Attila The Hen
Against The Grain Brewery & Smokehouse

Attila The HenAttila The Hen
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From:
Against The Grain Brewery & Smokehouse
 
Kentucky, United States
Style:
Rye Beer
ABV:
12.7%
Score:
89
Avg:
3.99 | pDev: 9.77%
Reviews:
5
Ratings:
26
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Nov 25, 2022
Added:
Dec 11, 2013
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  1
Essentially an Imperial version of our famed KY Ryed Chiquen, this strong, rye-barrel aged, imperial rye amber ale is very rich. A prominent bourbon nose gives way to a full body carrying lots of rye spice, vanilla, cherry, caramel, wood, and warm alcohol flavors. The Maris Otter base malt lends this beer a full, grainy, almost biscuit character indicative of English influence, but the Munich and melanoidin malts lend a German, almost Oktoberfesty note that pairs well with the significant barrel flavors derived from a three month stint in freshly dumped rye bourbon barrels.

46.3 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 4.38 by Curt3 from Ohio

Nov 25, 2022
 
Rated: 3.97 by DvdP from Netherlands

Sep 21, 2020
 
Rated: 4.03 by NolaHopHead from Louisiana

Dec 01, 2019
Photo of bluejacket74
Reviewed by bluejacket74 from Ohio

4.21/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
750 ml bottle, pretty sure this was a February 2019 release. Label says 12% ABV. Served in a snifter, the beer pours a murky amber/brown color with about an inch and a half light tan head that stayed around for a really long time. There's also a lot of lacing. I like the aroma, the brew smells like caramel, rye, oak, vanilla, bready/grainy malt, coconut and toffee. I think the taste is similar to the aroma, but there's also the addition of some cherry, raisin, plum, molasses and herbal flavors. Mouthfeel/body is medium/full, it's thick and a bit slick with a good amount of carbonation. I liked this brew a lot, glad I bought it!
Jul 05, 2019
 
Rated: 3.5 by Hayley_86 from Netherlands

Mar 05, 2019
 
Rated: 4.09 by BeerForMuscle from New Jersey

Jan 14, 2019
Photo of superspak
Reviewed by superspak from North Carolina

4.23/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
750 ml bottle into snifter; no bottle dating, but was just released. Feathers glued on the top, which smell pretty freshly plucked oddly enough. Pours very hazy deep ruby red/orange/copper color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and rocky light khaki head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Nice dense foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big caramel, brown sugar, toffee, raisin, plum, cherry, peach, pear, fig, date, apricot, red apple, vanilla, spicy rye, whiskey, coconut, toasted oak, roasted nuts, biscuit, and brown bread/crust; with lighter notes of molasses, licorice, roast, smoke, herbal, grass, pepper, and yeast/toast/oaky earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/rye/bready malts, fruity yeast, rye whiskey barrels, and light-moderate earthy hop notes; with great strength. Taste of big caramel, brown sugar, toffee, raisin, plum, cherry, peach, pear, fig, date, apricot, red apple, vanilla, spicy rye, whiskey, coconut, toasted oak, roasted nuts, biscuit, and brown bread/crust; with lighter notes of molasses, licorice, roast, smoke, herbal, grass, pepper, and yeast/toast/oaky earthiness. Light-moderate pine, herbal, grassy, peppery hop bitterness; and rye, whiskey, oak tannin spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of caramel, brown sugar, toffee, dark fruit, cherry, peach, pear, apricot, red apple, vanilla, spicy rye, whiskey, coconut, toasted oak, roasted nuts, biscuit, brown bread/crust, light licorice/molasses, herbal, grass, pepper, and yeast/toast/oaky earthiness on the finish for a while. Incredible complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/rye/bready malts, fruity yeast, rye whiskey barrels, and light-moderate earthy hop flavors; with a great malt/bitterness, and rye/whiskey/oak spiciness balance; with no cloying/astringent flavors after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from lingering bitterness and rye/whiskey/oak tannin spiciness. Light-medium carbonation and fairly full body; with a very smooth, creamy/silky/bready/grainy, fairly sticky/tannic, and lightly chalky mouthfeel that is great. Mildly increasing warmth of 12%, with no barrel booziness lingering after the finish. Overall this is a fantastic barrel aged rye strong ale! All around outstanding complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/rye/bready malts, fruity yeast, rye whiskey barrels, and light-moderate earthy hop flavors; very smooth and dangerously easy to drink for the big ABV; with the mellowly bitter/spicy/tannic/drying finish. Fantastic balance of rich malts, fruity English yeast, and rye whiskey barrel presence/integration. Not overly sweet/heavy from lingering bitter/spicy/tannin dryness. A highly enjoyable offering, and amazing style example. Definitely a lot more impressive than the Rye'd Chiquen base beer. Richer malt complexity, and more barrel presence.
Dec 16, 2018
 
Rated: 4.25 by johnjohnbeer from Ohio

Oct 25, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by MaseFace from Kentucky

Aug 06, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by FatBoyGotSwagger from Pennsylvania

May 23, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by neckbracesub from Indiana

May 23, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by PretzelCity from California

May 15, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by jacewg from District of Columbia

Apr 11, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by tobelerone from New Jersey

Mar 09, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by GRG1313 from California

Mar 04, 2014
Photo of parrotsnest
Reviewed by parrotsnest from Washington

2.36/5  rDev -40.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2
I'm really not sure if I got a bad bottle or what, but this was a drain pour. This was a very sour barleywine, almost funky, not much sweetness. The only other barleywine I've had like this was a 4 years old barleywine (Old Guardian) that aged on a shelf improperly. Disappointed.
Feb 28, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by BigJim5021 from Indiana

Feb 24, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by JRod1969 from New York

Feb 12, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by ldhughes3 from Louisiana

Feb 09, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by mc4z from California

Feb 05, 2014
Attila The Hen from Against The Grain Brewery & Smokehouse
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 26 ratings