Terrapin Bourbon Oak-Aged Rye Pale Ale

Brewed by Terrapin Beer Company
Style: American Pale Ale
Athens, Georgia USA

Serve in Lager glass, Shaker, Tulip

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On cask at the St. Pete Craft Beer Expo. Rye Pale Ale with Bourbon-Soaked Oak. Pours hazy orange with a small off-white-ish head. Nose is very similar to standard Rye Pale- some rye with a decent backbone of caramel malt with an added hint of vanilla and bits of wood. Flavor is similar- rye comes out and a kind of vague oak/ wood quality with some bits of bourbon. Interesting variation on Rye Pale; bourbon and oak are very vague.

Cask at Trappeze - fest of rye. I’m not 100% sure how this one was put together. Carbonation was high (about like a regular Rye pale) and the bourbon was low. I won’t speculate but, 2 out of the last 3 casks I’ve had from Terrapin have been weak. The aroma only had weak wood and weaker bourbon. I would have probably preferred a regular Rye pale.

Name: Rye Pale Ale with Bourbon and Oak
Date: December 12, 2008
Mode: Draft
Source: Midway Pub, Atlanta
Appearance: hazy orange, fine off white head
Aroma: sweet crystal malt aroma with citrus hops, touch of vanilla sweetness
Flavor: sweet crystal and vanilla flavor, touch of bourbon, lots of woody oak character, good balancing hops, more vanilla and oak than bourbon
Overall: bourbon on an American pale ale is interesting but not entirely successful, the oak is the best part
Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 12/20
Rating: 3/5.0
Drinkability: 6/10
Score: *4