Well, we have reached a somewhat sad moment: this is the last beer from our Peoria trip. It's taken us almost 6 months to go through all the the beer we purchased that we can't get in Ohio. Ironically, two breweries we brought back because we couldn't get them here will soon be debuting in Ohio: New Belgium on Monday, and Deschutes in February. With Duvel purchasing Boulevard, we may also see this one here in Ohio soon. I'd be perfectly fine with that.
Of course, the up side of this is that I'll allow Nathan to purchase craft beer here again soon (never fear, dear reader, we have been buying some here and there, but we're down to fewer than twelve).
This is a lovely -- wait for it! -- deep amber color with a moderate off-white head that dissipates quickly. There is some chill haze to this. The aroma is very malty, with soft orange citrus notes and caramel and maybe just a hint of grass coming through. Taking a sip, this is really mild, with the malts taking center stage. There's not a flavor that really predominates, just the same notes that were in the aroma. And yet it's not watery, it's well-balanced. It's a rather mild amber, and it kind of reminds me of Fat Tire. I think what stands out to me the most is the mouthfeel: it's a very soft, round beer, with the initial texture of silk that fades into a slight bitterness at the end from the German noble hops.
It's a good, solid amber from an exceptional brewery. It's not my favorite beer from them, but I think this would be an excellent gateway beer for people who are new to the craft scene.
4/5 caps
-Jennie
With heavy hearts, we pour the last of our out of state, unobtainable brews (for this year). We look back on the the other (currently) unobtainable brews- the Pegasus IPA, Black Butte, Bridgeport IPA, Ranger, Buffalo Sweat and Bully! Porter really stick out in my mind. Wrapping up a year of beer reviews, look for a faux-award ceremony for the best brews we had this year, and maybe an off-kilter award. But all that will come later. Now is when we look at the terrible task at hand, having to review beer. This is the part of reviewing beer that I dislike.... BWHAHAHAHAHA almost got through that with a straight face.
This is an amber, so it's a shock of shocks that this pours an amber color with a decent off white head that doesn't stick around. Mine has had time, as my partner, The Brew Baroness, did her portion of the review. In the nose, I'm getting nice mild maltiness, sweetness, and some citrus and floral notes from the hops. This smells interesting. The flavor of this is nice. It's like a great herbal tea. Initially, there is subtle caramel, with some citrus and earthiness from the hops lending to a perfect balance. I'm enjoying this. This a nice mellow brew that drinks smoothly and a slightly sweet finish. Perfect for those who enjoy ambers or those just getting into the scene.
I hope Boulevard distributes here in the very near future, as they are a solid brewery who perpetually has great brews.
Cheers!
4.2/5 caps
-Nathan-
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