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

Aroma is full of oak, some rye notes, and a little tart fruit - cherries is a good descriptor. A bit earthy and some hop notes peak through the barrel eventually. Opaque brown orange, visible lively carbonation, a full bubbly tan head and very sticky lace. Oak and earth up front, followed by spicy rye malts and big earthy hops. Almost peppery in the lingering flavors. Some caramel starts to show as well, but to me the barrel has thinned this and dried the hell out of it. Dudes at the bar talking about beer are really lame. " This beer is really European." "The most entries at gabf are in the ipa category." This beer as it starts to warm takes more base beer characteristics. Hop bitterness starts to stick around longer in the finish and it is earthy and spicy. Barrel still hangs around and imparts a moderate woody dryness/tartness as well. Interesting and solid beer. Only a little boozy.

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.

Draft at Old Town Ale House in Fishers - Aroma is lots of oak, whiskey, alcohol, rye with a resin hop finish. Flavor matches and is almost astringent. Palate is sticky and dry. I’m a fan of the base beer and don’t think the barrel has done it any favors. Not being a whiskey fan probably doesn’t help either.

On tap for awhile and toward the end of it’s tenure at Lunar Brewing Co. Finally tried, and served in a snifter. Poured a brown hue, with ruby tones showing through. The head was off white, small, and quickly reduced to a ring and some film., but left some good curtainy lacing. The aroma was sweetness, caramel, only a little citrus, cask alcohol, and vinous qualities. The flavor was malty sweet, wine-like, very warming alcohol, and a syrupy texture on the palate. Probably a bit past it’s prime in the hop department, but a very potent sipper.

Draft at Old Town Ale House. Pours brown with and orange hue and some white head. Robust nose of rye whiskey and pleny of hops still shining bright. Really nice barrel and booze charcter which complements the rye and hops of the original beer. Substantial body and pretty dry. No compaints here. I like it.

I found this one to be a very intersting and complex DIPA. Definitely not the normal citrus/pine flavors. The rye and whiskey flavors add a lot to the blend beyond the typical IPA flavors. Everyone in my group enjoyed this brew. Nice, innovatve work here.

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.