Nutcracker Ale
Boulevard Brewing Co.
- From:
- Boulevard Brewing Co.
- Missouri, United States
- Style:
- Winter Warmer
Ranked #126 - ABV:
- 7.8%
- Score:
- 84
Ranked #31,109 - Avg:
- 3.73 | pDev: 11.53%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 395
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Feb 09, 2026
- Added:
- Oct 11, 2002
- Wants:
- 38
- Gots:
- 155
SCORE
84
Good
84
Good
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 CoasterRider:
Reviewed by CoasterRider from Washington
4.25/5 rDev +13.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +13.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
This beer pours a dark brown/golden color with a foamy head that dissipates quickly. Aroma is sweet malts and dried and stone fruit. Taste is malts and mild fruits and slight bitterness. BOD 9-13-2024, BB 4-11-2025. 45 IBUs
Mar 14, 2025More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Jayhawkerr from Kansas
4.23/5 rDev +13.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.23/5 rDev +13.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured dark reddish in color from a 12 oz bottle. Perhaps my favorite winter warmer. Solid malt flavor backed by toffee, spices, and fruit. Satisfying aftertaste, drinks smooth, and I’m not detecting any boozy shots to the senses. 7.8 AVB is a nice level for this style. This is a classic seasonal gem. Check it out.
Feb 09, 2026
Reviewed by LesDewitt4beer from Minnesota
3.99/5 rDev +7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
3.99/5 rDev +7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
12 oz bottle enjoy by date 211 April 2026 into a tulip glass.
L: Pours a rusty dark amber color with sediment in suspension, a rocky 1" light beige head w good retention, has steady carbo that lasts, head recedes slowly to thick frothy, medium thick complex lacing.
S: Lightly boozy, caramelized malts, a hint of molasses.
T: Lightly sweet caramelized malts then quickly to pine resin, toffee, spices, a hint of hard candy sugar, light molasses, a touch of yeast, a distant note of brown soda bread.
F: Brisk, effervescent, lightly lively medium to med-light bodied mouthfeel with a long moderately dry finish. The mouthfeel becomes smoother and softer as the beer warms.
O: This beer has a slight European flair to it in that it is "alive" in its overall drinkability and feel. I enjoy sipping it vs just drinking it. It is very good in its style.
Dec 17, 2025L: Pours a rusty dark amber color with sediment in suspension, a rocky 1" light beige head w good retention, has steady carbo that lasts, head recedes slowly to thick frothy, medium thick complex lacing.
S: Lightly boozy, caramelized malts, a hint of molasses.
T: Lightly sweet caramelized malts then quickly to pine resin, toffee, spices, a hint of hard candy sugar, light molasses, a touch of yeast, a distant note of brown soda bread.
F: Brisk, effervescent, lightly lively medium to med-light bodied mouthfeel with a long moderately dry finish. The mouthfeel becomes smoother and softer as the beer warms.
O: This beer has a slight European flair to it in that it is "alive" in its overall drinkability and feel. I enjoy sipping it vs just drinking it. It is very good in its style.
Reviewed by bluejacket74 from Ohio
3.78/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.78/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12 ounce bottle, enjoy by 11APR2025 stamped on the label, thanks to Brutaltruth for this one! Served in a Teku, the beer pours a somewhat hazy copper color with about an inch off-white head that stuck around a while. There's also a lot of lacing. The brew smells like molasses, caramel, grapefruit and piney hops. Taste is similar to the aroma, but there's a bit of nuttiness noticeable. Leans a little sweeter tasting but it doesn't overpower the hops. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's a bit coating and easy to drink with a good amount of soft carbonation. I liked this one, probably would have been a little better fresh but it was still tasty. I'll have to look for a fresher batch of this.
Nov 26, 2025
Rated by ttoadee from Texas
3.49/5 rDev -6.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.49/5 rDev -6.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
RB transfer
Sep 20, 2025
Reviewed by muchloveforhops3 from Montana
3.79/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
12oz bottle courtesy of my wife's boss
Poured into a Monkless tulip
P murky chestnut/ almost burgundy w/ a small light khaki cap; quick recession
N soft sweet maltiness with some caramel tones
T lots of malt, caramel/toffee, and a bit of dark fruit; spices in the finish; not bad
Mf med to med-full bodied; med to med-high carb
O alright; better this time than when I had it several years back; with that being said, still not real memorable
Review date: 01.12.25
Bottle date: not captured
Feb 25, 2025Poured into a Monkless tulip
P murky chestnut/ almost burgundy w/ a small light khaki cap; quick recession
N soft sweet maltiness with some caramel tones
T lots of malt, caramel/toffee, and a bit of dark fruit; spices in the finish; not bad
Mf med to med-full bodied; med to med-high carb
O alright; better this time than when I had it several years back; with that being said, still not real memorable
Review date: 01.12.25
Bottle date: not captured
Reviewed by Iamaskier from Idaho
4.1/5 rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.1/5 rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
L: Deep caramel colored body, light soapy head.
S: Caramel and floral pine. Notes of lemon and nuts.
T: Follows the nose. Caramel malts, toffee, and candied orange peel. Backed up by piney hops with a touch of citrus and orange blossom.
F: Smooth, slightly warm.
O: Delicious. The candied orange peel is fantastic. A wonderfully balanced warmer, especially if you’re not just looking for a bitter IPA pine tree bomb with a faint bit of malt in the backseat.
Dec 25, 2024S: Caramel and floral pine. Notes of lemon and nuts.
T: Follows the nose. Caramel malts, toffee, and candied orange peel. Backed up by piney hops with a touch of citrus and orange blossom.
F: Smooth, slightly warm.
O: Delicious. The candied orange peel is fantastic. A wonderfully balanced warmer, especially if you’re not just looking for a bitter IPA pine tree bomb with a faint bit of malt in the backseat.
Reviewed by Parmesan from Colorado
3.87/5 rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.87/5 rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
L: Pours a red brown color with a small tan head and a bit of lacing on the glass.
S: Earthy malt mixes with caramel, and a medium hop.
T: Earthy nutty malt, mixes with caramel and a medium floral hop.
F: Medium body, smooth carbonation
O: Not quite what I expect out of a winter warmer but still enjoyable.
Dec 12, 2024S: Earthy malt mixes with caramel, and a medium hop.
T: Earthy nutty malt, mixes with caramel and a medium floral hop.
F: Medium body, smooth carbonation
O: Not quite what I expect out of a winter warmer but still enjoyable.
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.
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