Rye-on-Rye - Boulevard Brewing Co.

morimech

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle #9509 of 12148 Batch 1

Served at cellar temp. Pours a clear chestnut color with a large cream colored head that had good retention. Heavy lacing is left on the glass. A lot of whiskey in the aroma. Hints of vanilla, leather, and toffee. Not really much of a beer aroma. Very boozy in flavor. Definately get the rye whiskey flavor but not much from the rye beer. Also hints of vanilla and toffee. Just a touch of sweetness in the finish that gives a clue to the base beer before it was barrel aged. Not a bad tasting beer, actually enjoyable if you enjoy rye whiskey, but it seems the barrel aging got away from them or they should of adjusted the blend a little. The body feels full and creamy. Nice for a big, boozy beer. As a rye beer this is not the best example. But as a barrel aged beer, whiskey fans will find this quite enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2010 18:22:27 | More by morimech

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

3.85/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle from MasterSki, 750ml into a tulip. Bottle number 8618 of 12148, batch 2010-1, best before January 2013. Thanks Alex!

Poured a murky brown, with a cream head. Nice lacing and moderate retention. Nose of caramel, rye bread, light whiskey barrel notes, spice and some rich apple pie filling. Tastes of rye, caramel, whiskey barrel is quite prominent, bready and sweet malt with some whiskey heat on the back end. Full feel, good density and medium carbonation. A definite sipper.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 19:41:35 | More by liamt07

Pencible

Virginia

4.38/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: This poured a nearly opaque mahogany with moderate off white head.
S: It smelled like rye liquor, with some biscuit and bananas and candi sugar.
T: It tasted like rye and oak, with some banana and biscuit and candi sugar. It had a clean and sweet and spicy aftertaste.
M: It was oily and thick with some smooth natural carbonation. Beautiful body.
D: This was a wonderful brew with a somewhat complex and delicious scent and taste. The body was nearly perfect, and the alcohol was really well hidden. The finish was smooth too, so it was really easy to drink, but worth sipping. Might cellar well, but already great fresh. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2012 19:12:07 | More by Pencible

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.65/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Black Raven pint glass. Pours a medium to dark red amber with ruby tones. Fine light tan head that slowly dissipated to a film and ring, leaving lacing. Light but delicious aroma of rye whisky, wood and dark malt. Wow, this is a great first taste. Complex flavor of whisky, wood, vanila, dark fruit and malt. The rye sourness appears fleetingly to keep things interesting. Finishes rich with the rye element coming out more, but combined with oaky wood and fruit. Only medium bodied, but still have a very nice creaminess and mouth feel. This is an outstanding beer. I wish it wasn't so high ABV because I had to force myself to pace this tasty rye. An exceptional beer and one I will buy every year.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2012 03:58:02 | More by LiquidAmber

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev -5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to robbiemoy13 for this bottle Batch 2012-2 (#15105) poured in to CBS snifter.

A - Poured a very murky amber colour with a nice bright red glow around the edges. One finger of cream coloured head formed and receded to a thin layer. Good lacing.

S - Whiskey up front with plenty of oak. Spiciness from the rye malt is present as well as some caramel sweetness from the base beer.

T - Barrel characteristics are present up front - whiskey and big oak flavours. The base beer adds notes of sweet caramel, a good spiciness and some lighter hop bitterness. The hop flavours are difficult to pick out. The alcohol is warming, especially in the finish. As I continue to drink this one, a good toasted, almost charred flavour becomes more prominent.

M - Medium body with a good chew. Moderate carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2012 14:34:40 | More by TheSevenDuffs

claspada

New Jersey

3.93/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Courtesy of afksports via trade.

Pours a dense and opaque, solid amber color with a gorgeous inch or so of rocky light tan head which leaves brilliant lacing. Really nice.

Aromas begin with dark caramel malts mixed with some leather, dark cherries and a little spice. Plenty of spicy dry whiskey which emerges more and more as it warms. Less alcohol than the Abacus (Blended barrel aging) but more than the Vertical Jewbelation (also aged in Rye Whiskey barrels), which I both had this past weekend. Dark fruits continue to emerge more an more as it warms (dates, figs, prunes).

The tastes begin quite complex and full of flavors. Warm and spicy, tingling on the tongue and warming on the gullet. Full-bodied, generous with the senses. You get nice dark cherries and warming sweet vanilla flavors that wash over the tongue. Distinct spiciness from the rye (barrels or malt I am not sure) is a very solid presence throughout; probably the most dominant in fact.

The mouthfeel is quite full but with great amounts of carbonation (for the style) to help dry this high ABV monster out. The rye leaves your palate nice and dry, almost inviting more consumption.

Overall this is a superb beer. Really a great showcase for Rye malts and rye whiskey barrel-aging. It is basically a barrel-aged Rye Barleywine (per say), so if you like Barley Wines and Rye beers and Barrel-aged beers, this is HIGHLY recommended. My one complaint it that the rye whiskey alcohol is a little dominant for my tastes and slightly overpowers the rest of the flavor profile but regardless it is still quite good. Would be better to share a monster like this because to indulge by yourself could be a task. Can't wait til this is going to be released again (early 2012) because I will be buying several.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2011 23:24:57 | More by claspada

ktrillionaire

Florida

4.4/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A - It pours a rich and deep hue of mahogany, translucent, capped with a thick tan froth, and leaves bits of spotty lacing.

S - This definitely smells very deliciously barrel-centric. Vanilla, oak, and sweet booze dominate the olfactory.

T - Why am I not shocked that a Boulevard SS brew is this fantastic tasting? Richly spicy malt is delicately hopped and then the barrels do their work, imposing nuances of vanilla and buttery oak along with a subtle mulled character. A simple equation, really: barrel aging plus way easy drinking equals a winner.

M - Crisp, medium-bodied, and extremely drinkable due partially to the mouthfeel.

D - Tastes great. Pairs phenomenally with West Indian food.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2010 16:56:35 | More by ktrillionaire

sweemzander

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750mL corked and caged bottle poured into a tulip. Thanks for sharing Chris! 2012 vintage.

(A)- Pours a nice amber color. Some good tan froth and nice lacing.

(S)- A nice subtle sweet raisin and a spicy oak character.

(T)- Fairly similar to the smell. A nice spicy rye(carraway) and oak. Bits of raisin and vanilla.

(M)- A nice smooth carbonation level. A nice balance to it as well with a subtle rye spice and barrel characters.

(D)- A nice rye beer with rich, but balanced flavors and feel.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2012 15:24:02 | More by sweemzander

rye726

Colorado

4.38/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours a nice cedar with a creamy beige head.

Nose has rye malts, caramelized candies, subtle foral hops, oak and rye whiskey.

Taste has sweet, bready malts balanced by quiet hops, wood, whiskey and rye.

Medium to full body is nicely carbonated. Tasty stuff.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2010 01:15:44 | More by rye726

mcallister

Ohio

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

Been waiting a while to crack this one. Garnet colored with sediment abound and a large off white foamy head that holds suprisingly good retention considering ABV. Chunky lace also.

Woody and toasted vanilla aromas at the forefront with spicey rye esters, green tea, red currant, raisin, brown sugar, hints of floral hop.

Very nice. Full of toffee and caramel, dates and fig and a touch of prune. Vanilla oak, with woody tannins on the finish. Thick and creamy with good moderate carbonation levels. A bit of earthy hops and spicey characters on the finish from the rye. Nice alcohol burn in the chest. But overall a very tasty friendly beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2010 20:44:13 | More by mcallister

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

wagenvolks

Texas

4.18/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Excited by the prospect of Boulevard's Rye-on-rye making it to Texas, I was disappointed to hear that its first-release distribution would be more limited. Especially since it's an 11.00% Rye beer aged on rye whiskey barrels. Thankfully, jconrick1 hooked me up with a great trade!

Into a Foothills pint glass, the 750 ml corked & caged bottle (Batch 1) pours a brilliant burnt orange that fades to a deep caramel at the edges. Superbly retained head, 1" in height and the color of manila-khaki paint. Paint is the operative word, here, as the lacing coats the glass with a thick layer of bubbles, while the 11% ABV makes it all the more impressive. Aroma jumps out of the glass with a juicy fruitiness that suggests grapefruit and sour apple. The rye-barrel aging adds a tangy booziness to the ethanol note that packs a healthy dose of spice behind it.

Lots of rye whiskey on the tongue; this beer is still a bit green. But even in its early stage, the alcohol isn't overly hot or taxing on the tastebuds. Chewy caramel and toffee malts add a sticky, brown-sugary base that is balanced well by a crisp, piny hop profile and lots of rye spices. I can't wait to see how this beer matures in a year. Mouthfeel is a little thick and syrupy, and the rye whiskey weighs heavily on the palate. But still, this is an excellent beer, and I can't wait for another taste. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2010 02:18:59 | More by wagenvolks

rudzud

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Shared this with a friend yesterday. Poured into my dogfish tulip.

A - TONS of particles in this bottle. Had this since the most recent release, so what, 4 months? maybe longer. Poured a brownish mohagany with a one finger head that leaves a thin halo and cloud.

S - Light barrel notes and spicy rye. Kind of faint, but pleasant.

T - Booze and bourbon, that about sums this beer up. Its hot on the nose with light sweetness from bourbon. There are nice rye spice as well.

M - Mouthfeel has nice carbonation but its boozy. Needs to age and mellow out some.

O - Overall I guess I wasnt expecting this to be quite as boozy as it was, nor was I expecting all the floaties.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2012 02:19:00 | More by rudzud

Chaney

District of Columbia

4.13/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I brought this brew to a recent tasting.

A: Pours a dark maroon color, with tons of rye yeasties floating around. Very little carbonation, but I think that was intentional.

S: Brandy and tons of it! The rye and some sweet malts also make an appearance.

T: Fairly boozy at first, but then once my palate warmed up to it, it was actual quite enjoyable. I also taste a bit of bourbon and of course.... rye.

M: Alcohol burn, but that just aids in warming the whole body up. The low carbonation works well in this setting.

D: I certainly couldn't have too much of this stuff, and I am almost willing to say that this belongs in a class of hard liquor, rather than beer. Still, this is a wonderful seasonal and very different from anything else we had at our tasting.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2010 17:21:53 | More by Chaney

donkeyrunner

Massachusetts

4.85/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Dense, sand colored head atop a near opaque dark brown beer. Fair amount of sediment bobbing around. Nice crescent moon of retention that leaves heavy trails of foam sliding down my glass.

Sharp rye immediately leaps into the nose. Whiskey soaked raisin bread and treacle. Smells like everything I'd want from a big rye beer.

Tastes as good as it smells. Rum raisin, rye whiskey spice. Between the carbonation and rye spice flavors seem to bounce gleefully around the palette. Gleefully I say. Tastes big and alcoholic but not hot.

Hands down my new favorite big beer. I'm reticent to give 5s but there's nothing I would change about it other than wishing it came in smaller bottles so I could have one by myself. Like a hermit.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2012 14:10:43 | More by donkeyrunner

CrellMoset

Virginia

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

750 mL corked and caged bottle courtesy of thehand, my one stop shop for all things Boulevard. Bottle #10116/12148. Split w/ afausser, with my portion poured in to a tulip.

Appearance: Pours a tawny, hazed, rusty hue, transparent but only when held to direct light. Other times, there's a thick cloudiness present, a few floating particulates, and a hefty number of streams of fine and fast effervescence, racing towards the surface. Speaking of the surface, it was initially capped by half a finger of nice, smooth, foamy head, a nice creamy taupe note, and it actually has decent retention, surprising for an 11% -bal beer. I imagine it's largely a product of the explosive and consistent carbonation, but either way, it never really fades beneath a thick surface dusting, and also leaves a nice, thick collar. The lacing on the sides of the glass is also a little above average given what one would expect from such a beer, with a few glittery but somehow sticky blotches and patches of lace sticking to the sip side of the glass.

Aroma: Very mellow, but with a grassy, slightly spicy rye undertone. Sweet, roasted, almost dextrin-like malts emerge slightly as this one warms, toffee- and brown sugar-like, saccharine and thick in the nose. A few darker toasty notes and spicy rye overtones - both from the base beer and obviously from the spirit addition - meld with esters from the latter.

Taste: Surprisingly mellow and subdued, which I think I like, though I'm going to give it a while to develop. Yep, definitely give this one a while to develop - even at 55 - 60 degrees, it was still a little one-dimensional. Now that it's within a few degrees of room temperature, however, a lot more is jumping out. Initially, I was getting some semblance of a sweet backing beer, hints of rye, and plentiful spicy (and estery) whiskey notes. Now, however, I get much more - nice, thick, backing malts, not overly sweet but with a fair amount of roasted notes and sugary, sweet overtones, toffee, brown sugar, hints of blackstrap, caramel, faint toast. This one could have been disastrous had it been too sweet, so kudos. The whiskey melds nicely with the rye, though it's at points too faint and at other points too strong, the latter particularly in the finish. When it hits its stride, however, its fantastic, a long, mellow stroke of spicy whiskey, grassy, sweet, estery, and roasted. Hints of vanilla from the barrels round this one out nicely.

Mouthfeel: Very smooth and fluffy, with a lot of the spice and assertiveness of the body coming through in the flavor profile, though that's accompanied nicely by a good - nay, large - amount of smooth, creamy effervescence, like foamed, whipped milk.

Drinkability: I both really enjoyed this beer and thought it could have been a little more. First, the specifics. This beer is, process-wise, pretty near perfect. The appearance is nice, above average for barrel aged beers of any variety, and the mouthfeel is great for the flavor profile presented here (as well as objectively and independently). The taste and aroma fall a little short, I think, though I'm not sure why - even when fully developed and near room temperature, it seems to fall a little flat. Now, relatively speaking within the broader spectrum of Boulevard beers (perhaps an unfair point of comparison), this beer is perhaps at even more of a disadvantage - their BBQ and Imperial Stout were both a little better than this one, and most of their Smokestack Series has been uniformly outstanding. Don't get me wrong, this is a really good brew - it's just not a great brew. Still worth a try (not that there are any left on the shelf now). Grab it if you get a chance, just don't expect it to be a Saison Brett or a BBQ.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2010 21:16:27 | More by CrellMoset

bashiba

Iowa

3.03/5  rDev -28.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured a hazy light brown, thin ring of white head, no retention.

The smell is malty and a bit spicy and a little alcohol.

The flavor is sweet with a bit of woody whiskey flavor, big alcohol heat and a strange off tartness, a bit harsh as well.

The mouthfeel has a bit of thickness and heat.

Not enjoying this at all, a big mess.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2012 04:07:53 | More by bashiba

aerozeppl

New York

4.6/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Deep hazy red color. Kind of unusual in that it refracts light. Wait. Yeah. A finger and a half of billowy white head with really nice lacing.

S: What I like about this beer is you can actually get a bit of actual rye even with the barrel aging.The barrel is there but not overwhelming. There is a weird aroma of pickles that I occasionally get while smelling this beer. More likely a combination of the rye, barrel, vanilla, oak, and little bit of leather. Weird what the mind can do. Little bit of fruitiness. Really just a great nose.

T: Starts off with a nice soft spiciness from the rye. Bready. The rye barrel comes in right after that. Vanilla .Wow this is smooth and complex. The barrel aging and the rye ale work so well together. Nice sweetness. The alcohol is there but never overwhelming. Little bit of toffee. A nice complexity of malt as well. A real gem.

M: Assertive medium body. A little syrupy. Carbonation is spot on.

D: More. I love this beer. Their smokestack series does nothing but impress. It is a toss up between this and old habit. Damn close. If you like rye beer this is a must.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2010 01:11:37 | More by aerozeppl

WoodBrew

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

COLD COCKED!!!! HOLY $hit!! Boilermaker in a BOTTLE!!! You have to like Jim Beam to enjoy this beer!

You can smell the whiskey/bourbon immediately. The beer starts off like a typical rye then finishes like a shot of bourbon. The color was a cloudy amber.

I had too many bad experiences with JB to enjoy this but grateful to at least try it. To those that can hang with this beer....more power to them! Boulevard nailed this beer!!! Anyone thinking session beer would absolutely get their A$$ kicked!

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2011 19:16:25 | More by WoodBrew

homebrew311

Illinois

4/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

I am currently reviewing the 2013 vintage of this in 2012 (very soon to be 2013). So in other words, this beer is from the future. Pours a murky brownish, tawny color with white head and plenty of lacing. Nose is full of caramel, rye, vanilla, and oak. The rye spirit lends a somewhat sweet quality to the nose which is quite nice. The taste starts with tons of rye malt, a bit of toast, light fruit character in the vain of cherry with a considerable spirit character towards the end. The barrel quality is nice and smooth and rounds out the rye malt nicely. A bit of heat creeps up on the end. Body is hefty, but not a big as I'd expect from an 11% brew. Carbonation is a tad high for my preference with barrel aged brews. Overall, a very solid offering from Boulevard that showcases rye in an amazing way.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 06:04:00 | More by homebrew311

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

alleykatking

Indiana

3.9/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a caged and corked bottle. Review from notes....

A- Pours a brownish amber color. Two finger light tan head that shows light retention. Ringing lacing on the sides of the glass.

S- This one has almost no rye in the nose. Toffee and caramel malts in the front. Oak and whiskey in the middle of the nose. Light vanilla throughout with some darker fruits hinting toward the end. I was hoping for some rye somewhere in there though!

T- To be honest I thought this tasted more like a barrel aged scotch ale. Toffee and caramel malts dominate the front end with a touch of alcohol. Middle has a peaty taste with some oaky vanilla. Light rye in the backing with a whiskey alcohol finish.

M- Heavy mouthfeel. Carbonation was good for the style. More malts with a touch of oak left on the palate with a warming whiskey like alcohol left in the aftertaste. Flavors were well put together. Very drying on the palate.

D- This beer is limited to a bottle and that's it. I like it a lot and would love to see how this one ages..which I assume would be pretty well.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2010 02:18:48 | More by alleykatking

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750mL bottle poured into large tulip - 2012 vintage - thanks to Snowrs

Pours a slightly hazed caramel brown with some brighter red hues. Thick beige head rests on top, slowly fading into a coating of film, leaving patchy webbed lacing on the glass.

Plenty of rye spiciness in the nose with bready caramel touches. Hints of toffee and vanilla with whiskey tones. Oaky barrel tannins and soft heat.

Caramel and rye up front with a soft, sticky sweetness. Toffee and bread crust with a dash of hops. Whiskey barrel is pretty prevalent with boozy warmth and leathery vanilla hints. Thick backbone with bready caramel and roasted hints. More rye spice with a touch of pine on the back end. Finishes a bit warm and assertive with lingering rye and whiskey.

Fuller medium body, well carbonated, sticky and full on the tongue with lingering tendencies. This is one hell of a rye beer - I'm already a pretty big fan of the style but barrel aging it definitely adds a whole new dimension.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2012 23:16:43 | More by xnicknj

brewandbbq

New Hampshire

4.22/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle.

Pours murky amber with a two inch head of dense beige. A solid cap remained on the surface for the duration of the glass along with a terrific display of tattered sheets of lacing.

Aromatics lead off with bourbon, oak, peppery malt, caramel, and vanilla. Woody and a bit boozy with plenty of malt heft and a grainy edge.

On the fuller side of medium bodied with a slight chew and a rather plump mouthfeel. Creamy with a slightly crisp edge. Nice.

Rich malt with bourbon overtones and some mixed grains start the palate. Lush caramel and toffee with vanilla, oak, and proofing dough.

Finishes with lingering bourbon, juicy malt, vanilla, and oaky char.

Great balance to this beer. Neither the rye or bourbon is overbearing but still contribute greatly to the complexity of the beer. Not to mention the beer drinks more like 9%, not 11%.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2010 00:04:09 | More by brewandbbq

Phelps

Arizona

3.93/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle number 133 of 12148 in batch one of 2010, shared by ottovon. Poured into a tulip.

It’s all in the name: Rye on Rye is brewed with two varieties of malted rye and aged in barrels of Templeton Rye, which ottovon tells me one of the most sought-after whiskeys in the Midwest. Only 67 percent of the final blend makes it into barrels, but all of it’s brewed with perle, magnum and saphir hops.

Foggy burgundy, revealing notes of ruby under a light. Some little floaters of yeast dot the liquid while the fuzzy one-finger head of sandy tan becomes a thin lingering top layer. It’s hazy but clear enough to see my fingers on the other side of the glass.

The nose: new oak, lots of bourbon and butter. I get something like sour cherries, the tartness of which may or may not be coming from the rye. Toffee and caramel are also in there.

The flavor exhibits a smooth blend of whiskey. Butter, bourbon and vanilla-tinged oak gently meld with spicy rye and some cherries. It’s a tangy/sweet flavor that’s mildly bitter and surprisingly subdued.

The silky medium body is so nice, sticking on the tongue like melted butter. Soft, dense carbonation begets very light fizz, and the alcohol is nigh unnoticeable.

This bottle became kind of a joke at our regular tastings. Ottovon would bring it along, we would always go for other stuff first and get too drunk or fatigued, and the bottle would sit lonely in the fridge. But the mockery was undeserved — this is a damn good beer displaying a complex, spicy flavor.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2011 22:29:11 | More by Phelps