Hop-heads and barrel-buffs alike will swoon today as two worlds collide to yield a delicious result: Barrel-Aged Rye IPA.This special brew brings together the spicy hop goodness of our Rye IPA with the depth and spirit of a gin barrel.
Those who thought Rye IPA was perfection in a glass may wonder why bother to barrel age a beer at all? Like finding the perfect cheese pairing for your favorite brew, finding the right type of barrel for the aging process introduces a whole new level of complexity. A couple of things can happen when a beer finds its flavorful soulmate. The substances can intensify each other, heightening the flavors already present. Or, in a phenomenon called the matrix effect, the sum of two parts can be much greater than the whole, giving rise to all new flavor compounds not present in either by itself. It can be hard to predict how flavors will combine, but teaming the piney juniper from gin barrels with the dry crispness of rye is a sure winner.
Barrel-Aged Rye IPA takes this refreshingly hoppy ale and mellows the bitterness while adding oak and herbal spirit character. Locally-sourced rye from Grain Place Foods maintains its brightness and serves as the ideal foundation for the gin-imparted floral notes.
Barrel-Aged Rye IPA releases Friday, February 12. Join us this weekend– Friday 3pm-9pm, Saturday 1pm-9pm, or Sunday 1pm-6pm– to relish the latest addition to the Zipline beer lineup!