Blue Point Rastafa Rye Ale - Blue Point Brewing Company

elgiacomo

Georgia

3.7/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

16oz Growler from Beverage World. Served at around 40-45F.

Pours lightly cloudy orange amber with a three finger off-white head that leaves some rings of drippy lacing and holds a small cap.

Aroma is apricot, mango, rye, bread, some caramel. Good to very good strength.

Flavor generally mirrors the aroma with a fruity start with some apricot and mango, a bit of citrus, moving toward the rye and some caramel malt and bread, mild sweetness, moderate bitterness, some alcohol on the finish.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, pretty oily, good carbonation.

Good rye beer. Not to the level of say a Red’s Rye, but tasty in its own right. More fruity than I expected, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing...

Serving type: growler

09-13-2012 02:50:43 | More by elgiacomo

DoubleSimcoe

New York

3.83/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Rastafa Rye, growler filled at Brew York City-Duane Reade, UWS-NYC, for $7.99

Appearance: Served in a chalice, the Rastafa comes looking a deep but slightly transparent copper, with a heady head (sorry) that includes lots of fluff and bubbles and leaves behind significant lacing. A good start!

Smell: Malts, that rye of course, wild unharvested cereal. A tad of citrus that brings it into IPA territory plus caramel sweetness at the end. Also, an interesting "acrid" (in a good way) smell, like soy sauce.

Taste: Spice, grass and pungent (but delicious) rye. Bready, caramel-y finish, with butterscotch and boiled sugar. Chestnut, dry fruit, an autumn-y brew in many ways. Grainy all around, I can't stop thinking this would go great with some bourbon/whiskey!

Mouthfeel: Could use more "oomph!", but it suits the brew alright as it is, with medium flavor and carbonation and medium-to-low body. As it warms up, the rye does kick nice. Dry, spicy finish.

Overall: Rating goes up here because, even if the nose and body of this beer are not outrageously stunning, it does make for a very enjoyable and drinkable beer. The alcohol is mostly well played and never overwhelming and -while this is no Hop Rod Rye- it makes for a fine, drinkable ale.

Serving type: growler

06-11-2011 03:33:53 | More by DoubleSimcoe

sfsean28

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Excellent brew. Deep amber color, nice frothy head from a growler pour. Carbonation was just right. Aromas of rye are present and a bit noticeable in the taste. This brew goes down very nicely and be careful of the 7.5 abv. I saved some for the next day and the brew stayed fresh in the growler. A small bit of carbonation was lost but still a pleasant drink.

Serving type: growler

11-03-2010 14:58:35 | More by sfsean28

Gmann

New York

3.68/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark golden color, almost amber, with a crazy tight white head that disipated into a nice fluffy cap. A somewhat grainy malt with hints of spicy rye, a bit metallic. The taste is of a slighty sour malt, with a touch of rye and a light honey graham cracker malt. Not much hop detected. Moderate body with plenty of fizzy carbonation, sweet but no where near cloying. The brew drinks pretty easy, solid malt body with a slight rye sour/spicy hit and plenty of carbonation. Could use more rye but still probably one of the better beers out of Blue Point.

Serving type: growler

06-14-2009 02:06:04 | More by Gmann

Billolick

New York

3.9/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From a growler purchased at DeCiccio's in Ardsley, NY. Pours clear, fairly typical amber, under a long lasting khaki head, then leaving a better then average sheeting/fine coating of lacing on the glass. Malty nose w/o much rye character. Pleasant enough ale, malty, rye character is certaintly muted to nonexistant. Even w/o da rye shinin' tru this one remains tasty and enjoyable, basically comes off like a decent craft amber ale.

Serving type: growler

05-31-2009 01:18:40 | More by Billolick

WesWes

New York

4.1/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The beer pours a nice amber color with a thick frothy offwhite head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a nice mix of pale, crystal, and rye malts. It's built like a heavier amber ale with a mild rye spice to it. It's also loaded up with a really nice hop aroma. The hops and rye play off of one another. The taste is good as well. It has a smooth, malty flavor along with a stiff hop bitterness. It's well balanced and easy drinking. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a medium bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a very enjoyable beer. I love the bold rye character as well as the equally bold hop presence.

Serving type: growler

04-21-2009 15:16:28 | More by WesWes

LilBeerDoctor

New York

3.53/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Growler from Bellport Cold Beer & Soda. Pours a clear amber with a small white head. Aroma of light fruits and sweet malt, a touch of citrusy and floral hops. Flavor of grainy rye initially and some crackery malt and bitter hops in the finish. Light nuttiness too. On the sweet side, yes, but overall pretty decent.
7/4/7/4/14 (3.6/5)

Serving type: growler

04-15-2009 21:08:32 | More by LilBeerDoctor

cavedave

New York

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: lovely amber/orange, a tiny bit cloudy, adequate carbonation. Thin head, a vague beige, lighter than expected. A bit of lace after a swirl, also less than expected.

Aroma is full of rye but not the blast of it I thought I'd get, lot's of deep sugary and earthy tones, caramel, herb.

Ah the taste, strong rye, wonderful balance of flavors, deep alcohol, earth, caramel and soft-flavor fruit. A bit thin in the mouth, but finish is long and yummy.

Expected more, but I will buy again, it is really tasty, very sessionable.

Serving type: growler

04-01-2009 17:49:11 | More by cavedave

Crimsonfloods

Florida

3.41/5  rDev -10%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

A: deep hazy orange, off white head, thick lacing, looks inviting!
S: light malty aroma with the rye notes there, but not too forward.
T: low on the rye flavor, wish there was more! But a solid malt punch, good.
M/F: medium body, hangs around the mouth for a bit and then falls out, making you go back for more. for 7.5% the alcohol is not there AT ALL and it is quite drinkable.

O: Tasty! Haven't been let down by any Blue Point beers thus far, I was just on Long Island, wish I could have made a trip out the brewery and checked 'em out.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 04:32:38 | More by Crimsonfloods

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

3.09/5  rDev -18.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a crystal clear deep copper color with a nice big beige head that persists forever. The aroma is caramel and toffee with an herbal earthy edge and faint traces of yeasty plastic phenols. The flavor holds much of the same attributes from the nose. Caramel toffee and butterscotch mixed with earthy floral hops and a weird herbal almost medicinal flavor. Medium body with moderate level of carbonation and a slick bubbly mouthfeel. I thought this one was ok but nothing special. Its got a weirdness to it that I just couldn't get into.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2013 00:07:51 | More by johnnnniee

JohnGalt1

Idaho

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Got this one in a great trade with Doppelbockulus.. Thanks a ton Charley!!

Poured into my HotD goblet... the brew is clear orange... 1" white head with good retention and lacing.

Nose is toasty malts with a good rye snap to it... hops are on the floral side of things.

Flavor mirrors the nose... just enough hop bitterness to balance the interesting maltiness but never overpowers things... again, the toasty malts shine but I am having a harder time pulling the rye on the palate.. floral hoppiness begins up front and makes it all the way to the finish.

Body a light/medium.. good carbonation with a sorta slick/oiliness on the palate.

Yummy... I would buy this one if I had the chance. Thanks again Charley!!

All 4's.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 05:28:16 | More by JohnGalt1

GPHarris

Alabama

3.98/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

a - poured a one finger thick light tan head into a snifter that had good lacing throughout. the body was a bright copper color.
s - malt caramel sweetness with a hint of floral hops.
t - piney hops with some nice rye spice.
m - medium thickness with crisp and bubbly carbonation.
o - solid rye pale ale. i'm not familiar with this brewery at all but this was a pleasant surprise.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 15:42:56 | More by GPHarris

SportsandJorts

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Type: On-tap
Glass: Pint
From: Ashley's in Ann Arbor
Price $6.50 a pint

Appearance: orangish red color. no head or lacing by time i got it.

Smell: a touch of rye along with spicy hops and sweet malts.

Taste. Spicy hops followed by some sweet malts and rye. very good balancing

Mouthfeel: pretty light and crisp. pretty refreshing beer.

Overall: pretty good beer, certainly drinkable and something i would drink again if given the chance.

Serving type: on-tap

01-26-2013 07:58:50 | More by SportsandJorts

Cyberkedi

Georgia

3.48/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Aroma is not strong, but definitely has notes of rye and hops and a fruity, slightly yeasty underpinning. Pours a clear, bubbly copper with a thick, fluffy, rather persistent pale wheat head. Rye dominates the flavor, which has fruity, malty and hoppy hints. Smooth texture has good body and fizz. An interesting, if not superb, beer - give it a try.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 23:14:24 | More by Cyberkedi

Huffs

New York

3.45/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass which developed a nice head which lasted and laced through the dring. Aroma was mildly sweet, malty. Mouthfeel was medium to light with good carbonation. Taste was of a mild malty nature and nutty with hints of caramel. Aftertaste was mild and sweet.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 04:15:22 | More by Huffs

papat444

Quebec (Canada)

3.3/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bomber with no freshness info. Split with the wife.

Appearance: A pure honey colored body, creamy head (good 3 fingers) that leaves nice rings.

Smell: Toasted malt is the first aroma i pick out followed by some spiciness, caramel and vienna malt. Not much rye to speak of but still pleasant.

Taste: Let down for me. Spiciness that could be rye but wouldn't have called it that if it wasn't on the bottle. Lots of vienna malt again and a bit of a vegetal finish. Not offensive but doesn't win me over.

Mouthfeel: Average body, nice carbonation and a clean finish.

Overall: Avearge taste brings this one down. Ok but lackluster.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 12:12:10 | More by papat444

superdedooperboy

Georgia

3.83/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22-ounce brown glass bottle poured into a Duvel tulip glass. Served at approximately 45 degrees F.

Pours a clear, deep golden hue, topped with a full two fingers of off-white froth that slowly recedes, clinging to the walls of the glass and leaving behind fat rings of lace as the glass drains.

Balance seems to be the name of the game in the nose. Grapefruity and spicy hop notes peek through the folds, while a deep whiff of caramel and toffeeish character underlies the hoppy front. Overall the nose is pleasant, if a bit subdued.

Medium-bodied and with a fairly light mouthfeel helped, in part, by a mild level of carbonation. On the palate, things are a bit more hop-forward than the nose, though things still remain fairly balanced. Up front, grapefruit rind takes center stage and soon combines with a spicy hit of rye malt and a prominent bitterness that quickly dries things significantly. A bit of caramel-like malt shows up near the rear, but the bitter, spicy dryness surrounds the palate and carries forward into the finish, which is bone-dry, spicy, a touch citrusy and resinous, and seemingly everlasting.

Overall, a fairly well-balanced IPA and definitely drinkable. The relatively high 7.5% ABV is definitely well-hidden; this is definitely a nice showcase of rye’s unique qualities, which combine with the bitter, resinous west coast hop notes to keep the drinker reaching for another swill. With the proceeds going toward a good cause, this one seems to be right out of SweetWater’s books

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 16:31:37 | More by superdedooperboy

rajendra82

Georgia

3.63/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Clear, golden amber colored body, and a two finger thick head were pleasing to look at. The smell was mild, and sweetish, with honey, and cinnamon notes. The taste was not as sweet as I was anticipating. I got a clean crisp taste like a an APA, with minimal fruity and spicy notes that are typical in a Rye beer. The hops were not all that aggressively showcased either, with only a faint bitterness and some spice in the finish. This was pretty good in the mouthfeel department, with a smooth body that glided across the tongue. Pretty basic.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 03:29:38 | More by rajendra82

godlessape

Georgia

4.28/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured this into my newly acquired Samuel Smith pint glass. The body has a brassy golden hue showing vigorous carbonation and just a small but workable head that leaves a respectable amount of lacing.
As far as smell goes It was so subtle at first that I had to slosh down a third of the pint just to get some nose, which comes off sweet and somewhat fruity up front then it's all caramel with a faint breeze of West Coast hops. Very nice. Once I got down to the bottom of the glass I found the aroma mouthwatering.
What you taste with this is the sweet malt backbone bowled over with spicy rye notes that sizzle on the tongue along with a bit more hop bitterness than the nose let on about. And this all balances out just right.
The mouthfeel is medium bodied and overall this is a fantastic beer, a perfect example of the style. I tip my glass to the brew wizards at Blue Point.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2012 23:12:31 | More by godlessape

Hopdaemon39

Massachusetts

4.38/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22 oz bottle into a nonic tumbler- pours a clear copper/mahogany color with two fingers of white head, modest retention, some nice lacing.

Definitely some rye in the nose along with a nice dose of resinous west coast hops, well balanced by caramel malt notes.

Taste is very nice- up front is the caramel malt and a little bit of the rye sharpness, then taken over by the hops (tastes kinda like simcoe), then the rye comes back in more pronounced, and it finishes kinda dry but floral.

Mouthfeel is also very nice- medium body, moderate carbonation, a little bit of resin. This is an excellent rye beer- everything is well balanced and the flavors are nice. My only real desire is for the nose to be bolder. Maybe have a little bit darker head but that's an aesthetic thing...

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 21:35:31 | More by Hopdaemon39

Kromes

Georgia

4.03/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear gold with a thick off-white head that leaves rings of lacing down the glass. A very nice floral hop and peppery, toasted malt aroma. I love smell of rye beers. The flavor is a little bit different than the aroma. At first you get a nice toasted malt and peppery rye flavor, but then it fades into a rather sweet floral hop flavor. Not getting the bitterness that I had expected. It's there, but more sweet than bitter. Feel is medium body and a bit syrupy. My favorite beer style; And although it is tasty, the bit of syrupy sweetness does just knock it down a notch. But you might expect that with the higher gravity. Still a solid rye beer though.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2012 00:21:50 | More by Kromes

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.2/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

16 ounce pint - $5.25 at Taco Mac in Woodstock, Georgia.

Appearance: Served up a clear, golden-amber body with a thin, ivory-hued head. Very slight film on the descent.

Smell: A sweet-scented note of light brown sugar atop toasty, bready malts. Dried lemon peel, some orange, and the foretelling rye malt, with a little showing from the alcohol.

Taste: Follows through what the scent sets up. Bready, with some sweetness akin to light-colored brown sugar and a slight toastiness. Small hint of raisiny fruitiness, then, the citrusy, herbal hops mingled into the rye character. Moderate bitterness. More of the rye and citric qualities on the long finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with a very, very little bit of stickiness to the overall mouthfeel. Medium carbonation.

Overall: It's okay, but there are better rye beers to be had out there, if you really must know.

Serving type: on-tap

08-18-2012 19:45:53 | More by ChainGangGuy

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.85/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

a clean copper pour with a slight amount of white foam around brim of glass. smells of sweet malts, roasting caramel, nutty, rye.

taste is slightly sweet up front with a nice nutty flavor. backbone is all rye. slightly bready with hints of banana on the finish. a very unique tasting rye ale with a medium body, patchy lacing with a slight creamy feel on the lips, and high, yet subtle carbonation.

as far as rye ales go, this is a hit. a very sweet beer throughout with a copper-like bitterness that follows minutes after the glass is over. you just feel it calling to you to drink some more! a very tasty pour and quite complex for a rye ale.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2012 06:25:17 | More by facundoCNB

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Reddish-amber with light haze. The off-white head has fallen and left a disc. Webby lace. 4.0

Sweet rye, pear, roasted malt, peach, and apple flesh. Subdued fruits, I was just picking them out one-by-one. 3.5

Spicy rye grain flavor in the forefront with some juicy fruit malts and a peppery hop spice. A little prickle from the alcohol. 3.5

Mild carb. Medium body. Showy strength. 3.5

Not a bad beer. Spiny and vigorous. 3.5

Serving type: on-tap

05-29-2012 01:12:09 | More by thecheapies

tdm168

North Carolina

4.08/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy orangish amber with a quarter of an inch of soft, beige, head that has great retention. The nose has a strong citrusy, lemony quality with a light peppery aspect underneath. The taste has a light bready, sweet, birthday cake malt character up front followed by a mildly peppery, rye note and finishes with an assertive citrusy, grapefruit-like hop finish. There is a clean hop bitterness that lingers for a while on the palate. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, smooth, and well carbonated with a bit of a crispness on the tongue.

This is a nice beer. The malts and hops are great compliments. It's bitter but not harsh. I would have preferred a little more rye to come through overall, but in the end this is a refreshing, very drinkable beer with very good flavor.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2012 11:01:21 | More by tdm168