If you’ve never had a Roggenbier (and there’s a good chance you haven’t) it’s sort of like a Hefeweizen, but instead of adding wheat, the brewers add rye. 

It’s light-bodied, delightfully drinkable, and totally refreshing. And, with fuller malt flavors, a little more sweetness, and a hint of peppery spice, Roggenbiers bring more to the table than any Hefe. 

The style disappeared almost completely due to a rye shortage during the 1400s. So, getting a hold of one is kinda like having a pet dinosaur — it shouldn’t exist, but it does, and it’s totally awesome.

Leave it to the nano-batch brewers at Beaver to revive a brew that almost went extinct 600 years ago. These guys love to resurrect rarely-seen styles — they’ve done Kvass, Kentucky Common, and once made a Schwarzbier based on a recipe from the 1820s. But, their tiny batch beers almost never leave Pennsylvania.

Luckily, we scored a little stash of today’s living-fossil so you can sample the obscure treat for yourself. Grab a few cans, and invite a buddy over for a delicious history lesson.

*Beaver Brewing is Food & Wine’s Amazing Nano Brewery in Pennsylvania!