Smoked Rye Ale - New Glarus (Thumbprint Series)

So, I got an email while I was out of town from my friend Jhin, who was telling me about this Smoked Rye Ale he had tried from New Glarus. I will admit that I had considered trying it but figured I probably wouldn't like it. However, I found Jhin's wording interesting: "The most interesting beer I've had (doesn't mean it's the best). Smoked beer...I have never tasted anything like this before."

As a result, I had to throw it into a build-your-own 6-pack at Riley's when I was over there. This is part of what makes me LOVE having this beer blog as my pet project on the side...it forces you to expand your horizons, try new things, and appreciate things about each of them that you wouldn't have thought that you could. One of my readers asked me "why on earth would you try a blueberry lager?! (Wild Blue, huge mistake). The only reason I'd try something like that is that I want to see how it is, to see if it's quality, or to see if there's anything I can appreciate about it. I want to build my experiences in life (which the reader emphatically agrees with), and drinking is no different. So, next time you're considering trying something new - JUST TRY IT! Bottoms up and enjoy!

Vitals:

Name: Smoked Rye Ale

Style: Smoked Ale? I don't think you can even classify this into a category!

IBU: ??

ABV: 8.5%

Gravity: ??

Purchased at: Riley's Wines of the World

Descriptions:

Appearance: Pours a deep, rich, reddish/brown color. The head is almost non-existent, thus there is no lacing or cap. It seems to be very low in carbonation as well. It looks like a lazy beer, not too much going on from the look of it.

Smell: WOW, so you get about a tenth of a second of sweet malt smell before the smell of smoke dominates your nostrils. This actually smells GOOD, as odd as it is. The beer reminds me of a campfire/bonfire with possibly some meat cooking (because the smoke smells a bit salty as well).

Taste: This is possibly the most interesting beer I've ever had. I can now totally relate to Jhin's comments. So you start out with a brief caramel sweetness, only to get a spicy bite/kick of rye flavor that is also short lived. After that your mouth gets enveloped in a smooth smokiness that sort of "sets in" on your, rather than abruptly hammers you. The smokey taste builds on your palate as it rolls back your tongue and down your throat; it seems to get bolder as it goes! This tastes (to me) a little bit like smoked ham/bacon that may be a bit well done. At this point I am so confused; am I having a beer or a meal?

Mouthfeel: Definitely on the heavier side of a medium body. There's nearly no carbonation, but the creamy texture goes very well with the smooth smokey flavor.

Overall Grade: B (B+ for interesting/unique aspect)

Comments: This is probably not a beer that I'd drink regularly (or perhaps ever again) but I'm so glad that I tried it, because it is SUCH an interesting/innovative beer. I can appreciate this one for sure, despite its odd flavor. The folks at New Glarus never cease to amaze me with some of the stuff they put on the shelves...it's something I will miss when we move away from Madison :-(.

Cheers,

Hurls

White Hawk Select IPA - Mendocino Brewing Company

Vitals:

Name: White Hawk Select IPA

Style: American IPA

IBU: ??

ABV: 7.0%

Gravity: ??

Purchased at: Trixie's Liquor

Descriptions:

Appearance: You get a deep amber color on the pour, almost light-brownish. Carbonation is barely detectable to the eye, but this beer is hazy hazy hazy! You get a half finger of head that is slightly off-white with a weak cap, low retention, but pretty solid lacing, actually.

Smell: HEAVY pine and citrus hop notes mix with a faint hint of toasted malts here, leading me to expect something much much less than a super balanced beer. This beer smells quite good, but it's nothing unique or special, ya know?

Taste: This beer is extremely sweet initially, providing a surprising balance (given the smell). Unlike many IPAs, which have an aggressive, sharp, bitter bite, the hop flavor and bitterness builds in strength and then rolls off into the aftertaste. Brilliant tasting experience. The taste itself is comprised mostly of piney/grassy hops, a little citrus up front (grapefruit, anyone?), and the malt sweetness that kicks it all off. This beer actually hides its 7.0% ABV better than most.

Mouthfeel: Medium body and not as astringent as most IPAs are. You really get no carbonation in this beer, which always makes me feel like the beer is stale or something, even though I know it's not. Overall this is a pretty smooth drink, but nothing really stands out in this section.

Overall Grade: B-

Comments: This is a solid American IPA with a great drinking experience. There are a lot of beers I'd choose over this one, but by the same token I'd choose this over a lot of others. The issue is that the taste isn't quite up to par with the actual experience of the taste. By saying that I mean that I enjoy how the hop profile and bitterness is cumulative rather than just an errant spike in the experience...makes for a smoother drink and would probably be less offensive to those who are not quite as big on hops. If someone hands you one of these, don't turn it down, but if you're paying for something you can most likely do a bit better if you know what you like and what to look for.

Cheers,

Hurls

Hop Rising - Squatter's Pub Brewery

Vitals:

Name: Hop Rising

Style: American IIPA

IBU: 75

ABV: 9.0%

Gravity: ??

Purchased at: Riley's Wines of the World

Descriptions:

Appearance: Pours a bright translucent copper color with about a finger of off-white head. Great lacing in the wake of decent retention, with a nice thin cap as well. Seems to be a small amount of carbonation that is visible after the pour.

Smell: Fruity/citrusy hops on the nose with some other citrus notes (seems to be orange and perhaps grapefruit). You get a small whiff of caramel malt as well, but the hops rule the day here; smells delicious, but not quite unique in any noticeable way...

Taste: HUGE pine note up front, which was unexpected and very tasty. The citrus hops and orange/grapefruit from the nose really build up with a strong bitterness. The experience is smooth as you start out with the hops, so you don't get a big, sharp bite, but the building bitterness is very pleasant. The malt backbone is a touch light for the style, which is fine by me, and it mostly just flirts in the background...unallowed to come through the aggressive hops. This is a very good, unique taste and I like it a good deal. Hides the ABV VERY well.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with much more carbonation than I expected from the appearance. Slightly astringent but it's such a smooth drink and not grating at all. Drinks very well for a big IIPA.

Overall Grade: A-

Comments: I loved this beer and would definitely drink it again. You get a nice, unique flavor that is better than many IIPAs that I've had. It's not hop-forward, it's hop-total. You get hops from the very start to the very finish of the drink, which is nirvana for me. Try it out you hop heads!

Cheers,

Hurls