This month I decided to go with a seasonal that recently arrived on the Nashville shelves. Rye Squared is a perennial regular in my beer fridge. If you like hops, rye, and higher ABV- this beer is a must. Grab some while you can!
Terrapin Rye Squared-
Terrapin Beer Company - Athens, GA
Description: Double the malt, double the hops, and double the flavor of the original Rye Pale Ale recipe. (Hence the name Rye Squared.) With its mammoth hop aroma, bitterness and flavor, this beer is not for the faint at heart. The Rye Squared clocks in at a hefty 8.5% ABV so double your pleasure and double your fun because Terrapin went a little crazy with this one! The first keg of Rye Squared went on tap at Tasty World in Athens on Monday April 25th 2005. A special thank you goes out to the newly formed Terrapin Keg Killers. We were told that Tasty World would put the Rye Squared on as soon as they finished off a keg of a "Select" beer they had on tap. When the Terrapin Keg Killers heard about this they went to Tasty world and finished off that other keg in record time. By 10pm on Monday they were enjoying the fruits of their labor when the first ever Rye Squared keg went online. Malt: 2-row pale, Munich, Malted Rye, Bisuit Malt, Honey Malt. Hops: Amarillo, Cascade, East Kent Goldings, Fuggle, Magnum
Smitty's Review: This sample started at around 45 degrees and was around 55 degrees when I finished. Pours a beautiful translucent dark copper amber with a dense two fingers beige head, with webby lacing. This beer has a nice floral hop nose mixed in with some fruity ale esters. The body sits somewhere between medium and full with average carbonation. The flavor starts off malty, with expected emphasis on rye accented by some caramel and toasted malts. This is quickly countered by a bold, but not overdone hoppiness that is spicy and bittersweet. Semi-dry bitter finish is resiny with accents of citrus, and a subtle amount of alcohol. This is somewhat warming as it goes down the windpipe. To sum this up, think American Strong Ale with a dash of whisky. This beer is just another reason why I love rye beers. Rye and hops work so well together.
Recommended Food Pairing: Spicy cheeses, BBQ, grilled meats and fish.
Where To Buy: Frugal MacDoogal (liquor store side), Midtown Wine & Spirits, and most liquor stores that carry specialty beers.
