We really enjoy brewing with rye. It has a dry, spicy characteristic that plays very well with other flavors. In many styles of beer, a touch of rye can be used to bring balance to an otherwise one-directional taste. For this beer, though, we started with the rye and piled it on, ensuring it would play first fiddle. The rest of the ingredients - the base, dark, and caramel malts, along with the Czech Saaz hops - were selected for their ability to highlight the rye and play off of its boldness. Since large quantities of rye can sometimes yield an unpalatable harshness, the finishing touch on this brew was to nitrogenate rather than carbonate. The creaminess of the nitrogen pour smoothes the edge, making for very gentle, yet full-bodied beer. We hope you enjoy.