Rye-On-Rye on Me

I got the call at work, "Hey baby, I just called Bubbles and they are getting a shipment of Rye-On-Rye today, so I asked them to save a couple of bottles for you."  My wife rocks!  And sure enough, as I walk into Bubbles and turn the corner around the counter, Vi gives me a warm greeting and pulls out two bottles of one of the most anticipated local releases this year.  Boulevard's Rye-On-Rye has been on the beer geek radar for months.  And it is finally here.

750 ml corked and caged bottle, number 1229 of 12148. Poured into a Smokestack tulip. Huge three fingers width of head jumps to the rim. Even from a pretty soft pour, I had to go down on that head like a cheerleader on prom night to keep it from spilling. The foam has an egg cream tint, and is very slow to recede. Garlands of lace circle the glass. The body color is a dark burnt orange, which has a surprising clarity revealed only when held to the light.

Smell is very pronounced from the pop of the cork. Very tart, with an orange zest and a dark toasted rye. Taste is never overly "whiskey". I get more of the barrel. It is a spicy raw oak wood blended with the sharp bite of the rye. There is a mild vanilla finish with burnt orange bitterness.

Mouthfeel is a little lighter than I expected, plus the carbonation is very aggressive. It smooths itself out in the end. Not a flaw but more of a surprise. This is a great sipper and demands some summer sausage.