I know, I know.  It doesn’t scan does it?  But it made me laugh, and in the words of Father Fintan Stack: “…that’s all that matters…”

Riiiight…

Next out of the box of Adnams delights came the Jack Brand Rye IPA.  I like a rye beer and I like an IPA -oh yes I do- so I was definitely looking forward to this one.

In a glass it’s dark autumnal reddish brown, with a head that bears up for a while and then falls away to leave a smattering of foamy islands.

The aroma is enormously inviting, being all fat malts and rye with an underscore of hop character.  The whole sensation reminding me of rain-wetted granite and the peated Scottish hills for some reason – maybe it’s the earnest freshness in the aroma and the lilting hoppy herbailty that it brings forth.

After the refreshing carbonation, I got a very nicely judged bitterness that really highlighted the rye and malts in this beer – and that’s all before the hoppiness flooded in and brought back those same lovely herbal hop notes.

In the mouth Rye IPA is chewily delicious and satisfying – this is a beer that deserves to be drunk longer than the 330ml bottle allows, if you find it on tap – stay, don’t stray and ensure you drink your fill.