After a week wishing you Happy Thanksgiving, we are back to our series on Rye beers. Jake was actually able to find Terrapin Rye Ale, so that’s what we look at this week.
News
A Japanese company, Bandai, has come out with a new beer shampoo. The beer foams up and overflows like a shaken up bottle of beer when water is added. Bandai has given Beer Shampoo a fruity citrus scent just in case those who have already imbibed a few REAL beers don’t down the wrong suds. The bottle is convincingly beer-like and the shampoo itself contains hops. The product is released on December 1st in Japan, although Bandai has no plans to export Beer Shampoo to the U.S.
Terrapin Rye Pale Ale
- Rye, like barley, is a grass cearal grain. It is mainly grown in eastern, central, and northen Europe. Typically you are going to see rye used in breads like pumpernickel. The beer with have some of that same earthy flavors to it, a little more sharp than the typical barly malt.
- So tonights beer comes from Terrapin Brewing Company, which is located in Athens, Georgia.
- Terrapin was founded by Brian “Spike” Buckowski and John Cochran and was named after the Greatful Dead album Terrapin Station. Mr. Buckowski is a bit of a Deadhead it seems.
- There first release for the brewery was this Ryle Ale was in 2002.
- The Rye Pale Ale won a Gold Medal at the GABF for American Pale Ale in 2002, and weighs in at 5.3% ABV and is brewed with 10% rye malt.
- So the name should give this away, but this is a pale ale, that means that you shouldn’t expect a big rye taste.
- Pours a copper, little darker than a pale with a little white head that goes away after a few sips except around the edge of the glass
- Nose is very pale ale no real rye.
- Taste starts the same way but in the mid-pallet you get a different kind of malt taste, that’s the rye. Best way to describe it is a bit more bitter and grassy than your normal malt taste
- Finish is what you expect from an APA nice grapefruity hops
Next Week
One more week of rye beer, and this one is going to come from California and Hop Rod Rye and Bear Republic. This is going to be the last of the Rye Beers that we cover.
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