Last Thursday, G-LO and I came home from a hard day at work and found that our urchins were playing outside, so as all good parents are wont to do, we sat down at the table to supervise from a distance. For the record, “hard at work” for G-LO meant spending the afternoon at Citizen’s Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies, for a business person’s special, while I spent the day toiling away at my desk. Given all that, saying that we came home from a “hard day at work” is a bit of a stretch. Anyway…

Always a gracious host, G-LO offered up a bottle that he brought back from this year’s Whisky Jewbilee. The Manna on Rye is a collaboration between the Jewish Whisky Company (they supplied the rye whisky barrels) and Shmaltz Brewing Company (they provided the Hop Manna IPA and the fresh mustard seeds). There wasn’t much information on the interwebz or out at the Shmaltz Brewing site regarding the Manna on Rye so let’s jump right into our review…

Appearance : Ruddy red color with an off-white foam that settles down to a thin, tan bead.

: Ruddy red color with an off-white foam that settles down to a thin, tan bead. ABV : 6.8%

: 6.8% Aroma Limpd : Malty and hoppy (lots of grapefruit) with a faint hint of the rye. G-LO : Biscuity malts and citrusy hops of the candied orange peel variety. Some spicy rye notes.

Taste Limpd : Not as hoppy as one would expect, but still plenty hoppy with a whole lot of malt. A little bit sweet or maybe just missing the bitterness of a typical IPA. There was a real nice balance and a great finish with just a hint of the citrus bitterness (like a slightly tart lemonade) and a little bit drying. G-LO : Medium mouthfeel with a lightly fizzy carbonation. Light caramel sweetness at the start. A touch of bitter hops in the middle. The finish is lightly spiced and tingly.



The Verdict

Limpd: I’m not a big fan of overly hopped IPAs. I find the labeling to be deceptive and the beers to be kind of a one-note disappointment. This was not the case here. There was just the right balance between the malt and hops, and the rye barrel aging provided a spice and a smoothness in the finish that I really enjoyed.

G-LO: It’s got a good beat and I could totally Booze Dance to it! Lucky for you, I don’t dance (don’t ask me…), but I do review adult beverages. This was a really nice beer with a plethora of well-balanced flavors. I really like how the rye barrels changed the nature of what I expect is a very straightforward IPA. Bravo Boys!