Wood Werks No. 3 - Brown Rye Ale
Great Divide Brewing Co.

One of the best beers I have had in a while. Too bad it's retired. Definitely try if you have the option. Reminds me of Japanese rye whiskey

(12 oz bottle, bottled on Jul 12 2018; purchased single off shelf at Beer Peddlers this past week... poured into a Chouffe tulip)

L: dark brown liquid with burgundy highlights; tall tan foam stand, collapsing into bubbly cap, which persists and leaves a little lace... decanted on initial pour; last dregs carried a slight sediment

S: rye barrel aging character well preserved highlighting a redolently malty clearly rye-flecked brown ale... subtle sweet heat from the booze... brown bread crust overtone, caramelly dough undertone... excellent intensity with mildly dulled expression

T: all the scents smearing upon the palate, with a rich swell of brown sugar/bread malt milk unfolding into the finish... a touch of spice accents the vaguely choco-nutty, mid-crystal malty aftertaste; barrel aging and booze likely enhancing its overall apparent dryness... almost halfway through and the rye whiskey character is gradually emerging and lingering

F: I'd brewed a 100% ryewine (not too well) years ago and the body on this is almost as egregiously luscious; as I've suggested, the barrel-aging is its savior here, drying it out well enough for it to sit in that sipper space with enough of an ethanol edge to warrant pacing yourself... seems like it should be stickier, not that I'd want that

O: did not notice the bottling date upon purchase; pleased how this has held up, though I'd obviously have preferred to have had this fresh... decadently (rye-)malty; just wish it had a little more kick to it... beautiful, but beyond its prime (2108)

 

Wood Werks Barrel Series #3 Brown Rye Ale from Great Divide. Purchased 11/10/20 for $10.18 (Including tax and discount) for 12 oz bottle ($ 0.848/oz) from State Line Liquors in Elkton, MD. Reviewed 12/15/20.
Stamped in white ink on off-white label “Bottled on JUL 12 2018”. On room temperature shelf at store and stored at home at 42 degrees. Served at 52.8 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. Final temperature 57.3 degrees.
Appearance – 4.
First pour – Amber brown (SRM 18), clear.
Body – Ruby brown (SRM 24), opaque. When held to direct light, opaque except where the light penetrates at the edges, then deep ruby.
Head – Average (Maximum 1.6 cm, aggressive center pour), fawn, high density, average retention, diminishing to a six to seven mm crown fed around the entire circumference by effervescence, and a thin, complete cap.
Lacing – Excellent! Wide bands of near-microscopic bubbles.
Aroma – 3.75 – Weak alcohol, no hops, no malt, no yeast. Lasts although is weakens.
Flavor – 4 – Begins with a bit of wood, slightly sweet, no malt, no hops, no yeast. Alcohol (12.6 % ABV, as marked on container) can be tasted on the exhale but is neither strong nor bothersome. The rye has become very attenuated, having virtually no spiciness but still retaining a bit of earthiness. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl. Eventually, a low and slow gastric warming occurs.
Palate – 4 – Medium, creamy, soft but lively carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 4. Definitely a sipping beer.

 

 

Look: It pours dark brown with a tan head. Head retention is low.

Smell: It has strong caramel and spicy rye aromas. There are low levels of whiskey and chocolate with dark cherries in the background.

Taste: The flavor feature whiskey with rye in the forefront. It has a strong caramel and chocolate element as well. It is quite spicy with very low dark fruits.

Feel: It has a full body. The alcohol warming is slightly hot, but not overbearing.

Overall, the flavors are well balanced without one element dominating the other. The alcohol is a bit warm, but not overbearing.

 

 

 

 

You had me at rye. Plus more rye. 12 oz. bottle with an ill thought out bottling date – white ink on a white label. Somebody should lose points on their annual review over that.

It’s brown. I know because it says in the style. The nose brings light spiciness, whiskey barrel, chocolate, & a shot of figs. I wonder what liquid fig would taste like.

Wood Werks: Rye Brown Ale brings a brown that can (finally) stand up to a barrel. Lovely malt sweetness & dusty chocolate & brown sugar meld up with rye spices & rye liquor & gentle, tannic wood. Plenty of alcohol bite, with a finish of cinnamon, figs, & a whisper of molasses. Thick & coating – I could drink my fill of this.

If Great Divide put this out in $20/4 packs, it would be in my fridge permanently. A lovely use of rye. And rye. Excellent beer.

 

 

 

12oz bottle purchased at Barrels & Vines. Bottled on July 28 2018. Poured into a tulip glass.

Pour: dark brown, 2 finger tan head that ends ina thick ring, clouds and plenty of lacing.

Nose: sweet bourbon, bready malt, toffee and dark stone fruit. Can really smell the rye.

Taste: bourbon upfront, caramel, dark chocolate, molasses, rye spice/pepper very apparent. Plenty of bready malt. Overall, pretty well balanced with the rye the most noticeable characteristic. Really enjoyable and very drinkable for a 12% ABV.

Mouthfeel: moderate carbonation. Foamy in the mouth but not too viscous. Finishes clean.

Overall: I really like this. The rye barrel aging really distinguishes this ale from other BA beers. Will buy again.

L: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a deep, dark brown color and a thick, opaque consistency. There was a quarter inch of foamy, off white head that quickly dissipated. Pretty good lacing.

S: A good, but not great, aroma of malt, booze, rye, chocolate, and caramel.

T: Tasted of a mild bready quality (barely present), a decent amount of rye, a whole lot of whiskey (and its accompanying barrels), light caramel notes, light chocolate notes, and some malt. An intriguing, if unbalanced, flavor. The whiskey - especially at first - dominates the flavor, but it does get better as it goes along. Not bad.

F: An average amount of carbonation with a sharp finish. Medium- to full-bodied.

O: An uneven beer, but definitely interesting. Worth a try.

Type: 12-oz. bottle
Glass: Rip Current 8-oz. beer glass
From: Total Wine in Uptown (Albuquerque), N.M.
Price: $9.99
Purchased: Nov. 3, 2018
Consumed: Dec. 9, 2018
Reviewed as: Rye Beer
Misc.: Gold foil; 2018 version; Bottled on Aug. 7, 2018 (I think)

Picked this up on a recent work trip to Albuquerque, N.M., along with a bunch of other stuff, including Barrel-Aged Yeti, which I gave a 4.31. Description called for a beer that was, “Aged in 10-year rye whiskey barrels for over 13 months, this imperial brown rye ale was brewed with copious amounts of malted and flaked rye, accentuating spicy and bready notes. The complex malt bill, paired with spirited characteristics from the aging process, makes for a smooth and full-bodied finish.”

Poured a black color with two fingers of khaki tan frothy head. Slow moving bubbles creeping up along the sides of the glass. Perfect layered foamy lacing. Excellent retention. (Sight - 4.75)

Smelled whiskey barrel, caramel, toffee, dark fruit, vanilla, brown sugar, toasted oak, molasses, plum, raisin, figs, brown bread, black coffee and hints of licorice. Had me wanting to try it for sure. (Smell - 4.50)

Taste was good, but not quite as good as the nose. Got caramel, toffee, plum, raisin, fig, whiskey barrel, oak, vanilla, brown sugar, sticky molasses and dark chocolate milk. (Taste - 4.25)

Medium body. Sticky texture. Average carbonation. Long, warming finish. (Feel - 4.50)

Overall this is an excellent beer. (Overall - 4.25)

4.37 | 97 | A

 

Poured a dark chocolate color in a Stone RIS glass with a 2F head.

Great aroma. Deep whiskey barrel which is more pronounced with warming.

Malty MF, easy to drink, but drinking takes time with complete beer.

Deep whiskey barrel taste, fruit, chocolate with warming.

Great beer- not overdone whiskey aroma and taste. Complex. A sipper.