Smoked Rye Ale - New Glarus (Thumbprint Series)

So, I got an email while I was out of town from my friend Jhin, who was telling me about this Smoked Rye Ale he had tried from New Glarus. I will admit that I had considered trying it but figured I probably wouldn't like it. However, I found Jhin's wording interesting: "The most interesting beer I've had (doesn't mean it's the best). Smoked beer...I have never tasted anything like this before."

As a result, I had to throw it into a build-your-own 6-pack at Riley's when I was over there. This is part of what makes me LOVE having this beer blog as my pet project on the side...it forces you to expand your horizons, try new things, and appreciate things about each of them that you wouldn't have thought that you could. One of my readers asked me "why on earth would you try a blueberry lager?! (Wild Blue, huge mistake). The only reason I'd try something like that is that I want to see how it is, to see if it's quality, or to see if there's anything I can appreciate about it. I want to build my experiences in life (which the reader emphatically agrees with), and drinking is no different. So, next time you're considering trying something new - JUST TRY IT! Bottoms up and enjoy!

Vitals:

Name: Smoked Rye Ale

Style: Smoked Ale? I don't think you can even classify this into a category!

IBU: ??

ABV: 8.5%

Gravity: ??

Purchased at: Riley's Wines of the World

Descriptions:

Appearance: Pours a deep, rich, reddish/brown color. The head is almost non-existent, thus there is no lacing or cap. It seems to be very low in carbonation as well. It looks like a lazy beer, not too much going on from the look of it.

Smell: WOW, so you get about a tenth of a second of sweet malt smell before the smell of smoke dominates your nostrils. This actually smells GOOD, as odd as it is. The beer reminds me of a campfire/bonfire with possibly some meat cooking (because the smoke smells a bit salty as well).

Taste: This is possibly the most interesting beer I've ever had. I can now totally relate to Jhin's comments. So you start out with a brief caramel sweetness, only to get a spicy bite/kick of rye flavor that is also short lived. After that your mouth gets enveloped in a smooth smokiness that sort of "sets in" on your, rather than abruptly hammers you. The smokey taste builds on your palate as it rolls back your tongue and down your throat; it seems to get bolder as it goes! This tastes (to me) a little bit like smoked ham/bacon that may be a bit well done. At this point I am so confused; am I having a beer or a meal?

Mouthfeel: Definitely on the heavier side of a medium body. There's nearly no carbonation, but the creamy texture goes very well with the smooth smokey flavor.

Overall Grade: B (B+ for interesting/unique aspect)

Comments: This is probably not a beer that I'd drink regularly (or perhaps ever again) but I'm so glad that I tried it, because it is SUCH an interesting/innovative beer. I can appreciate this one for sure, despite its odd flavor. The folks at New Glarus never cease to amaze me with some of the stuff they put on the shelves...it's something I will miss when we move away from Madison :-(.

Cheers,

Hurls