Beer Hunters 29: Beer Hunters, on rye.

On an unseasonably balmy Friday night, the Beer Hunters (Rich, BT, Browndog, Pete and Leighroy) journeyed to my North Caulfield courtyard for Beer Hunters, on Rye. Unlike many other Beer Hunters, this time we focused on a common ingredient instead of a style or a brewery. Four beers, all using a significant amount of rye in the grain bill, plus, a few homemade Ruben sandwiches to keep our strength up.

3 Ravens RYE (VIC) 5.7% alc./vol
Style: Roggenbier
Average score 12.6/20
$10.99 from Purvis Richmond

First up was a Roggenbier from Thornbury's 3 Ravens. The lads at 3 Ravens love their special release beers which have pretty much all been European inspired lagers (Alt, Bock, Schwartz and Smoked Wheat). So what's a Roggenbier? Admittedly, I'd never heard of the style prior to stumbling across this beer. Research indicates it's based on a style that was common in Bavaria until around the 15th century, then disappeared for 500 years. In 1988 it reappeared in Bavaria. In 2012, it reappeared in Caulfield North. It was well received by the Beer Hunters; incredibly creamy with a smooth mouthfeel, lovely and malty like a bock only sessionable - perfect for autumn and it set the tone for the high standard of the night. Look out for the 2013 release as it's getting pretty hard to track down now.

Bear Republic, Hop Rod Rye (US) 8% alc./vol 
Style: Rye IPA

Average score 12.8/20

$14.99 for 630ml from Purvis Richmond

Upping the hop ante considerably comes a US style India Pale Ale with rye. Lovely and hoppy and with enough going on to keep my interest. The hop fiends of the group lapped it up. I found the rye to give the beer a lovely peppery edge. Sometimes I feel that the US IPA is a bit over saturated in the Australian craft beer market, but this import is well worth tracking down. Haven't had many Bear Republic beers but this one was a cracker.

Beer Here, Nordic Rye Ale (Nor) 7% alc./vol 
Style: Traditional Ale
Average score 13.1/20

$15.99 for 630ml from Purvis Richmond

A modern Scandinavian Farmhouse Ale from Beer Here. What the shit is that? Many of us speculated, but none of us where all that close. It wasn't like a Saison or Bier de Garde, it was dark, with caramel malt and a more subtle rye element and a very low perceptible hopping.  For mine it was akin to an English Old Ale a little like Fullers 1845. In some ways it was a little like Red Hill Scotch Ale, but there were also elements of a Dunkelweizen like Weinstephaner's. This jumbled review probably is just confusing things more, but was a surprise packet and a complex brew.

Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel, Route de espices (Can) 5.3% alc./vol 

Style: Spiced Ale
Average score 12.6/20

$7.99 for 341ml from Purvis Richmond

The second time the Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel brewery from Quebec has made an appearance and they always do something intriguing and different. Route de espices is no exception. A beer that takes the peppery notes of rye and cranks it up by adding whole peppercorns to the brew. Like the 3 Ravens, this beer had an incredibly smooth mouthfeel. On the nose you got a definite waft of pepper but it wasn't till the numbing, tingling aftertaste when the pepper really hit you. Sounds bizarre, but it worked. Top scored for the evening.   

All in all another great Beer Hunt and one of the most closely fought we've ever had. Can't wait for Beer Hunter's 30, whatever it may be, but I heard a whisper that it may be smoke beers.