Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye IPA

Brewed by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Chico, California USA

Serve in Shaker, Tulip

send corrections   |   shelftag   |   edit barcodes   |   add pic

Bottle at Sander’s place, NYC. Pours clear, copper-ruby with a luscious, light tan foam. Truly gorgeous aroma, loads of fresh, wet hops, pine, grapefruit, pineapple, melon. Medium sweet flavor, toasty grain, some spicy rye, tons of meaty hops, pine, toasty sugar. Medium to full bodied with average carbonation. Sticky, moderately sweet finish, tons of resinous pine, citrus, spicy hops and rye. Delicious toasted malts, subtle caramel, fine bread. Lasting pine bitterness and modest sugar. Really an incredible beer. Wonderfully drinkable.

0.355 l bottle, thanks Johannes! Amber color. Flowery and citrusy aroma with pine and mellow caramel. Lemony and piney flavor with firm yet smooth bitterness and nutty maltiness in the background. Smooth oily palate. Very drinkable and tasty.

(bottle) clear medium amber colour with medium tall off white head; aromas of citrus, pine; flavour rather bland, bit mineral, not as good or complex as the aroma or as many other IPAs,

12oz bottle into a standard pint glass. Appearance: Pours a somewhat murky amber color but when held to the light it glows a bright orange, which is kinda neat. One finger off white head that faded quickly to a ring. Sticky lacing down the sides of the glass. Pretty badass label too! Aroma: Citrusy, grapefruit hops. Some piney resin like notes as well. Spicy. Taste: Piney and citrusy hops bitterness. Spicy, bready malt. I like the way the rye malt works here, making it slightly sweet but adding some spice characteristic. Also, a little soapy. Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, high carbonation. Fruity, spicy, good bitterness and a pretty good mix of flavors. The rye works pretty well and adds a little bit of unexpected depth.

In bottle, bought from Stirchley Wines in May 2012. Not a lot or aroma initially as beer was a little cold from the fridge, but as it warmed up more resiny hop scents came out. Lots of hop oil bitterness in the initial flavour, which gives way to a great ’bready’ aftertaste and slightly sweet, yeasty note. One of the few rye beers I’ve had that have seemed properly balanced, where the rye gives a different and interesting backnote to the hop flavours.

Amber appearance with a thin white head. Aroma is strong rye and spices with an equally strong hop Flavor is very intense, strong hops and rye. Earthy flavors in the aftertaste. Overall, Very enjoyable.

From notes: Poured hazy orange-amber with a thick, 2-finger off-white head. Aroma is peppery and grassy. Body is medium-to-slightly thick. Piney hops taste up front, giving way to grassy and peppery notes from the rye.

Bottle from Systembolaget. Had a runny nose so aroma and taste might be a bit off. 3 finger head, pours dark amber. Aroma is malty, hoppy and citrus. A bit of pine forest as well. Taste; Malt and hops meet each other very nice! A bit peppery flavour as well after which a long lasting bitter after taste kicks in.

Bottle sample from a friend. Pours dark red-orange with a moderately-sized beige head. Hop aromas prevalent, initially pine and orange rind, becoming noticeably passion fruit-dominated as it reached room temp. Sugary toffee malt aromas as well, with limited bready notes from the rye. Flavour again dominated by hops and caramel malts, pine and citrus similarly replaced by passion fruit in the finish after warming. Again some dark peppery rye bread notes but not the richness expected. Mouthfeel medium, without the rye body hoped for, comes across as an IPA with a good malt structure but I hoped for a RyePA with more rye character.

This was great. I’m gonna have to get me some more. Kinda earthy grain oaty taste to go with big hops. Very enjoyable.

4 finger beige head that sinks to a 1/2 finger. Amber body. Nose: Butterscotch, toffee and apricot. Aroma: Butterscotch, toffee, apricot, oranges, grapefruit and orange-jam. Long bitter ending.