Robin Shepard
Rockhound Brewing has built a following at the corner of Park and Drake streets, just south of campus. It opened in spring 2016, and now that things have settled down after a hectic first year, brewmaster and owner Nate Warnke has been gradually adding experimental and limited release beers to his menu. Most recently he’s been working on the Petrified Wood Series using barrels from Madison’s Old Sugar Distillery. “It’s getting to be a pretty big deal for us. It allows us to show something other than our standard staple beers,” says Warnke. “It gives the tap list more depth and we’re making it a regular thing,” he adds. Among Rockhound’s current barrel-aged offerings is an IPA called Tumbled Boulders.
What is it? Tumbled Boulders from Rockhound Brewing Company of Madison.
Style: IPAs (India Pale Ales) emphasize hops with herbal, citrus and piney character in their aroma and flavor. The unusual addition of rye malts adds spicy and bready complexity to the flavor profile. With Tumbled Boulders about 30 percent of the grist is composed of a combination of malted and flaked rye. IPAs are medium-bodied, often golden- to copper-colored, 5.5-7.5 percent ABV, 50-70 IBUs (International Bitterness Units).
Background: Barrel aging is becoming more and more common with many breweries and brewpubs trying their hand at it. Smaller breweries like the more manageable batch sizes because it reduces risk. “It’s the beauty of being small, we can experiment with unique things; that’s where our barrel aging comes in,” says Warnke.
Tumbled Boulders is aged in barrels that were formerly used to make Old Sugar’s Queen Jennie, a brand of sorghum whiskey that the distillery named after Jenny Justo, the Queen of Bootleggers who ran several Madison speakeasies during Prohibition. A handful of Justo’s businesses were operated not far from today’s Rockhound Brewpub.
For regulars of Rockhound the base beer is a familiar one. It starts as Balanced Rock, the brewpub’s main IPA. “That beer is an old homebrew recipe and it’s my personal favorite,” says Warnke. In making Tumbled Boulders Warnke transfers the IPA after fermentation into barrels he gets from Old Sugar. He tries to get them within a day after being emptied at the distillery, so they are still wet with whiskey when filled with beer. The oak of the barrel and the remaining sorghum whiskey in the saturated wood lend smooth sweetness to the IPA. The result mellows the bitterness of the hops and softens the spiciness of the rye. The beer stays in the barrels for about five months before it’s kegged off and served.
Tumbled Boulders ends up at 7 percent ABV and around 50 IBUs (International Bitterness Units). It’s sold over the bar for $6.50/10 ounce glass, $18/howler (refill), and $30/growlers (refill). It’s expected to remain on tap through November, and make periodic returns in 2018.
Tasting notes:
- Aroma: Light oak and whiskey sweetness with a hint of bready-rye.
- Appearance: Clear deep amber-bronze. A thin-to-medium bubbly and tan head.
- Texture: Medium-bodied, with softness.
- Taste: Piney hoppiness in the beginning then a smooth spicy-rye breadiness. The sweetness of the oak and whiskey provide a solid backbone of flavor throughout.
- Finish/Aftertaste: Spicy, with smooth rye dryness and whiskey warmth.
Glassware: The Belgian tulip or the snifter is a great glass to encourage sipping. Allow Tumbled Boulders to slowly warm to bring out more of the sweetness from the oak and whiskey.
Pairs well with: the brewpub’s signature chicken pot pie. The combination of baked hearty vegetables with chicken in creamy broth make for a savory sweet combination with the spirit and oakiness of Tumbled Boulders.
The Verdict: I got an early sample of Tumbled Boulders at the Isthmus OktoBEERfest in September and have been waiting for it to go on tap ever since. I wasn’t disappointed; this is a flavorful whiskey barrel-aged beer. At its core, the IPA has solid bitter-piney hoppiness. There’s also added bready and spicy-dryness from the rye. The sorghum whiskey and oak provide a smooth warm background that’s sweet and strong, yet without the alcohol burn of spirits alone. If you enjoy barrel-aged beers this one makes for an enjoyable visit to Rockhound.
