Scratch Beer 25 - 2009 (Magical Moustache Rye) - Tröegs Brewing Company

LilBeerDoctor

New York

3.38/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Reviewed on 2/13/2010. Growler from Big Z Beverage. Pours a clear brown with a small ring of white head. Aroma of sweet malt, rye grain, other cereal grain. Flavor is more sweet grainy malt, some slight bitterness, and some rye in the finish. Gets a little bland as you continue to drink and by the end of the glass I wasn't as impressed. A decent sessioner though.

Serving type: growler

12-23-2010 18:39:40 | More by LilBeerDoctor

Gmann

New York

3.85/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a pretty looking clear amber color with a smallish yet clingy off-white head that left a sheet of lacing of the glass. The aroma has a juicy hop aroma, not strong but nice. Some caramel sweetness but not much from the rye. The hop presence is bigger in the flavor. Big citrus and tropical fruit hops which is followed by the spicy/sour rye. A nice malty sweetness supports the hoppy spicy flavor. Right on par with other rye beers that I have had. It has a moderate body with softer carbonation, finishes with a light asprin bitterness. A good example of the style, a bit hoppy but I find that to be the case with others in this category. It does have a nice rye punch in the end. Good name.

Serving type: growler

02-13-2010 23:57:43 | More by Gmann

DavoleBomb

Ohio

4.4/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a pint glass.

4.5 A: Clear, but a touch hazy orange amber color. Two fingers of frothy light tan head with great retention and tons of lacing.

4.0 S: Doughy, bready malts. Rye lends its spicy graininess, which is always nice. Earthy hops with a touch of pine. Very nice.

4.5 T: Decent bitter base. The spicy rye starts out strong and stays throughout. Malts are again a bit bready. There's a soft caramel flavor. Earthy hops again. Best rye I've had.

4.5 M: Medium body. Good carbonation and plenty of creaminess. Smooth throughout.

4.5 D: This is a lot like their NN in that it's fucking addictive. I'm pissed that I only got one growler. Troegs better add this to their lineup.

Serving type: growler

01-16-2010 02:26:38 | More by DavoleBomb

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

64 oz growler into a pint glass. Consumed this one in early December. Finally getting around to the review.

Pours a deep clear amber, with several foamy fingers of off-white head. Retains with what is essentially a big creamy dollop in the middle of the glass, leaving thick swathes of froth down the sides. The aroma is VERY freshly floral and citric, with the bready spiciness of the rye really jumping out here. That breadiness is especially coming out for me in the nose, mixing with the citric notes to really deliver a deep tang in the nostrils.

The taste is dripping with grapefruit and spice but isn't coming off as overly bitter at all. The rye and other toasted malt character really give this an easy mellowness on the tongue. This finishes spicy and dry with some leftover tart citrus. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, with a creamy and smooth texture to this that perfectly matches that overall easy feel of the flavor profile. As for alcohol, that over 6% ABV is barely there. Just a really nice job of masking the alcohol here.

Just another very nicely Scratch beer from Tröegs. My only gripe is that for an IPA, there was a decided lack of aggressive bitterness but I did like the juicy citrus flavor that this brought to the table. Really tasty stuff!

Serving type: growler

01-12-2010 20:29:25 | More by Kegatron

deaconoflove

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

My first visit to Troegs today. Picked up a growler of scratch #25. My nose and taster are not very refined, so...
Ap. Medium brown with a coppery, amber cast. Very pretty color, but not much head or lacing.
Sm. I got grapefruit/hops and something else I can't identify. Pleasant.
Ta. Again the grapefruit, tart, with a bitter finish.
Mr. Smooth, filling, and cleansing.
Dr. Apparently quite good, since half the growler is gone already.

Serving type: growler

12-05-2009 01:38:55 | More by deaconoflove

akorsak

Pennsylvania

2.65/5  rDev -32.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A long lost gem from the cellar. In a tumbler.

A: This rye beer is darker, amber with auburn highlights at the base of the glass. Opaque, the ale has the llok of a ruddy barleywine. A luxurious head laces all around the mouth of the glass. Plenty of sediment swirling around.

S: Bready aromas cut with rye. The rye has lost a step, allowing the caramel and biscuit to come through.

T: Caramel sweetness is the defining quality of an ale on the downswing. There is still some rye present, appearing after the first burst of caramel. Some pepper but otherwise the flavors come and go rather quickly.

M: The flavors are thin, having lost their punch. Not a terrible beer though.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 01:25:19 | More by akorsak

homebrew311

Illinois

2.85/5  rDev -26.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: pours a hazy red, minimal head retention

S: nose features acetone, paint, flashes of rye here and there, lots of herbal qualities

T: taste features rye with hints at spiciness, the rye malt brings out a bitterness that doesn't seem to be contributed from hops

MF: high carbonation, medium body

O: well this brew certainly features plenty of rye, but the supporting cast does not elevate the rye in any way. A bit of a disappointment.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2011 06:54:39 | More by homebrew311

womencantsail

California

2.05/5  rDev -47.4%
look: 4 | smell: 1 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Many thanks to Greg for hooking me up with this.

A: The beer pours a dark amber color with a thin layer of off-white foam.

S: Time has not treated this one well. Acetone and solvent are the primary aromas. Very, very harsh and unpleasant. I can't really even pick out anything else.

T: The flavor is interestingly bland. Just a hint of acetone on the finish, but otherwise just some toast and bread. Maybe a little bit of rye, definitely a bit of lemon peel.

M: Medium bodied with medium carbonation.

O: Obviously well past its prime.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2011 05:47:12 | More by womencantsail

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.83/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in a flared pokal.

Thanks to the Central PA group from the Gang Bang BIF for this bottle!

The Scratch Beer Dash motors on after a brief interruption. This leg pours a clear light amber topped by plenty of cream foam. The nose comprises light caramel, grass, flowers, rye, and a few shakes of brown sugar. The taste holds notes of rye, black pepper, light clove, dark greens, toffee, and sourdough. The body is a rather light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a pretty dry finish. Overall, a nice rye beer, one that isn't scared to heap on the rye, and one that somehow still doesn't overdo the rye flavor, either.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2011 05:22:38 | More by TMoney2591

brentk56

North Carolina

3.13/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: Just the sound of the beer when I popped the cap warned me that I was in for a gusher; fortunately, the gushing was controlled and the beer settled into the pint glass with a full fist of foam sitting atop the hazy amber liquid; flipside of my luck, the retention was great and there was a ton of stickage to the side of the pint glass

Smell: Bready and spicy, with a fruity character that likely was more citrusy when the beer was fresh

Taste: The base caramel malt arrives early and lingers throughout, though the spicy rye character dances on the palate, particularly after the swallow; not much else going on, at this point

Mouthfeel: Way too much carbonation hampers the taste buds

Overall: Something must have happened to my bottle, as others have not reported the same experience; this probably was a decent beer at one time but this experience was not a good one

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2011 15:19:46 | More by brentk56

colts9016

Idaho

3.38/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I got this from a BIF, I do not know who sent it or when. Poured into pint glass at 45 degrees.

Appearance: A monster two finger head that has okay retention. The color of the head is tan/off white. The color of the beer is copper orange color with a brown hues. The clarity of the beer is nearly opaque.

Nose: A very robust up in your face rye aroma followed by grapefruit, pine, toasted malt, fruity esters, and floral esters.

Taste: Bright rye flavor that has a hoppy balance to it. The hops are grapefruit, pine, and floral esters. The malt is nicely roasted with yeast and fruity esters.

Mouth feel is astringent, coating, and tarty.

Overall: The body of the beer is medium with a medium full finish. I do not know if the beer was supposed to be a hoppy rye beer, if it is then it oaky.
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Serving type: bottle

04-21-2011 05:31:56 | More by colts9016

Hojaminbag

Colorado

3.55/5  rDev -9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Mikereaser sent me this one. Thanks a lot Mike.

Scratch 25, magical moustache rye, pours a clear color with orange edges, a brown center and red in between, to make a total impression of the color of rust. The head is a solid two fingers tall and very dense, with craters forming in the top. The lacing begins to appear immediately in thick sheets, and the retention is very good.

Bitterness and citrus from the hops are noticeable in the aroma, but the most powerful smell by far is the spicy, seedy malted rye.

The taste has a lot more malted barley than I would expect, providing a pretty big caramel sweetness up front. That malt doesn't dominate the beer though, as the rye comes through with a vengeance. Once again, there are loads of spicy seedy flavors, but now there is also a very distinct rye bread-like quality. The finish and the background feature a moderate amount of hops that supply bitterness and a small burst of citrus. The aftertaste is all rye.

The body is a touch light and carbonation is a touch high, but the feel is generally fine.

Another solid Scratch beer if you like a good amount of rye malt. My favorite part is a sweet rye bread flavor that lingers as an aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2010 23:50:14 | More by Hojaminbag

nickd717

California

3.45/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle thanks to soulforpeanuts.

Great rusty reddish-amber color with a two-finger light beige head and great lacing.

Spicy rye aroma with piney hop notes and caramel malt.

The flavor is slight sweet caramel and lots of rye and a good hop presence. Maybe a little oxidized due to age, but still tasty.

Pretty average on the mouthfeel with medium carbonation and body.

Good beer, but not quite one of my favorites from Troegs.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2010 17:12:23 | More by nickd717

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.35/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Reviewed from notes.

Pours a nice amber color with a good white head and a nice amount of lacing. The nose brings some really great spicy notes as well as citrus and floral hops.

The taste is definitely dominated by a good deal of citrus and floral notes along with some nice rye spice. Good mouthfeel between the hops and the rye. Drinks really, really nicely and is a great Troegs concoction.

Serving type: on-tap

10-24-2010 00:52:07 | More by Thorpe429

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.15/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

really quite enjoyed this one. i decided to open it up and enjoy the afternoon with it, served cold and poured into a pint glass, consumed on 08/28/2010.

the pour was nicely done. rich amber with a tight head of white on top that nicely crowned the glass.

aroma is light spied rye, lots of hops, great nose here with hints of pine and orange mixed in with healthy doses of right and light grains. really interesting blend but it works. smooth even feel an carbonation make it a nice combo for sure. initial sips are quite hoppy but become more relaxed as time rolls on. nice finish with a clean, smooth taste and even, dry hoppy finish.

overall nothing fancy, straight up and very nicely done. would try it again.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2010 01:22:02 | More by mikesgroove

younger35

Minnesota

3.4/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Just received this brew from mikereaser in a recent trade. It didn't look like the Scratch beer streak was going to continue but thankfully it has! Drank from my Surlyfest stein.

Appearance- Pours a dark orange reddish with a nice half finger off-white head with some serious staying power. A decent cap and collar remains along with ZERO lacing.
Smell- Really sort of dank smelling with a big piney thing right from the start. A fairly toasty smell with a bit sweet caramel and maybe even a touch of butterscotch. The rye is really light but noticeable. Pretty sweet smelling though overall.
Tasty- Wow not sweet at all but really sort of dry and somewhat bitter from all the rye. Some bready toasted malts hide amongst all the rye and mix with the earthy hops to create sort of a candy like thing. The rye is a bit too strong and somewhat bitter-ish with a spicy bitter finish.
Mouthfeel- Medium body with a light spritzy carbonation and even though the beer isn't sweet, it's somewhat cloying.
Drinkability- Uh, not bad but not that great. It's sort of a weird combination of flavors and even though the beer isn't sweet, it's somehow cloying. Definitely not the best of the lot, but glad I got to try. Thanks much Mike!

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2010 02:39:49 | More by younger35

hoplover82

Texas

4.1/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First of all, I'd like to thank my friend Jason Lewis for giving me this wonderful offering from Troegs. This is the best rye beer I've had.

Pours a crystal clear rich amber color with a medium one finger off white semi creamy head that has ok retention and ok lacing.

The aroma is a perfect balance of floral hops and freshly baked rye bread. I say this is the best rye beer I've had because the rye is really shining through like i've never had before. "It feels like the first tiii-iiii-ime. It feels like the very first time." There's also a nice lemon citrus hoppiness in the back. As the beer warms, the citrus hops come through a lot more. And tends to overpower the rye which is fine by me...

The flavor is full of slightly sweet/spicy rye bread and an earhty/floral hop flavor with lemon citrus in the back again as the aroma hinted of. There is a semi clean yet a little stout bitterness that lingers very long.

It has a creamy full body with full carbonation with a very clean finish.

And this is very drinkable indeed. I highly suggest this to anyone who can get this in their hands.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2010 05:37:26 | More by hoplover82

BeerTruth

Connecticut

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

Got this from none other than number1bum, thanks bitch!

12 oz. bottle poured into a nonic. Not sure if this is supposed to be an imporovement from #18, but let's hope so!

Pours a pretty clear rustic amber hue with a full three finger fluffy off-white head. Lace is pretty good, holds on to the sides quite well. Aroma is nice and grassy, as a rye should be. Some zingy pine hops and a touch of bready malts in the nose as well, pretty basic. Taste is very similar to the smell. A good dose of crisp rye up front with a solid piney hop backbone. Malts and touch of citrus linger in the aftertaste, intersting combo at work. Medium body with a steady carbonation and bite in the cheeks. Not a bad rye, fairly easy to drink with an enjoyable flavor profile. No Sixpoint Righteous, but then again, what is? Thanks again Josh for the brew!

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2010 00:31:09 | More by BeerTruth

RedBrewer83

Oregon

3.7/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Aggressive pour into pint glass...

A: Pours a beautiful crisp clean amber with ruby highlights and a nice stream of fine bubbles continually rising from the bottom of the glass. The head is a big three fingers, very creamy and off white, very slow to fall and leaves very good lacing.

S: Citrusy floral hops, mildly musty bread yeast profile balanced with a hint of sweet caramel malt. The rye is pretty faint and is my only complaint with the aroma, being a rye beer I expected more rye presence but the aroma is still nice and balanced.

T: Follows the nose with little deviation, I do get more rye in the flavor profile than in the nose. The hops are slightly dominant which IMO has to a bit of a knock as rye beers as categorized are supposed to be pretty mild in bitterness. The flavor is very good, but needs more rye and less hop to be more accurate for the style.

M: Light body with active carbonation but very fine bubbles and therefore it comes across as being very smooth. The head provides some creaminess as well.

D: The drinkability on this one is very solid. Smooth and well balanced, delicious!

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2010 23:58:56 | More by RedBrewer83

ClockworkOrange

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks again to Deuane for throwing this one my way. A 12 ounce bottle poured into my Blue Point shaker glass. The ale appears a clear golden amber color with about a finger of off white foam. Flavors and aromas consist of spicy rye, earthy hops, citrus such as white grapefruit, nice caramel sweetness. Medium bodied with adequate carbonation and a bitter-sweet yet dry finish. Rather easy to drink, pretty tasty overall. Thanks D!

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2010 06:26:25 | More by ClockworkOrange

travduke

North Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks Greg (Hophead101) for throwing this in as an extra. Poured into a pint glass.

Appearance: Clear amber body, 1 finger head, generous lacing.

Smell: Malty. Floral and citrus hops. It smells really nice.

Taste: Nice hop presence that blends in really well with the malty rye flavor.

Drinkability: Very well balanced, easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2010 04:07:31 | More by travduke

Gyle41386

South Carolina

3.7/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass. Thanks, Hophead101!

Dark reddish-amber pour. Little over a finger of foam retains well and sticks nicely.

Spicy nose. Toasted malt and rye. No mistaking that this is a rye beer. Some citric hops, as well.

Flavor follows. Good rye component. The hops are more earthy than the aroma led me to believe.

Medium bodied. Soft, smooth texture. Surprisingly easy drinker. And an awesome name, to boot.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2010 03:26:18 | More by Gyle41386

CrazyMacHarris99

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This one pours a dark amber that is slightly more brown with a thin head that leaves little left after a minute or so. The smell is spicy, earthy hops, slightly citrusy with some toasted malt and the spiciness of the rye. The taste is a good bit of caramel malt with a spicy kick from the rye. The hops are mostly earthy with a hint of bright citrus in the finish. Very tangy and lively on the mouthfeel which seems to help make up for the lack of the initial carbonation. Drinkability is high on this and it reminds me a lot of an English style ale that is brash but not high in alcohol. A lot of flavor and very interesting feel. I like it!

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2010 08:50:49 | More by CrazyMacHarris99

woosterbill

Connecticut

3.88/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at the brewery into a snifter.

A: Bright, clear reddish-amber body; 1/2" head of off-white foam shows solid retention and leaves beautiful lacing.

S: Deep, spicy aroma of rye malt, floral and piney hops, and a nice toasty finish. Pleasant, but not earth-shattering.

T: Spicy rye jumps out at first, but is quickly subsumed by a healthy dose of hops: resinous pine and light floral flavors predominate. Nice.

M: Medium body, with a mixture of smooth and spiky carbonation simultaneously. Interesting, but not especially pleasant.

D: Good malt/hops balance for the most part, but gets a bit too sticky toward the end.

Notes: Definitely delivers the hops, but they aren't hops I find especially tasty. Still, an interesting and tasty brew that would be fine addition to the Troegs lineup.

Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

01-24-2010 22:36:24 | More by woosterbill

number1bum

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Brought a growler of this home and enjoyed it on New Years Eve with krisandajt. I'm reviewing a bottle that he gave me.

Pours a pretty clear copper color with about two fingers of beige head. Keeps a thin but mostly full lace and leaves some good webbing on the sides.

Smell consists of floral, grassy and lightly citrusy hops, with an earthy and biscuity aroma that the rye malt contributes to. It's a very nice, fresh nose.

Taste doesn't have all of the hoppy flavor that I wish it did based on the nose, but it does have a strong earthy and grassy component. Some herbalness to the flavor too. Rye is, unsurprisingly, very prominent in this one, with an earthy and spicy quality to it. Some biscuit malt as well and an ever so slight caramel sweetness. Good amount of bitterness in the finish.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and quite dry. Dries right out with all the hop bitterness in the finish. Does not have the creaminess you might expect given the amount of hops in this beer, though. I wish it were a tad smoother.

This is a better beer than the Scratch 18 and I'm glad they revisited the rye IPA concept. I don't think this beer drinks nearly as strong as the IBUs would suggest, and it's actually pretty well balanced I would say. There are better hoppy rye beers out there but this is a good one for sure. If you can still acquire a bottle I'd recommend doing so.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2010 22:24:29 | More by number1bum