Friday, March 11, 2011
Laughing Dog's Rocket Dog Rye IPA
I first had this beer at GABF in 2010, but I've never sat down and really given it the attention it deserves. I remember liking it, but it gets hard to keep great mental notes when surrounded with 2,000 beers. Rye in IPAs is a style I've noticed to be picking up in recent years, and I'm curious to see how the guys at Laughing Dog handled theirs.
It pours a very light golden/yellow color and given its monster head, really is very reminiscent of a pilsner at first glance. Rye produces a very light colored beer, and this is definitely one of the lightest IPAs I've seen. I got about three fingers of head when I poured this, and it is showing no signs of going anywhere. Extremely well-carbonated. Slightly cloudy with some sediment floating about.
Rye definitely shines through in the aroma; a very noticeable spice character. Seems they blended in with a little bit of spice hops and a strong dose of citrus. It's all very intense; really hits your nose kind of hard. Also getting some fruity sweetness. Definitely some ripe notes.
Upon first taste, it is very, very citrusy - most reminiscent of a lemon and quite acidic. There's a bit of spiciness to the finish, which seems to be an even blend of hops and rye. Not too bitter, but the intensity of the citrus will make most people pucker through their first few sips. It is all very thin and incredibly dry.
As I've mentioned, I love Laughing Dog, but I don't think I'll be picking this one up again. For the style, it really is very well done, but I'm not just not a big fan of noticeable rye character in beer.
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