The Twisted Hop Pub in Woolston was planning a July 4th American style party and asked me to do a beer for them. Rye beers are recently popular in the US and I figured a heavily American hopped rye would fit well. And red of course since Blue and White beers are a bit tougher fit this time of year! Little did I know a half dozen other rye beers were in production in NZ at that time. It's a nice example of the global reach of craft brewing and shows styles are no longer unique to one geographical area. I also learned a lot on this brew. A malt bill with 45% rye is sticky and gave me my first stuck mash, lower yield/alcohol% and made me late to work at my second job! This is a beer for hop heads, its dry and bitter on the finish. Try with some sharp aged cheddar to wipe the hops off your tounge!