Rye Pale Ale
The Civil Life Brewing Company

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From:
The Civil Life Brewing Company
 
Missouri, United States
Style:
Rye Beer
Ranked #55
ABV:
4.5%
Score:
86
Ranked #19,517
Avg:
3.8 | pDev: 9.47%
Reviews:
13
Ratings:
65
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 25, 2023
Added:
Sep 26, 2011
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  12
Pale ales are ubiquitous and are probably the single most important style of beer to have introduced the concept of 'craft'. Pales are a fairly quick beer to brew- many examples are ready in a couple of weeks- and appeal mainly in that they are quite often balanced beers without too many distractions and without too fine a point on it- they taste like beer! Our Pale Ale is loaded with Rye malt (about 20%) which adds some viscosity, richness, and a slightly spicy finish. We use a fair bit of caramel malt for color and our American hop charge has a slight bite and piney finish. All this said, I think our Pale shares a few finer points with its sister style - Amber. Our 'Pale' is pretty dark and has a pronounced richness from caramel malt.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of Suds
Reviewed by Suds from Missouri

4.03/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
From a twelve ounce aluminum can. Amber-brown in color with a with a slim off-white head. The liquid has some haze.
The aroma has a toasted bread crust scent, along with a bit of spiciness. Rye comes out in the taste, which also carries some malt. Fairly balanced and full in body. Nice.
Nov 25, 2023
Photo of Luscious_Malfoy
Reviewed by Luscious_Malfoy from Illinois

4.23/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
draft pour into new-aged pint glass (where they say it’s a pint but it’s well short…). pours foggy light amber with an dirty white foam head. piney hops on the nose. taste follows with a small punch of rye in the finish. medium mouthfeel. nice carb to it. reminds me of SN PA.
Aug 27, 2023
Photo of MonDak_Joe1953
Reviewed by MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota

3.77/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12oz can. Date stamp on can lip is 'CANNED 10/12/22'.
Medium amber colored body. Brief one finger off white colored head; the foam recedes to an interrupted cap and thick ring. Leaves behind partial walls of lacing.
Aroma of toasted malt, spicy rye, and earthy hops.
Taste is toasty and spicy, with the rye malt being earthy and spicy. Honey sweet, with a late pine mild bitterness. Has a touch of fruity and floral hops.
Thinner mouth feel. Slight tongue numbness. Very good carbonation.
Departures from a standard pale ale include the darker color and the rye spice.
Apr 20, 2023
Photo of ponypunk
Reviewed by ponypunk

2.9/5  rDev -23.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
Look: Somewhat hazy rich amber color with a nice off-white head an a ton of carbonation.
aroma: I cannot pinpoint the aroma as I am not familiar with rye beers. It does not smell bad. Nothing really stands out.
Taste: Tastes like a amber bock.
Mouthfeel: Average
Overall: The beer is OK, Not much new here.
Sep 25, 2022
 
Rated: 4.1 by mattmarka1 from Minnesota

Jul 03, 2022
Photo of Mark-Leggett
Reviewed by Mark-Leggett from Missouri

4.04/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Poured from a can. Caramel in color with a good sized tan head and lacing. Smells of pine, rye, malt and honey. Taste follows the smell and the flavors all work together really well.
Mar 26, 2022
 
Rated: 3.48 by AmatuerSurgeon from Missouri

Feb 17, 2022
Photo of Madsen89
Rated by Madsen89 from Illinois

4.03/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
A drinkable rye. I've had better and I've had worse.
Dec 27, 2021
Photo of hoptheology
Reviewed by hoptheology from California

3.99/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
12 oz can, canned 8/1/20. into Southern Grist Mini Beecher.

I picked this beer up simply to check off a new brewery, and it was the freshest beer I could find by them. 3 months to the day, let's roll before it fades more!

The body is a caramel color and the head is a white-grey finger. Leaves some looped lacing as it recedes to a fuzzy ring.

Aroma is pleasant spearmint and grass (could be confused with pine), with a gritty rye bread note behind it. Tight and sweet, fresh and clean. Great combo.

Flavor brings a lot of nutty and sweet caramunich malt at the start, followed by eucalyptus and pine, with some gritty rye further behind that. Remaining elements of grapefruit peel and orange pith with lingering caramel malt. It is a bit harsh but never dirty, and that's what keeps me coming back to it - like mint gum. Surprisingly no evidence of hop fading, though I'm sure by now I've missed out on a bit of volume. Still a 4.

Feel is very resiny, lots of carbonation, moderate alcohol heat, some stickiness. Dries out on the finish.

Overall, a respectable pale ale with the exciting addition of rye. Snappy and bright with a good dose of sweet nutty caramel malt. It's a smooth drinker. It's not one I'd do all the time, but for what it is, a good score is in order.

Price paid : $1.75 / can
Would buy again : sure why not
Nov 02, 2020
Photo of JLaw55
Reviewed by JLaw55 from Missouri

3.5/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Amber, almost brown in flavor with an inch of sticky white head. Decent pale ale with a malty profile. pretty bitter and spicy from the hops and rye. All in all, not bad.
Apr 15, 2020
 
Rated: 4 by Zonian1 from Ohio

Jan 09, 2020
Photo of Franziskaner
Reviewed by Franziskaner from Missouri

3.99/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Copper colored with a light haziness. There's a fingernail of eggshell around most of the top. The aroma is of earthy rye and mosaic hops. I'm tasting a very well balanced presentation of the floral mosaic hops and earthy rye. There's just a touch of resinousness in the mouthfeel, but this beer is all about subtlety.
May 06, 2018
 
Rated: 4.1 by Branlott42 from Missouri

Oct 14, 2017
 
Rated: 3.25 by atrocity from Virginia

Jul 13, 2017
 
Rated: 3.93 by FBarber from Illinois

Jun 28, 2017
 
Rated: 3.93 by jaydoc from Kansas

Apr 11, 2017
 
Rated: 3.36 by DraughtJunkie82 from Missouri

Jul 21, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by XmnwildX12 from Minnesota

Jul 19, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by smartassboiler from Illinois

Jul 07, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by 22Blue from Kansas

Jun 13, 2016
Rye Pale Ale from The Civil Life Brewing Company
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 65 ratings