Terrapin Rye Squared
Terrapin Beer Company is a brewery that I’ve been hearing more and more about lately as it expands distribution from its Georgia roots. Luckily for me, I found a four pack of their Rye Squared Imperial Pale Ale on a recent trip to Total Wine. Billed as a doubling of everything from the brewery’s Rye Pale Ale, this one proved to be a tasty treat — one that I had to battle the wife over for the final bottle.
Appearance
This one pours a hazy amber in color with a medium sized off-white head.
Aroma
Rye Squared has a pretty well balanced aroma. There is a nice malt sweetness mixed with a decent helping of aromatic, citrus hops and a light spice.
Taste
The thing that really surprised me with this one, was it’s thickness. It’s much fuller than I would have expected for an Imperial IPA — definitely a plus in my book. The sweet, caramel malts dominate up front, while a smooth, fruity hop presence comes in with the finish. There’s a light bitterness in the finish as well. At 8.5% ABV, this one was definitely warming yet hid the alcohol well.
Overall
Unfortunately, I’ve never had the opportunity to sample the brewery’s standard Rye Pale Ale, so I can’t really compare how this Imperial version stacks up, but I can say this: hot damn, this is a tasty brew. Everything may have been doubled from the original recipe, but it’s still a well balanced, full flavored beer that I will certainly be on the look out for in the future.
Rating:4/5