Flyin' Rye IPA

Warped Wing’s Flyin’ Rye India Pale Ale was moderately spicy with notes of rye and cereal. I also noted some bubblegum esters in the nose that didn’t quite seem to fit. The aroma included some medium-low floral hops and a light cracker malt character. The beer was orange-gold and fairly clear. The headstand was moderate, ivory-colored and long-lasting.

The flavor was of medium maltiness with breadiness, spicy rye, cereal notes and a grainy finish. Bitterness came in a bit higher than medium, but hop flavor was low and floral. Here again, the Belgian-like esters were noted and I perceived a very light level of bubblegum and citrus. The finish was dry and had a lingering, light husky flavor. With the bitterness and the flavor, the balance leans slightly towards the hop side.

Medium body and carbonation and a lingering huskiness left a lightly astringent character in the finish. This was a pleasant, easy-drinking beer. Hop aroma and flavor were less pronounced than expected and came across more like a pale ale in intensity (but the bitterness was classic IPA all the way). The rye character was very good and was an excellent showcase for the grain. An interesting beer, but the fermentation character was not as clean as expected, and the hops just weren’t as prevalent in the aroma and flavor as they should have been.