Grainstorm Black Rye IPA - Boulevard Brewing Co.

chanokokoro

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750 ml corked and caged bottle into a Boulevard Smokestack Series branded tulip glass

Pours a very dark brown capped by a fluffy light beige two finger head. Excellent retention and gobs of lacing left behind on the glass. Roasted grain, citrus, and light white pepper on the nose. Roasted malt, light caramel notes, pineapple, mandarin orange, and tangerine. Finishes fairly dry with very evident rye spiciness combined with citrus rind bitterness. Smooth, creamy medium body; lively carbonation. Really tasty brew that balances many different elements and bring them together into a cohesive whole. A worthy addition to the almost always impressive Smokestack Series.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 03:14:28 | More by chanokokoro

TheCondor

Missouri

4.23/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Side poured with standard vigor from the 750mL bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance - Pours pitch black with a massive, towering, fluffy light brown head taht never really dissipates and leaves tremendous lacing. Love the packaging! Wicked presentation.

Smell - Talkin' big boy ish with some citrus, pine, lemon zest, lots of big hoppy scents in this one!

Taste - Starts with a nice little malt base but quickly transitions to the fruity hoppiness. A bit of bitterness, nothing too ridiculous. Excellent, balanced, nothing too out of proportion.

Mouthfeel - Smooth and creamy, I think the tremendous head retention has something to do with this. A bitterness at the end, lets you know the hops are there. Really tasty, medium bodied and carbonated.

Overall - Excellent beer, I would highly recommend it not only for just the straight up qualities but also for the uniqueness of the brew. A black rye IPA. A lot of these I have had are kinda sub-par, but this one is excellent. I hope it continues to get brewed, highly recommended, CONDOR approved.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 01:59:01 | More by TheCondor

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

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.51/5  rDev -14%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in a snifter at Firkin.

Something tells me a grainstorm would be terrible to try to live through... Anyway, this stuff pours a clear brown-garnet topped by a finger of khaki foam. The nose comprises dark greens, light roasted malts, light toasted rye bread, and mild grass. The taste brings in more of the same, with the greens coming in all salad strong and whatnot. The body is a light-leaning medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a dry finish. Overall, a good black rye IPA, one that certainly is a black rye IPA, but nothing exciting.

Serving type: on-tap

02-25-2013 22:37:44 | More by TMoney2591

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

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

beergoot

Colorado

4.09/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Batch 2012-1, Best By: 08-2013

Nice brown body with a thick, rocky head on top; sticky strings and rings of foam left on the glass. Spicy cinnamon and pine aroma; sweet grass. Taste comes across with a zesty rye tanginess mixed with lightly sweet malt flavor; barely perceptible alcohol presence; nice hop bittering to balance things out. Mouthfeel is light, crisp and dry with a noticeable carbonation tingle on the palate.

A nicely done black IPA that utilizes the addition of rye to create a zesty twist on what is now becoming a US mainstay (i.e., the DIPA). Boulevard did a nice job in creating a well-balanced, subtle, and nicely complex take on this style.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 00:13:10 | More by beergoot

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

Sludgeman

District of Columbia

3.66/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Bottle dated with a Aug 2013 best by date. Poured from a bomber into a large wine glass.

A - Poured black and clear. One-finger light brown head. Lasted throughout the entire glass. Excellent lacing.

A - A little floral, not much else. Even let it warm up and still nothing additional.

T - Hops throughour with a nice bitter in the finish. Hints of pepper and slightly sweet.

MF - Dry. Fizzy at the start with some creaminess in the finish.

O - I had high expectations for this beer based on other Boulevard beers. I was disappointed. I would not turn down a glass but it would not be my first choice when looking for a black rye IPA. Wookey Jack has spoiled me.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 21:26:27 | More by Sludgeman

rwhitmore

Kansas

4.24/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 750ml bottle into the Boulevard Smokestack tulip. A huge tan had, dense all-black color. The aroma starts with citrus rind, and robust grain. The spice from the rye is there, but not dominant.

The roastiness is up front in the flavor, and there's more pronounced hop bitterness than in the aroma. It finishes dry, and the roasted flavor lingers a bit. There's some alcohol warmth.

It's a medium to full body, and I thought the carbonation was right.

This is another great one from the Boulevard Smokestack series. A well-balanced combo of roasted grain, and a lot of hops. Get this one while you can, it's a limited release.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 20:31:43 | More by rwhitmore

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

zeff80

Missouri

3.96/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured out an opaque, jet dark brown color with a two-finger, khaki colored head of foam. It left sticky rings of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled of pine and roasted malt.

T - Piney hop bitterness with roasted malt and dark chocolate flavors. Light citrus notes, too.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium bodied ale with a dry, clean finish.

O - This is yet another fine Smokestack beer from Boulevard.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 20:24:47 | More by zeff80

MickeyD

Kansas

4.19/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

I poured this from a 750ml bottle into a clean tulip glass.

Appearance: very dark, almost black with a thick foamy head. Lacing is moderate. Pours almost thick and looks delicous.

Smell: hops and grapefruit. After a few sips smokey hops are noted with slight pine.

Taste: IPA like hops and light roasted coffee taste.

Mouth feel: after taste of bitter hops but smooth rye and malt. Nice smokey flavor is left after a few drinks.

Overall: It is definitetly an IPA but is tempered by the rye. I have never personally had a rye beer but this seems to be a good hybrid between the two. I think this could be a good hybrid of the two styles. This is a seasonal beer but will surely buy a couple of bottles every year.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 19:18:21 | More by MickeyD

JoEBoBpr

Missouri

4.19/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a pint glass form a 750ml bottle with one of the coolest Blvd. labels out there.

Pours a nice mahogany brown color with a huge 1.5 inch light tan head. The retention is awesome. The head recedes very very slowly and leaves some nice lacing as it goes down. The head is also pretty dense.

Aroma is so nice. Some grassy and herbal hop notes that provide some slight pine and mild citrus notes. Very NW like. There is about a ton of different grain notes in the nose. Nice rye spice wit some earthiness and some good bready wheat notes. There are some slight chocolate notes in the nose as well.

Flavor is very delicious. Herbal grassy notes are present along with some nice pine. The grain profile is very nice. There are some nice rye spice notes that compliment the hops very well and linger till the last drop is down. There is some slight roast to the malt notes and some mild cocoa sweetness especially on the back end. All the flavors are very well crafted and work together very well. The brew is one of the more balanced Black Ales out there. Quite delicious. The body is a bit on the lighter side. I would like a bit more of a body.

Overall. This style is quickly becoming one of may favorites and brewers are doing a great job with it. This is a great example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 03:06:03 | More by JoEBoBpr

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

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.09/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

maybe the most appropriately named beer to come out in awhile. the malt bill on this is colossal, and the rye malt is so intense, huge body, super yum. the pour is thick and dark. milkshakey with a deep fain red brown depth, pushing up on black, with a mocha colored soft head maybe four inches high and long lasting. amazing. the nose is grainy as hell, spicy roasty rye and barley, a good alcohol kick, and tons of hops. pine and straight English bitter varieties, just a massive nose. the taste is really heavy malt with very little sweetness. some german and English doughy flavors, but mostly just roasted American two row and brutally intense rye, black as black can be. hopped well, bitter in the finish but bittersweet cocoay throughout. long finish of beautiful complexity and some surly attitude. a well hidden abv, but you could hide anthrax, your girlfriend's rolodex, and a shorty of cheap vodka in this one without affecting the flavor. no joke. full as a body can be, but made mild my the carbonation which is really active and creamy, almost akin to a nitro dispense. drinkable on your own, but a good bottle to share too. overall an impressive beer, the smokestack series kills it. I also found this on my roof after an enjoyable scavenger hunt for valentines day, which only sweetened the pot...

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 03:11:14 | More by StonedTrippin

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

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

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

RuckusDu

Colorado

4.2/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Two wrongs do make a right. I do not like rye beers and I do not like black IPAs. But this seems to work. I fought this one. I love Boulevard but hate both these types of beer. So I avoided it. Boy was I wrong. The look of this thing is pretty good but still standard. Mostly dark brown body with some mocha colored head. Aroma is fresh. Hippy and sweet. Just how I like it. The flavor just works. I notice the hops and the rye, but they compliment each other and just taste great. No idea why. Mouth is spot on for this beer. Medium body but the carbonation takes it to full.

Overall I cannot believe how much I like this beer. Very similar to Mountain Stardard in that I just like it.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 02:01:57 | More by RuckusDu

smcolw

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Huge 2/3 of the glass head. Settles into a definitive beige sugar loaf. Leaves some chunky spots on the glass. The liquid is dark brown where no light passes.

Floral hop is the first impression. I can detect some darker malts and the dryness of the Rye. Very attractive and well balanced.

Smooth and dry, the taste starts with a darkly toasted malt (and just a hint of bitter chocolate). The body is modestly rich. The carbonation is below average. The finish is black pepper bitterness. The aftertaste of dark cocoa and hop is quite short for what one would expect.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 02:00:25 | More by smcolw

scratch69

Missouri

4.13/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

I poured a bottle into a tulip glass.

Appearance- Very dark brown with a lingering, two finger head. Large amounts of clinging lace.

Smell- Strong aroma of piney hops with a hint of citrus and rye.

Taste- Flavors of piney hop bitterness and rye spiciness dominate. I also detect flavors of citrus, roasted malt, and some grassiness. I do not taste any trace of alcohol.

Mouthfeel- Medium bodied and crisp with a big amount of carbonation.

Overall- While I am not a fan of IPAs, I am starting to develop an appreciation for some "Black IPAs." This is one of the better ones that I have tried. Well balanced with the rye adding a nice twist.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 23:26:48 | More by scratch69

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

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

ThickNStout

Georgia

3.64/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.5

750mL bottle from Sherlock's (Marietta, GA). 8.98. Best by 08/13. Served in a Boulevard tulip snifter.

Pours dark brown with russet edges and an explosive three and a half fingers of deep cream head that stubbornly sticks around impeding my way to the brew. That dense head leaves plenty of lacing.

Aromas of piney and floral hops with a spicey bread base backing it up.

Taste of bitter piney hops dominate up front followed by flower pedals, citrus rind, white peppercorn, spicy rye, bark, wet grass, mild roast malts and an almost chalky/ powdery aspect. Very little booze presence.

Medium body with a heaping helping of carbonation. Dry, bitter finish.

The spicy rye character adds an interesting twist to the American black ale. A nice hop profile with spicy rye taking the place of the expected roasty malts. A oleasant experience overall but a little more roast and dialing back the carbonation by 30-40% would really help this stand out in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 07:32:34 | More by ThickNStout