Rye-on-Rye - Boulevard Brewing Co.

bheilman

Indiana

4.05/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Dark red color with a decent head. The smell is very whiskey-like and malt rich. The taste is spicy, thick with a solid aftertaste. You can definitely taste the whiskey influence but it is not overwhelming. The beer is a bit strong tasting and so not all that drinkable. Good beer to split with a friend and I strongly suggest this one to any beer lover.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2010 23:28:44 | More by bheilman

Humulus85

Minnesota

4.05/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I was really excited to find this one back when it was released. I almost forgot about it in my cellar. 2012 vintage, bottled on 2/20/12, poured into a tulip.

Pours a beautiful dark ruby, some little floaties (my bottle may have gotten jostled a bit. Nice cream colored head. About one fingers worth and decent retention for the ABV, as well as some alcohol legs.

Tons of rye and tons of whiskey. There's that wonderful sweet spice from the rye. Whiskey soaked oak and char. You an feel the booze in the nose, but it works for what this is going for.

This really tastes like a rauchbier with a shot of rye whiskey thrown in. In a good way. It starts with whiskey and finishes with it. The rye based malt compliment the flavor of the whiskey whose barrels it aged in. If you are not familiar with rye whiskey, it may be hard to appreciate this. Yet it could be a bit more complex. It's pretty two dimensional: rye and rye whiskey.

My least favorite part of the beer. Has a medium mouthfeel with a too much carbonation. Feels a bit thin overall, but also is exceedingly drinkable for how much booze there is. Unless you really like whiskey this may not be the beer for you. It is truly a whiskey lovers beer, not just a barreled aged beer. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 07:33:45 | More by Humulus85

sleuthdog

Illinois

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

Bottle #19028 From 2012 with a best by date of 02-2014
Poured into snifter

Appearance: A dark mahogany color with very minimal cream colored head. Maybe one finger worth and that's being generous. This settled to a small ring along the edges of the glass. I can see some tiny bubbles rising to the top when held directly to the light.

Smell: Whiskey up front with the spice from the rye. Big time sweet notes of caramel, toffee and booze soaked dark fruit with a ton of vanilla and oak. This one reminds me so much of an English style barleywine like Sucaba in the nose. An intoxicating smelling beer.

Taste: Sweet caramel, toffee and vanilla initially and then the rye hits mid palate. I am also getting the dark fruit component and the charred oak complements everything perfectly. The whiskey is quite evident producing a leather like taste and a warming alcohol effect. The finish is simply awesome with the rye and whiskey lingering through the entire swallow. The sweet caramel and breadiness also stick around between sips.

Mouthfeel: A fairly full body here with a good amount of carbonation. This beer covers all corners of my mouth with a sticky sweetness but not cloying by any means.

Overall: An interesting complex beer to say the least. There is so much going on that each sip elicits a different reaction from me. Sweet but spicy and the barrel is done to perfection in this beer. A sipper but one I can't stop sipping! I'm glad I bought two of these because this is one hell of an enjoyable beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 01:13:31 | More by sleuthdog

sjccmd

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Another ridiculously difficult cork to pop...

Slightly murky amber with glimmering ruby hues. Large creamy light tan head. The head recedes slowly leaving lacing all the way down the glass.

The upfront aroma is whiskey, vanilla and oak. Fruity Belgian aromas come out eventually. I get a hint of strawberry and pineapple. Interesting and complex

Wow, really complex flavor. Vanilla and oak initially, followed with tropical fruits, then spices and rye. Finishes with spicy alcohol warmth. I saw some people mention aging which would tone down the alcohol, but I wonder if the bright fruity notes would diminish as well.

Small bubbles of carbonation and slick mouthfeel. Nice and creamy.

The alcohol and sweetness have a pretty big presence, but that should be expected with this kind of beer at 11%.

I'm thinking the rye beer category is pretty open. It seems like most rye beer go the route of rye pale ales, so this is pretty different...but in a good way.

Another excellent offer from Boulevard...maybe I'm biased being from Kansas City, but I'm pretty impressed.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2010 22:47:23 | More by sjccmd

fatmcb1

Texas

3.8/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml poured into a Jester King glass

Pours with a thick head that leave remarkable lacing down the entire glass.

Smell is of caramel, dark fruit, and bourbon.

Taste starts off with lots of spice, that just grows as the beer warms. Bourbon blends with dark fruit and caramel. Light on hop presence.

Carbonation is medium, but turns flat towards the end.

I was a bit disappointed in this one. Not bad, but a bit over the top of spices. Barrel flavors are a bit on the lighter side.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2012 20:04:30 | More by fatmcb1

gnemesis

Michigan

4/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle #3101 dated 01/13/10. Poured 8oz sample into snifter on 05/02/2011.
Pours a cloudy brown- rust colored but topped with a nice off-white head. Good retention and decent lace. I detect some apple, rye, earth, wood, and a touch of booze in the nose. Once the beer hits my tongue I get some very unique tastes. Apple juice, whiskey, and wood- strange but in a very good way... not at all off-putting. Full body and a little light in the carbonation but still good. This was tasty but one glass is plenty.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2011 18:05:27 | More by gnemesis

mmva321

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a pint glass.

The body is a beautiful rust color which thins out a little near the sides of the bottle. An aggressive pour yields a good amount of light tan head which leaves a creamy film on top of the body and has some delicate lacing.

The smell is, of course, led off and dominated by a dry whiskey auroma. This dry, woody smell is bold but is complimented very well by a smooth and sweet side that has hints of toffee.

A very woody and rye taste to the beer. The alcohol is very present along with oak, toffee and vanilla.

The mouthfeel compliments and helps the beer perfectly. It is a thinner body, with a slight amount of carbonation, but it is very smooth. It seems to emphasize the different flavors of the beer but without ever getting in the way.

The beer goes down so easy, especially for its high ABV. It seems like a refined and mature beer to add to Boulevard's illustrious Smokestack series.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2010 09:21:15 | More by mmva321

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

jgagne

Kentucky

4.68/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A-deep ruby red color. Nice off white head. Beautiful looking beer.

S-wonderful smell permeates off this beer. Smells like you are walking into bourbon distillery. Intense vanilla, caramel, brown sugar aroma. Great stuff.

T-wonderful, sweet malty body. Great rye characteristics. Not as intense as most rye beers. Drinks more like a barleywine, which I really enjoy.

M-big heavy body. Great carb and really smooth.

O-I love Boulevard. There smokestack series is some of the best beers I have ever had. and this might be the best I have had yet. Highly recommended if you can get one.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 20:34:51 | More by jgagne

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

BeerMaverick

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A - Dark orange and amber color with a half inch of head. Translucent, almost ruby-like appearance.

S - Rye whiskey aroma is dominant, as it should be and it is complemented by a very slight burn from the alcohol. Some sweeter fruits come through here as well such as raisin and fig.

T - Delivered as promised, strong rye whiskey character with a strong rye bread (caraway seed) backbone. Slight alcohol burn, by nothing deterring. I expected to be overwhelmed by too much of a rye flavor, but this isn't the case; the two rye types go well together. No hop character, but a sweet malt profile to hold everything in place.

M - Spicy and warm rye aftertaste that properly tops off this full-bodied rye brew.

O - This is easily my favorite beer of the year because of its amazingness and that it promises exactly what it provides. 5's across the board.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2012 01:34:48 | More by BeerMaverick

kcillini77

Kansas

4.58/5  rDev +8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Martin City Brewpub - $7 for a tulip glass.

I bought a bottle of this that's sitting in my refrigerator, but wanted to try it on tap.

Whiskey is the dominant aroma, but the spicy malt dominates the taste with a nice whiskey backdrop.

Extremely flavorful and pleasant to drink. Wouldn't know it was 11% if I wasn't familiar with it. Looking forward to my bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

03-22-2012 02:04:27 | More by kcillini77

SafeAtFirst

Wisconsin

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

#4906 of 12148
batch: 2010-1
best by: 01/13

A: hazy, dark copper almost brown. grungy white foam.

S: rye whiskey, oak, vanilla, bread crust, pepper, dark fruit, caramel/toffee, a hint of citrus. a little surprised that the oak & whiskey are still so prominent. blended in for sure, but still a major contributor. very complex nose. i like.

T: booze, spicy rye, touch of caramely sweetness, oak tannin, dark bread crust. this beer has a definite rye slant to it.

M: medium-ish body, dry finish, fairly high carb (3.4 vol. co2). i could go for a little less carb, a little more smooth.

D: really interesting brew, has a lot going on, especially the nose. i like the rye emphasis. i think it's still improving. a little sad that i only have one bottle left.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2011 03:47:03 | More by SafeAtFirst

DRyan

Texas

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

6/1/12
Boulevard Brewing’s
Rye-on-Rye
Poured in a Jester King Tulip glass

A: Dark brown, with purple tones, thin quickly dissipating head with little lacing
S: Smells Belgian, like a Quadruple; hints of whiskey and rye and earthiness
T: Front is whiskey-forward; can tell it was aged in whiskey barrels. Has some roasty bits, but not like a stout, and some rye spiciness, but not as much as I’d expect. Has a little Quadruple like flavor as well, maybe the yeast? The alcohol is apparent in the aftertaste, and almost has a tiny whiskey-like burn to the nostrils, but does not overpower with alcohol
M: Lightly carbonated, smooth mouthfeel
D: Very drinkable for such a strong beer.

Aging this one; got three more and I think it's only going to get (amazingly) better.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2012 00:50:33 | More by DRyan

hopstradamus

Kansas

3.83/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A. Dark copper, nearly red in color. This beer is cloudy, almost murky with a thick head.

S. Sweet and perfumy with strong whiskey tones. It also has a slight fruity Belgian yeast smell.

T. Pleasant rye flavor with oak undertones. It is sweet and alcoholic. I expected more of a whiskey taste, but it was still good. Very subtle hop character.

M. This beer had an average texture which was less than expected from the cloudy appearance. It was light and smooth with good carbonation.

D. A very enjoyable beer, the 750 mL bottle would be great to share with friends.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2010 16:13:54 | More by hopstradamus

kylejohnson03

Oklahoma

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

Bottle number 9130 of 12148, poured from a 750 corked/caged bottle into a goblet. Pours a cloudy amber, very hazy with a gushing two finger head. The head lingers for a few minutes and receeds back into a nice thin layer on top of the glass. The aromas are fruit, vanilla, and bread. First sip of this beer gives notes of toffee, caramel, with a touch of alcohol. The finish is a spicyness from the rye, and the alcohol burns on the throat. To be expected (if I am reading the bottle right) as it's less than three months old. The bottles that I have cellared will be fun to open in 6 months or a year to see how time has changed the flavors. The mouthfeel is creamy, with a medium amount of carbonation. Drinkability is good, a little bit of alcohol burn reminds you not to drink it too fast. Another great barrel aged beer from Boulevard Smokestack, and this one doesn't disapoint!

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2010 00:40:10 | More by kylejohnson03

XicanoBeerRun

Texas

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

Poured into a snifter. Low carbonation. Beautiful reddish brown color.

67% of this beer was aged in a rye barrel. Admittedly it was difficult for my nose to sense the difference in a rye barrel aroma versus a bourbon barrel aroma, etc. Regardless, it smelled fantastic. The barrel did not hold back.

The taste was slightly bitter up front followed by a rush of rye. The rye taste was beautiful. I tasted zero hops. I noticed a buttery aftertaste. I do not know what created this, but it worked.

I liked this beer, but it did not inspire me like I hoped it would.

I’ll have another.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2012 18:16:32 | More by XicanoBeerRun

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

turamarth

Missouri

4.33/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance- A dark ruby/amber color that glows nicely when put under a light. As it sits in the Chimay goblet,
one could almost use this beer as a scrying pool. The body of this beer looks haunting. There was about 3 fingers
of an off white creme colored head, that disapated faster than other Smokestack Series beers that I've had.
But the head while it lasted, was fluffy and had a very nice sheen to it. Now as it sits, with the head disappated into
a film of creme bubbles, I take a nose dive. 4.5

Nose- If I could swim in this nose I would probably drown. It's deep. Up front there is a punch of spirits,
to be expected since this is 2/3 blend of wiskey barrel aged ale. The malt character is very, very interesting.
Lots of caramel and toffey dark tones, mixed with some lighter pear and apple notes. Seems there are some hidden berries
buried under the toffey. White grapes, maybe some cherries. Then there is the spice. I personally love spice in malty
ales. There is a really nice cinnimon note here. Love the nose of this beer. 5

Taste- The alcohol in this beer really comes out on the tongue. Very bold flavor. A lot of the darker fruit tones pop
on the tongue. There is a nice toffey/caramel after taste. Then you can really taste the rye malt on the back of the tongue,
which adds a nice bitterness to the overall picture. As the flavor rests a little more in your mouth some of the apple/pears
start to stand out. Pretty tasty. 4

Mouthfeel- The carbonation allows for this to be pretty smooth. Has a nice balance of thickness and not allowing it to coat
your tongue. Pretty nice. 4

Drink- This is a pretty nice beer. The boozyness makes this a total sipper. But, still a delicious drink. 4.5

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2010 06:58:05 | More by turamarth

King_KongDCO93

Minnesota

4.4/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

2013 bottle

A: Dark amber with a large off white head. continuously carbonates and is effervescent. With some alcohol legs

S: getting some rye, caramel, and some sweet fruits.

T: sweet but slightly boozy. nice rye flavor and has some dark fruit flavors. also has a slight sour undertone. It has a good rye/caramel taste. citrusy and tangy

M: Creamy, malty, tangy, and citrusy

O: great rye and good buy

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 02:32:25 | More by King_KongDCO93

streetcommander

Virginia

4.58/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Full disclosure : I love rye beers and whiskeys.

Well balanced and crisp for a 12 12 12 12 abv, yeah. (if you haven't seen the YouTube "deer vs. Dog; ghetto style" yet, then you wont understand)

Smooth rye flavors are ubundant and glorious. Bourbon flavor comes through on the finish. Not overpowering, just perfect. No syrupy nastiness or macro swill corn covering. Booze are present, but salute with honor and grace. Nice brew, no doubt.

Not the 98 the Bros bestow, but damned good high test brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 00:18:33 | More by streetcommander

mobyviacheslov

Washington

4.68/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A - Thick root beer head. Cloudy, thick, rich amber color.
S - Citrus and malt jump out. Slight cinnamon and vegetable aromas emerge as well.
T - Bold but balanced, and delicious. Wood, red wine, caramel malt, orange, and vanilla. More flavors with each sip, but very balanced. The finish is a bit boozy, but it's not overpowering, and doesn't interfere with the more subtle flavors.
M - Pure velvet.
D - This is worth devoting a night to. One person, one 750ml bottle...taste it, enjoy it, and call it a night. I wasn't sure how to score the drinkability on this one. It is a stroonnnng beer, but it is supposed to be.
I started this guy in a balloon glass at about 55deg, and let it sit as I drank...took me about an hour and a half to fully enjoy this beer, and was therefore finishing it a room temperature. Quite a journey of a beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2010 02:41:23 | More by mobyviacheslov

huskermike12

Iowa

4.73/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: pours a mid-brown with light brown head decent lacing.

S: Strong oak, caramel, vanilla, and whiskey.

T: Same as above , oak, caramel, and vanilla. Stong whisky finish.

M: medium-thick pefect carbonation, very smooth.

O: Proabably my favorite offering from Boulevard. Very good beer and I will be stocking up when the next release hits the shelves.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2012 18:46:57 | More by huskermike12

IPA1978

Missouri

4.18/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A- dark copper with large head that dissipates with some lacing.

S- big rye and whiskey nose with a fruity hint lurking in the background.

T- Intense spicy rye followed by sweet whiskey, slight tropical/coconut fruitiness. but the sharp spice predominates.

M- crisp, syrupy, warming, dry and sweet. crazy.

O- If I were a whiskey guy this would be exceptional. But I find some of the flavors overwhelming.... A sipper for sure.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2012 22:25:36 | More by IPA1978

Chirpie

Kansas

4.93/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

2012 bottle 750ml - Poured into a Belgium glass.

I've had the opportunity to drink 4 of these big boy bottles over the course of the year, and every time I revisit this brew, I like it more and more.

Pouring it never gives me more than a medium sized head that doesn't stick around too long. It's a brownish color that when held up to light shows a heavenly dark auburn red color that's moderately clear as you peer through it.

Be ready for a predominant thought the very first time you sip it. Woah, it's sweet. Almost gimmickly so. There are grander plans afoot though, as by the 3rd or 4th sip the flavors of rye and a warm burn start to linger and everything blends together beautifully.

Many people prefer a beer with this level of alcohol (11%) to mask it's boozy potency as a sign of worthiness. For some types of beers, I don't disagree. Not for a kissing cousin of whiskey. This warming flourish of alcohol endears this brew to me, rather than resisting it.

Sipping this in front of a fire or at least while some flakes fall outside would be an enviable state of relaxation for any beer lover.

This isn't just my favorite Boulevard Beer, it's my current favorite beer, period.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 21:03:19 | More by Chirpie