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Beer Reviews

Rye Hatter Rye P.A.

New Holland Brewing Co.
Holland, MI
USA
http://www.newhollandbrew.com

Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
ABV: 6.12%

Eddie’s Rating:
   (Recommended)


Comments:
The 1980s were a hollow time for me. I spent most of the decade wandering the West, searching for my family roots while battling evil and injustice when I found it. Either that, or I watched a shitload of Kung Fu reruns in my parents’ basement, I don’t really remember which.

The lion’s share of the blame for my driftlessness in the ’80s I lay at the feet of Ratt. I know, everyone says that, but mine is a different reason. In the song Round And Round, Stephen Pearcy sings “Round and round, what comes around goes around, I’ll tell you why.” But he never tells us why. So I spent a big chunk of my post-formative years searching for why what comes around goes around, or what goes around comes around, as the case may be.

Of course, not one fucking iota of that has anything to do with tonight’s featured beer, Rye Hatter Rye P.A. This one is from New Holland’s seasonal series, a version of their Mad Hatter IPA brewed with a big dose of rye, and comes in a 22-ounce bomber.

The pour is hazy, a light auburn with a nice and big, creamy head. Like Mad Hatter, this one smells of citrus and pine, but with a good snootful of must and spice at the back end of the sniff.

The front of the sip is cereal-sweet malt accompanying a straight down the road, medium body. A tang of tinniness dominates the middle, before the sip finishes bitter and DRY, as in probably the driest finish I’ve ever encountered. Like, mouth-puckeringly dry.

Impressive, although not completely appealing. I usually like rye beers and the spicy character that grain—if used in large enough amounts—lends to a brew. But in lesser quantities it just serves to dry the beer out, as is the case here. Rye Hatter is a pleasing, more complex version of the relatively lackluster Mad Hatter, and worth a try, although those in search of more rye character will be a little disappointed.

Reviewed by Eddie Glick on November 28, 2011.

Drinkin’ And Thinkin’

Beer Dorks News

The aptly named Tenacity Brewing seeks to emerge from the disaster that was the water crisis in Flint, MI. Chicagoans hopeful a recent announcement from Three Floyds will bring a much-desired brewpub to the city. Sam Calagione's brilliant response to the news that an AB/InBev subsidiary is now a part-owner of RateBeer. Wisconsin's Gestapo, the Tavern League, looks to tighten rules that will hurt small brewers. One of the original craft beer stalwarts of the Upper Midwest, Summit, ceases distribution in 6 more states, leaving only 5 from their peak of 17. How much does psychology play into perceptions of craft beer? An incredibly interesting case study by this Estonian brewery indicates it's a major factor. AB-InBev controls South African hop market, not allowing craft brewers access. Sounds like the actions of a company that "advocates for craft brewers". Dirty fucking liars. Denmark brewer creates "Pisner", brewed with human urine. As opposed to Bud/Miller/Coors, which is just straight up urine, human or otherwise. On the heels of the Wicked Weed sellout, Lagunitas announces it's sold the remaining 50% to Heineken. We've said it before... this is not going to end well. Just when it seemed the Big Beer acquisition train was slowing a bit, this bomb dropped. And it's a BIG one. Sad.