Why We Picked It: Boulevard and Tank 7 are one of the old school craft brew, from a time before IPA drove a massive craft brewery explosion. This first time since 2014 that it has appeared in 24DOB.
What Boulevard Says About It: When our brewers were experimenting with variations on a traditional Belgian-style farmhouse ale, the perfect combination of elements came together in fermenter number seven. You could call it fate, but they called it Tank 7, and so it is. Beginning with a big surge of fruity aromatics and grapefruit-hoppy notes, the flavor of this complex, straw-colored ale tapers off to a peppery, dry finish.
Style: Farmhouse Ale - Saison
ABV: 8.5%
IBU: 38
Website: https://www.boulevard.com/
To Better Know A Brewery:
Ah yeah. Ok good. Getting back to my wheelhouse. This is a beer I have had before a a style that can be very hit and miss. This I felt was a very well balanced beer. Some nice soft hops and a high ABV that you don’t really taste but you can feel after drinking it a little too fast. A very nice beer and after the last few I might be rating this a little high but 4.2 out of 5 praise be not another 14% raisin infused stout.
ReplyDeleteDecent. A bit dark tasting for my preference. After taste is too much. 2/4
ReplyDeleteI may be liking this even more knowing that we're about to head into a stretch of holiday beers which aren't always my favorites...but this is delicious, maybe a little bit too bitter a finish but besides that it's near perfect to my taste.
ReplyDeleteHad this many times. One of my favorite beers. As Adam mentioned, there is no middle ground on saisons. Saison Dupont is one of my five favorite beers in the world. But I had some Stillwater Cellar Door seven years ago that I still remember vividly as one of the five worst beers I have had in my life. And I've had a lot of beers. But this one is just stupendous. I like my milder Belgian styles. And this is probably one of the more 'Merican Belgian styles. I always forget this is 8.5%. Which explains a lot of things looking back at some of my checkins of this beer over the years. I give it 4.5 out of 5 Eddy Merckxxessesses.
ReplyDeleteCracked open this one for my company's virtual holiday happy hour, where I was surprisingly anointed by CEO to serve as emcee, in addition to my role as the Alex Trebek of our Jeopardy competition. It was painful, but not as bad as I expected and made better by this delicious beer. My only complaint is that I didn't have another one immediately at hand.
ReplyDeleteThis is really just an amazingly well balanced beer. Smooth and flavorful with just a little bitter bite for the aftertaste. Poured into a frosty mug, it was everything I wanted. It's really a shame that I don't get this more often and I need to correct that going forward. 4.7 out of 5 "What is Delicious Beer?"
This is one I’ve had before (no New Brew Thursday credit for me) but I’m glad we are revisiting it. I like it a lot and I think I underrated it on Untappd last time. I will make a New Years resolution to have more saisons.
ReplyDeleteNot usually a fan is saisons but I really enjoyed this one. 4/5 tis the season to be merrys.
ReplyDeleteA great beer that I don't drink as often as I should...
ReplyDeleteThis is not a style that I seek out, but maybe I should. Very nice beer. Not my favorite style, but of the style, this is one of my favorites. The grapefruit bitterness is not too overstated, and it is just a really pleasant beer. Belgian style that is a bit toned down, maybe because of the lack of yeast flavor? Plus a little hop bitterness in the backend make it very enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteI made the mistake cracking this on a 4pm call with my peers with a 5pm demo call with a major car manufacturer.
ReplyDeleteShould have checked the ABV. Let's just say it wasn't the smoothest demo I've ever done.
I too have had this one and my memory did not fail me. Good beer but not really what l seek out.
Also, maybe because of the previous few beers, it just felt like a variation of all the other heavier beers. I guess I need to figure out what makes a beer a Belgian Farmhouse. I tasted all the same notes just in different proportions.
2.7/5 I'm too tired right now.
A nice change of beer pace from the last few...and a really great tasting and good-drinking beer
ReplyDelete"Well, HEY THERE, DAN!" this beer said to me.
ReplyDelete"Oh - hey - hello..."
"Are you alright, Dan?"
"Um - yeah - you're just - you know - not what I expected, Beer."
"How so?"
"Well, it says you're a Saison-"
"Dan, it's pronounced 'Saison' ... please continue..."
"Right, sorry, Saison. Got it. I mean, you're just sort of unusual...."
"Unusual?"
"Yes, Beer, but not in a bad way. I mean, you're sort of hoppy, but it's sort of a muted hoppiness...."
"Muted Hoppiness? Jesus Christ."
"Hold on, let me explain - like, you're sort of hoppy, but not too hoppy, and you have a bit of a bite, and you know, the last time I had a Saison it was actually from Heavy Seas, and it was very different in that it was very fruity and . . ."
"DAN. I need you to FOCUS."
"Right, sorry."
"Dan, if you give me a '2', I will literally break the bottom off of my own bottle and cut you."
"No, look, it's not like that...I mean, I like you..."
"Ah. There it is. You 'Like' me. Ok, I need to find a hard surface to smash my bottom out of."
"No, no it is not like that - I was going to give you a high 3. Honestly, I thought I was going to like you more, but I just didn't. But I still liked you better than a lot of the beers that are made with coffee and bourbon and peanut butter....like, I might order you again."
"Hmm. Order me again, you say?"
"Yes, totally - no matter what anyone says, you are a quality beer, and I would give you like a 3.8 . . ."
"Seriously. You can't just round up to 4?"
"Um. It's hard to explain, but honestly no. But seriously, a 3.8 - I put you in the top third so far.
"Well, Dan, I guess I could do worse."
"Yes, Beer, that is right..."
"I just hate you. Why don't you go and drink a Chardonnay or something. These other guys get me."
Greg -- I had never encountered this one before, and I must report the initial meeting went well. I agree with commenters above that it's easy to blinded by the big stouts and juicy fresh IPAs out there today and end up neglecting treasures like Saisons and even some delicious, drinkable lagers. I am guilty of that, I believe. This renewed my interest and faith. Full yum!
ReplyDeleteThis also tasted better in 2016. Mine was super carbonated which isn’t normal for this beer. Ended up putting a little in my shrimp boil tonight. It was a good decision
ReplyDeleteI LOVE THIS BEER. I always love this beer. I should buy it more often.
ReplyDelete