Review: Beers of Ratio Beerworks

Denver’s Ratio Beerworks has been putting out brews for 11 years now. We’ve never sampled its wares until now, so we kick off our coverage with three of its offerings, all available in 12 oz. cans and in expanded national distribution.

If you’re an artist in Denver, you’re in luck: Ratio donates 3% of its annual beer production to support musicians, artists, and the nonprofits behind them.

Ratio Beerworks Cityscape Mexican-Style Lager – Pale in color with intense overtones of lemon and grassy malt, almost shandy-like in construction. Increasingly cereal-driven as it develops, the citrus blows off and leaves behind a lightly honeyed sweetness. Those grassy notes eventually return and cling to the finish, making for a fitful companion to the sweeter elements of the brew. 4.8% abv. B

Ratio Beerworks King of Carrot Flowers Carrot Elderflower Saison – Yes, it’s made with carrots and it shows in the color, which is a unique shade of orange close to papaya juice. The flavor doesn’t initially connote carrots, and even the elderflower in the recipe is restrained, ensuring this beer doesn’t come across tasting like a bouquet of flowers. That said, there is a vegetal character on the finish that, while tough to pin down, must be carrot-derived. The fade-out is surprisingly clean thanks to the saison’s tart underbelly — which only makes it taste all the healthier. 5.9% abv. B+

Ratio Beerworks Sparks Fly Juicy IPA – Refreshing and fruity, this is a classic hazy style IPA with ample flavors of orange, lemon, and grapefruit all in a swirl. Ample elderflower notes give this a floral-tropical spin, complemented by a modest bitterness at just 45 IBUs. While many modern IPAs are thick to the point of cloying, Sparks Fly manages to pull off a rare feat of being effusive and juicy with sweet fruit, but also cleansing and crisp on the finish. This one went down quick. 6.2% abv. A

each $13 per six-pack

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