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Friday, November 13, 2015

Imperial Stout Aztec Chocolate Stout and Rye on Rye

We scored 1 more case!






Boulevard Smokestack
Imperial Stout Aztec Chocolate Stout....$11.99
2015 will see us release riffs on our Smokestack Series Limited Release Imperial Stout. As a base beer, Imperial Stout serves as a ridiculously sturdy starting point for layering flavors by incorporating new ingredients or barrel aging methods. Imperial Stout has a huge grain bill featuring several types of malted barley, wheat, rye, oats, and spelt. Robust grain and chocolate/coffee flavors are counterbalanced by date and plum notes from Scottish yeast.

The second installment, Imperial Stout X – Aztec Chocolate, takes inspiration from traditional drinking chocolate referred to as Xocoatl. The ancient Aztecs held chocolate in such high regard that in addition to its place as a holy drink in ceremonies, cacao beans were a form of currency. Accounts vary, but the drinking chocolate the Aztecs consumed combined a paste of cacao beans with spices, chili peppers, vanilla and in some cases, wine or another fermented spirit.

To bring our interpretation to life, a batch of Imperial Stout was brewed that received freshly ground cinnamon during the boil on the brewhouse. This batch will be blended with tanks of Imperial Stout that are infused with dried pasilla negro and ancho chiles as well as cacao nibs. The chiles and cacao nibs were stuffed into porous bags and suspended in sanitized stainless steel tanks. Finished beer is transferred onto the chiles and nibs and allowed to rest for 24 hours of contact time. Following the infusion, the beer is transferred to a blending tank and blended with the cinnamon spiced batch. No portion of Imperial Stout X – Aztec Chocolate is barrel aged.




We scored 2 more cases!!!


Boulevard Smokestack Rye on Rye...$11.99 / 750ml
Rated 99 on RateBeer  
Why Rye? This assertively flavorful grain is more often associated with whiskey than beer. Even in that arena, it has largely been eclipsed by corn and barley, the sources of Bourbon and scotch. But when we procured some seasoned 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 warthm of charred oak rye whiskey casks? 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." -- back label

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