Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Boulevard Smokestack Series - Dark Truth Stout

My first brew review will be for this fine-looking Boulevard Dark Truth Stout. Boulevard Brewing Company was founded in 1989, and has gained a ton of popularity over the years, particularly in the midwest. Their Unfiltered Wheat brew is their staple brew, one of the top-selling craft beers in the midwest. I've really enjoyed their Single Wide and Double Wide IPAs, and their Amber, so I'm looking forward to trying this beast. Let's dig in.

Statistics:

Bitterness (IBUs) - 60
Original Gravity - 21
Terminal Gravity - 4.7
Alcohol (ABV) - 9.7%

Review:

Appearance - Pours a pitch black, two fingers of tan colored, chunky head. Reduces slowly and leaves medium lacing

Smell - Fruity cherry noticeable right away, roasty chocolate with a little bit of coffee on the back-end

Taste - Roasty maltiness dominates initially, followed by smoke. Nice consistent bitterness start to finish, hints of tobacco at the end. Warmth of alcohol present especially on the back-end.

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied for a stout, lighter than I expected for a big stout and quite smooth. Medium/low carbonation

Drinkability - Very smooth and easy-drinking. Dangerously drinkable for an imperial stout.

Overall Rating: Good (3.75 out of 6.00). This stout is smooth and enjoyable, but it lacks some of the bolder characteristics I expect and love in big imperial stouts. That said, it's a brew I could drink and enjoy again.

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