Quickie-review
Produced* to coincide with the annual "Defeat of Jesse James Days" celebration in Northfield, Minnesota. The locals still call it 'Jesse James Days' and it's quite the to-do in Northfield. While I can't make it to this year's event, I'm happy to have had the opportunity to sample this a little early.
"James-Younger 1876 Rye Ale" is basically a contemporary 'American Pale Ale' with the addition of chocolate rye as a specialty malt, and this grain in turn imparts a toasty "cocoa"-like character in addition to the traditional spiciness of rye. Likewise, there's some hop spiciness (and aromatics, and bitterness...) in this beer that place the beer more in line with a contemporary "American IPA" than a lower-strength (and "less-hoppy") pale ale, so in fact this beer is like a mash-up of three styles: Rye Ale, APA, and A-IPA. I've had my fair share of Rye ales in the past few years, and this one really holds its own: it's no Hop Rod Rye, but it is a nice change of pace for folks who've cut their teeth on the likes of Boulevard Pale Ale and Summit "EPA".
Kompai!
*Produced by Bank Beer Co.
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