Great Divide Hoss Rye Lager

Brewed by Great Divide Brewing Company
Style: Oktoberfest/Märzen
Denver, Colorado USA

This beer had the most distinct rye flavour of any rye beer I have had...and I like rye so it was nice. However, overall, this beer was weak and nondescript. I think the overall character of the brew did not mesh well with the strong rye presence. I would have appreciated drier, lighter, and hoppier qualities. This beer was too heavy, too sweet, and not hoppy enough to balance or blend well with the unique character that the rye imparted to it. I’m not a fan and would probably not get it again.

Great Divide Brewing Company--HOSS--Layered-&# Rye Lager--Crisp 2009 Release. 12 oz. Bottle. 6.20% ABV. 35 IBU’s Est.? 4.15 / 5.0. Rye Lager. Thin mild lace white head. Clear thin bright pretty dark gold amber hint color. Toasted mild hop cherry rye spice front.Crisp mild sweet smooth mild toffee black cherry rye earthy spice hint rich malty Marzen body. Crisp dry mild hop spice end. Complex-Tasty. 10/29/2009 6-Pack / $10.99.

12oz bottle pours deep clear copper with short lived white head. The first impression of the nose and flavor is, Lager-y. In the aroma I get vague sugary sweetness becoming slightly hard cherry candy mixing with slight caramel malts and an inviting level of grains on a deep pull. The taste begins sweet with a mix of caramel malts, a bit of crystal, sweet sugary floral hops and some bright red cherry candy. By midway it picks up a bit of rye spiciness that can burp up with a pleasing sensation of aroma and taste. It sweetens out into the finish with the addition of a thin layer of dates and prunes.

Appearance is amber with thin white head. Aroma isn’t very strong, slightly earthy and some malt in the nose. Taste is where I have issues. Rye seems to overpower the flavor to me and not in a good way. I just don’t think the marzen style takes on the rye flavor very well. Worthy experiment, just not for me.

I can see the old lady from the Wendy’s ads years ago...."Wheres the Rye?" In all fairness this is a very drinkable brew, bready malty etc Just not what I expected.

Pours from the bottle a clean red-orange color with a very bit fluffy, white head that is thick and stick around for a good amount of time. Nose is overall kinda faint. The lager yeast provides a typical lager yeasty nose, mild Vienna toasted malt presence, rye is very faint with a light spicy noble hops nose. Flavor has a very solid toasted malt presence, lots of solid rye note to compliment the toasted notes, hops is very earthy with a spicy noble hops presence toward the end. Moderate to heavy body with a very clean and crisp texture and low, fine carbonation that gives a head that leaves great lacing. Overall a very well done beer in that the toasted malt notes compliment the rye perfectly.

Picked up today at The Foodery. 12oz bottled on 9/3/09. Pours a clear dark golden orange color with lots of visible carbonation bubbling up and a .5 finger white head that quickly fades into a lasting ring. Toasty malt aroma with hints of sweet caramel and rye along with some subtle spice and dark fruit. Slightly earthy with hints of sour dark cherry complimenting the roasted malt character. Softly carbonated up front with a medium body that has a nice balance of roasted malt sweetness, earthy bitterness and sweet dark fruit. Very clean and crisp with a slightly dry finish. Toasted caramel malt with prominent rye flavor which is balance by a slight earthy tartness. Hints of sour dark cherry add to the sweetness and balances this beer out pretty nicely. The alcohol is well masked and none of the flavors are overpowering making this beer pretty quaffable. Decent "session" beer if you can call it that at 6.2%.

12oz bottle. Medium off-white head atop crystal clear amber body. Aroma is moderately sweet, caramel, some bread/toast, earthy, cherry, light orange, rye. Taste is moderately sweet, caramel, rye spicy, some earthy, cherry/raisin, light nut/salt. Medium boy, somewhat sticky. A bit too sweet, but decent otherwise.