Sweetwater LowRYEder

Brewed by Sweetwater Brewing Company
Style: Specialty Grain
Atlanta, Georgia USA

Serve in Shaker, Tumbler

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Bottle courtesy Suttree. Citrus / floral hops, mango, and light caramel aroma. Hazy honey gold with a large off-white head. Citrus/floral hops, mango, light rye spice, sweet malt flavor. Medium body and carbonation. Very nice.

Using rye in pale ales and IPAs is a fairly new trend in the American hoppy beer scene. It’s definitely a finesse job for brewers to make the synergy of the spicy dryness from the rye, the citrus bitterness from the hops and the sweetness from the malts all work together. Sweetwater LowRYEder IPA is a good example of how these flavors really can work so well together.

I received a 12oz bottle in trade with Ding. I poured it into a tulip glass.

Appearance: Orange colored body that’s quite hazy, though there’s no sediment in it. Forms an average size, white, frothy head which doesn’t completely dissipate and leaves some lacing on the glass.

Smell: Orange juice concentrate plus and underlying rye bread scent.

Taste: While Sweetwater LowRYEder IPA does make good use of its rye character, it’s thankfully not a rye bomb. It’s also not the absolute best rye IPA ever made, either. Not that it’s a bad beer, just a plain good one. It’s actually surprisingly mild considering the style. The brewer’s website indicates it’s only 45 IBUs which would make this closer to a pale ale than a proper IPA.

It’s a bit mild up front, at least after the first few swigs. Light orange candy flavor followed by dry bitterness and a bite of rye spice just as it finishes. I do enjoy how the flavors work together, though. There’s a distinct sweetness to the palate that imparts a slight candy taste, but it’s a bit too short lived. It’s a tasty palate to be sure, but a rather dry and mild one. Perhaps opting for more of a juicy citrus taste rather than sheer dryness would make it even more delectable.

Drinkability: If you approach this as a pale ale you’ll find it’s as drinkable as a pale ale. The mouthfeel is medium, fairly comfortable, and not over carbonated. Despite the noticeable dry bitterness the aftertaste is on the cleaner side with just the faintest trace of starch. At 6.2% ABV Sweetwater LowRYEder IPA has as much flavor as possible from this body, and it’s light enough that it would work well with a meal or worth drinking a bottle or two on its own.

Interesting little beer with definite rye and citrus characteristics as advertised. Clear orange pour. Peppery and orange aroma. The taste follows and is well balanced between the hops and the rye (a little spicy). Very very smooth on the palate and drinkable. Good stuff.

Bottle. Pours golden with thick white head. Aroma of Rye and citrus hops. First taste is rye, bread, malt, and hops. Easy drinking session beer.

Bottle. Orange reddish golden with small frothy off white head. Nose is resinous and sweet cheesy hops. Flavor has some citrus, more sweet resin, light onion, cheesy hops. No thanks.

Bottle. Pours a clear dark golden color with a moderate white head. Great hoppy nose to it that foreshadows bitterness. Taste is not as bitter as the nose would suggest, but with a good bit of rye flavor and a clean finish. Not bad.

Pours cloudy dark yellow with a sticky white head. Big citrus hop aroma with juicy malts. The flavor has a distinct pineapple juice note to it. Nicely tart and bitter. nice one.

So there is Terrapin Easy Rye-der, Cucapa Low Rider, and now this....Original! Soft amber yellow with one finger of frothy off white head. Tastes and smells kind of like a homebrew. Very light hop aroma, mostly grain. Bready and somewhat musty.

Bottle. Golden color with a big soapy white head. Nose is juicy hops and wet grass. I don’t get any rye in the flavor, just lots of nice sweet, floral hops. Those hops continue into the finish, which then mixes in some peppery bitterness, and only a faint hint of rye late in the finish. It feels overly flat in the mouth. Otherwise, a nice IPA.

Medium golden pour with a loose white head that fades quick. Somewhat weak aroma of zesty citrus hops, mild rye spice and crystal malts. Sweet tropical fruitiness up front with caramel malts leading into a spicy rye and citrusy bitter finish.