Yazoo Brewing Sly Rye Porter

Yazoo Brewing Sly Rye Porter, a regular offering from Nashville-based Yazoo Brewing Company, poured almost black with brown highlights and a surprisingly small head.  The nose carried forward cocoa, spice, light roasted notes, and something slightly fruity.

Yazoo Brewing Sly Rye Porter opened with a slightly sweet, slightly chewy dark chocolate.  Earth and burnt malts came through as the ale dried and ultimately sweetened in the fade.

The rye doesn’t come through as much as one would expect for getting a call out in the name, but it did impart a spicy earthiness to Yazoo Sly Rye Porter.  This is certainly one of the more interesting beers I tried in Nashville.

Yazoo Brewing Hop Project IPA

Yazoo Brewing Hop Project IPA, from Nashville-based Yazoo Brewing Company, poured a clear copper into the glass, with an off-white colored head that stuck around.  The nose was surprisingly hop-forward for a Southern beer, with loads of floral pine and fruity citrus leading the way… surprisingly similar to Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale.

Yazoo Brewing Hop Project IPA opened with a pine resin and lemon peel start, bitter and a little jarring before quickly settling into a caramel malt middle that added some levity and tropical notes to the taste.  The ale stayed thick throughout and had an extended (if subdued) fade.

Yazoo Brewing Hop Project IPA is a weird beast for the region.  It certainly can hold its own against most Northwest IPAs, which alone is reason to celebrate, but the philosophy behind the beer (different recipes each year) would make it hard to rely on for consistency.