Back in 2013, when Mismatch launched, they started their journey with a beer called Archie's Red Ale, a malt driven beer that paid homage to a friend who was ill at the time. The beer was an instant hit and soon other variations made an appearance: Evil Archie's, Super Evil Archie's and Archie's Evil Twin. The beer was then retired for a while, put to one side so the recipe could be revamped. Now, in August 2021, Red Rye IPA hits the shelves, using the original malt structure with a touch of rye, a brand new lineup of hops – Centennial, Riwaka and Simcoe – and now in 500ml cans.
The colour hasn’t changed too much – a dark copper with flickers of red – while there's a certain malt sweetness that begins the experience with a bouquet of toffee and caramel alongside rockmelon, orange citrus and some floral notes. To taste, malt does the hard yards initially, carrying rich toffee, caramel and some biscuit, lifting the rockmelon and slight resin, while the rye is quite muted, chiming in for a brief hello through a touch of spice. The sweetness rides on through to the end, accompanied by a measured bitterness in a beer that showcases even measures of malt and hops that wash across the entire palate like a perfect set of waves.
Matt King
Published August 12, 2021 2021-08-12 00:00:00
