Demo Tape Ten: Hoppy Rye Ale
Exhibit 'A' Brewing Company

 

 

Picked up at the brewery. Canned on 1/11/17.

A - Poured into my Duvel tulip a nice hazy dark, dark orange hue with a quarter inch white head that faded rather quickly to leave thin wisps.

S - Aromas of some very light rye, nice citrus oranges, orange peel and oils, very little malt.

T - Taste is similar to the nose. Fair amount of bright orange zest and flesh here, juicy oranges. Some light almost tart kumquat thing going on. The finish has a light spicy earthy bitterness. All in all the rye was not nearly as aggressive as I thought it was going to be.

M - Mouthfeel is lightly carbonated, nice body.

O - Overall this was a very solid hoppy beer. I personally wish the rye popped a bit more but the hop profile translates very nicely.

Serving Type: Can

Pours a muddled and opaque orange with a white head that recedes, but laces well. Appropriate look for rye beers, but they are never really all that pretty. Smells of citrus and rye spiciness in wonderful harmony. Taste is exactly what I was hoping for... dominant rye with a good orange citrus backdrop, and a mildly bitter finish. Feel is well carbonated, right between thin and medium bodied, finishes dry and just a touch less bitter than the rye IPAs and pales that I am familiar with. Overall, this is an outstanding rye ale and would gladly enjoy regularly if I could. Cheers!

 

Canned 1/11/17
Can to pint glass.

Opaque, Cloudy dark honey. Thin qtr finger off white head dissipates.

Dank earthiness in aroma. I think I can smell the Rye malt too, but there's a "vegetal citra" thing going on in the aroma. There has to be a better term for it. It's more herbal than vegetal, but it's spot on to aroma in a citra dry hop ipa I brewed with too much crystal malt. (Although can says Simcoe). Take some citra pellets and set them on your desk for a month, then smell. Stale hops maybe? It's not bad, just trying to find the right adjectives. More prominent as it warms. A very ripe fruit aroma as well, but that's not prominent.

Taste follows nose. Dank, earthy, a spice/herbal quality.

Mouthfeel is just smooth...really smooth. Too smooth? Low carbonation. Low bitterness. No back of throat crispness at all.

Overall I like it, but I don't love it. The weird citra aroma I get is not a deal breaker, just not something I'm going to come back to or seek out. Granted, this one is fighting a tough battle in that geography. It's good. Interesting. Not great. I'd love to try more from Exhibit A though. (80)

 

Canned 01/11/17 -- 'Valley Malt Love'

Gorgeous color with a pillowy head that fades quickly (seems to be a theme with these guys--not saying its good or bad). Love the balance of this beer. Tasty malt bill with enough rye to tell you it's unique but it's not nearly as spicy as most rye beers, making it a very pleasant departure from one-sided IPAs. Super fruity hop profile with a sweet, smooth finish. For a 'RyePA', this is top notch. Another knockout from Exhibit A!

 

 

Canned on 1/11/17; drank on 1/23/17; listed as 6.0% ABV on my can; another very good and tasty beer by Exhibit A Brewery; this one surprised and grew on me; according to the brewery website: "this beer is all about the hops AND the malt. We feature Simcoe hops along with Danko Rye that was grown and malted at Valley Malt in Hadley, MA. Great balance makes this an easy drinker"

 

 

 

 

Tap at the brewery

Nice thick creamy head fades slowly, nice sticky lacing, hazy pale orange color

Nose bright citrus, hint of tropical, fruity rye and sweet toasty malt, touch doughy, and some grassy spicy hop notes.

Taste nice sweet creamy malt, rich creamy malt notes, with a little fruity rye, touch toasted, into plenty of hops but only fair bitterness, nice juicy citrus more kumquat and apricot like stone fruit, faint tropical note an almost banana pineapple tangerine juice blend thing, little spicy hop and rye notes, with slight sticky finish, fair bitterness, lingering slight herbal spicy hop and rye.

Mouth is med bod, good carb, bit rich creamy

Overall pretty nice, didn't think I would like this one but it was def enjoyable.