Jun 1, 2010

Heavy Seas 2010 Letter of Marque

As I said last week, I’ve (for one reason or another) been drinking a good number of rye based beers the past week or so. This latest is a rye porter that won the 2010 Heavy Seas Letter of Marque Homebrew Competition. I can see why this particular recipe won. The use of rye in a porter works pretty well.

Appearance

Pouring a reddish brown, the beer sat with a firm and creamy light tan head.

Aroma

The nose is a bit disappointing. I get plenty of rye notes which is great, but the porter aspect of the aroma is a pretty subdued with only the lightest hints of cocoa and coffee. There’s a little tingle from the 7.8% ABV, as well.

Taste

Thankfully, more of the porter shines through in the taste. While the grassy rye and piny hops dominate the palate, the roasted malt and chocolate aspect of the porter comes out a good deal more. The mouthfeel is a little on the thin side for my personal liking, but it doesn’t affect the overall enjoyment of brew. The rye lingers nicely in the finish along with a slight bitterness from the hops. Quite drinkable with the higher ABV.

Overall

All in all, this year’s Letter of Marque winner prevailed with a tasty rye based recipe. While, I didn’t find it the greatest porter in town, the incorporation of rye was an intriguing addition that I just simply had to try at least once.

Rating: 3/5

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