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Nutcracker Ale
Boulevard Brewing Co.
- From:
- Boulevard Brewing Co.
- Missouri, United States
- Style:
- Winter Warmer
Ranked #88 - ABV:
- 7.8%
- Score:
- 84
Ranked #22,447 - Avg:
- 3.73 | pDev: 11.53%
- Reviews:
- 388
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Dec 30, 2023
- Added:
- Oct 11, 2002
- Wants:
- 39
- Gots:
- 156
Nutcracker Ale is Boulevard’s holiday gift for real beer lovers. This hearty, warming brew is a classic winter ale, deep amber in color, with hints of molasses balanced by the “spiciness” of freshly harvested Chinook hops.
38 IBU
38 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by PirateUlf73:
Reviewed by PirateUlf73 from Illinois
3.3/5 rDev -11.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
3.3/5 rDev -11.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Number two from my latest mix was poured directly into a tulip glass.
A: Deep reddish-amber and cloudy. Head was off-white leaning toward light brown. Got up to about two fingers worth, but settled down rather quickly. Some lacing action, but not much.
S: Very sweet nose. Hints of caramel, brown sugar and some roasty notes. Had to take a whiff right away, because the smell died out fast with the head.
T: Sweetness from the malt as well as a tingly spiciness. Fairly substantial, albeit slightly astringent hop profile. Slightly nutty on the finish, with a slightly sweet bread aftertaste. Alcohol provides a subtle warming effect.
M: On the heavier side of light-bodied. Carbonation was plentiful and the finish was smooth.
D: This is definitely a drinkable winter warmer, if you like the taste.
As with all the beers in my mix-a-six, I picked it up out of curiosity. Worth trying once. Good, but not great. I may be inclined to try this on tap, but I'm not sure that I would buy a sixer of the stuff. A very drinkable beer, for sure, but somehow not what I expected.
Jan 23, 2009A: Deep reddish-amber and cloudy. Head was off-white leaning toward light brown. Got up to about two fingers worth, but settled down rather quickly. Some lacing action, but not much.
S: Very sweet nose. Hints of caramel, brown sugar and some roasty notes. Had to take a whiff right away, because the smell died out fast with the head.
T: Sweetness from the malt as well as a tingly spiciness. Fairly substantial, albeit slightly astringent hop profile. Slightly nutty on the finish, with a slightly sweet bread aftertaste. Alcohol provides a subtle warming effect.
M: On the heavier side of light-bodied. Carbonation was plentiful and the finish was smooth.
D: This is definitely a drinkable winter warmer, if you like the taste.
As with all the beers in my mix-a-six, I picked it up out of curiosity. Worth trying once. Good, but not great. I may be inclined to try this on tap, but I'm not sure that I would buy a sixer of the stuff. A very drinkable beer, for sure, but somehow not what I expected.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by damndirtyape from Ohio
3.83/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
3.83/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
12oz bottle served in a D'Achouffe tulip glass. Enjoy by 10 April 2024.
Appearance: Mostly clear dark copper-amber color with a nicely thick 1/4" tan head. Persistent strands and islands of lacing.
Smell: Pine and citrus hops. Not getting much else.
Taste: Hops again, with a hint of molasses and toasted malt. Pine/citrus hops at start and finish.
Mouthfeel: Nicely thick and quite smooth. Light carbonation, a little bit sticky on the teeth.
Overall / Drinkability: I'm struggling to call this one a winter warmer. It's more like a IPA in character. Enjoyable, but not quite hitting the style. One is enough.
Dec 30, 2023Appearance: Mostly clear dark copper-amber color with a nicely thick 1/4" tan head. Persistent strands and islands of lacing.
Smell: Pine and citrus hops. Not getting much else.
Taste: Hops again, with a hint of molasses and toasted malt. Pine/citrus hops at start and finish.
Mouthfeel: Nicely thick and quite smooth. Light carbonation, a little bit sticky on the teeth.
Overall / Drinkability: I'm struggling to call this one a winter warmer. It's more like a IPA in character. Enjoyable, but not quite hitting the style. One is enough.
Reviewed by MissouriMule from Missouri
4.56/5 rDev +22.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.56/5 rDev +22.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Pours a hazy amber. The beer is probably a lighter shade than perceived because the pervasive sediment limits light passthrough. Head is modest and quickly gives way to a persistent ring. There is a fair amount of lacing.
The nose is sweet, almost cloying. Oddly, though, I am not sure how much of the aroma is malt and how much the Chinook hops.
Taste is the best part of the experience with this beer. There is a toffee sweetness to the malt. The hops translate some of that sweetness into a raisin flavor. The bitterness of the hops and the raisin quality they impart make this taste like a light barleywine. The mouthfeel is also on the lighter side.
All in all, this is a very nice winter warmer. Plus, the when you want a barleywine you can enjoy serially and still have room for Christmas cookies, this is your beer.
Dec 20, 2023The nose is sweet, almost cloying. Oddly, though, I am not sure how much of the aroma is malt and how much the Chinook hops.
Taste is the best part of the experience with this beer. There is a toffee sweetness to the malt. The hops translate some of that sweetness into a raisin flavor. The bitterness of the hops and the raisin quality they impart make this taste like a light barleywine. The mouthfeel is also on the lighter side.
All in all, this is a very nice winter warmer. Plus, the when you want a barleywine you can enjoy serially and still have room for Christmas cookies, this is your beer.
Reviewed by Danimal522 from Indiana
3.54/5 rDev -5.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.54/5 rDev -5.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
A deep cloudy amber color with a brown head that lingers and leaves some nice lacing. Has a strong malty aroma with roasted pecans and a subtle sweetness like dried orange peel. Taste is similar but with the additional sweetness of currant and dark cherry undertones. There a slight bitterness on the finish that brings out the floral flavors in the hops. I don’t get the spiciness others have until I go in a second time but it’s limited at best. The mouthfeel is lighter than I anticipated and the beer is very easy to drink because of it. Warming thanks to the high alcohol content this is a decent beer that is worth trying if you can find it but could easily get lost in the Christmas ale seasonal space.
Nov 29, 2023Reviewed by bbtkd from South Dakota
3.71/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.71/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Boulevard Nut Cracker Winter Warmer, 7.8% ABV. Pours dark brown with a 4+ finger tan head that left some lacing. Aroma is malty, nutty, with light fruit. Taste follows, plus spice, faint sweetness moderate bitterness, like a hoppy nut-brown ale. Decent mouthfeel, overall very good.
Nov 09, 2023Reviewed by Kiiz
3.64/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
3.64/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
A little peppermint would’ve taken this brewski to the next level. Instead, we’re left with a solid Christmas brew that has too much competition and is too hard to find (in the Midwest) to justify ever getting. It nicely combines a spicy (nutmeg) amber with a fruitier (cranberry) brew so if that’s your thing it’s for you but personally I’d rather drink a gulden draak after a Breckenridge and get the best of both worlds separately. Worth a try though.
Nov 08, 2023Reviewed by hman43 from North Carolina
3.83/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.83/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Look: It pours copper with a brilliant clarity to it. The head is tan, fluffy, and has excellent head retention.
Smell: It has a toffee aroma with some molasses, citrus, and cherry. There is also a bit of spiciness to it.
Taste: It has toffee flavor with a strong spicy backbone and citrus notes. There is a bit of sweetness to it with very low cherry.
Feel: There is some nice alcohol warming. It has a medium body with a bittersweet aftertaste.
Overall, nice combination of flavors with a warming finish.
Dec 25, 2022Smell: It has a toffee aroma with some molasses, citrus, and cherry. There is also a bit of spiciness to it.
Taste: It has toffee flavor with a strong spicy backbone and citrus notes. There is a bit of sweetness to it with very low cherry.
Feel: There is some nice alcohol warming. It has a medium body with a bittersweet aftertaste.
Overall, nice combination of flavors with a warming finish.
Nutcracker Ale from Boulevard Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
84 out of
100 with
992 ratings
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