Hop Rob Rye Specially Ale by Bear Republic

The best way to describe this beer is that it is like a taster version of Arrogant Bastard. Where Arrogant Bastard comes up so short in the flavor department the hop rod drives it on home. This dark beer has the robust dark ale taste, but it has an earthy aftertaste, which comes from the rye. It is this interesting aftertaste is what sets itself apart from others in it class. Apparently this beer has a IBU (International Bitterness Units) of more than 90. I will have to look into this IBU for I have never herd of this type of rating till now. However, I suppose that until now this type of rating system has never been needed due to the fact that the small microbreweries primarily the ones coming from California are just infants when compared to the behemoth brewers, who have been churning out suds for what seems forever. Now don’t get me wrong. I am not badmouthing these "baby" brewers. However, I am inclined to agree with an article I red in a newspaper recently where the writer was raising the question of, are some of the microbreweries, primarily those from California brewing extremely bitter beers just for the sake of brewing bitter beers? I am inclined to agree with this, and the Hop Rod would be a blatant offender of this if it did not do a good job of balancing the bitter with other flavors, however it did and so Hop Rob gets a my nod. Enjoy.