Beer Review: Terrapin Rye Pale Ale

I’ve seen this beer before, but it recently came up in a beer-centric conversation with a friend, so I thought I’d give it a shot. According to the Terrapin Web site,

Terrapin Beer Company was founded by two brewers who share a commitment to to creating world class beers unsurpassed in character and flavor. In a salute to their entrepreneurial spirits Spike and John struck out on their own to satisfy their passion for creating innovative and aggressive beers.

Terrapin is based in Athens, GA and is apparently a small operation. Now onto the beer. Here is what was written on the neck of the bottle:

By using an exact amount of rye, a grain seldom found in other micro brewed beers, Terrapin Rye Pale Ale acquires its signature taste. Made with five varieties of hops, and a generous amount of specialty malts, Terrapin Rye Pale Ale offers a complex flavor that is both aggressive and well balanced – a rare find among beers.

The Pour
This beer pours to a burnt orange/slightly golden color. I had expected it to be cloudy with grainy goodness but it was actually quite clear. It looks quite carbonated sitting in the glass as the bubbles rise up to escape through a small tight head. The head dissipates slowly. There really isn’t any lacing until you start drinking it. The beer laces the glass as you knock it back.

The Nose
The floral aroma of the five varieties of hops alternates with the aroma of rye. There are slight citrus notes present as well, probably leaning towards a more sour citrus fruit, like a lemon or grapefruit. It smells pleasantly grainy with the rye coming through.

The Taste
My first impression is that this is quite like a light hefeweizen. It’s very smooth. Late in the finish you pick up sour lemon on the back of the palate. It doesn’t have a very carbonated mouthfeel, but you do feel it seem to gently bubble on the tongue as you swallow. This is a medium to medium-light bodied brew. It could be more crisp, if you ask me. The rye is subtle but it’s there. The hops are noticeable but are muted by the malts before the bitterness fully develops.

Overall
This is not a bad brew at all, but it’s probably not one I’d purchase again. It’s not that it’s awful or anything…it’s just not right up my alley, I suppose. It is an interesting brew and a nice change of pace though. I suppose it’s kind of like getting whole grain bread instead of just white bread. It’s still bread, but a little more organic tasting and grainy. This is still a pale ale, but more natural and organic tasting and definitely more grainy (which is a good thing).

Recommended: Maybe…if you’re a fan of pale ales and just want a change, this beer is for you.

Price: $1.69 for a 12-oz bottle

ABV: 5.3%

Beer Review: Flying Dog Kerberos Tripel

So despite the fact that I’ve had a hard time posting reviews of the beers Flying Dog has sent me lately, they sent me another sample: Kerberos Tripel. This arrived on a good day as I was in need of a good beer but wasn’t planning on buying any until Friday.

Along with the bottle, they also sent a pretty handy chart (printed on both sides) showing their various beers and breaking down the malts and hops used in each, their awards, flavor characteristics, food pairings, etc. It’s available for download here.

Here is what Flying Dog has to say about this beer:

Kerberos is a bottle conditioned Belgian-style Strong Ale that weighs in at 8.5% ABV. It’s brewed with Pilsner and Aromatic malts and Golding and Saaz hops, yielding a deep golden to light copper in color. We recommend pairing Kerberos with poultry, creamy cheeses, fruit pastries or creme brulee.

Here’s what I had to say…

The Pour
Poured into a nice big pilsner glass, this showed an average, somewhat loose head that dissipated quickly, and leaving no real lacing on the glass. This brew was a bright golden copper color and definitely looked unfiltered. It looks like it will be a heavy, very slightly carbonated brew.

The Nose
This has a slightly sweet, slightly hoppy floral aroma. It smells like it will be a solid bodied beer that you’ll want to chew. You can pick up hints of bread or wheat in the nose as well.

The Taste
The body is indeed thick. It’s somewhat cloying and has an oily mouthfeel and does feel like something you could chew. None of this is really a bad thing, as it’s balanced out by the alcohol and hops, which are more noticeable at first. There’s also almost a wheaty flavor noticed after a few sips. After a few drinks the hops and alcohol become less pronounced, but you get the warmth of the alcohol all the way through. The mouthfeel doesn’t really change but it’s a somewhat pleasant presence.

Overall
This is like a thick, heavy pilsner. It seems to maintain a good subtle hoppiness, interspersed with wheat flavor making the occasional cameo. For a beer that is 8.5% ABV, the alcohol is slight noticeable at first, though very mellow, and just gets better as it warms your palate. All in all, this is great for those times you just want a good solid heavy beer to almost chew on. Very warm and tasty.

Recommended: Sure, but don’t buy it expecting beer to chug as you watch the game or hang out on the deck.

Price: Unknown

ABV: 8.5%

Try Flying Dog!

As you know, Flying Dog sends me beers to try every now and then. Lately I’ve been really bad at getting reviews of those posted because I’ve been in school as well as working, and taking thermodynamics and dynamics at that as I study to be an engineer. Well, I was recently sent their Garde Dog: Biere de Garde. It’s a spring French classic with an American twist. Unfortunately, I lost my tasting notes, so I can’t post a review. They did, however, just send me their Kerberos Tripel, which I reviewed tonight and will be posting tomorrow. Come back tomorrow for that. In the meantime, make your next beer purchase Flying Dog. They’ve been doing great things lately. And visit their Web site!

Incidentally, ever since reviewing Land Shark Lager, I’ve had a lot of people disagree with my opinion of the brew, which is fine and understandable. But some folks have wanted to know what I would recommend instead. I hope to put together a list soon and post them here. So stay tuned!

Oh, and one more thing about Land Shark Lager….if you like it, by all means drink it! Drink what you like. I know there are beers I like that others don’t, but as long as I’m enjoying them that’s all that matters

Cheers!

The Beer Snob