Lion Tamer Rye IPA
Hi-Wire Brewing

12/26/17....pours reddish amber, thick white creamy foam. Malted rye nose, faint. Juicy, pine soapy forward, lite rye. Closing juicy and fresh. Residual rye bitter. Tasty!

12 ounce bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 7/17/2017. Pours moderate hazy/cloudy deep orange amber/light copper color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and rocky cream colored head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice dense soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of tangerine, grapefruit, peach, pineapple, apricot, mango, lemon zest, orange peel, citrus rind, pine, caramel, spicy rye, toasted bread, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Very nice aromas with nice balanced and complexity of citrus/fruity/pine hops and moderate dark/rye/bready malt notes; with solid strength. Taste of big tangerine, grapefruit, peach, pineapple, apricot, mango, lemon zest, orange peel, citrus rind, pine, caramel, spicy rye, toasted bread, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Moderate pine, citrus rind, grassy bitterness; and peppery rye spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of tangerine, grapefruit, peach, pineapple, apricot, mango, lemon/orange peel, citrus rind, pine, caramel, spicy rye, toasted bread, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a while. Very nice complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/pine hops and moderate dark/rye/bready malt flavors; with a nice malt/bitterness and rye spiciness balance; and minimal lingering hop/rye astringency after the finish. Moderate increasing dryness from bitterness and rye spiciness. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth and moderately bready/grainy/sticky/resinous/rindy balanced mouthfeel that is nice. Zero warming alcohol for 7%. Overall this is a very nice Rye IPA. All around nice complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/pine hops and moderate dark/rye/bready malt flavors; very smooth and easy to drink; even with the fairly aggressive bitter/drying finish. Definitely huge on the rye malt. Citra/Amarillo hops. Great mix of juicy/dank hop complexity; balanced crystal/rye bready malt backbone, with no residual sweetness. A very enjoyable offering.

 

 

 

Pours a hazy amber, heavy with dusty swirling particulates & rising bubbles, producing 2 fingers of beige, frothy, somewhat lasting head that recedes to a patchwork of bubbly islands leaving a frosty wash of streaky lace. Aroma is earthy rye, grain & toast, caramel, orange, pineapple, floral with spicy hop & rye notes. Taste is earthy, grain, toast, rye & light caramel mixed with orange, other citrus, spice & tropical fruit hints. Bitter throughout it is sweetest in the middle but this dissipates in the floral, citrus, piney resin & light pepper, spicy rye & toasted malt finish & piney, malty rye bitter aftertaste. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with moderate carbonation, juciy, peppery & lightly chalky.

 

 

Bottled on 7/17/17. 12oz bottle poured into a tulip. Pours a hazy glowing copper with lots of sediment/floaties along with bubbles racing upwards; small creamy light khaki head that falls leaving nice retention and sticky lacing. The aromas have a nice amount of citrus along with some malts. Subtle hints of caramel. Orange and grapefruit is there. Some garlic and onions in the mix. The flavors follow the nose. More orange and grapefruit. Very herbal. Solid malt backbone, but the hop bitterness seems to outweigh the malts. Solid hop flavors. The rye is definitely there, but doesn't completely dominate. Finishes juicy and dry at the same time, but probably more on the juicier side. Alcohol goes unnoticed. Mouthfeel is nice. It's medium-bodied with moderate to active carbonation.

This is a nice "Rye IPA". The craftsmanship is on point. It's enjoyable and fun to drink.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A: 12 ounce bottle with no expiration date. Bought in Asheville so hoping it is fresh. Poured a hazy burnt orange with off white head. Had a few floaties in there which was good. Lacing grabbed the glass. Outstanding looking beer.

S: Not a ton of hop, the malt is there in the aroma. Bread, orange, and a bit of pine. Not strong but interesting aroma.

T: Very nice, the bread is there with a nice balance of citrus and pine. A touch of maybe toffee. The bitter is there but not as overwhelming as many IPAs.

F: Medium to full bodied, kinda dry but still some cloying from the malt. The bitterness does not linger which is great.

O: Not just a hop bomb like many IPAs. This one was very balanced and enjoyable, very nice Hi-Wire. My guess is it gets crushed for not being there for the hop heads.