Terrapin Rye Pale Ale

Brewed by Terrapin Beer Company
Style: American Pale Ale
Athens, Georgia USA

You have got to love that terrapin. What a great guy, right? This beer has a wonderful smell. A nice mix of citrus and vegetable smelling hops. The hops just dominate the aroma. I love the aroma. It has a nice hoppy smell to it. I love the smell and the taste is not bad, but the aroma is better. For some reason I have had a much better experience with the aromas lately. The malt flavor and the hop flavor have a decent balance between them. Actually a nice caramel malt is coming through as the beer gets warmer. More malts than hops in the taste. The appearance is average, and the palate is also average. Overall, a well balanced hoppy and malty APA. Couldn’t ask for anything better.

Pours a light amber color, with a mdium off white head. Smells of light crisp hops, with a little bit of that rye in there too. Fresh smelling. The taste is mostly crisp hops, light citrus fruits, some grapefruit and rye as well. Mild bitterness in the aftertaste as expected. Pretty nice session brew. these guys are pretty solid, and usually enjoyable.

12oz bottle. Very nice golden orange pour with a two finger thick white head. Very good lacing for the style as well. Huge floral hop bouquet, pine cone, grapefruit, oranges, lemons, rye bread and sweet malts. Smells very unique and very nice. The flavor range doesn’t really stack up to the aroma, all of the elements are there but they are far too meek in this component of the beer. Medium bodied, soft-medium carbonation. Light astringency, very oily palate. Finish is lightly bitter and full of rye seeds. Pretty lengthy as well. All the makings of a great beer are here, but ultimately the flavor brings it down to just being good-very good.

12oz bottle, BBE 3/18/08. Pours a crystal clear deep gold, with fizzy white foam, almost no retention and forget about lacing. Aroma is slightly cascade-y, little bit of dry maltiness in there also. Flavor is decent for the style, restrained maltiness with non-offensive bitterness, decent hop profile. Mouthfeel is a bit thin and the carbonation was pretty low. A decent APA.

Sampled @ GDBTF. Poured a pretty pale golden hue with mild head. Pretty nice citrusy hop aroma, somewhat plasticy rye sweetness on the palate, decent body and a nice hoppy bitter finish. An interesting if unperfected take on the style.

12z bottle courtesy of Mcbackus. Pours a golden hue with white head. nose is of citrus hops and grainy bread. Mouthfeel is fairly light. Flavor is of mild hops. A bit weak, not as good as the Imperial Pilsner I just rated. Finish is bitter.

Muddled hop character brings this APA down a couple of notches. Otherwise, a nice pale ale. Gold, clear pour with small, white head. The nose hints at citrus, grapefruit, pine and orange, that doesn’t follow through in the flavor. Some notes of sweetness, mostly honey. The beer’s maltiness comes through in the flavor which is moderately sweet and lightly bitter. The hops seem to be overshadowed by the malt and rye. Those rye characteristics show up toward the finish which is dry. Thanks BigMilly8.

355 ml, bb 12/22/07. Clear, copper-burnt orange with a medium head that lasts well. Big citrus hop and honey malt beats out the pine in the aroma. Pine resin balancing out some delicious malty goodness wins out first in the flavor, with the citrus and bitterish resin showing up later. A little bit of harsh flavor at the end; maybe the rye. Really is more like an IPA, but that’s allright with me. Palate is smooth, nearly medium bodied and dry on the finish.