(Kansas City, MO) – Boulevard Brewing is set to introduce Boulevard Smokestack #13 to the world later this winter. What is Boulevard Rye-on-Rye? A rye beer aged in Templeton Rye Whiskey barrels, of course.

Here is the sell sheet description from Boulevard:

“Why Rye? A fair question, given this assertively flavored grain is more often associated with whiskey than with beer. Even in that arena, it has largely been eclipsed by corn and barley, the sources of bourbon and scotch, respectively. But when we procured some seasoned rye whiskey barrels from our friends at Templeton Rye, we asked ourselves, “Why not?” Why not brew a rich, tawny rye ale, then mellow it in the warmth of charred oak rye whiskey casks? Thus, Rye-on-Rye: a marriage of very similar, yet very different embodiments of this unique, distinctive grain. 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 before easing into a dry, lingering finish. Rye-on-Rye’s body and character make it the equal to any sort of hearty stew or aged cheese. At the risk of seeming redundant, might we suggest pairing it with a classic pastrami-on rye? A rye beer with a hint of rye whiskey aroma, alongside a rye bread sandwich. Why not?”

By the time the beer is released, the 2/3 portion that is aged will have been in barrels for several months. I’ve seen references dating back to March though one brewery rep believes that it could be as long as a year and a half.

I was particularly interested in the use of Saphir hops as I didn’t recognize that varietal. According to the Brew Dudes back in June, “Saphir hops are a new breed that has been bred as an alternative to the Hallertauer Mittlefrüh variety. It is more disease and pest resistant. It was bred with a Hallertau parent and probably a long list of other hops to make it more commercially viable.” A number of breweries including Stone Brewing have experimented with this hop and Victory Brewing even has a Saphir Pils.

This will be a limited release as opposed to a seasonal meaning that bottle availability will be lower though the brewery is planning around 11,000 bottles (approximately 900 cases) for this release. Those numbers are similar to last year’s Bourbon Barrel Quad. It should hit shelves no later than mid-late February but perhaps sooner.

Beer stats: ABV = 11%, IBU = 40%, Plato = 3.2, OG = 17