Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Chico, CA
Ruthless is brewed with Rye malt in addition to pale and Caramel malt. The dry hop aroma features a new experimental and yet-to-be-named hop variety for a unique and interesting aroma.
ABV: 6.6
ABW: 5.28
COLOR: 15
BITTERNESS: 55
ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1060
AVAILABLE: Nationwide
In rye beers, I want to taste the rye; in IPAs, I damn sure want hops. Thank you, Sierra Nevada. Ruthless has the spicy, minty shot of rye, along with grassy, citrus hops. I can’t honestly tell where the rye ends and the hops begin. There’s a great meeting of the flavors here. There’s rye oiliness, hop crispness, and a very drying, bitter finish that is going to make this a very quick pint indeed. Great with smoked fish.
I suppose that rye IPA is by now considered a “style” unto itself, joining the myriad of other IPA derivations. Ah well, so long as they are all as tasty as this dark copper beauty, I don’t suppose I should mind. Although principally hoppy, the aroma of Ruthless shows well the telltale peppery spiciness of rye, along with some cooked toffee notes from the rest of the grain. The body is much the same with the addition of some spicy plum notes in the middle and a healthy bitterness on the finish. Pepper steak anyone?
Lew Bryson writes about beer and whiskey from his home in southeast Pennsylvania. He has a family and two dogs. That's all you need to know.
Once described as "beerdom's Brillat-Savarin," Stephen Beaumont is the author of five books and countless articles on beer, spirits, food, travel and how it all goes together.
