Rye Da Tiger

OK, so first off this is the greatest name for a beer ever. I stopped by Three Floyds (FFF) on my way back from my in-laws in Chicago, so I have been on a real FFF kick lately. Rye Da Tiger is their rye imperial IPA. This is the double version of their Rye da Lightning. The beer has 8.6% abv and I have not been able to find the IBUs but I saw somewhere (unreliable web source) that it is over 100.

It pours out a golden color with a big fluffy white head. The head sticks around long enough to give you a mustache every sip you take for most of the pint. It has a very heavy citrus and tropical fruit aroma that is both sweet and bitter. It has a great mouthfeel and nice light carbonation that lasts as the brew sits out.

On first taste, it has a strong flavor of oranges, lemons and other more subtle tropical fruits. The flavor is smooth and blends well together. There is a slight amount of caramely sweetness in the body of the beer. There is also a nice peppery flavor from the rye.  This balances out the strength of the hop flavor with out being overwhelming itself. It has a great finish with strong hops and that rye tingle in the back of your throat. The beer finishes up clean and tasty.

  

I am not normally a fan of hoppier beers, but I really like this one. The fruit flavors are put on display, not shoved down your throat. So often when you drink a truely hoppy beer you get beat over the head with citrus bitterness. Here, it all comes together in a smooth fashion that I could drink all day.

This has to be one of my favorite IPAs. I give this bad boy a 4.5