Rye-on-Rye - Boulevard Brewing Co.

Reaper16

Alabama

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

growler filled at Corks and Tops, Tuscaloosa, AL
served into a tulip glass

Pours a toasty light amber color. It's pretty much whiskey colored, come to think of it. And this being a Ryewine aged in small-batch Tempelton Rye barrels, you do think of it. Not much head on this monster of a beer; perhaps half a finger of off-white foam in all. Laces in spots like Morse code.

Rye-on-Rye smells like whiskey barrels. Pure, distilled angel's share (even moreso than Angel's Share). There is vanilla and oak for days and days here. It's impressive how much vanilla there is without this beer getting to be a sweetness bomb. The oak barrel character is tempered by a spicy, bready hit of rye malt. There's a ton of rye in this beer, as you'd expect. There's a blast of something like breakfast cereal (I can't place which one), too. There's some booze, sure, but it isn't off-putting.

The flavor of the 2012 vintage of this beer - at least the draft version of the 2012 vintage - is a whole lot smoother than I remember the original 2010 vintage being. It's still a macho beer, but the flavors are so well-rounded. Spicy rye malt is the dominant flavor, with straight-up bourbon flavors following: oaky tannin, sweet, comforting vanillin, a kiss of warming alcohol. It's impressively made. The finish flushes with tobacco leaf and leather, before yielding to a baker's chocolate note that plays real nicely with the vanilla character from the barrel aging. This is a wonderful beer.

The mouthfeel is not as full as I expected, but that's a product of this being on-tap and also being brought home in a milk-jug growler (thanks, Alabama laws). But it is very smooth, with no real hint of booze in terms of cheek-drying astringency.

Overall, this is a wonderful Ryewine. Probably the best Ryewine in the world. The barrel aging here is marvelously done. All of the flavor of whiskey with little of the harshness. Seek this beer out.

Serving type: growler

06-16-2012 02:04:13 | More by Reaper16

ThePorterSorter

New York

4.11/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

thanks merc for cracking out this vintage 2012 brew

The beer pours a dull, hazy orange/red amber with a thin halo of tan head, loose lacing, and plentiful sediment. The nose is buttery whiskey barrel aged caramel sweetness, slightly boozy, with a touch of rye. The taste is definitely whiskey barrel forward with a generous amount of rye spice in the finish. It's medium bodied, barleywine-esque, slightly spice, heavily barrel aged and boozy (but not as much as the BBQ). Wow, what a good beer that presents huge barrel aged sweetness along with excellent rye spice. It's more of an evening sipper at 11% and with huge rye spice, but very tasty and impressive. I'd certainly try this beer again.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 20:06:07 | More by ThePorterSorter

merc7186

New York

4.35/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

2012 Bomber poured into snifter glass.

A: Reddish/Mild Orangish Hue, Passes Some Light, Off White Head Ring, Some Lacing

S: Rye Bourbon Barrel Sweetness, Honey, Rye

T: Rye Bourbon, Honey, Rye, Mild Sweet Bread

M: Decent Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Mildly Sweet, Mildly Boozy

Overall, you really get the rye barrel taste and the rye grains seperately but they mesh well together too. Solid.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 20:00:17 | More by merc7186

Scotchboy

Idaho

4.26/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

750ml of the 2013 bottling, generously sent to me by laymansbeerfan, and split into tulips with my brothers...

A: Dark gold, nearly amber, with a huge off-white head that leaves a spiderweb of lacing behind.

S: Big-time toffee, vanilla, and a moderate rye-whiskey component right upfront, along with a clear citrusy character, hops maybe? Big malty body with grainy, spicy undertones.

T: Moderate caramel and big toffee right upfront...barrel character is really nicely blended here, little bit of vanilla and a pulling charred oak component...toasted grains, distinctive fruitiness and spiciness is apparent as well.

MF: Creamy medium/full body with moderate carbonation. Warmth is apparent but welcome. Carbonation is spot-on.

O: A really pleasant BA rye beer, unique and flavorful.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 15:15:59 | More by Scotchboy

facundoCNB

New Jersey

4.59/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2012 bottle

pours a deep amber with 2 fingers of off-white detergent-like head which dissipated slowly and gave off a good amount of head. smells of vanilla, bourbon, toffee, caramel, banana. very sweet malty flavor at first (caramel, brown sugar) followed by harsh burn of alcohol leading way to vanilla, banana. and bourbon flavors. this is a very sweet and booze heavy beer. full body with medium carbonation, definitely a sipper with lots of alcohol burn.

overall? yeah this was well worth hunting down on r/beertrade, and well worth waiting to drink. one of the best barrel aged beers i've had.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 00:36:41 | More by facundoCNB

Immortale25

Florida

4.06/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a Saint Somewhere wine-style glass. Batch Number/Best By Date: 2012-1/02-2014 Much love to Slvrmon82 for hookin a brotha up.

A- Pours a light brown color with a 1/2 inch tan head that retains well before dropping down to a thin ring around the edge of the glass and a light center patch of surface foam. Semi-resilient lacing slides down the glass leaving splotches behind.

S- Woody, somewhat boozy aroma. Also toasty. Semi-astringent. Not a whole lot there.

T- Ah, now we're getting somewhere. Mildly sweet caramel flavor melds nicely with the spicy rye and oak notes. Alcohol is very well-masked. The astringency found in the aroma is just as apparent in the flavor but there's more to work with here.

M- Pretty standard feel with some sharpness from the booze and rye with medium carbonation and a medium-full body.

O- Not necessarily complex since what you have is a rye beer aged on rye barrels but it's certainly drinkable and enjoyable if you're a rye fan like I am.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 02:28:09 | More by Immortale25

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.71/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A story of rye, for the rye and of the rye.Enormous head on beige body. Mild rye spice aroma. Above average body, Decent surprisingly smooth drinkability. The taste yields much barreling including vanilla and coconut, perhaps a result of maximum time recommended in bottle,just a drop of faint sour. Bottle from IP with Steve in Warren.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 14:17:38 | More by northyorksammy

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A big thank you to Steasy66 for this bad boy.

Appearance. Pours a hazy, deep amber orange with a 2+ finger, amber tinted cream coloured head.

Smell. Grainy malts, sweet caramel, woody bourbon and vanilla, and some fruity yeast and spicy rye.

Taste. Spicy rye malts and caramel, whiskey and wood, vanilla and some fruity yeast and booze.

Mouthfeel. Pretty full bodied, slightly sticky with a medium amount of smooth carbonation.

Overall. Nice big rye beer that's smooth and tasty. Finishing this bottle won't be a problem even being as big as it is...

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2013 01:57:20 | More by Rutager

rlee1390

Indiana

4.13/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A-Cloudy deep ruby, one finger off white head.

S-Rye, whiskey, spice, grass, caramel, molasses and darker fruits.

T-Oak, rye. darker fruits, molasses, caramel and apples.

M-Medium bodied, nicely carbonated, easy drinking for the abv.

O-Was expecting a little more but still a very good beer. Maybe some more rye spiciness would have been nice.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 20:48:38 | More by rlee1390

Buster

Oklahoma

4.71/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Poured into a tulip glass.

A- Beautiful caramel color, hazy, with a decent head.

S- The nose is dominated by a huge oak-vanilla-whiskey note, with spicy rye and some booze.

T- Much like the nose, there are big rye, whiskey, vanilla, oak flavors. There is also some caramel sweetness, fruitiness, and toffee.

M- Medium bodied, perfectly carbonated, and smooth.

O- This is a great beer, especially considering the price. Definitely pick this one up if you come across it.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 02:52:01 | More by Buster

tewaris

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had heard a lot of praise for this beer and never had a chance to actually try it so I was very glad to find it on tap at Stub's. Served in a 10 oz wide mouthed glass.

Pours dark mahogany with a creamy tan head. Great lacing as the glass empties. The aroma is not nearly as potent as I was expecting. Smooth malts and some barrels, maybe. Ample hops in the taste but gels well with the overall profile of the beer. Warms one up as it goes down.

Frankly I was confused for a while about the beer I actually got but soon enough the rye comes forth... maybe the only element that keeps the bitterness in check on a warm beer. I started to like it finally and it is certainly a well made beer. But I didn't really enjoy it.

Serving type: on-tap

04-02-2013 05:35:53 | More by tewaris

tdm168

North Carolina

4.03/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Thanks to jtd1969 for this one.

A - dark caramel with a thick, brown head that has great retention; some floaties throughout

S - esters, some faint rye, alcohol

T - peppery rye, fruity esters, some apple, alcohol

M - medium to full bodied, warming alcohol, smooth

This is a really nice beer. The flavor isn't as intense as I would have expected and it's not overly complex. This beer is very drinkable for the ABV and has a nice solid flavor profile that shows off the immense rye character. This is a must try for all rye fans.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 01:11:26 | More by tdm168

joeseppy

Illinois

4.21/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

2013 Pours a nice 2-3 inch off white foamy head with ruby red transparency.

Rye spice in the nose. Some hop. Charred oak and some booze.

Tastes upfront on hop and then the rye takes over. Charred oak flavor and vanilla. Breadiness in there. Pert near like drinking rye whiskey. I've never had Templeton before, now I have.

Full bodied brew with low carbonation. Alcohol is warming and welcome.

Stellar brew done well in style! Big bottle of this asks you to invite a friend. Nice brew for the launchpad.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 23:19:17 | More by joeseppy

vickersspitfire

Texas

4.45/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The body is a dark brown hearth color, filled with lots of carbonation and topped off with a thick tan head that consists of creamy small bubbles and larger billowy bubbles in the center. The aroma is semi-dry, filled with wheat and mild malts and plenty a light fruits and banana bread. It is light on the tongue and crisp. It is very creamy and the caramel is very pleasant, there is a slight whiskey note in its aftertaste. Very complex, the more I sip on it the more flavors come out, mild fig and apple, toffee, butter are all mixed in very well. The body does seem to thicken up just a bit, the mouth feel after letting it warm up would be medium to full bodied.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 18:40:08 | More by vickersspitfire

HuskyinPDX

Washington

4.28/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Bottle opened on 3.3.13
Batch 2012-1
Best by 02-2014
Bottle 12885

A - Pours a dark carmel brownish with a fluffy tan head with good retention.

S - Strong carmel, rye and ripe dark frutis.

T - Lots of carmel and toffee, not much else.

D - Decent carbonation with a medium body.

O - Mellowed way out, tons of toffee and carmel, no booze or heat detected.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 17:02:08 | More by HuskyinPDX

cvm4

Mississippi

4.15/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2013 bottle

A - Pours a light amber, almost translucent. Has a frothy two finger eggshell head.

S - Definitely rye whiskey overload... Malts and caramel in the background.

T - Rye with a sweeter side that has a woodsy oaky background.

M - Light body, medium to high carbonation. It has a wet finish.

O - Complex, unique and aggressive towards the rye whiskey. Not bad at all!

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 02:49:57 | More by cvm4

Monkeyknife

Missouri

4.16/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

BA beer review #1000!

Poured from the bottle a murky tea color with two fingers of fast-fading beige head. No lacing whatsoever left behind.

Boozy whiskey aroma with molasses and toffee upfront followed by citrus and oak notes.

This was definitely aged in a whiskey barrel. The 12% booze punches you right in the mouth. The molasses and toffee notes are big along with a bit of vanilla, citrus and light fruit in the finish.

Full bodied and dry with a lighter carbonation.

Quite interesting and complex. I liked this beer, though I'm not a whiskey fan at all.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 21:52:29 | More by Monkeyknife

alex_hart

Massachusetts

4.91/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

served in the boulevard glass

I sit here drinking this, and am in awe. It is unbelievable how Boulevard has somehow married whisky and beer together in such a perfect matrimony. This has been sitting in my fridge waiting for me to drink it for a little over a week now, and it was torture waiting. It came highly recommended, and was even said to be the best brew from the smokestack series, by one of the beer experts at a local liquor store, and sweet heaven and earth they may actually be right.

Its dark burnt orange and hazy brown appearance with a consistent half finger head atop a beautiful reverse waterfall of carbonation is immaculate.

the taste is something like i've never had before. like i said before, this marriage was meant to be. to have a 12% brew be so classy and smooth with little to no sign of an alcoholic bite is beyond me. This is a must try for anyone and everyone.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 02:27:38 | More by alex_hart

ckollias

Maryland

4.24/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: Pours a cloudy brown hue with thick, white, 2-finger head that slowly dissipates, leaving a great trail down the side of the glass ending in a solid lace.

S: Malty aroma with a sweet alcoholic whiskey background.

T: Complex sweet rye malt with a smooth whiskey wood background. Finishes on the dry boozy side.

M: Medium body and medium carbonation.

O: Interesting brew. Great complex flavors and aromas.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2013 03:03:42 | More by ckollias

jvillefan

California

3.98/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4

A: It is a hazy deep brown/orange body with a 4 finger brown tinged white head.

S: Rye is definitely present. There is the aroma of whiskey and caramel malts in the background.

T: A little overly complex. There is toffee in the front that clashes a little with the whiskey flavors. There is subtle caramel malt present as well as some oaky flavors.

M: Very thick and heavy body with great carbonation.

O: A great beer. Rye is not my thing but this would be a fantastic beer for the rye beer lover. The only rye beer that I've had that is better is Dueling Pipers.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 04:36:15 | More by jvillefan

GeezLynn

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A: Dim reddish brown, with an ample white head. Great retention.
S: Sweet caramel malt, earthy rye, a bit of fruityness accented by a nice bit of whiskey and cherries. One of the most memorable beers I’ve smelled in the last year.
T: Flavor is a throwdown between the smooth sweet caramel malt and the brash spicy rye, ending with a quick kick of whiskey. Slight alcohol burn is noticeable, but not out of place for 12%. Otherwise, the whiskey is nicely integrated. Finishes pretty clean with the slightest bitterness.
M: Soft, fine carbonation with a medium body results in a pretty smooth mouthfeel.

I have to commend Boulevard on making an aggressive, whiskey barrel enhanced beer where all the other desirable attributes are also readily apparent. Easily my favorite Smokestack Series beer. If you like rye and whiskey, this is your beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 04:35:41 | More by GeezLynn

secondtooth

Indiana

3.73/5  rDev -12%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Pours a murky, ruddy red-amber. Very sudsy, but little head visible. Carbonation continues to bubble as the glass warms. Odd and unusual.

Nose is unique -- I get wet wood, some fruitiness, butter, and toffee. Not that it's bad, just an unusual combination, again.

Flavor is fruits/berries and some toffee -- sweet and somehow wine-like. I don't detect much of the rye whiskey barrel, though, as this one just seems more of a fruit-oriented champagne style. It's quite easy to drink, and especially with the very deceptive 13% ABV.

Overall, certainly a memorable and genre-busting brew.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 03:33:13 | More by secondtooth

denver10

Colorado

3.95/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy golden caramel with a huge thick, frothy cream colored head with nice lacing. Aroma offers a nice dose of sweet whiskey, sweet bread, a tease of some fruit, rye (which comes out after it warms some) and a little vanilla. Flavor is whiskey dominant and shows itself throughout the entire sip, it pairs with some bread and caramel,, some rye comes out as it warms offering some spiciness, and vanilla. Alcohol is present but works with the beer. A fuller, creamy mouthfeel. Not too much activity. Overall, highly enjoyable. I am quite hit and miss with Boulevard's oferrings but this one is a definitely a winner. A little more straightforward and less complex than I expected it to be going in, but quite enjoyable, nonentheless, and that is ultimately what matters.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 00:46:14 | More by denver10

JamesShoemaker

New York

4.13/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

750 ml bottle poured into two snifters. 2012 vintage. Thanks a lot for these two bottles and the great extra, Woodsyy! Great trade.

A - pours nice and light brown and settles deep in the glass. Huge foam from the forced pour; it's obviously pretty highly carbonated. Almost completely opaque, very good looking.

S - yum, a lot like the best whiskey barrel aged beers out there. Big hits of wood and booze from the smell and a lot of the sweetness one would find in things like Backwoods Bastard and Sucaba. Points off though for way too much alcohol on the nose. The other bottle I have has 1% ABV more than this one (at 11%), so we'll see how it drinks in comparison.

T - a little empty in comparison to the smell. Some of the sweet whiskey flavors come out at first, but it recedes into a bland, soda-watery taste. I expect that's from the aging. Not terribly complex, but certainly not bad.

M - too carbonated, but the alcohol loses its intensity off the nose. A little thin, but, again, I expect that's from the aging.

O - good beer, I wish it was more readily available. I look forward to drink it fresh.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 01:06:36 | More by JamesShoemaker

AlCaponeJunior

Texas

4.09/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Auburn and mostly clear, large head that slowly went to a one finger head and lasted from there, lacing good.

Aroma is nice, spicy rye, caramel, wood, vanilla, whiskey, caramelized sugar, lots of spiciness, dark fruits, in some ways almost smells like a quadrupel.

Taste is very complex and will take a while to quantify. That's ok, because at 12% ABV, this bottle will take me a while to drink! The barrel aging is immediately apparent. Plenty of oak, whiskey, and vanilla come through right away. There's again a fruity presence, much like a quadrupel's fruitiness. Candi and brown sugar are ever-present. The spiciness from the rye adds tons of delicious complexity.

Actually this beer is reminding me of Boulevard's Bourbon Barrel Quad quite a lot. It's not the same, but there's clearly some overlap! The body is lighter on this beer, it's about medium,. but smooth as can be and creamy in texture. Each sip leaves your tongue coated with a lightly vanilla like resinous coating. Very enjoyable!

Tremendous, as always. Great job Boulevard!

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 20:12:44 | More by AlCaponeJunior