Beer Styles: What is a Rye Beer?
Rye beers: the diverse, malt-forward beer. Learn about what a rye beer tastes like, how it’s made and more.
By The Beer Community on Mar. 09, 2022
About Rye Beer
Rye beers are a specialty beer that are known for their roasted malt flavours.
A rye beer can be made using lager or ale yeast. They typically contain roasted malt, caramel flavours with medium hop bitterness. It’s a very diverse beer style, so it’s contents are at the mercy of the brewer. Rye-style beers can contain a variety of flavouring, alcohol content, colours, carbonation, hop presence and more.
Rye Beer Style Essential Information:
Appearance:
Rye beers can come in a variety of colours. They are typically dark amber to dark brown in colour, however, some come in lighter colours like copper or straw. (Typically with an SRM between 1 and 40).
Flavour profile:
Dark & Roasty or Sweet & Malty
Flavour & Aroma of rye beer:
Ryes are known for their dark, roasty or sweet and malty flavour profiles. Typically these beers will possess tones of caramel or biscuit-y flavours. Ryes have a varying hop presence, it is dependent on the brewer.
rye beer Palate & Mouthfeel:
Ryes are a diverse beer style. You can expect a variation in carbonation and body.
Alcohol Content of a rye beer
The alcohol content of ryes also are dependent on the brewer.
What foods pair well with rye beers?
Ryes pair well with desserts like bread pudding and meats with strong flavour like jerk chicken.
How to serve a Rye:
Ryes are best served at 45-55 degrees fahrenheit (approximately 8-12°C) in a Vase glass.