Heavy Seas Letter of Marque 2010 Rye Porter

Heavy Seas "Mutiny Fleet" Letter of Marque 2010 Rye Porter:

This is a hearty porter that has an American stamp on it for certain: Hoppy and funky, this American craft beer tinkers with an age-old recipe and comes up with something groovy.

The aroma carries some caramel and vanilla notes, with a touch of oak, and smells sweeter than it tastes.  The roasted brew is a little bitey, with coffee and hops duking it out for top billing.  Yes, there is a rye presence.  It complements the bitterness and adds a certain dankness to the flavor, lest it "pop" too much from any bright hop flavor that may conflict with the roasted malt.  Sometimes this happens with a "black IPA" or an "India Black Ale" that tries to do too many things at once.  Nah, this rye porter is pretty well-balanced and drinkable if you don't mind beer with flavor!

Letter of Marque 2010 Rye Porter has a medium body with a creamy mouthfeel, but levels off a bit with a slightly coppery aftertaste that hits the sides and back of the palate after the swallow.  I think it would really settle into my "fave" range if the hops were tuned down just a bit, the body boosted a smidge, and the rye were featured more prominently.  Maybe I just need to find this puppy on hand-pumped cask and get ready for a keel-hauling.

Not to be confused with a rye IPA like Dock Street Rye IPA, (which I enjoyed at the Philly Craft Brew Fest as well as on  tap at McKenzie's) or the "Pimp My Rye" rye wine from the Bull & Bush in Denver, CO (which I tasted at the Beer Bloggers Conference), this rye porter features the porter rather than the rye.  Even so, it is not the traditional English porter, but rather an American variation.  I suppose the only porter that could be even remotely compared to it would be Troegs Dead Reckoning, which has a non-traditional hoppy zip to it.  Either way, if you are a Heavy Seas fan or a porter fan, check it out.

From the label: "Historically, a Letter of Marque was a document that made a Pyrate a legitimate privateer.  Our Letter of Marque makes a home brewer a legitimate professional!"  This calls to mind the Samuel Adams "Longshot" brews and the recent Iron Hill/Barley Legal collaborations that put homebrewers in the spotlight and gave them a chance to use some professional grade brewing equipment, complete with brewmasters' knowledge.  It's a win-win if you ask me.  Actually, win-win-win because I have really enjoyed the results, and Letter of Marque is no exception.

Food Pairing suggestion:  Drink this rye IPA to complement a beef dish or roasted game.  Perhaps accentuate the rye by making it a sandwich on rye bread.  Ooh, ooh... maybe a Reuben  or a grilled Beef Supreme!  That  sounds delicious.



Heavy Seas "Mutiny Fleet" Letter of Marque 2010 Rye Porter:

Representation:              .875
Accessibility:                  .825
Style:                             .95
Personal Preference:      .93

Total Score:         3.575 Flags