Westbrook Brewing Co.

Mt. Pleasant, SC

Single Hop: Amarillo Rye Pale Ale

5.5% ABV

When I reviewed the Single Hop: Pacific Jade – the first entry in Westbrook’s single hopped rye pale ale series – I commented that I hoped the brewery would continue to crank out more and more variations of the style, similar to what Mikkeller did with their (his?) single hop series.

I didn’t have to wait for long for the next entry, as Westbrook recently released a Amarillo version of the beer. Amarillo imparts a more citrus flavor as opposed to the spice and tropical fruits of Pacific Jade. And as with the first entry, it’s sessionable and very easy drinking.

The beer pours a cloudy orange with more of a brown toward the center and yellow around the edge. There’s a finger of head that dissipates pretty quickly, along with some fairly strong alcohol legs, but not much lacing.

The citrus hits first with big orange juice notes on the nose. There’s a little bit of mango and papaya and a slight bite of rye and a yeasty sweetness, but overall it blushes with extremely juicy fruit.

On the front of the tongue is that distinctive rye bite followed by a very smooth mouthfeel. The big sweet citrus fruits on the back. In the middle of the mouth, the thing pops with huge mango, papaya, a bit of pineapple and, of course, orange. It’s very right and juicy, like biting into a piece of fruit. The strong carbonation does a good job of cleansing your palate and getting ready for the next sip.

Westbrook’s certainly been one a roll lately, not only with this series, but also in general. I appreciate that Ed’s picking hops that I don’t usually list as my favorites. It gives me a new appreciation for the characteristics and traits that each hop brings to a beer. Keep ‘em coming.