Honey Rye IPA
Cloud 9 Brewery

cool recipe, nice use of the honey in here, it offsets some hop bitterness, enhances an otherwise quite simple pale malt base, and adds a floral kick to the spicy rye aspect of this, all parts compatible in a cool way, very intentional and well crafted, even if the beer overall isnt impeccably well refined or anything, it doesnt need to be with this flavor complexion. slightly richer color to this, and indeed a little toasted quality to the nose, but its basic and light just the same, the sweetness i perceive is more honey than grain derived, and the hops hit with sweet orange, spruce tip, and light white florals, again a neat bridge with the honey, nothing too bitter or intense. the flavors all meld together super well, springy from the hops and the honey, still in the ipa range but nicely balanced, fermented drier than it smells but otherwise without a big yeast contribution, and the rye malt is nicely dosed, bold enough to be evident, pale and earthy and a little peppery, but light enough for there to be no harshness at all here. i like the aftertaste with the honey and the hops together, and i think this combines some unique elements in a pretty clever way. their herbal and botanical beers have long been some of their best, so no surprise the nailed it with honey again. a hearty but also very drinkable pint, one of their best new ones in awhile!