I enjoy many styles of beer, particularly porters and darker ales. I like pale ales and in especially Indian Pale Ales (IPAs), but it's getting harder and harder for IPAs to really distinguish themselves. For a while, it seemed like everyone was trying to outdo themselves with hoppiness. Then came the imperial craze, where high gravity IPAs were brewed--sometimes to their own detriment. Not so with Widmer Brothers' O'Ryely IPA, which stands on its own.
As you might have guessed, there's a touch of rye malt in this beer, and its spiciness pairs nicely with Nelson Sauvin hops, a variety grown in New Zealand.
The beer is a very clear reddish gold color, with a substantial (but not huge) white head that remains even now, almost 20 minutes after first pour. Earthy hop aromas (almost like noble hop aromas, to me) are readily apparent. Taste-wise, the rye is clearly there in the forefront, and slowly fades into that hoppiness that you first recognize upon opening. These hops linger on a bit, but it is not unpleasant at all.
This beer is definitely an IPA, but the rye adds a different kind of spiciness to the flavor than you can get just from hops. It enables the malt to stand up to the kiwi hops. I will be trying to duplicate some of these qualities in my own beer in the future.
This is one of Widmer's "Rotator" series of IPA. It's just the third release in the series. I think it's great that the brewery is not settling for just one IPA, but releasing different ones at different times of the year.
I highly recommend this beer for both the IPA fan, as well as those who are a bit fatigued by the style. You won't be disappointed.
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