He'Brew Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A.
Shmaltz Brewing Company

He'Brew Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A.He'Brew Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A.
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Shmaltz Brewing Company
 
New York, United States
Style:
Imperial IPA
ABV:
10%
Score:
91
Avg:
4.06 | pDev: 12.07%
Reviews:
909
Ratings:
2,026
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jun 03, 2022
Added:
Jun 08, 2006
Wants:
  88
Gots:
  232
A Double India Pale Ale with Rye Malt brewed in tribute to Lenny Bruce (Leonard Alfred Schneider 1925-1966).
View: More Beers
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by DavidS333:
Photo of DavidS333
Reviewed by DavidS333 from Virginia

5/5  rDev +23.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
This beer is taste filled American Double/Imperial ale. It has the sort of lack of froth or carbonation which one sometimes sees in beers of this variety. I'm not sure if its coincidence or an omen if one will, but every time I've had a beer with little froth, and a medium+ body it has always been very full of flavor, and surely this ale/beer is no different.

The beer's color is a quite dark sort of a light caramel, and is not very transparent.

The flavor of this beer is very rich, and one might argue, changes depending on how one drinks it.

If one take it into one's mouth as usual and swallows it, one gets a quick splash of the rich flavor of this beer, like someone quickly opening and closing a decorative fan. However, one gets a much different and more varied, and still rich perspective on this beer, by taking it into one's mouth and holding it in the front of one's mouth for a moment, whereby its rich hoppy-rye combo really comes out.

The rye emphasis gives this beer a very fresh taste at the beginning, and perhaps serves as a sort of shell for the hoppiness that this beer possesses. Once one swallows said gulp/sip one is treated more to the hoppy aftertaste that has a real tendency to linger, giving one that unique and tell tale good and hoppy aftertaste.

If I had to compare this beer to other hop-heavy brews per se, I would say that the top notes per se, of the flavor have a really distinctive what I presume is "rye-ness" about them, with the hops forming a solid body of taste, and aftertaste underneath said ryeness per se.

This makes for a really rich and unique "art-beer" if one will, that really showcases a brewers ability to mix fore-tastes and after-tastes in a unique way, which I presume Mr. Bruce/Schneider would be happy to have named in his honor. For, this is really a great and tasty beer.
Oct 08, 2015
More User Ratings:
Photo of jrpapajcik
Rated by jrpapajcik from Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
From a tallboy can; Tallahassee, FL soccer tailgate.
Jun 03, 2022
 
Rated: 3.5 by RiceOwls27 from Texas

Apr 07, 2020
 
Rated: 4.23 by Oh_Dark_Star from Washington

May 09, 2019
Photo of GuyFawkes
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Murky rust-orange/red color.

Not much of a nose, but smells of an American barleywine (i.e. sweet, boozy maltiness). Not much hops in the nose.

Decent lacing throughout.

Smooth maltiness up front; hops give a faint bite on the back end. Alcohol creeps up after that, but isn't overpowering.

Tastes like a smooth version of an American barleywine to me, but is surprisingly drinkable. Slightly cloying but overall a good brew.
Apr 01, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by PaleAleWalt from New York

Feb 03, 2019
 
Rated: 4.53 by BarleyWhyNot from Colorado

Jan 07, 2019
Photo of mothmanscott
Reviewed by mothmanscott from Georgia

4.24/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
From notes 1/7/13: Pours a hazy dark amber/light brown producing a huge 3+ finger, lasting, frothy, beige head that leaves good rings and sheets of lacing on the sides of the glass as it recedes. Aroma is sweet, dark bread and caramel malts, rye spice, a hint of dark fruit, yeast, resinous pine and a hint of citrus hops. Taste is big and bold malty. Starting sweet with dark fruit, molasses and toffee, there is rye spice throughout, finishing boozy with piney hops. The malt, spice and pine flavors linger long in the aftertaste with a nice hoppy bitterness. Very barley wine like. Mouthfeel is medium-heavy bodied with moderate carbonation, creamy but a little syrupy, dry and drawing.
Nov 12, 2018
 
Rated: 4.25 by Tracker83 from Michigan

Oct 24, 2018
Photo of Nass
Reviewed by Nass from Florida

3/5  rDev -26.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Rye bread is one of my favorite styles of bread, so I do get stoked when I see beers like in my hometown. In addition to, I am a fan of Lenny Bruce's comedy. He pushed the boundaries back in his time for comedians of today to speak more freely in public. The R.I.P.A is just an absolute brilliant name for this beer title.This is a tasty rye IPA but that rye pepperiness is just too much for me to handle it is clashing with the hops & instead of savoring this 12 oz bottle I just feel like rushing things & gulping it down. There is NO DATE anywhere to be read on the bottle. Furthermore, I would love to try the rye barrel aged version of this beer one day. Cheers! B-
Oct 09, 2018
 
Rated: 3.83 by sweetbrew82 from California

Aug 06, 2018
Photo of wexmary
Reviewed by wexmary from New York

4.3/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
At first I got it for the gimmick, the name. Now I drink it for its reliable taste.

IPAs, good IPAs will have a multitude of tastes within it. This has a bitterness but not a piney bitterness. Excellent
May 20, 2018
 
Rated: 4.13 by Griphon from Florida

Apr 05, 2018
 
Rated: 3.94 by AdamSteve from Michigan

Feb 25, 2018
 
Rated: 1.02 by Walleybeer from New Jersey

Jan 29, 2018
 
Rated: 2 by 1971bernat from Virginia

Jan 03, 2018
Photo of OhioLimoncello
Rated by OhioLimoncello from Ohio

4.19/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
Amazing that this has both dominant bitter and sweet characteristics. A wonderful blend of hips and rye malt that's perfectly named!
Dec 29, 2017
 
Rated: 3.97 by TheCrowsEye from California

Dec 17, 2017
Photo of aarono
Reviewed by aarono from Indiana

3.83/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
I got this as part of a beer of the month, and I was really delighted. It has a medium color reminiscent of apple cider. The smell is light and fragrant. The head was not too thick and transformed quickly into a think layer on top. The mouthfeel was slightly creamy, and it had a nice rye flavor. Would drink again.
Oct 31, 2017
 
Rated: 4.17 by Electros from Canada (ON)

Oct 26, 2017
He'Brew Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A. from Shmaltz Brewing Company
Beer rating: 91 out of 100 with 2026 ratings