HeBrew Bittersweet Lennys R.I.P.A (Rye Whiskey Barrel Aged)

Shmaltz Brewing Company
Brewed at Olde Saratoga Brewing (Mendocino Brewing Co.)
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
San Francisco, California USA

Draft at the Institute 1st Ann: amber color with a little white head, aroma of whiskey and some hops, taste is overpowered by the whiskey with some sourness as well, too much whiskey made this unenjoyable for me.

Similar aroma to the BA Blockhead. Lots of tart fruit, like aged in a Cab Sav Barrel. Looks great in the glass, dark ruby allowing some light to shine through. Polarizing. This dense IPA in a barrel produces a multitude of flavors, many contrasting, not all play together nicely. Everywhere at once. Sherry, rye, alcohol, hops, and more wood. Crazy and good.

On tap at He-brew day at Blind Tiger. Pours deep amber with minimal head. Aroma is dominated by oak barrel, sour, funk and mild citrus fruit. Flavor is sour, funk, oak, and finishes fairly hoppy. This is a very unusual DIPA, and should probably be classified as a sour. I was really confused when I started drinking it and thought that the bartender poured the wrong beer. I’m still left perplexed.

Tap at The F.S in Raleigh. Radiant copper pour with a khaki colored head and drippy lace. Citrus, caramel, and whiskey on the nose. Hop bomb (citrus and grapefruit) with oaky tannins, smoke, and caramel.

This is classified as an IIPA, but it should be a sour ale. The aroma is sour, with a whiff of lemon. The appearance is a dark red, with a white head. The flavor is very sour, malty, caramel, lemon. The finish is sour, but with a slight hoppiness. This is a very tart beverage. No evidence of rye is noticeable here. Enjoyable, not great. It grows on you as the night progresses.

Pine, nectarine, honey, lime. Clear amber with thick khaki head, mouth feel a bit difficult under the hop assault, intense flavors, enough fruity malt in the background & a hop selection not favoring grapefruit rind gives a great, notes of nectarine, oak, black pepper. Quickly warming, slightly sour finish. Had the barrel aged version before but like this one better.

Sampled at the Big Pour Mesa, AZ. Sparkling ruby red pour with a solid khaki head. Smokey sweet, can taste the actual wood from the barrel, with moderate citrus and more dominant malt. Caramel, brown sugar, honey and a hint of whisky. No real rye influence here. Glad I had a chance to taste it.

Sampled at Big Pour Mesa. Pours a dark amber with a tan head. Nose is citrus, caramel and a touch of booze. Taste is tart grapefruit, oranges, caramel malt and some oaky vanilla with a hoppy whisky finish. Medium mouth feel. Decent.