Chicagoist's Beer Of The Week: The Bruery Sour In The Rye

By Staff in Food on Apr 11, 2014 7:30PM

Ed. note: While regular Beer of The Week writer Jason Baldacci is in Europe sipping on some fancy beer, we've brought in a slate of guest writers. This week's BOTW was chosen and written by Tracy Hurst of Metropolitan Brewing.

Ha ha! You thought I’d review a lager, didn’t you? Well, I almost did (word to my close runner-up for this guest post, Krombacher Pils), but I like to keep you guys smiling. I first tried this beer with a few friends on Fountainhead’s rooftop. We shared it, and then bought another to share. For this post, I’m on my own, so I’ll be drinking the whole bottle myself. If things get sloppy, don’t judge me. In fact, if you follow my Twitter feed, it will probably seem familiar.

The Bruery is a small-but-growing operation in Placentia, Calif. (Who names their town “Placentia”?! Is it just across the river from Fallopiaburg?). Patrick Rue started out like many of us do: with a homebrew kettle. He was in law school when he started homebrewing and I really don’t have to say any more about this, do I? The Bruery specializes in Belgian ales and barrel-aged strong ales (some of you must still be laughing about my choice to review this beer). Their year-round line-up includes an Imperial Pale Lager named Humulus Lager - SOMEONE GET ME THIS BEER POST HASTE.

Sour in the Rye is brewed with “around 40%” rye malt, and aged in oak barrels. The beer pours an opaque, dark amber jewel-tone with a soft, pale tan foam. The aroma is fruity-tart with a tiny hint of oak. Rye spice and sour flavors join forces to bathe the top of your palate and then slowly fade into a clean, malty sweetness that lingers for just a minute. This beer is both delicate and complex; bombastic and understated. I’m so glad more people are working with rye in craft brewing. The earthy spice of rye malt shines brightly in this brew. Anytime a beer celebrates the beauty of a particular malt, I just, well… I get misty.

You can find this beer throughout Chicagoland. Use the Windy City Distributing Beer Hunter website to triangulate yours today.