Grainstorm Black Rye IPA - Boulevard Brewing Co.

WoodBrew

Illinois

4.95/5  rDev +21.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Wow....one of the best beers I've had...very happy to have had the chance to have it on tap. The beer poured an opaque black with thick ecru head that laced like a vicki secret catalog all the way down the brady sniffer glass. The scent was fresh hop with pine being a bit most potent than the citrus which tied in nicely with the burnt malt backdrop. The taste was a beautiful balance between the hops and roasty rye with kept the pallat clear after the pull. The mouthfeel was medium to full in body with smooth carbonation. The best thing about this beer was that it was under 8%...making it sessionable!!! I could have sat at that table all night long!

Serving type: on-tap

03-29-2013 22:58:08 | More by WoodBrew

acelin

Kansas

4.78/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I had this beer as a "test batch" brew at the brewery following a brewery tour. They said they were announcing it's release soon, so when I heard the official name, I decided to be the first to review it here.

Poured from the tap fresh at the brewery into a 5 oz. tasting glass.

This beer pours black. Start black. It's neat, because you can see bits of carbonation carrying the yeast particles to the head, which is a small, cream/tan color. This beer left a moderate amount of lacing on the glass as it was slowly consumed.

The color is deceiving. This brew doesn't smell like coffee, doesn't smell like chocolate. It smells like a fine IPA, with great floral hops, with one difference: it's made with rye. Rye is spicy, yet sweet, and really hardy, or I guess husky smelling. It smells boastful, very full. The Rye smells a bit toasted, and not very sweet.

This beer tastes very much how it looks. Great rye spice, yet very sweet and full bodied. No rye barrels here- this is nothing like the Rye-on-Rye Smokestack Boulevard previously released. It's hoppy, with a good malt backbone that's certainly not too thick. Perfectly balanced.

Mouthfeel was superb for an IPA, perhaps aided by the rye. Despite being a hefty 7.7%, and rye, and hoppy, I found this beer fairly drinkable.

Boulevard has a hit on their hands.

Serving type: on-tap

12-06-2012 20:53:59 | More by acelin

mdcrouser

Missouri

4.75/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

I've been looking forward to this one since I loved it on tap during a brewery tour this past fall. Can't wait to again.

Deep black without light, dark brown with it. Lots of head to begin leaves remnants of lace behind, inches above where the head dies down to.

Sweet and hoppy with citrus and fruit, just like the IPA name would have you believe - oranges, peaches, with barely a hint of any maltiness. Pretty darn awesome.

Mandarian oranges are most apparent from the outset, followed by lemon, slight breadiness from the malt and some spiciness from the rye closes. I love how it's so highly hopped, but balanced out by malts and rye.

Dry, crisp and exceptionally aromatic in the mouth - the slight burn of hops lingers, much moreso than what I remember.

Another outstanding delivery from the folks at Boulevard - really proud to call them a KC brewery.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 02:30:00 | More by mdcrouser

claytri

Maryland

4.55/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

The beer pours a rich mahogoney with a tan head. The atoma is the expected strong mixture of rye and hops. The taste is a combination of the two bitters at work there is an undercurrent of mslt in the closr thst lingers nicely the feelvis medium and oily a very interesting rye and a bit different. All in all a solid and enjoyable beer.

Serving type: on-tap

04-13-2013 18:04:41 | More by claytri

bump8628

Oklahoma

4.53/5  rDev +11%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750 mL corked and caged bottled served in a Smoke Stack tulip. One of the most magnificent looking beers I've seen - deep brown, bordering on black, with a thick, meringue-like head of ecru foam that refuses to fall to less than two fingers of thickness and leaves clumps of lacing. Pine and thyme aromatics hit first followed by an undercurrent of dank herbs, grapefruit rind, and tropical fruits. The palate offers more of those big hop flavors along with a punch of sharp, herbal bitterness. Malt offers the familiar rustic spiciness of rye and just a faint dusting of roast and smoke reminiscent of chicory coffee.

Exactly where I like my Black IPAs/CDAs - aggressive hops, minimal malt and roast. The hop combo is one of my favorites (Simcoe, Amarillo, and Citra) and the brewers should be applauded for not going overboard with the specialty malts, with the rye addition being a unique twist to the style. Grainstorm keeps up the tradition of excellence I've come to expect from the Smokestack Series. Simply a great American craft beer here.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 19:42:25 | More by bump8628

abrethanson

California

4.49/5  rDev +10%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pulled a corked and caged 750 bottle from the local spirit shop in my Kansas hometown. Split with my Dad while introducing him to better beer.

A: Wow, this baby is a pitch black abyss. Pours a thick foamy tan 2-finger head with good lacing. Head retention is good and carries nice bubbles. The bottom portion of the pour held a lighter coffee brown tint.

S: Piney from what I could sense. (I cannot smell and did not have a nose around)

T: Again, wow. Seemed like it took forever to figure out all the flavors. Spicy rye and a lot of complexity. Cloves, bready undertones, dark fruit, and burnt coffee bitterness up front. A hell of a lot of pine / evergreen on the finish. Really had to pay attention to each sip. The burnt coffee lingers for quiet a while. Hop bomb indeed but toes the line on wrecking your palette. Well balanced between the hops, malt, and carbonation. The booziness was not overly apparent until the last glass.

O: I am not overly familiar with the black rye IPA style but came away thinking this was a great take. Complex, smooth, well-balanced, and unique. Not sesssionable but good beer to split a 750 with. Dad enjoyed it too!

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 03:56:23 | More by abrethanson

brureview

Massachusetts

4.46/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Boulevard is one of my favorite breweries. Very diverse. This is a different style for them.
It's a winner.

I bought the beer yesterday. New and fresh. It wasn't entered in the beer store's computer system yet.

Watch the Boulevard video on this beer:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61eJu992vSA

In a tulip, the beer poured a dark, dark molasses black color, with a 3 finger head.

Tropical fruit and citrus wafted from the head. I could smell the malt.

Wonderfully malty and not too carbonated mouth feel.

Taste: complex. Tropical fruit, citrus, licorice( I tasted this in the Maharaja DIPA). Very hop forward.

Overall: great beer. Complex, malty, hop forward. Buy fresh and drink now.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 02:04:14 | More by brureview

jmccullough108

Missouri

4.46/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a corked 750mL bottle. Poured into a pint glass.

Appearance: pitch black, light brown creamy head, lots of glass retention.

Smell: citrus, pine, bread, flowers, hint of spice

Taste: smooth, well balanced, not overly bitter but moreso a typical IPA bitterness. Aftertaste is overwhelmed with the creamy head. Very smooth mouthfeel.

Overall: very nice IPA. Never had a black rye IPA and was very impressed. A flawless execution by Boulevard. Hope this one sticks around.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 01:37:38 | More by jmccullough108

Dope

Massachusetts

4.45/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Batch 2012-1. Best by 08-2013. Think it's around a month old.

A: Nice dark brown pour with an enormously huge effervescent light brown head. Head fades annoyingly slowly - I want to drink it already! Huge island of foam reminds. Big swaths of fluffy lacing everywhere.

S: Big juicy grapefruit. Some pine in there too with the notable spicy rye to boot. Tiny bit of resin. No real roasted malt to note, maybe the lightest hint of chocolate? Might be my imagination.

T: Lots of grapefruit and pine up front. There's the roasted malt. Sweet and chocolatey, mixing in with rye and the hop flavors. Get some spice from the rye and a wave of bitterness from the hops in the finish. Pine and resin mainly in the finish and the lingering aftertaste - with hints of bitter chocolate now that the sweetness has run out. Really a wonderful combination.

M: Nice medium body but smooth and borderline creamy even.

O: Wow, this beer is great. The chocolate, rye and hops really meld together nicely. Well balanced, mellow, smooth and very tasty. Outstanding really. Not a huge in-your-face hoppiness like some - wookey jack is definitely a hoppier version of this for example. This one is more easy drinking and balanced but doesn't have as sharp of flavors. Awesome job, Boulevard.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 05:20:19 | More by Dope

Bosoxfan20

Oklahoma

4.44/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A- Poured from a 22oz bottle with a best by date of 08-2013. Pours a very dark brown. Not quite black as some light comes through. Huge 2.5 finger light tan head that is super thick and creamy. It just lingers forever. I think my beer constantly had a 1 finger head the entire time i was drinking it. Really nice. Good lacing

S- Very hop forward. Piney, resinous, citrus- some grapefruit is what i am picking up. Spices from the rye come through in the end.

T- Taste does a good job of following the nose. Pine, earthy hops up front with some citrus notes as well, then they give way to the rye. Maybe the slightest touch of chocolate, but maybe i am just going crazy. Not a huge malt base as it gives way to the rye. I absolutely love the way the earthy hops and spice of the rye are battling for taste bud supremacy. A lot going on here and i like it. A fantastic grudge match with my palate at stake. Some bitterness in the finish.

M- Pretty damn close to full body IMO. Thick and velvety. Dry finish. Can't detect any of the alcohol.

O- Just an outstanding beer. Exactly how a black rye IPA should be. One of the better ones I have had and one of the better ales from Boulevard IMO.

$8.99 for bomber bottle

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 13:25:11 | More by Bosoxfan20

stephens101

Oklahoma

4.4/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I pour lightly into a Duvel tulip to accommodate the anticipated carbonation, but it still billows over the edge near unending Ala Peter North. Gotta love the carbonation on these Boulevard Brews. Pure black in color with some crimson hues. The froth is huge and unyielding.

Robust oily, floral hops to the nose. Tastes spicy with more oily hops, a nice grain character, a flash of molasses sweetness, overly ripe plum and a slightly medicinal finish.

Medium and quite smooth despite the bitterness. Dry with some noticeable alcohol.

Fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 00:22:10 | More by stephens101

rajendra82

Georgia

4.39/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

When you open a bottle of beer, and the smell of the hops hits you before you pour the beer, you know that a treat to the senses is coming. This was one of those times. The smell of grapefruit became stronger with beer having been liberated from the bomber, but oddly did not get much more intense while nosing the glass. The look was as dark as a stout, but the head formation was much more massive, at three plus fingers thick. The head did not seem to go anywhere at all till I typed all this. The taste was very complex, with a constant interplay of light and dark malts and hops. There were notes of licorice, banana, coffee, dark toasted bread, grapefruit, and iced tea flying across the tongue in rapid succession. There was not a lot of heft to the body though, and the finish was a little watered down. I also did not notice much of a rye influence, as the dark malt seemed a lot more assertive. Boulevard produces another winner. What a surprise..not.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 05:45:34 | More by rajendra82

joeseppy

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Very dark mahogany with a huge dense head. Great lacing throughout.

Not getting much aroma as everything is subtle (probably my problem). What I can pick up is citrus hop, malt and a mild roast of grains.

Flavor is spectacular. Hop forward with citrus leading the way. Pale malt and roasty wheat let the rye really shine.

What I do appreciate is that it is not too roasty. Medium to full with some stickiness. Nice spicy bitterness. Very balanced brew.

What a smooth easy drinker. The price is right and provides good comfort anytime of the year or time of day. Tame enough for your non-craft friends to try or stash up for yourself-in saying that I believe best when fresh and icy cold. Couldn't stop myself from rifling this down. Kudos to the smokestack series--again!

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 19:07:36 | More by joeseppy

JuicesFlowing

Kansas

4.36/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a balloon glass.

Look: Comes out of the bottle brown, settles to a dark-chocolate black. Huge oatmeal colored head with large patches of foamy lacing.

Aroma: Spicy notes, sharp, crisp bitter hops, some pepper and faint malts.

Taste: Starts out with a subtle chocolate grain note, then smoothly moves into really crisp hops that have faint floral and sweet fruits before ending with a nice slightly piny bitterness.

Mouthfeel is dry and medium in weight.

Overall, a very well made brew, I'm definitely going to try more smokestack brews.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 01:33:53 | More by JuicesFlowing

grandbeerdaily

Minnesota

4.34/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Bouelvard Brewing Company
Grainstorm Black Rye IPA
7.7%ABV

Appearance: Pours a deep brown, opaque and nearly pitch black. Off white head with excellent stability and thick lacing. (A 3.75 because the flavors present make the color a palm bearer for a truly existential drinking experience)

Aroma: Roasty malt at the fore front and grassy, resiny hops are able to squeak through. A little hint of citrus like orange peel and the characteristic velvety roast of black patent. A little toastiness and caramel come through as well with a kiss of rye. Slight warmth as well.

Taste: Forget bready and goes straight through to toasty, spicy and roasted flavors. Dark caramel sweetness and mild graininess come through. Light, fresh citrus hops and a deep grassy character are apparent. Then comes the light spiciness of rye that intermingles well with the dark malts and american hop character. Hints of vanilla, toffee, and caramel. Figs? Something abstract that makes me puzzled. Smooth bitter that doesn't overwhelm flavors but instead makes them dynamic, never static.

Mouthfeel: Full and creamy. Mild carbonation accentuates the dryness of this malty beer.

Overall: Wow and a half. The hallmark of great beer is the ability to be a dynamo! Every sniff and every single sip is different because this beer offers so many different flavors. A roasty bitter and a hoppy bitter, a rye spice and the right amount of creaminess in the body to balance. Filled with malt or quenched by hops? Spicy hops or spicy rye? The grassy, fresh hops flavors of a hop forward IPA and the caramely, roasted backbone of a porter proves why black IPA can be a ground breaking style. Rye, beautiful rye. Need I say more?

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 04:23:59 | More by grandbeerdaily

Kromes

Georgia

4.33/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a chalice. Opaque black color with brown highlights and a thick tan colored head that leaves sheets of lacing down the glass.

A peppery and citrus hop aroma with toasted malt in the background. It is very similar to opium....flowery, spicy, and smoky.

A peppery and citrus hop flavor shows up front and blends with a sweet toasted malt. Very simple and clean flavor. These flavors ride out until the finish which has a lingering citrus bitterness and roasted malt flavor.

A full bodied feel....almost chewy in consistency. very smooth with perfect carbonation.

Once again, another smokestack series beer that is top notch.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 21:18:51 | More by Kromes

Chaney

District of Columbia

4.33/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Presently, this is the #20 ranked "American Black Ale" here on BA.

Served in a Port City tulip.

A: Poured pretty much a pitch black color, no light passing whatsoever, and with a mocha colored, 4-finger head. Hell, the head was bigger than the brew.

S: Melted grape popsicle, with some grilled pineapple and dark malt mixed in. Not in-your-face, but still effective.

T: Almost the perfect melding of IPA and Porter. Neither won out over the other, which I found astounding. Not a hophead paradise by any stretch, still the overall "fresh" taste of this was astounding.

M: Spritzy carbonation and smooth as silk: This is a quality I find so often with these Smokestack Series brews. Delectable in this area.

O: This is totally not a style I'm fond of overall, but this is not the standard Black IPA fare. Will have again.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 03:22:55 | More by Chaney

daledeee

Iowa

4.31/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A new one from Boulevard in a 750 ml bottle.

Poured into a stone glass. This thing is the definition of a Black IPA. Can't see a bit of light through it. The head is frothy with lace like no other.

Nose is on the grassy side.

Taste is strong hops which are citrus and grassy. Mouth feel is rather carbonated. At first I thought it was dry but then as I drank it the feel got wetter. Hints of sweetness and you can tell this is a rye beer all the way.

This is a great example of the style. Boulevard is a solid brewery.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 21:38:06 | More by daledeee

DenverLogan

Colorado

4.29/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from corked bottle into chalice.
Dark mahogany with amber head.
Aroma of rye, nuts, orange zest.
Big carbonation and rich, full mouthfeel.
Tastes of dark roasted sweet malts, caramel, minerals, peppers. Overall delicious, rich and yummy. There's a tongue piercing mouthfeel even after 10 minutes but the delicious dark sweet roasted malts remain prominent and tasty.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2013 17:14:45 | More by DenverLogan

Chirpie

Kansas

4.28/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Picked this up the second it appeared. Very reasonably priced, so I picked up a couple bottles based on my previous success with Boulevard beers.

After uncorking the big bottle (750ml) I poured it into a tulip. Medium level of carbonation. Nice tan head.

This beer is an odd one for me. The look makes you think heavy stout like qualities are on the horizon. The smell is a little bit hops, but you can easily detect the grains. And the taste? Very hoppy - BUT - the bitterness is EXTREMELY mild for the amount of hop flavor you get.

The featured grains don't show up in the taste as much as I expected.

So let me recap. Doesn't really smell what it looks like and doesn't really taste what it smells like. LOL

If you've ever wanted a hop forward beer with a bit of a rye bent and no lingering bitter aftertaste, you must try this beer.

I may rate this higher in the future, I just need to try a couple more bottles, because it's such an interesting beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 18:55:46 | More by Chirpie

Anker13

District of Columbia

4.28/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

2/15/13 Boulevard Brewing Co | Grainstorm Black Rye IPA | Draft

Appearance- Deep brown almost black, creamy off white persistent head

Aroma- Great aroma, a lot hoppier than I expected. Citrusy and earthy hops, nice roasted malt character as well, definitive rye spiciness

Mouthfeel- moderate co2, medium bodied, goes down smooth, the rye is slightly drying

Taste- Interesting progression. The rye spice is up front followed by some bitter chocolate flavors. Then you get a wave of earthy and somewhat citrusy hops, rounds out with that rye spice again. Pretty cool.

Residual- dryness from the rye, slight coating

Overall- A real interesting black rye ipa. The rye isn't too sharp and the hops are not too aggressive. well balanced and quite tasty, I would recommend giving this one a try

Serving type: on-tap

02-16-2013 14:41:21 | More by Anker13

tito42

Missouri

4.28/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from 750 mL champagne to a Boulevard tulip. Batch 2012-1, best by August 2013.

A: Murky mahogany with lots of unfiltered particulate and a foamy cocoa-white head that clings to the glass.

S: Wheat, huge infusion of rye, piney hops, tulip florals, plum, and a hint of cocoa. Very complex, unfolds as the beer warms.

T: Wheat, barley, and a load of rye up front. Pine and citrus hops with a rich backbone of plum and lightly roasted malt. Opens up with a finish of apple and tulips.

M: Medium-light bodied with a good measure of hops bitterness and a dry finish.

O: Another good entry in the Smokestack Series. Very nuanced and complex for a rye beer. They got the rye right in this one, the complex flavors are balanced and let the rye shine through. Well done.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 02:18:49 | More by tito42

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.28/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Black Raven pint glass. Pours a very dark, opaque brown with a massive light brown half glass head that slowly dissipates to a half finger head with pillowy lacing. Aroma of light toasted malt, citrus hops and slight rye sourness. Unusual flavor of toasted and caramel malt, some nuttiness; transitions to dark malt and sweet fruit juice then finishes with piney, citrus hops and slight rye sourness. A fun roller coaster of a flavor progression, with the sweet fruit part a unique component. Medium bodied. This is an unusual, but completely enjoyable rye / black ale; IPA hoppiness is subdued, but the balanced, interesting flavors more than hold interest. Hope to see this one again.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 04:17:57 | More by LiquidAmber

tdm168

North Carolina

4.26/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

On tap at Busy Bee

A - black with a large, brown head that has great retention

S - peppery rye, bouquet of flowers

T - peppery, spicy, floral, chocolaty

M - medium bodied, well carbonated, smooth

This is a really nice beer. It's very intricate and showcases each and every flavor well. This is a really solid black IPA but the rye is a tremendous compliment to the superb hop character. This is has good drinkibility and flavor profile. One of the better black IPAs that I've had.

Serving type: on-tap

02-24-2013 23:00:32 | More by tdm168

estlinska

Arkansas

4.26/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Served in a tulip at The Saucer on 4/3/13. Pours a deep, light devouring black into the glass with not many other hues to it. It has a good tannish head with tons of tiny bubbles that leaves good, sticky, thick lacing all over the glass. The smell was full of powerful hops. There was tons of oily, resinous citrus on the nose, which I absolutely love, but I felt like the malt was a little overpowered. I pick up a bit of roasted coffee and maybe some charred cookie in the background, but it is totally eaten alive by the hops. As I taste the beer it starts with the bitter malt and some roasted coffee and brown sugar. This flavor flows seemlessly into the spicy character of the rye malt. Then at the peak of the performance is the flavorful hops: there is mango and oranges especially there. It's a very fluid expression of several very good flavors that just work well together. Mouthfeel is characterized by good carbonation levels and a nice body overall. As usual, I am very impressed overall with the quality of the Smokestack series by Boulevard, even while largely disliking most of their regular offerings. This beer was a good strong offering. The only detriment I placed was in the nose because I feel like a Black IPA should have a little more of the dark malts present (as this is what "separates" it from a regular IPA/DIPA). That is simply a "style" thing, but overall I loved this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

04-07-2013 17:58:31 | More by estlinska