Two Brothers Brewing Company of Warrenville, IL, a western suburb of Chicago, has been brewing unique craft beers since 1997. The company is actually run by two brothers, Jim and Jason Ebel, who play on their last name in many of their beer labels. For this review we checked out their red rye ale, Cane and Ebel, a distinct beer brewed with a touch of Thai palm sugar, sweet tangy rye and a ton of unique hops.

Poured from a 12-oz. bottle into a tumbler glass, Cane and Ebel is a rich amber color, nearly brown in hue, with a thin off-white head. The nose of the beer consists of bright hop aromas and a strong scent of rye. As with the nose, on first sip the rye presents itself in a uniquely sweet and tangy way, playing against what, at 70 IBUs, amounts to a very bitter beer. The use of Thai palm sugar provides another layer of sweetness and balances out the spiciness of the rye. This beer finishes crisp, sweet and tangy, almost like a glass of juice. Sternly and strongly flavored, Cane and Ebel is also a relatively strong beer alcohol-wise, at 7.0 % ABV.

Two Brothers beers are only officially distributed in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Minnesota and New York, but keep your eyes peeled for Cane and Ebel, we’ve seen it pop up here and there on special order. And if you happen to be visiting a state where it is available, this is one worth seeking out.