Mayfly Rye
Big Spring Brewing

 

a decent but samey and safe rye pale ale here, very much old school, with enough light crystal malt sweetness to cover up and drown out any earthy spicy rye intensity, all rye beers used to be like this, but the style has evolved beyond this, and im looking for a little more robust rye malt character in here, even though i can taste it in this, it just seems really conservative to me. medium brassy colored brew with a short but lasting white head, some fading lace left behind in the glass after each sip, visible carbonation rising up. it smells and tastes a touch sweet, a little graham cracker character to it, even trace honey, but also a lightly baked element, richer and warmer than i generally like in a pale, and it comes at the expense of not just the hops, but the rye as well. mild pepper and dried grass here, slightly herbal, and a faint orange peel note at the end. its good, pretty well made beer, fairly clean on the ferment, but i want more rye and less sweet grain in here. that said though, this is a tasty all season pale, real approachable, not bitter from the hops at all, and something everyone should enjoy.

Rye, honey, spice, and cracker aroma. Sweet-ish and bready in the taste. Some light hop flavors. Medium bodied. Pretty enjoyable, a very drinkable beer.

 

Served on tap in a pint glass
Appearance – The beer is served a deep golden amber color with a one finger head of creamy off white foam. The head has a great level of retention very slowly fading over time to leave a ton of foamy lace on the sides of the glass.
Smell – The aroma of the brew is rather light overall, but has hints of rye and pine as well as a little bit of a sweeter honey smell.
Taste – The taste begins with a bready flavor upfront with some caramel sweetness. At the start the rye is on the lighter side, with it increasing in potency as the taste moves forward. All the while some hop flavors of an herbal and pine nature come to the tongue, and with the rye and a little bit of honey one is left with a very clean light rye bread taste to linger on the tongue.
Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is on the slightly thicker and chewier side with a carbonation level that is average to slightly higher. For the rye bread taste with a light sweetness the mix is fantastic and makes this brew a very easy drinker.
Overall – This was a very nice and tasty, very easy drinking rye. Quite well done overall.