Hop Rod Rye - Bear Republic Brewing Co.

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

2.05/5  rDev -52%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 1.5

Poured from a bottle with no freshness data into a New Belgium snifter. The pour is a murky dark burnt orange with a nice finger of head that leaves behind some nice lacing. The nose is sticky, syrupy, boozy sweet. No hops at all. I must have an old bottle. Oh well, I must review it as-is. If the brewer cared about age, then obviously they'd tell me when this beer was bottled.

Medium body and a nice, oily feel, but whatever flavor exists is absolutely dead. I get some toast and marmalade up front, a little bit of rye at mid palate, then nothing.

I'm not even finishing this. Major drain-pour. It isn't even worth the calories in the glass. Do I think this beer is better than what I experienced? Absolutely. Will I give it another chance? Hell no. I know we're not supposed to slam beers, but this is what the brewer gets for selling a product with no freshness date on the bottle. This stuff tastes dead. I could make a better beer than this with an all-extract homebrew kit. Bear Republic should be ashamed of themselves for allowing their product to sit on shelves this long. I've tried two of their beers now and both of them were bland, boozy disasters.

EDIT: Another BA graciously told me where to find freshness data on the bottle. Turns out that despite looking, I couldn't see it in the store. My bottle was nearly 8 months old. I will attempt to secure a fresher bottle and re-review this beer in the future. Until then, my review stands.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 21:37:59 | More by deadonhisfeet

Thickfreakness

New York

4.26/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours a rich mahogany, copper with a tinted fluffy head that lingers and leaves chunks of lacing dripping down the glass. Somewhat cloudy appearance, but wonderful carbonation.
Strong notes of piney hops, grapefruit, tangerine rind, subtle touches of pineapple and mango. Really nice grain and spice follow in the nose. Some pepper, rye, bits of caraway and licorice root. Really picking up the citrus and yeast as it warms up. Really nice!
A wonderful mix of spicey rye, tropical fruit and citrus, pine and caramel. No one flavor dominates, they all just flow together and stick to different parts of your tongue. Pineapple-orange marmalade spread on lightly toasted whole grain rye bread. Pink grapefruit and grain notes stand out as it warms while the nose has more and more pineapple.
The 8% is very well hidden and you don't so much taste it as you do feel the weight of it on the tongue. Sparks of CA citrus, HI tropical fruit, and mid-west grains. The rye really steps up to the plate. This could be a dangerous all day drinker. It just flows so easily.
I'm so glad this one is finally near me in 4-packs instead of just bombers. This is one that'll certainly start making it into the regular rotation now. Bear Republic does everything right. It hits all of the senses and leaves you craving more. Fantastic!

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 21:59:34 | More by Thickfreakness

AmitC

Indiana

4.38/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter.

Color is deep amber with very slight ruby hues. Very fine suspensions. Translucent. Off white - tan colored one finger thick head with excellent retention. Awesome lacing. Very few bubbles.

Aroma is of herbal and spicy weeds. A little bit earthy character. Special rye notes. Some warmth. A bit of booze. Strength is good.

A lot of piney bitterness upfront. Balanced or rather subdued to a large extent by the slight caramel and toasted malts. Dominant hop flavors are that of piney, earthy and herbal. Slight bitterness of rye as well. Finish is bitter. Bitterness strength is medium to strong. In the 70-80 IBU range may be. Bitterness is pervasive and lingers really well.

Mouth feel is medium bodied. Low carbonation. A bit of oily character. Warm.

A very nice brew overall.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 01:27:23 | More by AmitC

thedoubler55

New Jersey

4.46/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A: A nice brownish red in color, has almost no head at the top, but left a great amount of lacing around the glass.

S: Up front lots of tropical fruit, on the tail end some floral notes from the hops some spicy rye and caramel as well.

T: A great taste right from the start, lots of hops and sweetness with a good backbone of rye to make it perfectly balanced.

M: Medium bodied, mild carbonation a nice sweet finish at the end.

O: I really loved this beer, perfectly balanced, I had this at the Stirling Hotel in NJ, great stuff all around.

Serving type: on-tap

03-26-2013 19:12:00 | More by thedoubler55

jjboesen

Maryland

4.36/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Will Rogers never met a man he didn’t like; I have. However, I never met a beer from Bear Republic that I did not like. This tasty ale, fuel injected with 18% rye, pays homage to the California hot rodders of the 1950s, is no exception. The initial pour sets off a cascading head that reaches the glass rim before subsiding into a chunky vanilla froth. When this ends, there is a translucent liquid of copper. Gentleman, start your engines!

There are subtle notes of caramel apple on the nose while the palate is plastered with a semi-sweet toastiness (rye toast?) that fades with a hoppy rush. (Let’s go to the hop.) If drunk at the proper temperature, this brew provides a well defined balance makes this a surprisingly smooth hot rod to ride. A few quaffs and we are ready to race Bob Falfa out on Paradise Road.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 23:44:01 | More by jjboesen

Greywulfken

New York

4.33/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A: in a pint, amber-brown with an orange glow, creamy head persisted nicely, slim ropes of lace

S: hearty malts and floral hops

T: really stunning: sweet and creamy caramel and rye malts - a little sweet spice from the rye; gently bitter aromatic pine and resin hops

M: nice medium body and thickness, some tingle of spice, some subtle chewiness

O: very impressive - forgot this was going to be a rye infused beer - the barley and rye ratio must be spot-on, because this beer was so good tasting, and the layer of IPA-style hops over the malt mix was the perfect compliment

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 00:38:21 | More by Greywulfken

Mr3dPHD

Florida

4.49/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

1 pint 6 oz bomber served in a weiss glass (because I wanted it all in one pour).

A - Hazy copper-brown with a medium tan head which had okay retention and nice lacing. Lots of hop sediment floating around.

S - Deliciously sweet candied citrus hops! Smells like a hop floret and a tangerine peel coated in molasses. Once the beer warmed I could smell the rye and a nice maple and almond aroma as well.

T - Rye flavor comes through right up front and through the middle. Alcohol is slightly present, but not at all overpowering...pretty subdued actually considering it's over 7%. Caramel sweet all the way through, especially in the finish, but that bold hoppy bitterness is pushing right back. Leaves a sort of subtle marshmallow aftertaste.

M - Full body. Milky smooth...almost like a melted milkshake. Very well balanced and very easy on the tongue.

O - Damn good beer! After writing this review I read a few others and noticed the hoppy flavor seemed a lot more present in theirs than mine. I have no idea how old my brew is, but I'd venture to guess it's been sitting for a bit because that bitterness didn't quite seem to reach the level that everyone else is boasting. Definitely seemed like mine was a mellow version of Jason & the BA reviews. Perhaps another attempt is in order from a more fresh batch.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 00:45:09 | More by Mr3dPHD

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

3.79/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Portion of a 22 oz bottle poured into a nonic pint glass.

A: Pours a dark burnished copper color. The head is an attractive one-finger offwhite shade that is somewhat creamy-looking in texture. It also fades slowly to provide nice lacing on the glass.

S: This almost comes off like a low-strength barleywine instead of an IPA, or even a DIPA for that matter. Grapefruit peel pops out at me first, before being followed up by caramel, brown sugar, and piny hops. Not much rye comes through here, but the aroma is quite enjoyable.

T: The faint sweetness from the caramel that initially pops up slowly gives way to a finish of grapefruit peel and black pepper. Given the chance to open up, it develops a very solid rye tone near the finish. Probably the most enjoyable feature here is the hop/malt balance. The flavor strikes me as being very 'savory' in general, instead of being sweet or bitter.

M: I notice many hoppy rye ales have a sharpness to them, whether it be from carbonation or the rye malts themselves - and this is no exception. Here, it seems to be from the former. Once the medium-high carbonation fades a bit, the feel becomes balanced if not exactly mellow.

O: I like this one. Not the most drinkable ever, but I love how rich the rye flavors are without killing the balance. A good one to veg over without any aural distractions #foreveralone

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 23:24:46 | More by ThisWangsChung

SometimesIfart

Michigan

4/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours deep ruby with a one finger slightly off-white head. Left no lacing.

S - Lots and lots of clean grapefruit and bready malts. Lemon, lemon, and more lemon come through. Seriously seems like they shoved a lemon into this bottle.

T - Lots of straight lemon and bready malt, followed by some lemon juice and grapefruit. This beer feels somewhat like a barleywine in my opinion.

M - Heavy, almost chewy body with light carbonation.

O - Overall, This was a good, slow drinking IPA that is closer to a Barleywine in nature. Perhaps slightly below sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 04:39:10 | More by SometimesIfart

Cobrito

Georgia

4.88/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Hop Rod is tremendous. Very hop forward, with the rye tasting warmly spicy instead of biting. Also nicely woven in are some nice German style malts that add a touch of euro flavor to this wonderful brew, which in the end retains its west coast ipa character.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 03:45:46 | More by Cobrito

BlurryVisi0n

New York

4.15/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Served in a pint glass.

Appearance: a Very dark brown still transparent but on the cusp of opaque. Sediments on the body with an off white head that settles quickly. With the initial pour it reached about half an inch.

Smell: Strong at first with its hoppiness, you feel light caramel to the aroma this beer but the problem is it leaves as soon as it comes. Just wish it was a little more sticking.

Taste: Little sour, and has a lemon citrus feel to it but also bitter. Lightly piney-ness to it. To take a sip is tough on this one, it improves progressively as you get closer to the end of the glass.

Mouth: The mouthfeel comes off with a little light to medium combination. The sour bread feel to it just sticks pretty damn well.

Overall: I have to thank myself for buying a four pack, this is quality brewing once again from Bear Republic. Grab a glass and pour one on me...Salud!

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 06:52:14 | More by BlurryVisi0n

--Dom--

Missouri

4.29/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter. Pours a deep reddish-brown with minimal head, decent lacing though. Had to give it a ridiculous pour to get a head on this one. Smells mostly of biscuity malt.

The taste is actually remarkably smooth and velvety, I wasn't expecting that. I get a good strong hop kick on the front end, and then it just turns smooth and delicious. A lot of biscuity malty goodness in the middle, good sweetness here. Mouthfeel is slightly syrupy and smooth.

Overall this beer wasn't what I was expecting it to be. I was thinking of a palate wrecking double ryepa. Instead it really drinks more like a slightly hoppy barleywine. It's a good thing though. This beer is freaking delicious, whatever it's supposed to be.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 04:10:44 | More by --Dom--

PorterLambic

Florida

3.76/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pours the color of a well rusted old car. Small light tan head with very short retention and just scattered lacing.
Smell is more than than just hops though that is the majority player. Some roasted malt and the expected rye with some citrus add supporting roles.
Taste is a better balance than one might expect from a west coast IPA with hops first followed by roasted malt, rye, some alcohol and a hint of citrus.
Mostly full bodied, dry finish, medium effervescence. Cleans the palate nicely. Slightly warming as well.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 00:06:29 | More by PorterLambic

Jake_Ramrod

Kentucky

4.14/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

I've always been a Red Ale fan, so I was excited to get this in trade from a nice lady in CA. Adding in the rye flavor was a pleasant surprise and worked really well. A really nice beer and one of the best red ales I've had. Enjoyed out of a tulip watching my UK Wildcats whoop that butt.

A: This beer is somewhat cloudy and is a light mahogany-red beer topped with a creamy white head about a half inch in height. The head receded quicker than I would have expected for the carbonation present

S: The smell has a wonderful caramel malt sweetness plus a bit of citrus in the hop character. I have to agree that this nearly smells like a barleywine.

T: I love the flavor of this beer - not too sweet and just a hint of bitterness. The malts lend to a very drinkable beer and the rye grain and hops gives it a funky kick in the end. This has a complex flavor and yet remains extremely drinkable. Tons of flavor.

M: This has a great mouthfeel as the rye leaves a lasting impression that just keeps on going. A bit oily, but it really works.

O: I really enjoyed this beer. IMO, this would pair really well with some Asian food, curries, and meats. It remains a complex beer and yet is completely drinkable and balnced. All the flavors work harmoniously together. Well done and I'll be hunting these out.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 01:44:34 | More by Jake_Ramrod

sommersb

Tennessee

4.29/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Tasted On: 03-05-2013
Freshness: Not indicated
Packaging: 12 oz. brown bottle, pry-cap
Glassware: Globe glass
Purchased: Received in a trade

A: Cloudy, dark orange-red beer topped with an off-white head a finger in height. Shows good lacing and a low amount of retention.

S: Aromas have a caramel malt sweetness plus tropical fruits, tangerine and grapefruit in the hop character. The smells seem kind of like a barleywine.

T: The taste is initially malty and is quickly followed by a big hop bitterness. I also get the spicy flavor from the rye grain. As the beer warms the hop bitterness is more pronounced.

M: Prickly carbonation and a medium body define the mouthfeel, with a finish that is fruity, hoppy and spicy.

O: A very good beer; hop-forward yet still balanced. To me it tastes a lot like a fresh, hoppy American-style barleywine.

Thanks to Treyliff for the try!

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 04:44:28 | More by sommersb

BrownNut

Florida

4.03/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

A - 4.0 - I was expecting red for some reason, but it came out more on the brown side of amber. Crystal clear. Oily cream colored head that dissipates slowly.

S - 4.0 - Malty sweet and rich honey, pungent hops. Distinct.

T - 4.0 - Can't quite put my finger on the main taste in the body... fairly sweet malt (but not too sweet), very rich. Very manageable bitterness level. To the degree I notice spicy rye, it's only subtly, on the exhale with the aftertaste.

M - 4.25 - Medium heavy body, unexpectedly. Somewhat viscous. Very nice.

O - 4.0 - Enjoyable and different. I like the richness of it - so flavorful. But still not too overtaxing.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 01:34:18 | More by BrownNut

KDE

Texas

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Solid beer for the price -- excellent value and readily available. Definitely can taste the rye flavoring without being overpowered. Dark coloration... pours easily... and clean aftertaste. Not for drinking everyday... but perfect for watching NASCAR!

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 19:14:03 | More by KDE

CraftBeerTastic

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Ba Review #260
Served On: 2/27/2013
Glassware: Duvel Glass
Labeled ABV: 8.0%
Date/ Code: -

This was a 12oz bottle from a mixed sixer I made at Ye Old Spirit Shop in Frederick, MD.

Look: Poured a very dark reddish amber color. Semi-clear body. Head was a consistent film of tight eggshell bubbles. Lacing was hit and miss. Not much for carbonation. Notice some floaties in suspension.

Smell: Pungent aroma of a garlic and onion hop character. A very resiny malt quality was in the background. Some booze was noticeable.

Taste: First up was the onion hop note from the aroma. Then the sweet malts hit in the middle. The rye hit in the finish was of mustard seed and pumpernickel. Aftertaste was a mixture of bitterness and sweetness. No real alcohol detected in the taste.

This was a solid Rye. The onion and mustard seed quality made this beer for me.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 15:29:36 | More by CraftBeerTastic

kawilliams81

Illinois

4.16/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Stone AB pint.

A- pours a transparent bright amber with a 2 finger off-white head. Some blotches and trails of lacing cling to the glass.

S- sweet caramel and toffee, some spice from the rye, orange and citrus, light pine.

T- toffee, toasted malts, light citrus, and big pine bitterness.

M- medium body and carbonation. Creamy and smooth finish.

O- very good rye pa. Really enjoyable sweet malts, a touch of citrus and nice punch of pine bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 04:11:57 | More by kawilliams81

mtboozeaddict41

Montana

4.34/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: pours a dark amber with a bit of a burnt sugar appearence. Head is a finger and a half, nice white and frothy: beautiful.

S: Aroma is mostly of rye, toasted malt character comes through also. Scents of pine are noticeable.

T: rye overtones are quite penetrating. With rye comes the spice that is perfectly balanced with the element of toasted malts. Bold hops come through in the midpalate finishing off-dry. Quite fruity complementing berry and citrus. Oh, how lovely.

M: a lot of carbonation which would normally turn me off with this style but this beer drinks more like an IPA so its alright. Leaves alittle of an oily texture: medium bodied.

O: killer beer for the style. Even though it may be alittle hop heavy the rye-malt element dominates adding complexity and balance. beautiful beer!!!

Serving type: on-tap

02-24-2013 21:57:12 | More by mtboozeaddict41

SolipsismalCat

Pennsylvania

4.19/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a pint glass.

A: Cloudy dark copper with tiny particles and one-finger, off-white, creamy head that lasted a couple minutes and left a nice film. Pretty good lacing.

S: Caramel malt and citrus hops. Grapefruit.

T: Moderate sweetness and light bitterness. Citrus hops and rye.

M: Medium bodied with fizzy carbonation. Smooth and slightly warm going down.

O: Good Rye IPA. Seems almost like a double IPA.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 03:10:08 | More by SolipsismalCat

notchucknorris

California

4.16/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a dark caramel color with a fluffy one finger cream colored head. Leaves some good lacing down the glass.

S: A bit of a rustic rye aroma alongside some nice citrus hops. Caramel, some pine and some grain. Smells pretty good.

T: Opens with some rye and earthy hops. A lingering piney hop bite throughout with some toasted malt and charred rye on the finish.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 22:42:51 | More by notchucknorris

dar482

New York

4.7/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

There's a rich dark copper, ruby color. The beer starts off with a strong hop and tropical fruit aroma along with tons of apple with a spice rye aroma to it too.

The grapefruit taste pops at the tongue quickly. Then there’s a malt/rye finish that rounds off the beer nicely and brings some amazing sweet tones. It hits with a dry bitterness at the end that hangs around for a while.The taste is piney and bitter, but well done. The crisp from the rye helps the bitterness and gives it some smoothness.

The rye is amazing to help out the body and giving this semi-creaminess to the beer.

The dryness in the end detracts from the beer slightly, but it's pretty different from non-ryed IPAs. Definitely recommend this variation to the style. Everytime I have this beer, it just keeps getting better. The rye and maltiness along with the slight punch of hops sells this beer for me.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 04:57:01 | More by dar482

mfnmbvp

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

1 pint 6 fl oz. bottle, poured into a Firestone Walker pint glass. No apparent bottled on date present. Never had a beer by Bear Republic before, so I'm keeping it unbiased and unexpected.

A - Pours a dark ruby color with virtually no head at all except a vague white bubbling foam across the surface. Tons of sediment to be seen suspended in motion. Very nice looking lacing coming down the sides. Looks pretty nice indeed.

S - Extreme amounts of hops and rye abound. Vanilla. Oak. Cream. Maybe a hint of dark fruits with a slight hint of bourbon also. Smells very nice, my taste buds are tingling with anticipation.

T - Smooth creamy oaked iced tea type flavor. Not very strong in the way of hops, but still very bitter. Well-balanced and very tasty, to be sure. Has almost some coffee attributes to it in the end, but I think it is more akin to some kind of an English breakfast tea leaf type taste. Very smooth to be masking an 8.00% abv.

M - Sticky mouthfeel, yet smooth and clean at the same time. Resinous, but not overwhelming. Smooth vanilla taste seems to linger.

In all, tastes like a very well made beer, and at five dollars a bottle you can't really go wrong with this. Rivals some of the better Lagunitas offerings like Lagunitas Hop Stoopid or Lagunitas Wilco Tango Foxtrot price-wise, and holds it's own as a unique and complex brew. An intense beer with a nice 8.00% abv masked nicely. A bottle I would have again, to be sure.

Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye ---4/5.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 06:41:53 | More by mfnmbvp

His_Royal_Hoppiness

United Kingdom (England)

4/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A: Lovely dark amber colour with an off-white head.

S: Strong smell of citrus, pine and malt.

T: Initial taste is that of a well-balanced IPA, then a distinct malt profile sets in - there's almost a hint of doppelbock to the afteraste. A delicate rye flavour comes through, but because of the strength of the hops, it's much less discernible than in a German roggenbier.

M: Smooth and medium-bodied - alcohol is well-concealed.

I would probably rate this slightly higher if I was paying US prices for it, but at £3 for a 12oz bottle, I was hoping for a bit more complexity - it's straightforward and delicious but I wouldn't go to great lengths to seek it out again.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 21:35:23 | More by His_Royal_Hoppiness