Ryeteous Rye, Renegade Brewing Company, Denver

 Style: American India Pale Ale

ABV: 7 percent

Serving Type: 16-ounce can

Malty? Hoppy? Malty. Don’t get us wrong: This is one hoppy beer, but the malts stand out.

Reviewed: July 2012

Renegade’s motto is “offensively delicious,” but we’re not offended at all. Quite the contrary: This is the second time we’ve fallen for the brewery’s Ryeteous Rye. On the first occasion, we raved about how this beer updated Colorado’s obsession with IPAs. This time, we love that the brewery has embraced another Colorado trend—cans—with a twist: It is selling Ryeteous Rye, it’s flagship beer—in 16-ounce tallboys.

Now, we’re fans of the traditional six-pack, but as our beer knowledge (read: love) has grown, we’ve learned to savor, rather than gulp. A tallboy is just enough to cap off a work day—and still leave us ready for an early morning run.

Since we pulled these cans directly off the line, we let them sit for a week in our fridge so that they’d taste more like what you’ll find on shelves. The brew pours a murky, honey color with a light, floral nose. The hops should be overwhelming, but the rye balances the beer.

Would we buy it again? It’ll make the regular rotation.