French Broad Rye Hopper

Brewed by French Broad Brewing Co.
Style: Specialty Grain
Asheville, North Carolina USA

Serve in Lager glass, Tumbler

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The rye hip mix isn’t bad, but the finish is light and lingers. Piney hops, light lacing....not amazing.

Draft at the tasting room. Brown with a tan wispy head. Aroma is sweet, spicy, cotton candy. Bitter, spicy, rye come through the hops although meld into one spicy hoppy flavor.

Bottle from Beer Revolution. Pours dark brown with a huge eggshell head and a toffee aroma. There is a smooth rye flavor with a dry bitter finish.

22 oz bottle from Suttree. Thanks man! Nice, rich amber pour with an off white head that settles into mere bubbles. Aroma of spicy rye, strong bitter hops, apparent caramel rye. Flavor of caramel, spicy rye, strong bitter hops. Strong bitterness with mostly pine and citrus. Medium bodied, Some brown sugar and leafy hops in the finish. Pretty good Rye beer.

Have had this beer multiple times once a long time ago from the bottle but the past couple times i have had it on draft and it has been terrible. I remember this beer being great and it must have been something wrong with the kegs but each of the last two times, both times off of different kegs it has tasted like butter and cigarettes. If I were reviewing on the last two tastes alone it would be a zero but like i said i remember it being good from the bottle. I will review again if i get a free tasting from a bottle as there’s no way I’m buying it/

Originally reviewed: 10/28/10. 22oz bottle poured into a pint glass. Pours a dark rusty orange with a thin white head on top. Recedes to just a sheet across the surface. Some lace is left behind after each sip. I don’t know what to make of the nose. At first whiff, I get sawdust, grain, and sour fruit. But as I’m sipping and taking a breath, this resembles wet gym clothes and locker room. Seriously. It smells odd to me. Good crisp clean mouth. Fair carbonation. Refreshing finish. The rye really makes itself known in the flavor. Grainy start but gives way to slight souring notes, and a dry finish. I’ve wanted to try this one for awhile, and finally pulled the trigger. I’m not sure it’s one I would make a regular buy, but I’m glad I tried it.

22 oz. bottle. Pours a clear amber to brown with some ruby in the light. A soft and fluffy near 2-finger eggshell head left some lacing going down. Of course I had some serious nasal congestion going on, so the nose was difficult to detect, but what I got was quite nice: some sweet light perfume, hints of a little pine resin and light citrus along with some rye spice. Taste was fairly well balanced: not too sweet and a solid bitterness complimented by the spice notes. Palate was smooth, lighter to medium bodied, with a fairly long bitter finish. Very enjoyable, just right alcohol-strength-wise, and some nice nuance with the mix of aromatics and flavors. Good stuff.

Dark amber, very little head.Nose of sweet malts, fermenting apples, spicy citrus, and bubblegum. Medium body with good carbonation. Flavors of white bread, orange, pine, and rye. Tastes like a hoppy amber. It’s hard to fault a beer that doesn’t make any claims to style. As a rye English pale or amber, I’d say this is very good. Rated against IPA’s, I’d say this falls short. If I knew I was getting in to a somewhat interesting style, I would have been satisfied, but the label gives me no information, so as a mystery beer, I’m let down.

22oz bottle from JCB, thanks Jason! Pours a crystal clear, copper-gold colored body with a finger-width, frothy, off-white head that dissipates slowly and leaves a nice lacing. Aroma is a nice mix of caramel malts, spicy rye, and citrusy floral and grassy hops. Some bready grains, crystal malts, and earth. Flavor is similar. Caramel with a light crystal sweetness, spicy rye bread, earthy hops, citrusy florals and grasses, and a touch of toast. Finishes dry, moderately bitter, rye spiced, grassy, and citrusy. Lengthy aftertaste following a medium body and a crisp, moderate carbonation. Overall, a nice beer. Solid caramel backing with some crystal malt sweetness and lots of spicy rye, floral/grassy/earthy hops, and a nice citrus to balance. Very enjoyable.

Bottles courtesy of JCB. Thanks again! Pours a hazy dark copper, almost chestnut brown color with a two finger frothy white head that very slowly settles into a lasting ring. Large chunks of soapy lacing left behind. Subtle rye presenc in the aroma with some sweet malt, caramel and hazelnut. This is countered by a slightly earthy, floral hop presence with faint pine. Medium bodied with a nice bitter hop presence up front that is countered by a sweet, slightly roasted malt backbone. Hints of caramel, rye, toast and dark fruit. Slight creamy texture with a dry finish. Hoppier and more complex than expected. Well balanced and easyto drink. A pleasant surprise from a brewery that I was unfamiliar with.

Pours a cloudy brown/straw color. Taste is muted pine and floral hops with a nice rye backbone. Tasted like a good english bitter with rye malts. Tasty stuff.