followed reinforced them. Other than those hops, there was some toasted grain smell in the background, which I suspect was from the rye malt, The taste was a lot less bitter than I expected, but that allowed a floral and slightly earthy tone to be established. There was a simple sweetness to counterbalance this. The finish was very spicy and short. The beer felt very English to me due to the relatively straightforward construction with an emphasis on sessionability. The light mouthfeel also seemed indicate that this was the intent all along. Very quaffable on a summer night.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2010 04:10:17 | More by rajendra82

FeDUBBELFIST

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Bomber to tulip. No ABV or bottling date indicated on the label but my experience makes me think this bottle is pretty fresh. Thanks to Grant for the extra. Sampled 8/8/10.

A: A creamy off-white head of 2 fingers lasts long over a hazy copper orange body with 20% transparency. The head produces an average amount of lace, presented in tattered sheet fashion. The body of the brew contributes little.

S: Toasted bread, rye, caramel and cracker. The hops have above average intensity and bring about mostly floral notes with grassy contributions. This brew has been dry hopped with Mt. Hood and Centennial hops, the latter of which is most noticeable. There is a light but raw earthiness to the aroma and it is complimented by scents of new leather.

T: More than less, a direct translation from the nose. Spice, noticeable rye. The flavor is somewhat restrained and the finish stops short, especially flavor-wise. Lightly sweet and lightly bitter.

M: Medium light body and thin texture. The carbonation is average in intensity but creates a finely fizzy tingling sensation on the tongue.

D: Rye'd Ale is an easy drinking brew. I'd love to give Sweetwater a try on draft sometime. And I also look forward to opening up some of the Sweetwater that I have stashed away.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2011 23:14:14 | More by FeDUBBELFIST

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.7/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

16 ounce pint - $4.75 at Taco Mac in Canton, Georgia.

Appearance: Lightly hazed, medium-toned copper body with a wee-sized, though persistent, white head.

Smell: Aroma of citrus-scented hops, zesty rye grains, and with a simple addition of pale malts and a backing of faint, faint floral accents.

Taste: Mild opening of pale malted barley with a touch of toastiness soon advances into a taste of zippy, piquant rye malt vaguely hinting at huskiness. Slightly citric white grapefruit with a modest, grassy herbaceousness providing an additional bit of spice. Moderate bitterness throughout. As it warms, a late-arriving reappearance of sweetness develops. Continued rye character on the light, drying finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light body. Medium carbonation.

Drinkability: The relatively light body aids the ease of drinkability. Overall, a decent, fitting beer for a worthy cause.

Serving type: on-tap

09-17-2010 18:01:40 | More by ChainGangGuy

avalon07

South Carolina

3.7/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a bright amber color and a hazy consistency. There was a big, foamy, long-lasting head. Excellent lacing.

S: A fairly hoppy, fruity aroma, with some traces of rye.

T: Tasted of hops, some citrus (grapefruit), malt and rye in the finish. While this beer was pleasant and enjoyable enough, it was a bit on the thin side.

M: A well-carbonated beer with a smooth, easy-going finish. Light- to medium-bodied.

O: This is a decent, drinkable beer, in spite of its flaws.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2011 12:04:07 | More by avalon07

Metalmonk

North Carolina

3.7/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazy, soupy looking burnt peach color, with a decent sized head that tried to hang on a long while, but lacks some stamina. So, so cloudy...must be hop-haze...

My oh my...if I didn't know this was a 6.2% rye ale, I would have guessed a 9%-ish Double IPA. The smell is large, hoppy, sweet and even candy-like. Rye and hops mingle to the point where they blend seamlessly, one very much complementing the other. Big whiffs of pine, dark grape, bubblegum and peach.

Taste-wise it's a little less inspiring. Here, it performs like any decent nothin'-special rye beer, having that earthy, spicy edge the rye provides. Not as much depth to the flavor as detected in the aroma though, which is a bummer. Almost too coarse and dry, although some tart fruit works its way in, and there's even a sour flash of grapefruit peel in the finish. Texturally slightly thin, but amply carbonated and slick enough to deliver a nice glide down the throat. Nah, it's not bad at all, but that aroma promises something much greater...

So, it doesn't live up to the smell. Or the cause (read the bottle, some great information on a great camp for kids down there in Georgia-land). But it's good, and delivers that particular personality you can only get using rye.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2011 22:09:44 | More by Metalmonk

jrallen34

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle into my Narke tulip, thanks to Sean...Light peach pour, ok retention and lacing...Super sweet aroma, caramel, corn, light grapefruit and rye. Too sweet and it doesn't stand up here....The taste is super boring, almost dead flavor. Light rye on the back but thats about the only thing that comes through. Its not offensive at all, just doesn't make me want to continue to drink or, nor does it allow me recommend it.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2010 02:00:08 | More by jrallen34

n2185

North Carolina

3.68/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: pours a slightly hazy honey orange with two fingers of white head that recedes into a foamy ring with little lacing.

S: lots of tropical hop aromas here--pineapple and orange citrus. Some faint pine notes in there as well. Fairly simple, but very pleasant aroma.

T: while the nose was all tropical citrus, the flavor is a lot of dry, piny flavors. The rye adds some slight sour flavors as well. The finish is lightly bitter with some pineapple on the aftertaste.

M: medium body and carbonation, this beer is crisp and dry.

O: a decent beer with a wonderful nose. I just wish there was as much tropical citrus on the tongue as in the nose. Still, it's far from bad and for a good cause.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2011 00:56:36 | More by n2185

Tifore

Ohio

3.6/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Grant (gford217) for this beer. Recieved in a trade.

A - Pours a deep orange in color. Very clear and bubbly. A moderate one finger head develops and has great retention. The lacing is super sticky and holds well to the glass.

S - Smells of yeasty malts and sweet fruits. Pineapple, apple, lots of tropical stuff. Also some hops coming through lightly. Interesting smelling. Not sure how I feel about it.

T - Tastes of various malts. Sweet and carmely and also bready, I guess thats the rye? As my first Ryed beer, I'm intrugied.

M - Mouthfeel is nice. I like the carbonation and the semi sticky, oily finish.

D - A very drinkable beer. Not heavy and not overly light. More of a summer or fall drink than winter but still a good beer. I'd have it again.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2010 03:02:50 | More by Tifore