Boulevard Rye-on-Rye Out Next Week

Rye-on-Rye, the new Boulevard Smokestack release, should be on shelves next week.  This will be a very limited release, so get them while you can.

From the press release:

KANSAS CITY, Mo., February 15, 2010 – Boulevard Brewing Company, the Midwest’s largest craft brewer, today announced the release of Rye-on-Rye, a new entry in its growing portfolio of barrel-aged beers. The fourth in a series of limited release offerings in the acclaimed Smokestack Series, Boulevard’s line of award-winning artisanal beers, only 10,000 750ml bottles of Rye-on-Rye are being produced. The beer is expected to arrive on store shelves later this month.

While rye is more often associated with whiskey than with beer, in early 2009 Boulevard acquired a number of seasoned rye whiskey barrels from the famous Templeton Rye micro-distillery.  “We were excited to get these casks, though initially we weren’t quite sure what to do with them,” said Steven Pauwels, Boulevard brewmaster. “Our brewers decided that a rich, tawny beer brewed with a significant portion of rye would best complement the characteristics of the charred oak whiskey barrels. We’re very pleased with the results.”

Two kinds of malted rye provide a spicy sweetness, giving way to notes of caramelized wood and the citrusy tang of Perle, Magnum, and Saphir hops. Rye-on-Rye was aged in the wood barrels for 11 months, and contains 11% alcohol by volume and 40 IBUs.

Templeton Rye was created after Prohibition banned the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages in 1920. Certain enterprising residents of the small town of Templeton, Iowa chose to become outlaws, and began production of this high caliber and much sought-after whiskey. The brand was resurrected in 2001 by current generations of some of the original founding families.

Like other Boulevard Smokestack Series offerings, Rye-on-Rye is best enjoyed as a sipping beer. It pairs well with braised short-ribs, a hearty lamb stew, or a classic pastrami-on-rye sandwich.