Samuel Adams LongShot Rye IPA w Honey

I tasted this during a brewery tour, as Cryotek explains it was 2nd place in the Longshot competition, and they brewed a good amount of it. They do tastings at the end of tours, and I was fortunate enough to be able to sample some. I’m reviewing from memory, but I remember a slightly milder IPA than I like (I’m a bit of a hophead), with an interesting twist to the body (that would be the rye). A very good beer, with something for everybody.

2nd Place finisher in the non-employee LongShot contest for 2007. This unfortunately will never be massed produced but was so good SA decided to make a big batch of it and serve it at the Brewery. Sampled on tap at the Boston Brewery during the monthly December tasting. Surprisingly very good! I do not like IPA’s at all, but i really enjoyed this one. IPAs are generally too hoppy for me, but the Rye gives it another flaover. Normally i’m not crazy for Rye beers either but the honey really compliments it perfectly. This beer had everything going wrong with it for my personal taste yet i really liked it. Nice sweet initial aroma at first with an almost clear rusty color. Tastes like an IPA but with a sweeter rye and honey flavor to really distract from the overwhelming IPA hop taste. Very easy going down and not harsh on the palate.