Great Lakes Rye of the Tiger Rye IPA

If you read my last post, or if you follow me on facebook, or talk to people who do, maybe you've heard. Heard what? Well, let's put it this way: I may not be buying 6-packs or sampler packs that much any more, and I'll probably be sampling beers that I can get as singles. Why? Because my new job at Northbound Smokehouse and Brewpub will allow me to bring home plenty of freshly-brewed ales, and why would buy more beer than I need to? Why buy the cow when you can marry the milk for free. Wait, how does that go?

So, here we have something I grabbed a 6-pack of, and have enjoyed every bottle of it. Notes of Great Lakes Rye of the Tiger follow:

Great Lakes Brewing Company Rye of the Tiger IPA, A Handcrafted Rye India Pale Ale, Cleveland, Ohio. 12 fl. oz., 7.5% ALC./VOL. 

Clear, golden-hued, with a cloud-white head.

Aroma speaks of spicy rye malt, and sparkling hops. Warm and lively. 

Taste: juicy sweet in the mouth, malt holds down the ground, and hops rise up. Lean-bodied, crisp, with tasty rye malt steering the flavors. I'm loving this one, it's doing wonders on the palate. Bitterness is right in the middle, hitting the tastebuds just right. I'm left wondering if this should really be called an IPA, if feels more like a pale ale, but that's the thing these days, if there's perceptible hop bitterness, you call it an IPA and the hop-heads will buy it. 

I wonder what the label says? "This kitty has claws. Named for it's one-two punch of fierce hops and sharp rye content, our Rye of the Tiger India Pale Ale is a thrilling ale with bite, handcrafted for the fighter in all of us." Wait, there's more: "Like tigers creeping through tall grass, hopheads will stalk this majestic golden brew, rising to the challenge of it's bold flavor attack. Full-bodied and loaded with hops, our Rye of the Tiger IPA is brewed with rye malt, adding a spicy complexity to every sip. It's an ale meant to inspire feats of strength and skill, a worthy contender in the bout against the flavorless. If you can step into the ring with this hopped-up cat, you've earned your stripes."

Yeesh. So, you beat the world's record for boxing and big cat puns, I'm proud of you. (Also, great job working in reference to the Survivor song that inspired the punning name of the brew.)