Rock Bottom Chicago Belgian Rye P.A.

(Draught) Pours a hazy yellow body with a small white head. Aroma of florals, grass, pine, rye, and orange. Flavor of hops (orange, grapefruit, earth, grass), Belgian yeast, and light caramel malt with a bitter finish.

Pale amber pour with a thin white head. The nose is quite citrusy and spicy with a lot of orange and grapefruit. Light spiciness along with a bit of resinous hoppiness. Orangey and a little bit chewy. Fresh and spicy with a unique combination of spice and fruit, somewhat like the saison, but more malt forward. Nice.

YOWZA!!!!! The corporate cookbook caretakers at Rock Bottom headquarters sure came up with a heated, strong Belgian-styled ale with a big rye grain bill and loads of PNW hops this time around! Folk, you’ll appreciate it when this cookie-cutter recipe makes it to the Rock Bottom nearest you!

Or, you can drop by the Chicago Rock Bottom to try this tasty treat brewed up by brewmaster Pete Crowley and Jeff Sparrow.

As I stated before I started to make light of the foolhardy, this beer is hot, perhaps too openly displaying its strong ABV because of its youth. Nice pour, a slightly hazed amber body with gold around the edges topped by a lasting bubbly head. The aroma is full of pine and grapefruit hop scents... This is another Achouffe influenced brew... but that’s certainly not a bad thing for this hophead. The rest of the nose is filled with nasal hair... I mean, with juicy orchard fruit, toffee, and alcohol. My tongue was burnt by alcohol and hot white peppers. Then I drank some more of this ale, and it happened again!!!! The flavor is burning toffee, juicy fruit, light brown sugar, and a very sturdy PNW bitterness.... which gains points in my book. The finish has a light malty sweetness, a serious hop bitterness, and a sturdy alcohol burn. Thank goodness this was only a sixteen ounce goblet!

But seriously, Pete. How did you get Kevin Reed to allow you to be the first to brew this one?

<font size=-4><a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp?PlaceID=444>Rock Bottom Chicago, Chicago, IL<font size=-1>

Draft at RB - Chicago. Poured clear golden color with an average fizzy white head that was mostly lasting with fair lacing. Moderate fruity, yeast and toasted malt aroma. Medium body with a sticky texture and soft carbonation. Medium earthy rye sweet flavor with a medium bittersweet finish of moderate duration. My expectations where met with a solid beer.

Goblet at RB - Chicago. Poured translucent medium orange with a light dusting of white head.. sticky lacing as it descended. The aroma had a spiced-up blast of sweet oranges and pale malts upfront (orange zest and cat pee accents).. after the initial impression, the hops really take over.. odd, but aiight. The flavor had a dry middle of pale and lighter fruity malts.. very hoppy surroundings with oranges and perfumey notes paired with peppery yeast spiciness.. strange blend of distinctly Belgian yeast and very American hops.. long, spicy and bitter finish. Thick on the front of the palate with lower carbonation.. heavy middle with more bitterness and spices on the finish. This wasn’t bad, but it didn’t do it for me.

Tasted on tap at the Pizza Port Strong Ale Festival 12/6/2008. This Belgian Strong Ale pours a medium gold color from the tap. Small to medium sized white foamy head. The aroma is fruity and sweet with a touch of spiciness. A medium bodied BSA. The malts are fruity and sweet. Hops are earthy and floral. Nice balance. Touch of orange peel and coriander. There is also some rye spiciness. Starts out sweet and finishes very dry. Mouthfeel is full. Finish is crisp and dry. Aftertaste is slightly sweet.

2009-09-26. Amber body, off white head and lace. Lovely aroma, floral/leafy hop blend, something interesting that I can not place but I like, light fruit touches. 7+ Flavour is similarly fruity, illegible with tart touches of apricot/citrus fruit, modest bitterness throughout. 7+ Smooth average palate. Different, I really enjoyed this one. On tap at Rock Bottom Chicago

Grapefruit and slight floral aroma. Medium light ruddy gold, light foam head. A bit briny, fruit tartness with latent hop bittering. This just didn’t meld well and left an unpleasant aftertaste. Medium heavy body.