Love Child No. 4
Boulevard Brewing Co.

Love Child No. 4Love Child No. 4
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From:
Boulevard Brewing Co.
 
Missouri, United States
Style:
Wild Ale
ABV:
9%
Score:
96
Avg:
4.33 | pDev: 9.24%
Reviews:
117
Ratings:
1,229
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Oct 08, 2023
Added:
May 30, 2014
Wants:
  106
Gots:
  343
Love Child is made by blending batches of beer, aged for between 11 months and 5 years in whiskey barrels (50%), wine foeders (15%), and stainless steel tanks (35%). The beer gets it's funk from Lactobaccillus and Brettanomyces (the same Brett used in Boulevard's Saison-Brett).
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by pmoney:
Photo of pmoney
Rated by pmoney from Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +3.9%

Jul 15, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of stevoj
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

3.74/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
750ml bottle at share from JohnGalt1. Copper colored pour, bubbly head. Fruity aroma, berries, tart, oak. Taste is medium tartness, strawberry, raspberry, light yeasty funk and some wooden barrel.
Oct 08, 2023
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

3.55/5  rDev -18%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
On the heels of having recently had an old bottle of No. 3, decided to break out No. 4 a little bit thereafter.

Pours an amber color. Thin 1/4" off white head. This stupid watchguard video icon is blocking my view right now, but hopefully it will leave. Has a light funky wood, caramel, cherry, cardboard and dark fruit aroma. Seems like brett is doing its thing.

The taste is ok, the amount of bitterness and alcohol heat was not desired. There is a varied cherry presence, mostly leaning of the darker variety. That old Shasta Black Cherry Cola feelz. The sourness is relatively restrained, feels like a 3.5 on the 10pt wild ale scale. Its a relatively malty boy. The carbonation seemed ok after all these years.

This was just too boozy to be a really good wild ale in my book. Would like to try a 6% version of this beer, I bet I would like it a lot more.
Mar 09, 2022
 
Rated: 4.25 by drstalker from Illinois

Dec 23, 2021
Photo of BKotch
Rated by BKotch from Texas

4.49/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Review from 2018.
Aug 01, 2021
 
Rated: 3.96 by DVMin98 from North Carolina

Apr 26, 2021
 
Rated: 4.28 by Beer-A-Lot from Virginia

Oct 06, 2020
Photo of SHODriver
Reviewed by SHODriver from North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A: Poured into a Duvel tulip to a deep golden orange which is almost brown topped by a dense and rocky finger of off white head which fades slowly to a collar around the edge of the glass with minimal lacing
S: Smells of some caramel sweetness with hints of vanilla, slight sour cherry going on as well with just a touch of funky oak
T: Taste is nice and tart up front with some cherry like notes before some caramel and leather come in. Hints of funk and oak along with a little lemony tartness. On the swallow there's more sour cherry and lemon with some more light funk along with more oak and caramel.
M: This beer has a body which is surprisingly light for the abv but it is not watery. Carbonation is effervescent while being slightly prickly at times while the beer has a drying finish due to the acidity.
O: Overall this one is very impressive and well done. Great flavors and complexity along with an excellent balance allows this one to be very enjoyable to drink. Despite the age it drinks really well and it doesn't show any off flavors.
Jan 23, 2020
Photo of GuyFawkes
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottled spring 2014; drank 8/18/14 @ the Fischman's.

Murky orange rust color.

Minimal white head, which quickly dissipates; no lace.

Sour strawberry nose.

Medium mouthfeel.

Tart strawberry flavor; one note & too sour. Bold, though...
May 05, 2019
 
Rated: 3.99 by Sammy from Canada (ON)

Oct 22, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by Kurmaraja from California

Aug 14, 2018
 
Rated: 4.1 by AleHunter805 from California

Aug 05, 2018
 
Rated: 4.12 by Viperman1316 from Indiana

Jan 08, 2018
 
Rated: 4.29 by MaxOhle from Illinois

Dec 20, 2017
Photo of zachary80
Reviewed by zachary80 from Indiana

4.38/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Bottle date: 03/2016
Consumed: 10/2017

L: Clear orange, somewhat hazy, with a white head and good white lacing.
S: A little brett and funk, not much aroma overall, but not bad in anyway. Slightly vinegary. Mild.
T: Love Chld #4 hits strong and with layers. Strong sourness lingers. Different variations of funk in the waves of flavor. Mild generic fruitiness.
F: Feels right. Acidic.
O: Overall one of my favorite sour beers yet. Wish this wasn't retired.
Oct 29, 2017
 
Rated: 4.25 by Dizzy242 from Massachusetts

Sep 30, 2017
Photo of JohnnyHopps
Reviewed by JohnnyHopps from Indiana

4.23/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
At a recent bottle share, Love Child 4 through 8 were sampled. This reviews will compare all 5.

Minus No. 5, most of the brews had a reddish tint to the appearance. Carbonation was visible in each.

A fruity oaky nose was noted in No 4, No 6. Cherry Lime was specifically noted in No. 6. In No. 5, No. 7, and No. 8, the nose was more dry and oaky with fruit being less pronounced.

In terms of taste, 4 and 6 were the clear winners as fruit followed the taste. No. 5 and 8 were the weak links as they were more acidic. I did not feel like much was happening in the those selections. No. 7 had a drier fruity presence, which was a nice change up. Grape and cherry skin were noted.

Carbonation came with the style. The aging created a dry presence that clung to the side of the mouth.

In order of preference from best to worst, I will say 4, 6, 7, 8, 5
Jul 17, 2017
Photo of Orca
Reviewed by Orca from Washington

4.11/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
750mL (best by 3/2016; oh well) into a tulip. Pours a hazy amber w/ a loose head that settles to a narrow collar and thin layer of sea foam.

Aroma is tart and vinous, woody. Bready malt, green apple.

Taste is likewise sour and vinous with plenty of dry oak. Puckering. Similar to Flanders oud bruin, maybe less sweet.

Mouthfeel is medium-bodied with a semi-dry finish.

Overall this one is in line w/ the other Love Childs I've tried. Crisp and refreshing.
Jun 25, 2017
Photo of gatornation
Reviewed by gatornation from Arizona

3.71/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours a golden color with a nice white head. Funky smells of wheat cheese and malt. Taste is sour with wood and whiskey notes in the background. Likes #3 better than #4.
May 28, 2017
Photo of Jadjunk
Reviewed by Jadjunk from Georgia

4.11/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
"Our series of wayward offspring, marked by such cultural influences as Lactobaccillus and Brettanomyces, can prove so complex that we employ these gauges to convey the intensity of three key personality traits. They present a picture of the ale at the time it was released. It will change as it ages, but don't we all?" Brewed in the style of an American Wild Ale, 50% aged in Whiskey barrels and 15% aged in wine barrels. Available in 750ml. bottles and on limited draft. Recurring release, entry #4 in the series.

Poured from a 750ml. bottle to a tulip glass.

(Appearance) Pours a crisp, frothy head of a pale beige-caramel over a rich, copper-amber body with fine sediment and light haziness, but no visible carbonation. Retention is below average and there is no visible lacing. 3.25

(Smell) Rich, potent acidic sourness, biting vinegar nose with moderate funkiness, mild fruit tanginess atop a smooth, bread malt nose with a touch of caramel body. Very discernible wine barrel aging impact is noticeable in the nose, with fermented white grape must a leading player in the aroma. Potency is moderate. 4

(Taste) The flavor of this beer closely follows the aroma, with acidic and vinegar tones creating a striking sourness up front, an enjoyable level of sourness and a nice contrast against a substantial, but very clean and smooth malt body of caramel and bread malts. Soured stone fruit undertones and a gentle funk that carries a wet hay and a peppery finish. The barrel aging imparts clean barrel resins, white grape tanginess and subtle, clean whiskey tones without distracting the overall focus of this beer. Finishes smooth, lightly dry and sharply acidic. 4.25

(Mouthfeel) Texture is slick, smooth, lightly syrupy, softly chewy, vividly acidic, moderately dry. Carbonation is moderate, generating a mild frothiness and a modestly crisp finish. Body is medium+ for the style, medium overall. Balance is slightly acidic, sour and funky over sweet. Alcohol presence is light and there are no off characters. 4

(Overall) Extended time in the bottle has served this vintage of Love Child very well. Very enjoyable complexity of developed sourness, yielding levels of soured stone fruit, vinegar and mild funk while retaining much of its body for a decent balance. In the end, the sourness wins out, but this isn't a problem at all regarding the overall enjoyment of this beer. It's really quite solid, and I am looking forward to the next three iterations, coming soon. 4.25

Boulevard Brewing Co.'s
Love Child No. 4
4.11/5.00
Mar 26, 2017
Love Child No. 4 from Boulevard Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 96 out of 100 with 1229 ratings