Pipeworks L’Amour Fou Rye IPA 4Pk

Pipeworks L’Amour Fou Rye IPA 4Pk is a 6.3% ABV rye-forward India Pale Ale from Chicago’s Pipeworks Brewing Company, sold as a four-pack. Rye malt plays a structural role here rather than a cameo, reshaping the hop-malt dynamic into something drier, spicier, and more angular than a standard American IPA.
Quick Facts: ABV: 6.3%  |  Origin: Chicago, Illinois  |  Style: Rye IPA  |  Brewery: Pipeworks Brewing Company
Production & Heritage
Pipeworks Brewing Company was founded in 2012 by Beejay Oslon and Gerrit Lewis in Chicago, Illinois, and has since earned recognition as one of the city’s top craft breweries. L’Amour Fou — French for “mad love” — is built on a grain bill featuring a significant proportion of rye malt alongside standard pale malt, giving the beer its distinctive peppery spine. American hops are layered throughout the brew to deliver bold citrus and resinous pine character, while the rye shifts the malt profile away from sweetness and toward a lean, biting dryness.
Tasting Notes
Aroma: Citrus peel and tropical fruit dominate the nose immediately, followed by an undercurrent of cracked black pepper and herbal spice from the rye malt. A faint bready, grainy sweetness rounds out the opening and keeps it from reading as purely hop-driven.
Taste: The entry delivers bright grapefruit and tangerine hop flavors that land clean and direct. At mid-palate, the rye asserts itself with a peppery, slightly earthy spice that dries out the malt foundation. There is no heavy sweetness — the citrus and pine notes ride on top of a firm, angular backbone.
Finish: Dry and assertive, with lingering pine resin and rye spice that sharpen the close. The bitterness fades clean, inviting the next sip without cloying residual sweetness.
How to Drink L’Amour Fou
Pour into a tulip glass or standard pint at around 45°F to let the rye spice and hop aromatics open fully; drinking straight from the can mutes the nose considerably. L’Amour Fou’s dry, spicy profile also makes it a strong candidate for beer cocktails: try it in a Michelada, where the rye spice amplifies the hot sauce and lime; a Shandy with fresh lemon juice, which sharpens the citrus hop notes; or a Beergarita, where the peppery backbone stands up to tequila and triple sec without getting lost.
Best For
Hop lovers looking for an IPA with a spicier, drier twist beyond the usual malt sweetness
Hosting a summer cookout where bold, food-friendly beers are needed
Introducing a craft beer enthusiast to the rye IPA sub-style
Pairing with spicy or grilled foods that would flatten a sweeter IPA
Frequently Asked Questions
What does L’Amour Fou taste like? L’Amour Fou delivers bright grapefruit and pine hop flavors over a dry, peppery rye malt backbone, finishing clean and bitter without residual sweetness. The rye gives it an angular, spicy character that distinguishes it from typical American IPAs.
How does L’Amour Fou compare to Pipeworks Snake Ryes? Both are rye IPAs from Pipeworks Brewing, but Snake Ryes — which holds a 3.9 out of 5 rating on Untappd — is often considered the brewery’s other flagship in this sub-style. L’Amour Fou leans into a more citrus-forward hop profile while maintaining a similarly assertive rye spice backbone.
Is L’Amour Fou good for IPA beginners? Its 6.3% ABV is approachable, but the dry, peppery rye backbone and firm bitterness may challenge drinkers who prefer juicy or hazy IPAs with residual sweetness. It rewards those who already enjoy West Coast-leaning hop bitterness.
Where is L’Amour Fou made? L’Amour Fou is brewed by Pipeworks Brewing Company in Chicago, Illinois. The brewery was founded in 2012 by Beejay Oslon and Gerrit Lewis and has become one of the city’s most recognized craft operations.
What foods pair well with L’Amour Fou? Grilled sausages benefit from the beer’s peppery spice echoing the char and seasoning. Spicy Thai curry finds balance in the dry, bitter finish. A sharp cheddar or aged Gruyère matches the rye’s earthy bite. Fish tacos with citrus slaw harmonize with the grapefruit hop notes. Smoked pulled pork stands up to the assertive bitterness without being overwhelmed.
What sizes does L’Amour Fou come in? L’Amour Fou is available as a four-pack, which is the standard retail format for this beer.
Is L’Amour Fou worth the price? L’Amour Fou positions as a mid-range craft IPA, and the meaningful use of rye malt — not just a label gimmick — gives it a genuine point of differentiation within the sub-style that justifies its place alongside other specialty IPAs.
Why L’Amour Fou?
In a crowded IPA landscape, most rye IPAs treat the grain as a footnote — a line on the label that barely registers in the glass. L’Amour Fou takes the opposite approach, letting the rye malt reshape the beer’s entire architecture into something leaner, spicier, and more structurally distinct than a typical American IPA. Pipeworks Brewing, recognized by Thrillist as one of Chicago’s best breweries, has built a reputation on bold, uncompromising recipes, and this beer reflects that ethos. For drinkers tired of one-note hop bombs, L’Amour Fou offers a genuinely different IPA experience where the grain bill does as much work as the hops.