Terrapin Oaked Aged Rye Squared

Brewed by Terrapin Beer Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Athens, Georgia USA

tap, dark amber pour with mild head, smooth malty palate, aging brings around the complexity, good middle to finish.

On tap. This is really, really not what I was expecting at all. The pour is strangely clear and red with a small white head. The aroma is what shocked me. Nary a hop to be found and loads of respectable tannins which creates an honestly genuine vanilla character. I was really expecting the typical presentation of a barrel aged offering: the familiar qualities of the original beer accented by some wooden sweetness. But this, this has become an entirely different beer. It’s quite remarkable. The flavor sports more rich, natural vanilla along with a sweet, floral bouquet, honey, hibiscus, confectioner’s sugar. I was most impressed with the transformation of Rye Squared. Also, the end result is amazingly drinkable. I know this began with a IIPA recipe, but this is the polar opposite of anything like that. It maybe be too sweet for someone like me to drink a lot of it, but it tastes so natural and unique, it’s hard to complain about that. I was very happy with my one pint.

deep orange with a smaller head. great hop aromas of chewey pine. flavor brought out the mild oak and blanced it rather well with the hops. nice finishing warmth and bitterness. very good.

Sampled at the 2008 Music City Brewers Fest. Orange with an off-white head that left good lacing. Nice citrus and pine aromas. The flavor finds pine and grapefruit mixed with nice caramel malts and a light oak backing. Medium to full body, moderate bitter throughout. Very nice!

Orange amber pour with lite tan head and gooey lace. Large piney hops and malt on the nose. Oak and toasted malt with a very good finishng bitter. Full bodied with medium carbonation. Very good beer.

Music City Brewer’s Fest 2008 Full off-white head over a deep amber/gold body. Spicy aroma. Rich smooth flavor. Full bodied, very smooth. Delightful.

Draft @ redlight redlight. 2007/07/18
Pours a clear copper with a big cream head. A whole lot of pine and citrus hops on the nose, some spicy rye and big caramel malts, oak hints. On the tongue, big tangerine, citrus, pine hops. Caramel and toasty malts, some oak and rye. Long bitter hoppy finish with a wonderful drying wood presence. Nice body and carb! Hops + rye + oak = good.

On tap at the Oldsmar Tap House. Thanks to owner Tony for bringing this in. Pours clear copper with nice nearly frothy off white head. The aroma is malty caramel goodness with mild oak and swirls of sweet late addition citrus hops. The oak note seems at just the right strength to compliment and play nicely wit the other notes. Smells D-Lish. The taste is caramel malts, citrus hops, pine hop bitterness and mild notes of wood oakiness. Just as in the nose there is a terrific balance between malts, oak, hops and then some of that distinctive rye twang. Yum.