Evil Giant - Rye IPA
Barrier Brewing Company

 

Nice, but not extraordinary.

 

 

 

 

On tap.

A - Medium copper gold colored pour, sticky white lacing on the glass.

S - Sticky pine and floral aroma.

T - Light caramel malt with sticky pine and floral hoppiness and ends with a sweet delicate floral bitterness.

M - Medium body.

O - Nice and balanced.

 

 

 

 

Poured into a becher pint glass, the appearance was a semi-hazy burnt yellow color topped with a thin finger's worth of white foamy head that slid off at a mild pace. Some light stringy lace followed sliding down the glass.
The aroma had some sweet to semi-spicy rye up front, somewhat floral and then some orange sweetness and a light clean bready to cracker malt.
The flavor leaned slightly towards the sweet side and trying to embrace a nice bitterness about it, but seemed to only to try and be there for balance, and there was some, but not a whole lot. Mild clean malty to rye-like aftertaste.
The mouthfeel was about medium bodied with a pretty good sessionability about it. Carbonation felt pretty good. ABV felt as projected.
Overall, pretty nice AIPA well worthy of having again.

Fresh IPA keg from a skilled brewer, drunk from a wine glass, so obviously it's going to be very good.

Look: Unfiltered beauty in yellow/tan.

Smell: Creamsicle, Yeasty funk

Taste: Orange, Sourdough

Feel: Tangy, Oily, Balanced, Medium-full

Overall: You'd have to move up to DIPA to get anything "better".

Strong vanilla dryhop aroma had me worried, but it turned out to be a clever move by the brewer. Barrier has built its IPA's around a delicious yeast mixed with modern hops, and they let the malt take a back seat. Even the rye acts as a (nice) garnish here.

The head is full and lasting, and leaves artwork all over the glass upon swirling. In fact, you can feel that it never mixes with the liquid even in your mouth. While a nice, tart oiliness lingers long around the edges of your tongue, maybe you'd prefer a longer fruit taste, but you'll probably have to add 2% abv plus unpleasant sweetness to get that.

Any lover of modern IPA who rated this less than a four, I'd suggest you try this again, AFAP (as fresh as possible).

 

 

On tap at District Tap House in NYC. Pours orange with fluffy white head and nice lacing. Aroma is of citrusy hops, caramel malt and tropical fruit. Body is medium and tangy. Taste is similar to Aroma. Finish is long and hoppy. Very tasty brew.