I’d like to share a tale with you all – one of loss, heartache, redemption, ascendance, and euphoria. Ok, that’s not true. It’s about the time when I found a couple bottles of Actual’s Conductor Imperial Rye IPA after thinking that ship had long since sailed. Released during the first week of May in conjunction with Actual’s first birthday celebrations, I figured supplies would evaporate as soon as they hit the shelves (We Columbusites loves ourselves some IPA, which is expected when you share a name with one of the Three C hops). But lo, did I walk into Crafted Drafts one recent afternoon and see a bottle of the very nectar I had believed to now exist only in the memories of those fortunate enough to imbibe. Much celebratory fist-pumping occurred that day (in my car, away from anyone who might see me and wonder if I was having some kind of fit), but the good times did not end there.
From the moment the cap is pried off the bottle, clouds of mango, passion fruit and rye spice rise up and fill your nose with pure tantilization. Upfront, the aroma is ultra bright, glowing with tropical freshness and a luscious fruity vibe that speaks of sunshine and good times. The slight tang and spice of the rye mingles with the floral hop characteristics once the fruit notes have passed, maintaining the aura of freshness while creating a bit of funk alongside that distinct IPA bitterness. After a few breaths, a faint hint of pine arrives, buried beneath the fruit and flower, just enough to add another layer of complexity without altering the overall aroma. Beneath all of the hop madness, a base of mild, crackery malts keep this olfactory journey on even ground, bringing about a touch of buttery smoothness accented with notes of toffee and slightly burnt caramel. It’s a wonderfully powerful aroma – as near as you can get to drinking with your nose, without actually pouring the beer down your nose (Drink Up Columbus does not advocate this at all).
When you do begin to drink this, you’ll be greeted with a mango and passion fruit bitterness, as well as a mild sweetness, beginning slightly thick on the tip of the tongue. The sweet vibe is far from overbearing, but the fruit notes are front and center, supported by hints of countering, resin-like undertones. Like the aroma, the rye adds a spicy base that arrives hand-in-hand with the hop bitterness and settles directly on top of the malt base. The end of each taste arrives crisp and bubbly, allowing a quick taste of faint tea before dissipating from the tongue almost completely. At 47 IBUs, it won’t be the most bitter Imperial IPA you’ll ever have. But where other Double and Imperial IPAs attempt to set your tongue aflame with bitterness, this beer focuses on intricacy of flavor and complex tastiness. Such delectable tastiness.
Fresh and complex, Conductor will lead you through the various layers of powerful yet controlled flavor, borne aloft on wings of mildly sweet tropical fruit bitterness. Rye spice will wrap itself around the hop florality, honing and focusing the flavor and aroma until the beer is running at 137% power (this is potentially a train pun, but I don’t know if trains can run at 137% power. Damn it, man, I’m a beer journalist, not a train specialist!) If you’re not a fan of intensely bitter IPAs, fear not. While the hops have donated a decent amount of alpha acids, the richness of the tongue-domineering flavor tends to push the bitterness to the sides, left to wait there until you actively seek out the bitter quality. As with their other brews, Actual has not only struck liquid gold, but they’ve also bottled it up for your libationating pleasure. Perhaps there are still bottles available all over town. Maybe there are massive, stockpiled reserves strategically located across the city. That doesn’t matter. Everyone should head out right now and buy as much as you can find. Because you definitely need Actual’s Conductor Imperial Rye IPA in your mouth.
