Editor’s Note: Peter emailed me this review the day after I filmed the Against the Grain dudes doing a 60 Second Beer Review. So, readers, you’re getting a two-fer. Take it away, Peter… Be sure and scroll all the way down to see the video review. Those dudes cray.
So now that we know the Mayans were wrong, we can relax and drink a beer. Luckily for us, Apocalypse Brew Works will never stop preparing for the end. . What their determination means for the masses is more beer. Instead of stockpiling cans of food and bottles of water, their method is a little more straightforward: make (and drink, of course) the best beer possible until the impending end times. After all, there’s still the nuclear possibility, global warming, and that whole zombie thing to worry about
After consuming a large chunk of their potable repertoire over the past few months, my favorite was the R.I.P. Rye IPA (I am a hophead through and through, after all). So I filled up my howler and took it home for further speculation and consumption. It poured a beautiful copper color with a beautiful clarity. There was a light foamy head that had a delightful nose of mostly pine and slight citrus notes. The aromas were even better when I let it warm up for a few minutes while I eagerly stared at it.
The longer I let it sit in the glass, the better it got. The hop character became more complex and gave me the feeling that I was foraging through a pine tree forest with my mouth open whilst it was raining citrus drops. The hops were mostly piney with some slight grapefruit and other citrus notes. The beer had a nice mouthfeel and the rye had just enough bite to leave it wanting another rinse. Not being a huge fan of hard liquor, a little bit of rye goes a long way for me. This beer has the perfect balance of rye that created a nice equilibrium with the hops and malt that wasn’t too dry, either. Its subtle spiciness is evident but not overpowering. Every sip gave my palate a new perspective. This is a beer that has the perfect amount of complexity; you’re left wanting another sip, but you’re not left wondering what the hell you just drank.
Even though we survived the Mayan apocalypse, we never know when another will be upon us. That being said, you need to make sure to drink good beer until then. Beer-loving survivors are able to gather and hunker down with a pint at Apocalypse’s Fallout Shelter on Friday and Saturday evenings. This Rye IPA from Apocalypse is a great one to consume while you’re being consumed by flames or locusts or zombies or…
