Kentucky Ryed Chiquen
Against The Grain Brewery
- From:
- Against The Grain Brewery
- Kentucky, United States
- Style:
- Rye Beer
Ranked #122 - ABV:
- 8.6%
- Score:
- 82
Ranked #34,490 - Avg:
- 3.63 | pDev: 13.5%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 62
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Dec 14, 2025
- Added:
- Feb 20, 2012
- Wants:
- 25
- Gots:
- 62
SCORE
82
Good
82
Good
An amber ale brewed with rye malt and aged in rye whiskey barrels. Our first barrel aged beer here at Against the Grain is the Kentucky Ryed Chiquen. Named so because it was made in Kentucky, has a lot of Rye in it and was aged in rye barrels and it's not Chicken. As we all know (or should know) Chiquen refers to anything that is not chicken.
Now that we have all that straight, we will talk about what is in this beer. Brewed with Maris Otter from the UK and rye malt and caramel rye from Germany, imparting a spicy, fruity and dry flavor. Then hopped with enough English Nugget and Kent Goldings just to balance and fermented with our house ale yeast. After fermentation we moved the entire batch into the AtG private dining room and into used Redemption Rye barrels from our good friends at Strong's Spirits. There it aged for 5 weeks until we felt it had picked up the right amount of residual bourbon character and oak flavors. We then transferred it to our serving tank, carbonated it and the end result is on tap now, a balanced drinkable and complex barrel aged beer.
Now that we have all that straight, we will talk about what is in this beer. Brewed with Maris Otter from the UK and rye malt and caramel rye from Germany, imparting a spicy, fruity and dry flavor. Then hopped with enough English Nugget and Kent Goldings just to balance and fermented with our house ale yeast. After fermentation we moved the entire batch into the AtG private dining room and into used Redemption Rye barrels from our good friends at Strong's Spirits. There it aged for 5 weeks until we felt it had picked up the right amount of residual bourbon character and oak flavors. We then transferred it to our serving tank, carbonated it and the end result is on tap now, a balanced drinkable and complex barrel aged beer.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by MutuelsMark from Kentucky
4/5 rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Darker, 'cloudy' amber in color with a tan head. No lacing to speak of. Nose is malty, maybe a slight hint of bourbon. Taste is malty and caramel with a decent amount of bitterness on back end. Does not drink like 8.6%
Jan 05, 2025
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois
3.56/5 rDev -1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.56/5 rDev -1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
2023 vintage (actual date was smudged); drank 9/22/23 @ the Yarchives.
Mostly opaque orange/red appearance.
A violent pour yielded a huge, noisy khaki head; a thick curtain of tree-rung lacing remained.
Caramel, oak, mild bourbon & faint orange peel notes in the nose.
Creamy, medium thick mouthfeel.
Caramel & mild baking soda flavors up front; dry oak & dry rye notes on the finish. As this warmed, a bit of bourbon presence emerged.
This smelled better than it tasted; It's still drinkable, but I wouldn't seek it out again.
Sep 23, 2023Mostly opaque orange/red appearance.
A violent pour yielded a huge, noisy khaki head; a thick curtain of tree-rung lacing remained.
Caramel, oak, mild bourbon & faint orange peel notes in the nose.
Creamy, medium thick mouthfeel.
Caramel & mild baking soda flavors up front; dry oak & dry rye notes on the finish. As this warmed, a bit of bourbon presence emerged.
This smelled better than it tasted; It's still drinkable, but I wouldn't seek it out again.
Rated by Manta200 from Kentucky
3.79/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Single 16oz can from Party Town.
Definitely need to buy this again, very tasty!
Aug 16, 2022Definitely need to buy this again, very tasty!
Rated by 13adam13 from Kentucky
4.27/5 rDev +17.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.27/5 rDev +17.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Subtle
Smooth
May 07, 2022Smooth
Reviewed by Brutaltruth from Ohio
3.69/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.69/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
From the 16 oz can in a snifter. This solid brew pours a nice deep amber with a
modest head of white foam that settles to a thick ring, thin dusty layer, and shows light
lacing. Nose of faint grains, light spicy rye, and faint bourbon with touches of
caramel. Flavors exceed the nose with caramel, brown sugars, oak, bourbon, and
light vanilla with a balanced back drop of herbal hops. Nice mouth feel; medium
light body, lightly effervescent carbonation, and a balanced lightly dry bourbon
touched finish.
Overall, a unique brew.
Cheers
Aug 18, 2021modest head of white foam that settles to a thick ring, thin dusty layer, and shows light
lacing. Nose of faint grains, light spicy rye, and faint bourbon with touches of
caramel. Flavors exceed the nose with caramel, brown sugars, oak, bourbon, and
light vanilla with a balanced back drop of herbal hops. Nice mouth feel; medium
light body, lightly effervescent carbonation, and a balanced lightly dry bourbon
touched finish.
Overall, a unique brew.
Cheers
Reviewed by jkblr from Indiana
3.68/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.68/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
16oz can with an unreadable stamp poured into a shaker pint at fridge temp 8.6% ABV. Recent release. The beer pours bright, light copper in color with off white head. The head recedes to a thin ring and few scattered bubbles. No lacing. The aroma is faint with notes of earthy, caramel sweetness. The taste is semisweet toasted caramel malt with a minor hint of rye and oak. Bourbon is absent. Mild bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Overall, good beer, but not what I was hoping for... Minimal rye, minimal barrel and a fairly hefty price tag. It's a nice change of pace in today's beer world, but I'm good with one.
May 22, 2021
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway
3.43/5 rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.5
3.43/5 rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.5
750 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 8.6%. Orange to amber colour, huge off-white head. Distinct aroma of rye whiskey oak barrel, hints of caramel and dark dried fruits. The flavour has a slight malty sweetness, again followed by notes of rye whiskey or bourbon oak barrel, caramel and brown sugar, dark dried fruits and mild spices. Moderate hops. Overcarbonated, fizzy mouthfeel.
Mar 22, 2021
Reviewed by Bannik1 from Missouri
4.1/5 rDev +12.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.25
4.1/5 rDev +12.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.25
Ordered two flights at the brewery. This is definitely their best offering.
It looks and tastes a little thin and watery compared to what you would expect.
However the flavor is not a let down. Often with bourbon barrel aged beer you become overwhelmed with the smoky and woody flavor. It takes the back seat to an excellent rye.
Oct 12, 2019It looks and tastes a little thin and watery compared to what you would expect.
However the flavor is not a let down. Often with bourbon barrel aged beer you become overwhelmed with the smoky and woody flavor. It takes the back seat to an excellent rye.
Reviewed by Parmesan from Colorado
3.47/5 rDev -4.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.47/5 rDev -4.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
L:. Pours a muddy red orange with a creamy white head that takes a while to dissipates.
S:. Notes of bourbon, a spicy rye, some apple juice, some sweet berries including strawberry, a bit of vanilla. Smells unique.
T:. Spicy rye, mixes with bourbon and berry, a sweet apple and a light hop. Unique taste definitely, not sure of that is good or bad.
F: high carbonation, medium to full body.
O:. Interesting beer, definitely unique, good but not amazing.
May 01, 2019S:. Notes of bourbon, a spicy rye, some apple juice, some sweet berries including strawberry, a bit of vanilla. Smells unique.
T:. Spicy rye, mixes with bourbon and berry, a sweet apple and a light hop. Unique taste definitely, not sure of that is good or bad.
F: high carbonation, medium to full body.
O:. Interesting beer, definitely unique, good but not amazing.
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