#291: Sierra Nevada /Boulevard Brewing Co. » Terra Incognita (Strong Ale)

Sierra Nevada /Boulevard Brewing Co. » Terra Incognita (Strong Ale) | ABV: 9.8%
Beginning life as a hoppy, imperial brown ale, it's a blend of 55% wine-barrel aged, 32% bourbon barrel aged, and 13% fresh ale. Initially collaboratively brewed for a Brewers Association food event, Sierra Nevada has kept it a yearly tradition to release this big brew.

The nose is subtler than anticipated, with expected wine and bourbon notes, but soft, paired with aromas of cocoa and an herbal coolness to it. It pours up a deep, dark, opaque brown with thick head.

On to the palate, it's wonderfully smooth and offers a touch of sweetness. Red wine tannin peak through flavors of butterscotch and vanilla, finishing dry with a mild, mouthcoat. There's a soft bitterness of the bourbon & wine, quietly vying for attention and a boozy heat in the breath and chest of the finish. Far in, there's a dry tartness that develops with wonderful notes of black current.

A great brew that offers unique complexity due to the combination of beer style and blended aging.

#290: Boulevard Brewing Company » Rye-On-Rye (Barrel Aged Rye)

Boulevard Brewing Company » Rye-On-Rye (Barrel Aged Rye) | ABV: 12% | IBUs: 47
I picked up this Boulevard while out in California back in October. My partner & I both love rye and barrel-aged brews, so I figured this this well-rated, limited release would be a bit of bliss in a bottle.

Rye-On-Rye is a blended beer, 67% of the ale aged in scorched Templeton Rye barrels.

Strong aromas of pepper, rye, and butterscotch start this one off. It's a hazy, deep amber with a plentiful, off-white head that has just a tinge of straw to it.

Big, bold flavors burst onto the scene, kept in control by a deftly smooth body. Firm notes of grape musk, smooth rye whiskey, vanilla bean, and natural cola, bringing to mind an old ale with herbal & rooty characteristics. The lively carbonation keeps it light on it's feet for such a big beer, making Rye-On-Rye a smooth, easy sipper and a damn good beer.

#279: Perennial Artisan Ales » Aria & Saison De Lis

After a lovely wedding of one of my earliest Ithaca friends and few hours destroying my fear of rollercoasters at Darien Lake, my partner and I made our way to the fantastic Blue Monk in Buffalo. This, my second time at the Belgian-inspired gastropub, I had far more time and flexibility than the first while I was on tour.

When I'd checked out their online menu, which has been updated just two days prior, there were a few Jacks Abby that were must-haves, but alas they were gone. However, I immediately shed my woes at the site of a variety of  Perennial Artisan Ales on the list.

Perennial Artisan Ales » Aria (Belgian-Style Ale w. Brettanomyces Bruxellensis)
ABV: 7.20% | IBU: 20 | Rating: 8.7

My first foray into Perennial kicks in with a fragrant nose of white stone fruits emitting from a hazy, honey-colored body, topped with thick, lacy head.

A sweet, soft flip of funk starts of the gentle palate experience. Lightly carbonated with primarily clean mouthfeel that's just every so slightly augmented with a rustic dryness. Warming flavors of green tea with honey and lemon threaded with mild notes of peach make for a delicate palate pleaser.

This brew is crafted with Brettanomyces Bruxellensis, providing soft, earthy and funk notes that give Aria a twist of complexity, but don't yield much sourness or dips into the extreme. A solid first experience from Perennial Artisan Ales.

Perennial Artisan Ales » Saison De Lis (Saison brewed with Chamomile Flowers)
ABV: 5.0% |  Rating: 9.1/10

It's rare that a non-Brett beer will beat a Brett beer as follow up with my palate, but here's that case. This Saison/Farmhouse brewed with Chamomile Flowers is a downright winner.

De Lis' hazy golen body and plentiful, lacy head reals you in, quickly followed by aromatic citrus and floral notes backed by firm yeasty, bready notes.

On to the palate, this is one tasty beer, bursting with flavor. It's mildly tart and plentifully floral, with soft notes of banana bread colliding with boozy esters, despite the low ABV.

Further through the glass, vegetal notes start to creap through the refreshingly crisp tartness & bitterness along with a hint of rosemary and chamomile. A unique, recommended brew.