Blackberry Farm Brewery | Blackberry Rye
I cannot tell you how much I enjoy being in another state, seeing a Blackberry Farm Brewery bottle and be able to proudly exclaim, “that beer is brewed in my backyard!” While the brewery is a little further than my actual backyard, it’s not far and I thoroughly enjoy visiting my friends there from time to time. While talking with these guys I am always amazed to see what they are up to and hear what they have planned.
Up on deck tonight is a beer that Blackberry Farm Brewery released this summer. What may be it’s most awesome attribute, the yeast used was a wild strain of yeast harvested from honeysuckles blossoms on Blackberry Farm. For those of us in East Tennessee, honeysuckle is something we are all very familiar with. The secondary fermentation included blackberries – no surprise there given the name – but also some time in Tennessee Whiskey barrels. Let’s check it out.
The beer pours copper, clear with a medium head that lingers and laces. On the nose I get dark fruit, a little oak and some wafts that I think may be related to the yeast. On the tongue, this beer starts small and finishes big. It begins with a sweet note on the tip of the tongue and quickly covers the palate, filling my mouth with dark fruit flavors – a little tart and a little sweet. The beer finishes dry which is where the oak from the barrel really seems to shine.
Final snobs: What a fun beer! Very creative with an awesome story to tell that not only highlights the farm but our local agriculture and region. The smaller bottle format is also a welcome addition. This is definitely a beer you need to check out!
Cheers!