Chapman’s Wry American Imperial Red Rye (8.5% ABV)
Pour: 16oz. can into a pint glass
Appearance: Pours a cloudy reddish-brown, almost like an iced tea, with a good 2” of dense off-white head that lingers. Lots and lots of lacing.
Aroma: Not a whole lot going on in the nose – subtle piney hops notes, with a bit of spice underneath.
Taste: Well-balanced and on the subtle side. Caramel malts up front, spicy rye and earthy hop notes in the middle. More hops in the finish, with a dry, bitter hops aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with a touch of carbonation. Very smooth, especially for a rye.
As a style, rye beers aren’t all that complicated. As one might expect they get their name from the use of rye in the grain profile. They tend to be less bitter style of beer, with some of that bitterness being replaced with either spicy or slightly sour notes from the rye. Arguably the best known rye beer on shelves right now is Founders Brewing Company’s Red’s Rye IPA. Bell’s also does a pretty nice golden rye ale called Smitten that’s a lighter, tastier alternative to their popular Oberon wheat ale.
Wry American is a red rye ale brewed by Angola-based Chapman’s Brewing, and it’s a good ‘un. I was completely unfamiliar with Chapman’s before seeing this on the shelf at my local, but I’m really glad I picked it up. It doesn’t necessarily perfectly fit the style profile – it’s a little more bitter/less spicy than most other rye beers I’ve tried, and it’s a lot smoother—but it’s incredibly tasty and very drinkable. It’s a generous 8.5% as well, so one 4-pack of pint cans will definitely take you where you want to go. I’ll definitely be keeping my eye out for more of their beers.