Arcadia Sky High Rye - Arcadia Brewing Company

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

First had: ?
I know I've had this before, but I'm not sure where or when. This review applies to a recent tasting on tap at TJ's, Paoli, PA.

Poured golden yellow with a small white head; minimal retention and lacing. Aroma of grainy malts, herbal and citrus hop notes. The hops take a bit of the dominant lead in the taste, a decent mix of citrus, pine, and herbal profiles, overlaid on grainy malts, with a mild rye breadiness sneaking through. Medium body and pretty easily drinkable, even if there's nothing too amazing going on. Nice label on the bottles.

Serving type: on-tap

03-15-2012 12:15:32 | More by Rifugium

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

2.98/5  rDev -20.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

on tap at khyber in philly

Pours a clear golden orange color with a thick crop of white head resting on top. Retains pretty well while leaving some patchy lacing on the glass.

Soft hop bitterness in the nose with some fruit sweetness. A dash of pineapple and bread with some faint buttyness. Rye spice is understated.

A little bitter and hoppy up front with some citrusy notes. Pineapple and orange with some sweet tones and a dash of rye. A bit bready and buttery in the malt backbone. Touches of caramel towards the finish, which is a little bitter.

Medium body, decent carbonation, sticky and lingering on the tongue. This is way understated on the rye presence, and the hints of butter don't really help either.

Serving type: on-tap

02-18-2012 02:39:29 | More by xnicknj

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.48/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A fascinating pale ale that employs a simple grain bill that's accentuated by rye, and without the influence of darker malts. Still the combinatio of hops and rye make for a heightened citrus/spicy/earthy experience.

Pale golden and carrying a signature 'dry-hopped' haze, the beer has a visual weight that's topped with a fluffy white and airy head. With good retention and lace, the beer begins to look like well made America wheats or hefeweizens.

Citrusy, pungent, and spicy- the beer's malty backbone is clean with light breads and cracker character. The rye contributes an earthy spicy aroma that seems somewhat English in character. Hop aroma of white grapefruit or grapefruit rind gives a very sharp, leafy, grassy element to the nose. Without esters or phenolics, the beer has a simple and crisp aroma.

Crisp malt flavors carry over from the nose, and with a doughy, light bread taste that carries that earthy rye flavor throughout. Very sharp hops give vibrant grapefruit zest flavor early and through mid palate, but turns decidedly bitter and bitey in finish. Exacerbated by the pungent and spicy rye, the beers bitter finish is likely a result of both the grain and hops.

Creamy textures of barley and rye are carried by airy carbonatoion that lifts the hops and sweetness from the tongue and ushers into the finish. Finishing with an earthy mint-like alcoholic evaporation and crisp dryness, the hops give off a medium astringency late that weaves in and out of the hop bitterness.

A nice American pale ale that puts its thumbprint on flavor with the earthy rye character and fresh hop bitterness.

Serving type: on-tap

05-21-2011 17:27:33 | More by BEERchitect

TangTKE402

New York

3.83/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: From the tap it pours crystal clear, copper in color with a dense, creamy 1.5 finger head. Excellent, thick lacing.

S: Pine hops and caramel malts dominate with a hint of asiago cheese.

T: Pointed and coppery, this has a good hop bitterness with a grainy finish and a dry, earthy aftertaste. A hint of bananas and vanilla.

M: A nice, balanced cream feel rounds out the sharpness of the flavor. There is a grittiness to it that wakes you up.

D: A tasty brew, with a good balance, but the bold flavor may limit you to only 1 or 2.

Serving type: on-tap

03-24-2011 21:28:17 | More by TangTKE402

jmvecchio1

Missouri

3.5/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a hazy yellow in color with a sticky head on top. The aromas are heavily of aroma hops and with almost no rye smells. The taste like a hopped up pale ale with a very light rye spice. A little after drinking research seemed in order after drinking this beer. Arcadia considers this a 'west coast' pale ale. This may explain the extreme IBU level for a rye ale. The drink is okay, but I was disappointed by this beer. I had been excited to experience a new rye beer, not another IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

01-12-2011 20:27:33 | More by jmvecchio1

vfgccp

New York

3.85/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Light grade honey.

S - Warm citrus and honey. Grapefruit.

T - Grapefruit, seedless rye bread. Ends with citrus rind and a bitter hop character.

M - Light body, slightly watery, but a nice semi-sweet finish.

D - Drinks like an IPA. On the hoppier side of the pond, but still very enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

01-12-2011 03:02:32 | More by vfgccp

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had on tap at Smokin Joe's

A-pours a transparent yellow color with a pure white head.

S-the nose has a fair amount of grain up front and it seems to stay present throughout, the rye is there with notes of spice and a light citrus hop in the back.

T-light grain, much lighter than the nose, notes of caramel and a good bit of rye with a light spice. the hops are quite present as well, citrus and floral hops dominate the finish with virtually no bitterness.

M-a good feel with a medium body and actually a little chewy, well carbonated beer with a crisp slightly prickly finish.

D-this is a good beer, well balanced with the rye malts and the hop assertiveness, the spice characteristic is light and associated with the rye. the feel is nice and makes this a very good drink.

Serving type: on-tap

08-18-2010 01:30:34 | More by cpetrone84

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

2.48/5  rDev -34%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours a clean yellow/ orange-ish color with a white head. In the aroma, a really faint rye note. In the taste, a sweet rye maltiness, almost fruity. A smooth and light bodied mouthfeel, with a semi dry fruitiness in the aftertaste. Quite thin and not much in aroma.

Serving type: on-tap

08-07-2010 13:33:52 | More by OWSLEY069

bierenutz

Michigan

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

I had this on tap at Whole Foods.
A-Hazy orange color with a minimal head as expected with a tap pour and some lacing.
S-Piney hops with nice aroma of citrus fruits including grapefruit, lemon and orange. It also has a faint sweet smell, but I would not peg it at honey.
T-It has a roasted malty hoppy taste with quite of bit of bitterness, but at the swallow is some sweetness. The finish, though, is definitely dry and bitter and remains as an aftertaste for a while.
M-Medium body and carbonation. Nice lingering aftertaste of the hops.
D-Very nice summer time drinking beer. Definitely something to stock up on for this time of year.

Serving type: on-tap

06-09-2010 23:32:55 | More by bierenutz

Tone

Missouri

3.78/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear, golden/yellow color. 1/3 inch head of a white color. Great retention and great lacing. Smells of hops, rye, slight grain, and slight yeast. Fits the style of a Rye Beer. Mouth feel is smooth and crisp with an average carbonation level. Tastes of hops, slight rye, slight sweet malt, hint of alcohol, and slight citrus. Overall, a good blend, body, and appearance.

Serving type: on-tap

11-16-2009 23:22:38 | More by Tone

adamette

Ohio

3.48/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Review from notes. Poured from tap at the brewery 10 15 09 into a clean, clear glass.

A Translucent light brown body with minimal head. 3.0

S Rye bitterness, good smell, appropriate to style. 3.5

T Rye, barley and hops bitterness really comes through into the taste. This is a potent rye beer though. 3.5

M Moderate feel, thickened by hops, rye tastes. 3.5

D Fair to good drinkability, 3.5

Serving type: on-tap

10-20-2009 02:38:40 | More by adamette

Reneejane

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This was a gold colored almost amber ale with a white head. The aroma was definitely hoppy. The taste was very crisp with the hops adding a bitterness. The finish was surprisingly quite clean and with a lingering hopiness. I took off a little on taste because there is no real rye character to this beer. Most of the flavor is the hops. Nevertheless, this is a great offering and very drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

09-22-2009 17:56:49 | More by Reneejane

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Hopcat. Hoppy beer, lighter in color than I would expect. Not much of a rye edge.Bitter astringency, malt not really coming through to help balance and drying finish. Ok mainly because its fresh, could be a tad better with food. Certainly not a sessionable.An odd one.

Serving type: on-tap

08-09-2009 18:13:09 | More by northyorksammy

zeff80

Missouri

4/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured a clear, bubbly, copper color with burgundy highlights. It had a small, foamy, thick, tan head that left sticky rings of lace.

S - It smelled of rye, caramel malt and grassy hops.

T - It tasted hoppy and bitter. Great rye and caramel flavors.

M - It was crisp and sharp with a dry finish. A medium-bodied beer.

D - This is a really good brew. Seems more it should be classified as a rye beer instead of an APA.

Serving type: on-tap

05-16-2009 00:43:40 | More by zeff80

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Hop Cat in Grand Rapids, MI on 11/29/08. Listed as "Sky High Rye" on the beer board.

A - Medium hazy golden/amber body with moderate amount of carbonation and creamy white head that yielded lots of sticky lace around the glass.

S - Sweet, fruity and citrusy nose with an apparent rye character and plenty of caramel malt. Traces of grapefruit as well as apple and other "tree fruit" were also present.

T - Opens with a surge of fruity and citrusy hops with a prevalent rye presence and sweet caramel malts to balance out the flavor profile.

M - Medium bodied with soft mouthfeel and just the right amount of carbonation. This has a pleasant crisp, fruity hop bite in the finish. Dryness is quite subtle for a rye beer.

D - This is an extremely well-balanced rye beer with a savory hop presence and plenty of sweet malty goodness. There's definitely some West Coast action happening with the hops. Simply one of the best rye beers I've had!

Serving type: on-tap

02-24-2009 12:57:35 | More by ffejherb

tmoneyba

Ohio

4.13/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Draft sample at MBGF Summer08.

Poured hazy copper color with an average frothy off-white head that mostly lasted and produced excellent lacing. Moderate rye & floral hoppy aroma. Medium body with soft carbonation. Moderate bittersweet flavor with a medium bittersweet finish of moderate to long duration.

My expectations where met and I hope this was not a one off.

Serving type: on-tap

02-21-2009 23:22:12 | More by tmoneyba

jwhancher

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Pours a clear yellowish copper with good carbonation and okay head. Smells mostly of lemon & citrus hops with an underlying spiciness I'm assuming is from the rye. I don't get a lot of straight up rye aroma but I think it adds a little complexity with the hop notes. Tastes is much of the same as the aroma. Lots of citrus hops upfront with some spiciness. Decent amount of bitterness is there, but I get sort of a long pronounced sweet lemony taste. Would prefer a tad more dryness, but then again, that's how I personally like my beers. A great summer beer. Pretty easy drinking and something you would want on a nice warm day. A very solid beer. Would try this one again.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 17:04:56 | More by jwhancher

smooth_aleing

Pennsylvania

3.99/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Gets big points just on the head alone. Pours a gigantic head, that settles to an incredible frothy peak. Rich amber color, with good lacing. The nose is complex, good hop kick with a nice rye undertone, with hints of citrus. Nose is suggestive of taste, with good amount of hops and nice bitterness. The rye is certainly there, which I like, and makes its presence known towards the end, a nice lingering coating on the tongue. Mouthfeel is decent, warm and hazy with decent carbonation, slight milkiness. Overall, very good, especially if you're a fan of rye beers.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 02:22:51 | More by smooth_aleing

GossageBrewery

Missouri

3.75/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

Poured this Rye Beer from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass. Poured a hazy golden color , produced a excellent white head, very nice retention and left excellent lacing on the glass. The aroma consisted of citric and piney hops and spicy rye. Medium bodied, there was a nice average amount of spicy rye and a crisp lemon and grapefruit citric flavor. Not over the top, very easy to drink and would make an excellent session beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 23:14:29 | More by GossageBrewery

jtierney89

New Jersey

3.3/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hazed faded gold color with a tall sticky white head. Lots of spicy rye on the nose with a good dose of dank hops.

Very spicy, on the heavier side of being medium bodied. Creamy body, Rye flavor throughout. Malt barely comes through showcaseing the rye and a spicy herbal hop note. Some citrus notse as well. Oddly a lot of detectable alcohol. I'm not a fan of rye beers but this one actually isn't too bad. Still a little too much rye for me but otherwise pretty decent besides the overy boozey and spicy back end.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 23:08:31 | More by jtierney89

tectactoe

Michigan

3.48/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A shiny, golden color as it hits the glass, with some light orange tints bordering the edges. Nice clarity throughout the beer, save for a minor chill-like haze in the dense center. A big bubbled, off-white head forms slowly as the carbonation bubbled trudge from the bottom of the glass to the top. The aroma gives off a kind of "sweaty" vibe on the first take. Going back again, I'm smelling a lot of "green" and vegetal hops; light, wet, mildly floral. Some bitter grapefruit peel makes its way in with a drying finish that I'm assuming is from the rye, though there isn't much actual rye aroma being picked up. Just an assortment of garden-basket hops and citrus peels.

The taste contains a little bit of alcohol warmth, despite being only 6% ABV - not necessarily a bad thing, however. It's backed with a white pepper-like, earthy spice - lots and lots of bready and spicy, dry rye. For being so present on the palate, I'm surprised it didn't show more in the nose. The big hop character is back, this time, a bit more leafy and ashy, even with some mild pine needle flavor to them. A dry bitterness strikes about halfway through and carries into the aftertaste. Very light on the citrus flavors overall, maybe a bit of orange zest and grapefruit pith - things tend to stay a bit bitter. The pale malts add a light touch of sweetness, but that's about all they do. Any flavors they contribute seem to get washed out by the rye. The finish is dry and spicy with lots of rye and some mild, earthy hops. Thin-medium body with medium carbonation; slick and wet mouth feel.

Decent rye beer, though nothing to write home about. The most upsetting thing about it was the aroma. Just didn't do much for me; didn't really care for the hop profile it was giving off, and the rye was surprisingly muzzled. Overall, not a bad choice, but there are many others in this department I'd reach for before this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 11:43:04 | More by tectactoe

Alextricity

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

If you want a rye, you've got a rye.

Had this one straight out of a bottle, as I got it at Green Dot Stables in Detroit. $3 for it. Since I had it out of the bottle, passing up the appearance.

Smell and taste/feel: Rye. Touches of some sweetness to balance out the bitterness of the rye. Medium carbonation with a medium feel. Great example of the style, though this isn't my bag. I like a rye that tastes like Smitten Golden Rye by Bell's. Still, this is one I'd have again ... especially if I weren't four beers deep beforehand.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 16:26:46 | More by Alextricity

beerthulhu

New Jersey

3.35/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

A: A pale pumpkin orange pour coloring shows a fine mist of both effervesce and suspended material. A golden-tan head is only skim worthy quickly parting ways to a polished surface. No window dressing.

S: Aroma of tangerine peels and fresh lemon highlights. A hint of fresh orange juice and dry rye bread.

T: Dry orange and a bit watery upfront in terms of flavor. Dry hops of citrus-orange do kick in on the trail end but only may seem significant due to the weak opening. The rye is present but ony slightly, in terms of dry peppery bready hints. Nice hop presence, a bit of spicy bite.

M: Some tingle from carbonation, medium body could use some tightening up.

O: Overall a good dose of hops with only subtle rye highlights. Dry finish. If you are looking for something in terms of rye presence you might be a bit let down. This seems to be a pale ale first sublimented with a minimal rye percentage of the bill. Dry hops are nice with a moderate appeal. Again expect more of a pale ale going in and you;ll find this of moderate enjoyment. Since this is labeled as a rye beer and not a pale ale i will judge and rate as a rye but consider the extra influence of the hops.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 23:30:46 | More by beerthulhu

claspada

New Jersey

3.61/5  rDev -4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Pours a slightly hazy golden yellow color with a small white sticky bubbley head that recedes to leave some solid lacing on the glass.

Aromas begin with solid citrus and pine and slightly spicy hops. Really pretty hop forward but as it warms you get some light pale/bready and some of the rye maltiness as well but not as much as I was hoping for.

The tastes begin with the burst of citrus hops once again with some intermingling floral and pine hops again. The piney, resiny bitterness emerges more and more as it warms and overhwelms most if any of the pale/rye malt flavors. The hints of rye malt really aren't enough to be advertised as a Rye beer.

The mouthfeel is medium to light bodied with a medium amount of a carbonation. Finish is increasinly bitter to an IPA level for sure.

Overall this beer kind of underwelmed me. While it's not a bad beer it just lacks any real Rye character that I look for in my Rye beers. Comes across as just an average IPA and really is forgettable in the scheme of good hoppy beers these days.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 18:25:22 | More by claspada

Jimmys

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz can into flying dog chalice.

A: slightly hazed blonde ale. bright white head is bubbly and big. retention is great. as is the lacing. super sticky. a light body for a rye, but solid looking brew non the less.

S: black pepper. lemon. sweet grain mixes with fruity hop aroma that is pretty appealing.

T: spicy body thanks to the rye gets really bubble-gummy towards the finish. body is a tad bit thin, in my opinion, wouldnt hate for more or a rye presence.

M: carb is tingly and refreshing. light/medium body. certainly doesnt drink like a 6%'er.

D: pretty solid brew. like i said, wouldnt hate for some more body, but otherwise i dont really have any complaints. worth trying for fans of rye beers.

Serving type: can

11-10-2012 01:27:31 | More by Jimmys