by Browar Pinta
Rye beers are said to have originated in medieval Bavaria and were known as roggenbiers (‘roggen’ being the German word for rye). The beers would have somewhere between 30-60% rye malt, giving the beer a crisp and slightly spicy malt body. When the Reinheitsgebot German Purity Law was adopted in 1516, the list of permitted ingredients was only water, barley and hops (they hadn’t factored in yeast at that time). So rye beers were not allowed in Bavaria and as such, the style virtually disappeared.
This Pinta beer isn’t exactly a roggenbier, thanks to the roasted malts and generous use of Amarillo hops. it is more a Black IPA or a Cascadian Dark Ale, but it uses a good dose of rye.
It pours thick and dark, and you’d be mistaken for thinking you were pouring an imperial stout just on appearances. The foam starts out quite dark before settling to a much brighter white. Lots of roasted malt in the aroma along with the citrus hit from the Amarillo hops.
The flavour is a rich mix of roasted malt with a dark chocolate, balanced by a firm bitterness and the citrus and resinous notes from the hops. It is smooth and rich, drinking like a bigger beer than it is.