He'Brew Bittersweet Lenny's RIPA
A Double IPA with Rye Malt
http://shmaltz.com/lennys.html
The label clearly states: "Warning: Contains Explicit Adult
Material - 21+ Only"
I can't disagree. This beer is big, mean and unrefined - a
bully sent out to rough up your palate a bit with a certain level of
guaranteed success. I guess this is a bit like the man for who
this beer set out to honor. At 10% ABV and an IBU measurement
that must be close to, or exceeding, triple digits this beer needs
to be sampled by the hop heads of the world.
There are not a lot of Double Rye IPAs on the market (or is that
Double Rye PA?) so this beer is a bit of a novelty in itself.
Perhaps the most famous beer in this style is Bear Republic's Hop
Rod Rye, a favorite among the entire PBN staff. This beer is
reminiscent of some of Stone's bigger beers, and I am certain the
throngs of Stone heads will be pleasantly shocked at this beer's
offensive, in-your-face nature.
Brewer Notes:
Hops: Warrior | Cascade | Simcoe | Chinook | Crystal |
Amarillo
Malts: 2-Row | Rye Malt | Crystal II | Crystal Rye |
Torrified Rye | Centennial | Wheat | Kiln Amber | Cara 60-80
Plus: Ground Caraway
Specs:
10% ABV | Lots of IBUs | OG High | Availability unknown
PBN Tasting Notes:
Aroma: Sharp spicy hops, somewhat piney with citrus notes,
and very strong. Alcohol is pronounced and a bit unrefined. I
can tell this is going to be a strong beer in every way.
Appearance: Deep copper color, great clarity. Tan
frothy head with very good retention.
Taste: Initially very sweet, caramel and toffee like, but
quickly balanced and then overpowered by the enormous hop bitterness
and flavor. Citrus, resinous and still displaying some level
of the initial caramel initially thought lost. A wonderful
tart character from the rye is present. The beer is
aggressively hopped and flirts with being sticky in hop character.
This beer has a ton of things happening all at once and will most
likely subtle out with some aging.
Mouthfeel: Moderately high carbonation, significant
alcohol warming and a body that fits somewhere between full and
medium. The CO2 with the hop bittering overwhelms the lips and
cheeks, which is accentuated with the alcohol warming throughout.
Overall: A good beer for what it is, a Double IPA. i do
think this beer would be better with a little aging, allowing the
overall character to meld into a beer that is more approachable than
it is fresh. That said, this beer means to offend, just as the
namesake suggests, so I whole-heartedly appreciate what it is that
was done with this beer. Lenny Bruce, the man, was offensive and
will forever be known as a man who pushed buttons and envelopes...
this tribute beer does a great job at portraying that same
character.
Food Pairing Recommendations
- Good luck! Think big and spicy, something that won't
cower in fear with the beating it'll take from a beer of this
size and power.
Additional Notes |
