Boardwalk Black Rye - Karl Strauss Brewing Company

ehammond1

California

3.48/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

On Tap

Churchill's Pub & Grille
San Marcos, CA

Black pour with a thin off-white cap. Regular and lined lacing down the glass.

Roasted malt and chocolate aromas, though relatively simple and one-note.

Flavor consists of the same: roasted malt and some faint chocolate along with some hop bitterness. Simple, and dominated by the roast.

Medium mouthfeel. Ample carbonation.

A roasty and simple black ale. Nothing particularly special or unique. Drinkable. Average.

Serving type: on-tap

07-28-2011 20:44:43 | More by ehammond1

Offa

California

4/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is nice, fairly characterful and well balanced.

Black with a medium-big tan head that slowly shrinks to thin foamy top, some nice lace.

Aroma is nice, toasty dark bread, caramelly prune and molasses, hints of citrus (fermented lemons) and rye. It's very nice, some depth and complexity.

Taste is nice charcoaly roasted grain, caramelly prunes. dark bread. It has nice sweetness with balancing bitterness that lingers and dominates the finish slightly. Feel is good, firm.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2011 00:16:11 | More by Offa

sholland119

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-Opaque pour, dark brown, almost black with a big tan head and great lacing.

S-Roasty and spicy, nice blend of roasted malt and rye malt. Delicious.

T-Nice roasted malt, spicy rye, earthy hops. Delicious flavors, well put together.

M-Medium bodied, crisp.

O-One of my favorite black ales. The rye component is quite nice. Beyond that this beer has a very nice rich roast that is often missing in this style.

HV

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2011 02:30:56 | More by sholland119

Dope

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

No bottle date on this one. Hopefully not too old.

A: Pours dark brown with a good sized thick light brown head. Head fades quite slowly. Top notch head retention. Mid-range fluffy smears of lacing here and there.

S: Some floral character and citrus. Some raisin/dark fruit? A bit of roasted malt, mostly char. I get just a hint of anise too.

T: A little bit of hoppiness initially, mainly citrus. Get some caramel, char, spices and chocolate in the middle. Caramel fades leaving a much more bitter baker's chocolate and char remaining behind. Touch of citrus and caramel and chocolate lingers in the aftertaste.

M: Medium bodied, a touch chalky in the aftertaste (char).

O: Decent black IPA. Hoppiness is very subdued, though it might be an old bottle (who knows). Roasted malt and caramel is nice though. Didn't get much rye either, maybe there's some in the middle that I couldn't quite identify. Decent but nothing special overall. Might have been really good fresh with some strong hoppiness.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 06:07:24 | More by Dope

DovaliHops

California

4/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a nice black with medium tan head that disappears quickly. Scent is lightly hoppy with some floral notes with a lot of chocolate and maybe a hint of coffee. Taste is not nearly as hoppy as most black IPAs I've had, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The rye flavors add some nice characteristics to this brew. A lot of coffee and chocolate with a little bit of hops (a lot more than the nose). Some floral and earthy flavors as well. Tasty beer. Mouthfeel is full bodied. Drinkability is fairly high. Overall, this a tasty beer that has its alcohol very well-hidden. I would definitely purchase it again.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2011 07:16:51 | More by DovaliHops

BeerManDan

California

4.23/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Nice dark brown in color with a fair amount of tan foam and an average amount of lace on the sides of the pint glass. The smell of roasted malts, dark roasted coffee and a possible hint of caramel. A real nice aroma of different components with out the over powering smell of alcohol. Dark roasted, slightly burnt, coffee flavor, along with a touch of dark bitter chocolate, roasted malts, with an aftertaste of rye. A very different flavor that is bitter and yet, very pleasant! Don't forget you can also get that alcohol kick after a few minutes.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 23:12:34 | More by BeerManDan

Fatehunter

Oregon

4.04/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured a finger of tan head on a black body.
The aroma is a rich roasted malt, coffee and molasses. Wonderful.
The taste is rich as well. Roasted malt, rye spice, coffee just a little bit burnt.
The texture is crisp with low to moderate carbonation.
Quite delicious.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 02:45:47 | More by Fatehunter

GRG1313

California

4.43/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a brown/black with a dark khaki head that is rich, full and creamy looking.

Nose is rich sweet chocolate; roasted grain, bing cherries and sweet black plum - very nice and very complex and layered.

Mouthfeel is full, creamy and rich. Very well balanced and nicely carbonated. In fact, mouthfeel is superb.

Flavors follow nose and mouth - all around good. Big assertive roasted grain, sweet black chocolate and rich "black" tones. Plums, chocolate cherries, chocolate cherry liquor and rich chocolate tones lead to a bitter chocolate finish that goes on and one to a bitter grapefruit minutes later, all with rye flavor undertones.

My only real criticism is that there is not as much rye character as I'd like. Otherwise, this one is one of the nicest black beers I've had and one of the best from Karl Strauss.

I taste at room temperature which, I believe, really brings out the character and flavors of this one.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2012 04:08:34 | More by GRG1313

beagle75

Iowa

3.58/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bomber into a shaker pint glass.

A: Opaque dark brown color showing some light transmission at the edges, with over one finger of mocha-tinted foam head. Moderate lacing remains on the glass.

S: Intensely roasty with some contrasting herbaceous hops, slight wood smoke, and a re-occurring whiff of carbon dioxide. No alcohol is detected.

T: Begins dry, with chewy chocolate malt and restrained piney hop aromatics amidst mild acidity. Astringency surges into the middle as dark roast persists, lasting to the end. Bitterness during the finish has a green herbaceous quality in addition to charcoal. No alcohol is detected.

M: Medium viscosity, balanced and slightly wet on the palate, with low carbonation.

D/O: This dark ale from Karl Strauss has all of the unrefined roasted malt one might expect, with a somewhat heightened herbaceous hop presence. It captures the character of many other porter-styles brewed by this brewery that have not made it to the bottle (for better or worse).

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2011 00:38:14 | More by beagle75

rawfish

California

4.33/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours stout black with an enormous mocha head of fizz with good retention that settles to a half finger rocky clump on cream. Leaves very little lacing on the glass.

Coffee, chocolate, toasted bread and prunes with a bit on char followed by a sharp citrus and pine hoppiness. No alcohol and no rye spice on the nose.

Dark roasted coffee, toasted bread, chocolate and toffee make a strong malt back bone without being overbearing as the hops come in with bright citrus and pine resin, textbook west coast hop bill. A bit of a bitter kick and smokiness on the finish. Delicious.

Fairly smooth texture over the palate with a hint of alcohol. Medium bodied and finishes drying after the malts lay down good and slick.

I didn't get much of the rye in this beer perhaps it added a bit of the fruitiness in the nose. A well hopped porter with nearly as much roasted malt complexity as a stout. Equally balanced, Karl struck gold with this offering.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2012 04:40:16 | More by rawfish

Philousa

California

3.78/5  rDev -5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Completely black, even up against the light, with a one finger dense tan head. Even, steady lacing clings to the glass. This smells like a brownie. Thick, dark milk chocolate with a good amount of caramel and a little cracked oat or flour with sugar giving it a bit of a cookie aroma as well. The spicy rye really comes out as it warms, out of the darkness, it seems. Dark, bitter bakers chocolate starts the taste out, followed by burnt toast and dark roasted coffee. Burnt is a pretty good overall description of this one. The rye comes out as it warms, like the aroma, but it's mild and unabrasive. It's bitter, but it seems like it's from the malt, not hops. A metallic copper-ish taste and feel sticks in the throat a bit. The feel tends toward viscous, but only slightly. Finish is dry, similar to a dry stout.

I'm intrigued by this beer. It reminds me of a stout, but it has more flavor. With the amount of grains going into this thing, I would expect it to be a bit more complex. If this had a lower ABV, it would be damn good.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2012 04:58:43 | More by Philousa

wethorseblanket

California

3.58/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at the Universal City location.

A: Pours black with a thin mocha head which leaves sheets and blobs of lace.

N: Roasted malts with a faint citrus note. As warms more citrus comes along.

T: Roasty almost to the point of char. Pine and spicy from the rye malt.

M: Creamy, full body and semi-moderate carbonation.

O: Perhaps too much roast for me. Served very cold. Allow this to warm up some.

Serving type: on-tap

08-17-2012 02:45:09 | More by wethorseblanket

MrVonzipper

California

4.35/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pitch black with no light penetrating. Solid, dense foamy khaki head with nice retention and lacing.

Dark malt, chocolate, woody oakiness, and faint hop notes like pine bark on the nose.

Flavor is a little different than other cascadian dark ales due to the rye ( I assume). It has a spicy earthiness that others don't have. Flavors include notes of bitter chocolate, piney bark like hops and a very nice coffee character especially on the back end.

Full bodied, rich yet crisp mouthfeel with medium carbonation. Fairly dry.

Overall this is a damn good beer. I like it because it's different. Great overall character and flavor. I definitely recommend a try with an understanding of something different here.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2011 20:28:02 | More by MrVonzipper

rand

California

3.98/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

From bomber to Mikasa pint glass

A: Black in color, coffee-tan 2-inch fluffy head that slow to recede. Ample lacing all over the glass

M: The nose is malt-forward, with scents of chocolate, toasted caramelly malts and sweet, multigrain bread. Fresh citrusy hops are right behind, joined by a nice whiff of alcohol.

T: Congruent with the nose, the malty aspects are noticed first, but the hops are more prominent on the palate. Toasty, bready mid-sip as West Coast-style resiny hops more than balance out the chocolate/coffee tones. The sip finishes on the bitter side of the profile.

M: Medium-to-light bodied, ample carbonation. Just about the perfect complexion for the style.

Another tasty brew in Karl Strauss' revamped line up. I just notice "Red Trolley, Off the Rails", which cracked me up because Red Trolley was one of teh reasons I dismissed Karl Strauss for so long. Well, no longer, and although this isn't the best of some the black IPA's to recently pop up around here, it's damn good.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2011 07:39:50 | More by rand

jvillefan

California

4.33/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: It is a watery looking dark brown with a one finger head that does not last very long.

S: There is a strong hopy smell covering the grains in the background. Malt is also present in the aroma.

T: Very good. The malt, hop, and grain balance each other out perfectly.

M: Very good. It has a little less carbonation then I like but the viscosity is what I look for in a beer.

O: Very good. If you have the opportunity to get this beer do it.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2011 03:25:29 | More by jvillefan

monkeylovebeer

California

4.48/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

We’ve had a lot of great beers find their way out of the (far) southland to our humble shack in the north. San Diego has long been a Mecca for craft beer aficionados, and the Karl Strauss Brewing Company has had a big hand in establishing that beachhead. I have to admit that I wasn’t overly impressed with the Tower 10 IPA, or Red Trolley Ale, but I couldn’t get enough of their Full Suit Belgian brown seasonal.

Perhaps Karl Strauss needs to be thinking outside of the box to really shine. Boardwalk Black Rye, the latest in the brewery’s limited “Coastal Reserve” line, pours stout black with excellent head retention and lacing. Upon first sip, it is hard to pin down exactly what style of beer this is. There are a ton of Ahtanum hops balancing out a pretty heavy amount of caramelized rye that ultimately pushes it toward a “Rye PA,” but then there is the rest of the heavy grain bill to contend with. With a healthy bit of black malts adding further luxuriant mouth feel to an already creamy brew boasting 8% alcohol, perhaps this is some kind of Imperial Porter. Whatever it is, it’s tasty.

Hints of dried fruit (prunes, raisins), chocolate, and black coffee all play against a warming Bourbon alcohol note. The hops, however, take the last word with a nice lingering bitter tongue. This beer would make an excellent after-dinner drink.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 03:10:04 | More by monkeylovebeer

kimbo33

Pennsylvania

4.8/5  rDev +20.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

What a crazy idea! A black rye...and I love it! Shared this with a friend. Rye and smoky malts are obviously a perfect match. Nice bubbly mouthfeel...smooth aftertaste. Goes down very easy for a beer with that much roasted flavor up front. Rye adds nice complexity to it. Almost no hop flavor, all malt. WOuld seek this out.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2012 01:35:40 | More by kimbo33

sergio1va

California

4.38/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On Tap

Downey Brewing Company, Downey, Ca

Pours to a reddish black pour with a light brown foam head. Scents of Malts and Hops are present even before your first sip. Upon drinking this beer you discover the great balance between the malts and the hops infused in this beer. It drinks more like a stout without a terrible impact of hoppiness in the profile. Drink this beer with some spicy food like chile con carne and you'll discover the best of both worlds- great food and great beer. Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2011 05:53:02 | More by sergio1va

AleEvangelist

California

4.22/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Wonderfully dark with a rich, creamy head that had some staying power with great lacing.

Aroma: Complex, hoppy in the nose with a solid bed of malt underlying it. Roasted malt throughout, but floral and citrus notes also present; a gift for an ale this dark.

Taste: Wow! Roasted malt, some coffee bitterness accentuated by a beautiful hoppy bitterness! I am far more impressed than I thought I'd be! Finish is a lasting bitterness, which is hard to place: roasted malt, hops, or combination of both? Fantastic.

Mouthfeel: Rich and smooth, the mouthfeel is precisely what I was hoping for. Hops cannot completely overpower the malt, and the result is something that, while eminently drinkable, is also quite rich and creamy.

Overall: This has been my first experience with Karl Strauss, and I must say, I am surprised. How I let something like this go under the radar for so long is beyond me. Malty sweetness battles west coast hoppiness in this epic battle. Who will win? I will...because it's quite good!

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2011 03:41:00 | More by AleEvangelist