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 [2]. 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 [3], 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.