Bridge Brewing Company Black Rye India Pale Ale Black IPA at 5.8% ABV | 68 IBU (C$8.99 at Oak & Vine, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 11-Mar-2017, reviewed 14-Mar-2017)
Appearance: nearly opaque black with brown margins, two fingers of rocky beige head, excellent retention and patchy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: dark roasted malt, pine, rye, citrus, earth. (7/10) Taste: moderate-low sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, dry bitter and spicy finish. (3/5)
Well, bonus points for balls: matching an already sharp style with rye is pretty much guaranteed to end in tears. Except, this doesn’t, not quite. It’s got an edge, yes. Matter of fact, it’s got three: the hops, the rye, and the roasty malts. (So, it’s, what, the Gillette razor of Black IPAs?) And it’s sharp, yes, but not to the point of unpalatability. (Wow, that’s a hard word to spell when you’re drinking!) This won’t be everybody’s cup of tea, granted – but I sort of like it. (Oh, and just for fun: this is Bridge Black Rye IPA, but I noticed there’s also a Black Bridge Black Rye IPA. So that’s, what, twice as black? And I’ve actually had – and enjoyed – the Black Bridge Saison Deux Fois la Taille. Dammit, now I want to try their Black Rye IPA too…) (14/20)
7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
