I always enjoy trying beers that have their own identity, and a beer brewed with rye definitely fits in that category. Terrapin Rye Ale is also brewed with 5 varieties of hops as well as some specialty malts, so I was excited to give it a try.
The first thing I noticed was the label which featured an old turtle playing the banjo with some rye hanging out his mouth. I absolutely love this label and packaging as it definitely has a southern feel.
The Rye Pale Ale poured a fairly clear golden orange color with quite a bit of visible carbonation bubbles. I poured straight down the middle of the glass and was surprised to see very little off white head that quickly dissipated leaving some medium lacing on the glass.
This beer has a great sweet aroma of grassy malts, citrus, florally hops and some slight freshly baked rye bread like smells coming through. It isn’t super strong, but definitely a very pleasant smell.
The flavor definitely followed the nose in this well balanced beer. The first few sips I wasn’t sure that I liked what I was tasting, but halfway through the glass I really started enjoying the rye flavor. The hops are well distributed throughout the flavor and give a moderate amount of bitterness. The rye definitely is present and the sweet malt comes in slightly at the end for a pretty good finish.
There are very few rye beers on the market which gives this beers its own unique identity. It took me most of the glass to fully appreciate it, but it’s a very enjoyable light bodied beer. I’m not so sure it’s a pale ale that everyone will like, but definitely worth a drink.
My Terrapin Rye Pale Ale Review: B+
Here are the details:
ABV: 5.5%
IBUs: 35
Style: American Pale Ale
What’s your thoughts on Terrapin Rye Pale Ale?