Beer #36 French Broad Rye Hopper

Big shout out to Craft Brewed, a brand new craft beer bottle shop and tasting room in Melrose.

French Broad. Made in Asheville, North Carolina. French Broad has always been a fave of mine, from the Anvil Porter to the ESB- I dig this stuff.

But what about RYE? It seems to be so "in" these days... So some dudes can finally drink "whiskey". REMINDER: Bulleit Rye is not BOURBON. It is WHISKEY. Google INDIAN CORN and then come talk to me.

But alas, I love me some Bulleit Rye. I just don't like the hipsters that choke it down in tears and save the damn bottle. But back to beer.

The Rye Hopper is both Rye-ey and Hopp-ey. The name describes the beer. So why do I have this sweet job, you ask? Why describe something that is already described quite well? You ask?  ?  ...Well shut your mouth, someone just has to do this.

But back to the beer- From a spicy start to a deep, deep rye taste- I think I like it? Okay. I like it.

But what is rye? And what does it have to do with the taste of my beer?  Well, it's funny you ask.  After exhausting my catalogue of scholarly journals, I found this definition:

"Rye (Secale cereale) is a grass grown extensively as a grain and as a forage crop. It is a member of the wheat tribe (Triticeae) and is closely related to barley (Hordeum) and wheat (Triticum). Rye grain is used for flour, rye bread, rye beer, some whiskeys, some vodkas, and animal fodder. It can also be eaten whole, either as boiled rye berries, or by being rolled, similar to rolled oats. Rye is a cereal grain and should not be confused with ryegrass, which is used for lawns, pasture, and hay for livestock."

DO. NOT. CONFUSE. WITH. RYEGRASS.

I think I would best describe a rye taste as "spiciness".  Okay, I may have gotten some help from the smarty-pants at Craft Brewed on this one- but I was totally there anyway.  The closest thing I can think of to describe the taste of "rye" in your beer might be "a subtle mix of a very light anise and coriander- mixed with a malty syrup".  I actually think that describes a rye beer pretty well.  I'll take it a step farther.

"Lightly hopped anise-like introduction with a tangy sweetness of coriander on the sides of the tongue, finished with a bitter sorghum aftertaste on the backend."

Do I get that paycheck now?

With the Rye Hopper, you can really taste the Secale Cereale. And I fancy it is done quite well. I mean, it is nothing to drink 6 of, which is how you should judge ALL beers, but it is good enough to drink one- maybe two. I think it would be even better with a nice food pairing (see below in my new addition to the site "Most Desirable Food Pairing").

French Broad does deliver, yet again- and this time with an admirable addition to the current Rye-fest that is taking over the craft beer scene.  My only hang-up with this one is the introduction and the finish- it left me wanting.  It is lacking a certain complexity.  Nevertheless, try one out- you won't be sorry... Unless you are expecting Ryegrass.

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I give French Broad Rye Hopper a decently crafted 81.


Look: Dark Caramel Brown

Smell: Malty Syrupy Rye (Like you just opened a can of Malt Extract)

Taste: Deep Spice, and RYE, DUH

Most desirable food pairing: Anything with Hatch Green Chile

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Brett's ratings are out of 100. *Please understand that ratings on this scale have been influenced by my scholastic history of grading. A grade below 75 is not good, it is less than average. A beer below 60 is bad. Beers in the 90s are in the upper-echelon of beers on this earth, and above 95- divinely inspired.* As with all connoisseurs, personal taste affects all ratings. The best ratings tend to lean towards his two different biases; 1) Well-crafted heavy Stouts and 2) Lagers made with a simple perfection. Please understand that just because Brett gives a beer a high rating doesn't mean you may think it is good. Only understand that if he gives it a high rating it is because most people who have a good taste in beer would do the same.

Day #35- Dogfish Head Festina Peche

"Malt Beverage brewed with peach concentrate" is marked on the front of the bottle.

Oh, gawd. Gulp. Stickiness, tartiness, sugary sourness of a disgusting cider.

The glass is filled with a million bubbles, closely resembling a Sprite that I just peed into a little bit. And tastes like that mostly.

It reminded me of New Years a bit, the cheap taste of fake champagne on my tongued mixed with the tartiness of eating a bag of megawarheads. Remember those?

This is hardly beer. I assume "Festina Peche" means "Peach fest". They got that right. But they forgot to add "Poo-poo".

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I give Dogfish Head Festina Peche a gross 30.




Look: Light
Smell: Peach
Taste: Sweet, Tart, Sour, Peach Fruit Roll Up

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Brett's ratings are out of 100.

*Please understand that ratings on this scale have been influenced by my scholastic history of grading. A grade below 75 is not good, it is less than average. A beer below 60 is bad. Beers in the 90s are in the upper-echelon of beers on this earth, and above 95- divinely inspired.*

As with all connoisseurs, personal taste affects all ratings. The best ratings tend to lean towards his two different biases; 1) Well-crafted heavy Stouts and 2) Lagers made with a simple perfection.

Please understand that just because Brett gives a beer a high rating doesn't mean you may think it is good. Only understand that if he gives it a high rating it is because most people who have a good taste in beer would do the same.

Day #34- Terrapin Sunray Wheat Beer

Terrapin, the bottle with the cartoon turtle from Athens, Georgia.

Easy to pass on the aisle for someone looking for a genuinely good summer beer- but don't pass it just yet!

Advertising a "wheat beer" is a tricky thing to do. You can easily cater to the "Smirnoff and Cider" crowd that only get Blue Moon when they want a "real beer". But Terrapin is genuinely serious about this Sunray beer.

Crisp, cool, mild and not too sweet, Terrapin's Sunray is one of the most refreshing yet well crafted wheat beers I have tasted.

The thinness of the head made me think i wasted a few wads of cash before I tasted it. The smell didn't change my mind with its lightly clove, honey smell. I was expecting a hair-spray sticky after taste of cheap extract- I was wrong.

Completely pure. Completely summer. Completely great.

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I give Terrapin Sunray Wheat Beer a complete 85.




Look: Light Gold
Smell: Honey, Clove
Taste: Crisp, Slightly Sweet with a lightly bitter aftertaste, refreshing


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Brett's ratings are out of 100.

*Please understand that ratings on this scale have been influenced by my scholastic history of grading. A grade below 75 is not good, it is less than average. A beer below 60 is bad. Beers in the 90s are in the upper-echelon of beers on this earth, and above 95- divinely inspired.*

As with all connoisseurs, personal taste affects all ratings. The best ratings tend to lean towards his two different biases; 1) Well-crafted heavy Stouts and 2) Lagers made with a simple perfection.

Please understand that just because Brett gives a beer a high rating doesn't mean you may think it is good. Only understand that if he gives it a high rating it is because most people who have a good taste in beer would do the same.

Day #33- Yazoo's Rye Saison

Ladies and Gents. It's been more than a month! I'm actually doing this thing. I'm legitimately tasting beers, really tasting them, every day, and reviewing them.

Some nights I have not posted, sometimes because of internet problems, sometimes because of circumstances, but I have reviewed the beers! This weekend has been one of those times. I will post two beers tomorrow.

In any case, it's time for another local review! The Rye Saison. A spring awakening. Yes, I know its summer, but let us reminisce to a time when it was not 95 degrees with a blanket covering humidity.

A distinctive gold pour. A sweet smelling nectar. The taste is light, tart, and sweet. A dash of white pepper taste rolls across my tongue as I lick the back of my teeth. Rye. A distinctive bitter grain added to this complex beer almost complementing the hops.

A strange distinction amongst other beers, Yazoo Rye Saison's complexity abounds with a sweet introduction and tempers the taste buds with a remarkably spicy yet smooth swallow.

Magic? No. However, a craftsman has honed this beer for genuine beer lovers everywhere.



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I give Yazoo's Rye Saison a well crafted 87.




Look: Gold
Smell: White Pepper, wheat
Taste: Light Honey followed by a spicy and smooth coriander like finish


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Brett's ratings are out of 100.

*Please understand that ratings on this scale have been influenced by my scholastic history of grading. A grade below 75 is not good, it is less than average. A beer below 60 is bad. Beers in the 90s are in the upper-echelon of beers on this earth, and above 95- divinely inspired.*

As with all connoisseurs, personal taste affects all ratings. The best ratings tend to lean towards his two different biases; 1) Well-crafted heavy Stouts and 2) Lagers made with a simple perfection.

Please understand that just because Brett gives a beer a high rating doesn't mean you may think it is good. Only understand that if he gives it a high rating it is because most people who have a good taste in beer would do the same.

Day #32- Yazoo Sly Rye Porter

Some days suck. This post will be short. It's early in the morning and as much as I want to just go to sleep, i'm writing.

Yazoo's Sly Rye Porter transported me to a different place from my bad day. It's dark chocolate, coffee malt richness, balanced with a light sweetness was so pleasant, I drank two. And I was thirsty.

This porter isn't one that will leave you feeling like you ate a whole cake afterwards- it sticks true to its name, is simple, yet complex and put a wonderful smile on my face.

My new favorite Yazoo Brew.

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I give Yazoo Sly Rye Porter a wonderful 88.




Look: Dark.
Smell: Sweet, Dark Chocolate, Malt
Taste: Thick, Smooth, Dark Chocolate Hint with Coffee notes, yet light enough to want another.


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Brett's ratings are out of 100.

*Please understand that ratings on this scale have been influenced by my scholastic history of grading. A grade below 75 is not good, it is less than average. A beer below 60 is bad. Beers in the 90s are in the upper-echelon of beers on this earth, and above 95- divinely inspired.*

As with all connoisseurs, personal taste affects all ratings. The best ratings tend to lean towards his two different biases; 1) Well-crafted heavy Stouts and 2) Lagers made with a simple perfection.

Please understand that just because Brett gives a beer a high rating doesn't mean you may think it is good. Only understand that if he gives it a high rating it is because most people who have a good taste in beer would do the same.

Day #32- Pabst Blue Ribbon

I know this one will be controversial- no matter the outcome.

PBR has a cult-like following. Members of this cult believe that the beer they are drinking is actually "really good". This is simply not true.

PBR's pour has a healthier looking body than Miller, its smell is not so metallic (it is subtly metallic in fragrance), and the taste is, well... simple, cheap, and almost likeable.

It's crisp introduction is teasingly sweet, almost quality, and then quickly downgrades, almost, to it's all too similar cousin Bud Light.

I have tried, and I have partaken in many PBRs and had many a good time, but as a single beer, without the hype, PBR is just another cheaply made beer that won't cut it next to many in its own price range. Nice try.

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I give Pabst Blue Ribbon a kind 70.




Look: Light Copper
Smell: Slightly Metallic
Taste: Crisp, Sweet, Premature


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Brett's ratings are out of 100.

*Please understand that ratings on this scale have been influenced by my scholastic history of grading. A grade below 75 is not good, it is less than average. A beer below 60 is bad. Beers in the 90s are in the upper-echelon of beers on this earth, and above 95- divinely inspired.*

As with all connoisseurs, personal taste affects all ratings. The best ratings tend to lean towards his two different biases; 1) Well-crafted heavy Stouts and 2) Lagers made with a simple perfection.

Please understand that just because Brett gives a beer a high rating doesn't mean you may think it is good. Only understand that if he gives it a high rating it is because most people who have a good taste in beer would do the same.

Day #31- Michelob Dunkelweisse

Michelob has always been a joke in the beer area historically for me. However, Michelob's Dunkelweisse completely delivers in this dark wheat beer.

Dark wheat beer is a new thing for me. I have never really partaken in its glory, and have no real expertise on the dunkel... However, I am a fan. And of all people, Michelob delivers.

Who would have thought the maker of the infamous "Mich Ultra" could produce something of this quality? What a surprise.

The dark beer mixed with a wheat beer? What is this craziness? I put it under my nose, closed my eyes and if I hadn't previously looked at the color, I would have expected light goldenrod! Whoa! WOwwEE.

Anyway, the entire experience was very enjoyable. The taste of dark wheat and malt teased my tastebuds, making me think this beer was a hefeweizen and then a brown ale. Complexities abound, expectations are superseded, and Michelob is almost respected in my book.

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I give Michelob Dunkelweizen an impressive 83.




Look: Brown
Smell: Dark Malt, Clove
Taste: Smooth, Full, Malty, Full Wheat


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Brett's ratings are out of 100.

*Please understand that ratings on this scale have been influenced by my scholastic history of grading. A grade below 75 is not good, it is less than average. A beer below 60 is bad. Beers in the 90s are in the upper-echelon of beers on this earth, and above 95- divinely inspired.*

As with all connoisseurs, personal taste affects all ratings. The best ratings tend to lean towards his two different biases; 1) Well-crafted heavy Stouts and 2) Lagers made with a simple perfection.

Please understand that just because Brett gives a beer a high rating doesn't mean you may think it is good. Only understand that if he gives it a high rating it is because most people who have a good taste in beer would do the same.