Rye Hatter (2012)

Tasted on a rainy Sunday evening out of a snifter. Enjoyed following the review with a bowl of organic pea soup choked full of: Onions, Carrots, Leeks, Kale, Garlic, Olives, Lentils, Asparagus, Mushroom and a few others. Yum!

Appearance: Bronzed amber color. The head is present, but not impressionably substantial. Nevertheless it maintains a thick cream looking texture and color as it dissipates into a thin ring around the inner perimeter of the glass. Lacing is wet and speckled. Carbonation is persistent and visible throughout.
Aroma: Rich caramel and rye malts erupt from the snifter to which the beer was poured. Hints of floral and pine hop acids are present near the end
Taste: The front is full fledged caramel and biscuit. After the first few sips, there is a noticeable sweetness that lingers under the tongue, while the top claims much of the bittering AA's. There are undertones of grain alongside a hint of a metallic flavor. Between the front and back half, there is a clear division where the carbonation helps to introduce an acidity that re-enforces the all to familiar pine bitterness of an American IPA. The end is sweet and enticingly bitter, while not forgetting the rye and caramel malt base that holds the foundation to this beer. The palate is left with a dry fresh leaf hop flavor, that is overly reminiscent of the original hatter.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and texturized with a very fine, sharp carbonation at the end that seems to bite down the midline of the tongue. While in the mouth several seconds, the carbonation foams up and creates a pillow of foam, furthering the complex experience of flavor.
Overall Impression: I thoroughly enjoyed this beer. Best worlds of a rye and a bittered IPA. Some of the acidity did get to me at the end of the glass (Primarily because of a canker sore). However, this beer remains well balanced with a generous malt base and hops that stay true to the Hatter origin.