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Ruthless Rye IPA
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.


- From:
- Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
- California, United States
- Style:
- Rye Beer
Ranked #38 - ABV:
- 6.6%
- Score:
- 87
Ranked #16,573 - Avg:
- 3.89 | pDev: 11.31%
- Reviews:
- 1,198
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Monday at 02:11 AM
- Added:
- Dec 29, 2011
- Wants:
- 118
- Gots:
- 846
Rugged and resilient, rye has been a staple grain for ages and its spicy black pepper-like flavor has been prized by distillers and brewers for centuries. Rye thrives in the harshest conditions and comes to life in Ruthless, a rugged IPA with fruity, citrus and herbal hop notes countered by the dry spiciness of the rye. Holding a steadfast balance between contrasting malt and hop character, Ruthless is bold enough to inspire even the most brazen hop head to bear down and embrace the flavor.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Bluerabbitbell from Pennsylvania
3.95/5 rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.95/5 rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
11/27/23 12 oz bottle purchased at Caliente Pizza and Draft House in Crafton, PA
Bronze tinted deep amber look. Pepper on the nose with a bit of cigar on the taste. Definite peppery, grapefruit rind in the taste.
Nice to find another rye IPA.
Nov 27, 2023Bronze tinted deep amber look. Pepper on the nose with a bit of cigar on the taste. Definite peppery, grapefruit rind in the taste.
Nice to find another rye IPA.
Reviewed by whynot44 from Missouri
4.03/5 rDev +3.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.03/5 rDev +3.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Clear copper color with a modest but lasting off white head and a bit of lacing.
The aroma is fresh rye bread, hints of citrus and caramel.
The taste is slightly sweet malt, rye bread, caramel, lemon and black pepper. The finish is dry with some lingering grapefruit zest and pine, tasty and nicely balanced.
The body is medium, moderate carbonation, very smooth and very drinkable.
Altogether, this is a very enjoyable brew, I'm fond of rye ales and this is a very good example.
Oct 09, 2023The aroma is fresh rye bread, hints of citrus and caramel.
The taste is slightly sweet malt, rye bread, caramel, lemon and black pepper. The finish is dry with some lingering grapefruit zest and pine, tasty and nicely balanced.
The body is medium, moderate carbonation, very smooth and very drinkable.
Altogether, this is a very enjoyable brew, I'm fond of rye ales and this is a very good example.
Reviewed by InAmberChad
2.56/5 rDev -34.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 3
2.56/5 rDev -34.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 3
Drank from a Peroni glass left in the freezer for ~40 minutes. Served cold.
Color: clear with a couple very tiny floaters; dark amber, pushing into the red territory
Head: 2 cm deep with 1-3 mm bubbles; head has a slight yellowish tinge and a nice gradient from big bubbles in the center and little bubbles on the periphery; I personally like when the top of the head separates from the lower portion with the smaller bubbles, and this beer did not dissapoint; left only left a couple rings on the glass but I was drinking it pretty quickly
Aroma: sweet, spicy, caramel when first poured; caramel became more pronounced as the beer warmed
Taste: a little bit of sweet at the beginning followed by a pure peppery flavor as it coats the tongue; strong - but not unpleasant - alcohol flavor despite only being 6.6%
Mouthfeel: crisp carbonation; coats the tongue well and sits in your mouth for awhile
Overall: I don't think I'd sit down and drink a 6-pack of these, but I'm glad Sierra Nevada brought it back. Additionally, they put it in a sampler 12-pack along with some other re-hashed one-offs. I might try drinking one room temp on a cool autumn night as it definitely reminds me of the Fall, my favorite season.
Sep 24, 2023Color: clear with a couple very tiny floaters; dark amber, pushing into the red territory
Head: 2 cm deep with 1-3 mm bubbles; head has a slight yellowish tinge and a nice gradient from big bubbles in the center and little bubbles on the periphery; I personally like when the top of the head separates from the lower portion with the smaller bubbles, and this beer did not dissapoint; left only left a couple rings on the glass but I was drinking it pretty quickly
Aroma: sweet, spicy, caramel when first poured; caramel became more pronounced as the beer warmed
Taste: a little bit of sweet at the beginning followed by a pure peppery flavor as it coats the tongue; strong - but not unpleasant - alcohol flavor despite only being 6.6%
Mouthfeel: crisp carbonation; coats the tongue well and sits in your mouth for awhile
Overall: I don't think I'd sit down and drink a 6-pack of these, but I'm glad Sierra Nevada brought it back. Additionally, they put it in a sampler 12-pack along with some other re-hashed one-offs. I might try drinking one room temp on a cool autumn night as it definitely reminds me of the Fall, my favorite season.
Reviewed by Wattie83 from Pennsylvania
3.94/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.94/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12oz bottle poured into a teku glass. Looks copper colored in the body with an off white head that sticks around a bit. Not a perfectly clear beer but looks still in the glass as far as carbonation. Smell is brown bread, grain, slight citrus from the hops. Taste is pretty well balanced. You get the dark bread, pepper, spiciness from the malt coupled nicely with the grapefruit, lemon, pine from the hops. These flavors seem to be well balanced with none really dominating. Feel is medium bodied with low level carbonation. Beer seems to linger a bit on the tongue. Overall, I remember this beer very differently from before. This is a very pleasant drink as it is substantial, balanced, and very good. A bit different, obviously, due to the rye. I enjoyed it.
Sep 10, 2023Reviewed by ausyj75 from Connecticut
4.71/5 rDev +21.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
4.71/5 rDev +21.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
It’s worth shelling out for the Fan Favorites dozen to get three bottles of this gem. Easily the best rye IPA I’ve come across.
Please bring this back as a year round staple
Aug 23, 2023Please bring this back as a year round staple
Reviewed by Griffin2 from Virginia
3.85/5 rDev -1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.85/5 rDev -1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a 12 oz bottle dated 4/13/23 into a Willi Becher pint glass.
L - Pours a clear dark amber color with a white head.
S - Smells malty.
T - Tastes citrusy, malty and bitter.
F - Medium body and carbonation.
O - Kind of a malty, hoppy IPA.
Aug 22, 2023L - Pours a clear dark amber color with a white head.
S - Smells malty.
T - Tastes citrusy, malty and bitter.
F - Medium body and carbonation.
O - Kind of a malty, hoppy IPA.
Ruthless Rye IPA from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
87 out of
100 with
5314 ratings
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