Boulevard Two Jokers Double-Wit

When life hands you a lemony beer, drink it.  Yes, it's the latest (8th!) release in the well-received Smokestack Series from Boulevard.  Pouring this jewel into my lovely Smokestack chalice, I was immediately taken by it's beautiful hazy gold color and thick two-finger head.  I don't say this often, but this is a simply stunning beer that is absolutely enthralling to look at.

Smell follows the witbeir style with lots of orange peel, cloves and coriander.  The taste is sour and spicy, with a puckering citrus bite that would be a perfect refreshment on a hot day.  Following the theme of refreshment is the thin, highly carbonated mouthfeel, which adds to the almost infinite drinkability of this brew.  In fact, the only thing that reels me in from wanting to chug the entire glass is the stout 8% abv, which would gladly knock me firmly on my ass should I choose to not respect this beer.

All in all, this is a wonferful example of the good old American one-upsmanship that we've all come to love and expect from the craft beer industry.  Not satisfied with the standard every-man formula for a warm weather offering, Boulevard Brewing has worked magic yet again by putting their own twist on what is, in my humble opinion, a slightly uninsteresting style.  So much more than just an alcohol-infused high gravity wit, this beer seems to reveal something new with every sip. With an all-to-soon empty bottle beside me, I'm noticing that the label is conspicuously missing the 'collect them all' numbering found on the limited release beers from Boulevard.  Here's hoping that we can all look forward to many quiet summer evenings on the porch, sipping the pinnacle of locally available warm weather seasonals.

Enjoy!

Lucky Number 03608

In celebration of my 200th beer (that I remembered well enough to write down), I've decided that I'm taking a well-deserved break from the shitty beers for a moment. I've had a bottle of Boulevard Imperial Stout in my basement for a while now and it was high time I uncorked it before I forgot about it altogether. Speaking of the corks, I love them but I find removing them to be a bitch of a time without destroying the cork, which I like to keep for one reason or another. Suggestions?

This one pours very well into a nice tall glass, showing off a remarkable, almost solid black color with a thick, foamy off-white head. Smell is of roasted malts and coffee, a wonderful representation of the style. This is one thick, sticky beer, and I actually found myself resisting the urge to chew once in a while. All motor oil jokes aside, the mouthfeel is actually very pleasant, and is once again an excellent representation of the style. The taste is deep and rich, with a chocolaty-sweetness up front followed by a warming, bitter alcohol finish. This big, bad brewski makes no secret of the 11% abv...

...which brings us to confession time. I tend to poke fun at the people that feel the need to split their big bottles but I must admit about half way through this one I was starting to wish I had someone to split it with. Huge flavor and huge alcohol make this 750ml liquid titan almost a challenge to get though...a challenge I was more than up to but a challenge nonetheless. Don't get me wrong , it's infinitely likable, but like a fine bourbon it's best enjoyed in slightly smaller doses. So split it with a friend and enjoy the hell out of it, a beer like this comes along only so often.