For nearly 500 years, Germans have mandated that beer be made from only water, hops, and barley. More recently, however, Northwest brewers have embraced virtues of rye. Begin your exploration with these five rye-fueled brews.

BRIDGEPORT BREWING CO SMOOTH RYED
$9/six-pack
This amber ale marries pine-spiced Centennial hops with added rye spiciness for the pale ale fan in search of a subtle twist.

BASE CAMP BREWING RIPSTOP RYE PILS
$6/22-oz aluminum bottle
Classic pilsners feature delicate, grassy noble hops—this lager also employs malted rye, which drives the usual grainy bread flavors into sourdough rye territory.

OAKSHIRE BREWING LINE DRY RYE
$4/22-oz bottle
Flavors of orange zest and orange blossom honey balance out this hoppy pale ale that conjures a fresh loaf of honey rye bread.

SHORT SNOUT BREWING RYE-TEOUS DUDE
$5/pint
This luscious stout base receives three types of rye—malted, flaked, and chocolate—for a decadent suggestion of chocolate bread pudding.

FIRESTONE WALKER BREWING WOOKEY JACK
$6/22-oz bottle
There are RyePAs and there are Black IPAs—this brew combines the two. The trinity of spicy rye, citrusy hops, and roasted malts yields flavors of black coffee and burnt toast.