Ahem... So, we all know there are four basic ingredients involved in beer making: water, malt, hops and yeast. All of which contribute to the overall flavor of beer. Recent American beer history has been rife with hop heavy focus or Belgian fervor. Categorically, beer drinkers have been fixated on two aspects of beer flavor. Most notably in American craft beer it has been about hops. How many IBU's ?(hops are not the only ingredient that contributes to this number BTW...) IPA, Double IPA, Imperial IPA... The West Coast craft beer scene is practically defined by hops.
The flipside of this coin is the yeast. Yes, Yeast!!! We can thank the Belgians for their near perfect utilization of various yeast strains that produce hallmark esters of fruit and spice and in some cases very tart and aromatic flavors. Dubbels, Trippels, Quads, Lambics... Not only is the yeast appealing because of the flavors, Belgian beer tends to be above 7% ABV and upwards into the double digits for some styles. The yeast used in Belgian beers can aggressively attenuate even the most sugar laden worts (wort = beer before fermentation)!!
But wait... There is another player yet to be mentioned (okay, there are two but I don't really want to talk about water... ). Malts are the true flavor of the beer. It determines a beers style in the most general sense. Stouts, Porters, Pales, Ambers... They all rely on malts to determine their color and flavor on the most basic level. There are numerous types of malted barley, specialty grains, additives and adjuncts used in beer making. For more information on malts in general, refer to Google!! Here I wish to focus on the use of Rye malt in particular.
Rye is by no means a new ingredient in making beer, it just seems as though there is a recent influx of rye based beers into the market. One of the first, and albeit best Rye beers I've ever had is a Bear Republic (Healdsburg, CA) Hop Rod Rye. It has been around ever since I can remember drinking beer. Rye is a unique malt as it tends to stand out due to its strong earthy, spicy character. Wait... those adjectives seem more suited for a different beer ingredient... Right? Hops are generally thought to contribute these flavors to beer, however Rye not only compliments hop flavors but also tends to compete with the hops on some level. The balance of malt and hops in beer is traditionally between its sweetness and bitterness. Rye seems to fill the gap and tie the two extremes together. I have realized this only in the past month or so. Primarily because I have been heartily consuming two of the most recent beers to feature Rye. Here, I will briefly describe these beers. Both of which can be found on shelves currently and are well worth the investment.
Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye IPA (Chico, CA) - 6.6%ABV
This beer is one that caught me off guard as I was walking through my local grocery store. The packaging is nothing short of unique and eye catching. This is SN seasonal for 2012. It was so new, when I initially bought it the company website had no trace of the beer existing whatsoever! The flavor of this beer is awesome and it has one of the best balances of malt and hops I have ever tasted. The Rye is strong but not overbearing. It has that hallmark Sierra Nevada taste, coming in somewhere between the Pale Ale and the Torpedo in terms of bitterness but the malt is closer to the Celebration Ale of the last couple years. But there is something sharper and more rustic being prevalent. RYE!! Be sure to grab this beer ASAP.
Widmer Brothers Rotator Series: O'ryely IPA (Portland, OR) - 6.4%
The Rotator Sieres from Widmer has been some of their best work to date in my opinion. All experimental IPAs have been awesome. The newest is their Rye based O'ryely IPA. Again, similar to the SN Ruthless with a very strong spicy character that is earthy, however this IPA is a little more in your face. The Rye comes out stronger and goes head to head with the hops. Overall, it is more hopped than the SN beer by a bit. I could easily drink this beer all day. It is worth picking up a sixer for sure.
Lastly, Rye is becoming one of my favorite ingredients and the use of Rye seems to be fairly common with many breweries featuring it as an ingredient in one or more of their beers. It is most likely coincidence or happenstance that Rye seems more visible in the market now than before. Obviously these two beers in particular are widely distributed national brands and that probably has quite a bit to do with it... However, here is a quick list of other locally available beers that feature Rye that have recently caught my attention and my palate. Check them out!!
Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye Ale (Healdsburg, CA) - 8%
Lagunitas Sucks Holiday Ale (Petaluma, CA) -7.8%
Knee Deep Brewing Co. Ryedentity Crisis Saison (Lincoln, CA) -8%
Firehouse Brewery & Grill Hops on Rye (Sunnyvale, CA) - 7.5%
Ale Industries Rye'd Piper (Concord, CA) - 5.8%
I am sure there are numerous others out there, these are just a few I have come across and they are relatively local. Cheers!!!
