612 Brew Unrated Rye IPA

612 Unrated Rye India Pale Ale. Brewed at 612Brew in Minneapolis, Minnestoa. Alcohol 6.8% by Vol. 80 IBU.

I've had this beer on tap occasionally over the past couple of years, and liked it. Tried some of their others, too, but none made a big enough impact that I wanted to take home a growler from their taproom. Now we have cans, and I gambled about a buck and a half on a single can from Elevated. Let's crack it open and get into it.

One detail first: this was known as Rated R in the past, the R standing for Rye. But apparently the Motion Picture Association of America, the folks who create the ratings system for movies, objected to the use of their trademark. They didn't object to "Unrated", though, so away they went.

Appearance: thoroughly hazed, murky crimson/brown coloring. Long lasting, lace-leaving, creamy white head.

Aroma: spicy, bread-y notes from the rye malt, some hop character peeking through, citrus-y, spicy, but mostly hidden by the malt notes.

Taste: Smooth entry on the tongue, loaded up with rye. Malt character loads the palate first and foremost, hops bringing up the rear, getting bolder. On second sip, they're tearing up the tongue and spreading bitterness about the mouth. On first swallow, I felt this brew was just shy of the boldness it ought to exhibit, but I was wrong. It's busting out.

I'm going to examine the can for a minute. Artwork by Adam Turman shows a crowd watching a 3-D movie and spilling popcorn. There's the smallest glimpse of cleavage, so we know it's a Turman. Minneapolis skyline and landmark images circle the top of the can, rising out of the red the bleeds through the artwork. The 612 Brew logo is repeated twice, and the slogan "I'm thirsty already!" appears. I don't get it. "West Coast IPA meets Midwest Rye. This Rye IPA greets you with a burst of citrus hop aroma and tempts you with the spice from the rye. Unrated Rye is 612Brew's most hoppy beer, yet easy enough that your mom would like it. If your mom is awesome."

That's just a touch idiotic. Yuck.

I'm going to spill my guts now. I just haven't been thrilled by this brand and brewery.  I've been to the taproom once, almost 2 years ago. They draw in a nice crowd of thirsty locals, but the experience left me cold. The beers did nothing for me, and this is the only one that I've ever liked. But we all know that it's easy to please when you're hopping heavy. Hard to mess up an IPA, especially one with the extra, added element of rye malt.

Still, I've withheld judgement, even as I continue to avoid their beers. I skipped them on my attempt to visit all the breweries in town, but now that I'm renewing that focus once more, I will try them out again. I'll give them a few more chances, and pick up the other canned beers, singles, again. I'll give 612 a fair shake before giving any kind of final judgement.