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

Name: Lenny’s R.I.P.A, on Rye
Brewery: Shmaltz Brewing Co
Date: October 12, 2007
Mode: Draft
Source: Falling Rock
Appearance: hazy dark amber, wispy beige head, streaks of drippy lace
Aroma: sweet pine aroma with a light woody character that grows as it warms
Flavor: lots of woody rye flavor with the sweet caramel and pine, the wood blends into a nice long bitter finish

Name: BSP’s BA Lenny’s
Brewery: Shmaltz Brewing Co
Date: October 10, 2009
Mode: Draft
Source: Brick Store Pub
Appearance: muddy burnt orange, creamy beige head, drippy lace
Aroma: big tart oak aroma back by caramel sweetness
Flavor: flavor has a lot of lactic tartness balanced by the caramel sweetness, big oak presence, nice spicyness

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 12/20
Rating: 3.1/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: *4

Name: Lenny’s R.I.P.A, on Rye
Brewery: Shmaltz Brewing Co
Date: January 10, 2009
Mode: hand bottle
Source: GMoT Tasting
Vintage: 2007
oak is strong and really nice with lots of woody tannens, long bitter finish, no pine or caramel,

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 16/20
Rating: 3.8/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: **4

Draught sample. Pours brown with a thin ring of tan bubbles. Smells of oak, some resiny hints, some cherry hints, boozy, sticky, caramelly. Tastes of rye, bitter, peppery, resiny, sticky, oaky, very dry. Great sipper.

Tap at Blind Tiger. Deep ruby/copper colour with a thin tight white head. Initial impression shows loads of spiciness in the nose. Rye malt character blends very nicely with the vanilla/oak and spicy rye whiskey. Hops show a soft but insistent fruitiness and hints of light pine. Initial flavour is very similar to the regular Lennys but with a rich vanilla sweetness mid-palate. Spiciness kicks in along with a soft oakiness. It shows a lightly herbal component as well. As the beer warms the barrel really starts to become noticable. The bitterness here is just as assertive as it is in the regular RIPA. The barrel adds a lovely complexity to the beer, leaving the essential character of the base beer untouched. Finishes with a long caramelly sweet/rye whiskey spicey flavour. A bit of peppery alcohol retronasally. I like it.

Tap @ Falling Rock. Poured a hazy dark amber-brown color with a thin off-white head. The aroma was brown sugar and hops of pine and earth. The flavor was sweet, malty, and fruity. Apple skins and rye whiskey. The rye grew more and more as the beer warmed. Semi-dry finish with good warmth. Medium to full bodied with a smooth mouthfeel.

Draft at EBF in 08.l Pours a brown body with an off white head. Whiskey is all over this but its not clean like a nice bourbon or scotch flavor, a bit rusty. Hop notes of pine and citrus, then back to the overbarreling. Strong etoh finish but that was a plus for me.

Poured a hazy yellow amber color with a small, off white head that left light lacing on the glass. Aroma of pine, floral hops, vanilla, whiskey, citrus fruits, and alcohol. Taste of caramel malt, vanilla, whiskey, citrus, pine, and a bitter grapefruit, alcohol finish.

Tap at HDG. Man this one hits pretty hard. Pours a weird rusty woody brown, some haziness and a thin diminsihing head. Aroma is very hot- fusel alcohols, paint thinner- acryllic and oil paints- spicy yeastiness and lot sof nice whiskey/bourbon which was ok. Flavor has some sweetish malts, spicy, dirty murky yeast, sharp alcohol burning, and you can actually get a wierd spicy rye whiskey note as well. Finishes a bit minty and earthy with more alcohol. Must be stronger than 10%.

On tap @ Bistro BA Fest poured a clear copper with a lingering ring of amber foam. Aromas of rye, carmel, light eartthiness and light vanilla. Palate was medium bodied and smooth with a dry finish. Flavors of rye, pepper, light oak, light earthiness and light vanilla with a smooth lingering bittersweet finish.