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Bourbon Barrel Quad Barrel-Aged Ale (BBQ)
Boulevard Brewing Co.
- From:
- Boulevard Brewing Co.
- Missouri, United States
- Style:
- Quadrupel (Quad)
Ranked #18 - ABV:
- 12.2%
- Score:
- 94
Ranked #1,939 - Avg:
- 4.25 | pDev: 10.12%
- Reviews:
- 829
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Mar 11, 2024
- Added:
- Jul 11, 2008
- Wants:
- 581
- Gots:
- 1,073
Based loosely on the Smokestack Series’ The Sixth Glass, this abbey-style quadrupel is separated into a number of oak bourbon barrels where it ages for varying lengths of time, some for up to three years. Cherries are added to make up for the “angel's share” of beer lost during barrel aging. Selected barrels are then blended for optimum flavor. The resulting beer retains only very subtle cherry characteristics, with toffee and vanilla notes coming to the fore.
19 IBU
19 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by LambicPentameter:
Reviewed by LambicPentameter from Nebraska
4.35/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
4.35/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Enjoyed out of a 750 mL brown bottle from the 2013 edition. Didn't happen to get the batch number before I discarded the bottle unfortunately. Poured into an 8 oz Belgian-style tulip glass.
Appearance - The body is lighter than what I typically expect when I think of quads or BSDAs, with a caramel-like muddy brown, but translucent rather than cloudy. Not as jewel-like as I remember. The head consists of about a finger of off-white foam that looks frothy, like soap suds. Retention is excellent, with the foam never completely disappearing and leaving half-finger rim of fine bubbles around the edge of the glass and a film of the same along the top of the liquid. Lacing is silky and pronounced, leaving spotty residue all around the glass.
Smell - All the flavor profiles you would expect, dominant notes of vanilla and oak, along with an underlying base of esters from the high alcohol. There is also a distinct fruit element from the cherries, but it is not as acidic and cutting as I thought it might be. Reminds me of cherry-vanilla brandy in some ways. A nice, soft sweetness to it.
Taste - Like the smell, the taste again gives the impression of brandy or some other intense sipping liqueur. Notes of vanilla and oak tannins blend nicely with the cherries, which now bring a bit more sweetness than they did in the nose. Some faint aftertaste of homemade toffee and the bourbon presence is definitely noticeable.
Mouthfeel - A bit thinner than I would expect from a big-alcohol quad like this. I couldn't call it light-bodied, but it is definitely on the lighter side of medium. Moderate to heavy carbonation offsets the thinness with some nice tingling effects on the tongue. Finish is slightly sweet.
Overall, a beer that stars in the aroma and flavor. I'm not wild about the look or the mouthfeel, but seeing as how those are the two less-interfering traits of a beer, I can easily look past them. I have another bottle of this that I will age to see how the flavors develop.
Sep 30, 2013Appearance - The body is lighter than what I typically expect when I think of quads or BSDAs, with a caramel-like muddy brown, but translucent rather than cloudy. Not as jewel-like as I remember. The head consists of about a finger of off-white foam that looks frothy, like soap suds. Retention is excellent, with the foam never completely disappearing and leaving half-finger rim of fine bubbles around the edge of the glass and a film of the same along the top of the liquid. Lacing is silky and pronounced, leaving spotty residue all around the glass.
Smell - All the flavor profiles you would expect, dominant notes of vanilla and oak, along with an underlying base of esters from the high alcohol. There is also a distinct fruit element from the cherries, but it is not as acidic and cutting as I thought it might be. Reminds me of cherry-vanilla brandy in some ways. A nice, soft sweetness to it.
Taste - Like the smell, the taste again gives the impression of brandy or some other intense sipping liqueur. Notes of vanilla and oak tannins blend nicely with the cherries, which now bring a bit more sweetness than they did in the nose. Some faint aftertaste of homemade toffee and the bourbon presence is definitely noticeable.
Mouthfeel - A bit thinner than I would expect from a big-alcohol quad like this. I couldn't call it light-bodied, but it is definitely on the lighter side of medium. Moderate to heavy carbonation offsets the thinness with some nice tingling effects on the tongue. Finish is slightly sweet.
Overall, a beer that stars in the aroma and flavor. I'm not wild about the look or the mouthfeel, but seeing as how those are the two less-interfering traits of a beer, I can easily look past them. I have another bottle of this that I will age to see how the flavors develop.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Qu3st from Massachusetts
4.28/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.28/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
An excellent example of this category. Bourbon notes come through clean and are not obtrusive. Overall balanced flavor with many notes from various sources. Could benefit from a little more aging as some of the edge is still there to cut sharp. Wish it did something more to differentiate itself from similar offerings by others.
Mar 11, 2024Reviewed by edthehead from Maryland
4.25/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Dark textured brown appearance with a one finger short lived beige head, no lacing to really speak of. Mild base quad with modest notes of roasted malt, raisin, and fig. The bourbon is also somewhat modest, playing more of a complimentary role. Medium body, light carbonation. Pleasant and highly drinkable.
Mar 08, 2024Reviewed by barnzy78 from Illinois
4.28/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.28/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
12oz bottle, dated 02JUNE2025
thanks to Ken for the bottle - amazingly I’ve never had this one!
L: rusty brown body; thinner tan head fades to a thin layer of foam
S: bourbon, vanilla, spicy Belgian yeast, dark candi, caramel, toffee
T: oaky & boozy bourbon, vanilla, caramel, toffee, candi, spice, bread crust, brown sugar, yeast, earthy/herbal hops
F: fuller body, alcohol is warming, nice balance between booze, quad, and bourbon
O: such a good beer! Thanks Ken!
Feb 17, 2024thanks to Ken for the bottle - amazingly I’ve never had this one!
L: rusty brown body; thinner tan head fades to a thin layer of foam
S: bourbon, vanilla, spicy Belgian yeast, dark candi, caramel, toffee
T: oaky & boozy bourbon, vanilla, caramel, toffee, candi, spice, bread crust, brown sugar, yeast, earthy/herbal hops
F: fuller body, alcohol is warming, nice balance between booze, quad, and bourbon
O: such a good beer! Thanks Ken!
Reviewed by Iamaskier from Idaho
4.18/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.18/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
L: Reddish brown murky body, two finger frothy head.
S: Sweet, mature, slightly earthy. Fleeting raspberry on the first whiff, a few mineral notes, caramel, fig, and lots of honey bourbon.
T: Less fruity than the nose. A touch of berries up front, even a bit of tartness, quickly overpowered by boozy caramel, hints of toffee, fig, a slight malt driven bitterness, and lingering roasty bourbon notes.
F: Smooth, hot.
O: It’s a big boozy dark beer, of course it’s good. Blind, would I guess it’s a quad? Nope. But, you have to expect that with these types.
Feb 05, 2024S: Sweet, mature, slightly earthy. Fleeting raspberry on the first whiff, a few mineral notes, caramel, fig, and lots of honey bourbon.
T: Less fruity than the nose. A touch of berries up front, even a bit of tartness, quickly overpowered by boozy caramel, hints of toffee, fig, a slight malt driven bitterness, and lingering roasty bourbon notes.
F: Smooth, hot.
O: It’s a big boozy dark beer, of course it’s good. Blind, would I guess it’s a quad? Nope. But, you have to expect that with these types.
Reviewed by Saluki from Florida
4.34/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.34/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pretty well balanced between the rich tasting malts, chocolate flavors and the 12 abv.
Can taste why it doesn't get a 98-100 as it is a strong beer with a slight bitterness. Little light on the smoothness.
Bourbon barrel aging is not a traditional beer style and imo why an ABT 12 or other top tier Trappist/style is really tough to beat. The best aged beer is best aged in glass. It's like the local craft guys in town, always experimenting to no end with the hops and flavorings.
Bought four, think the next three will last.
Jan 13, 2024Can taste why it doesn't get a 98-100 as it is a strong beer with a slight bitterness. Little light on the smoothness.
Bourbon barrel aging is not a traditional beer style and imo why an ABT 12 or other top tier Trappist/style is really tough to beat. The best aged beer is best aged in glass. It's like the local craft guys in town, always experimenting to no end with the hops and flavorings.
Bought four, think the next three will last.
Rated by Rwoodroffe
4.4/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.4/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Beautiful reddish amber color with a lightly colored head. Sutle aroma but strong sweet bourbon flavor.
Jan 08, 2024Reviewed by vickersspitfire from Texas
4.62/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
4.62/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Look: Pours out a gorgeous dark burgundy color with amber hues on the outer edges of the drink. The head starts off thick and retains a nice covering with a fill ring around the glass.
Smell: cloves, banana bread and mild brown sugar up front followed by figs and fruit and then the bourbon hits you, very lovely aroma.
Taste: Bourbon upfront, banana bread and roasted malts followed by mild fruit and then a very mild bitterness mixed in with brown sugar. The alcohol really hits you in the aftertaste and leaves you wanting another sip.
Feel: This is a medium to full bodies ale, very smooth and crisp and just envelopes your tongue with flavor.
Overall: A very pleasant beer and very tasty with no regrets, don't pass it up.
Jan 01, 2024Smell: cloves, banana bread and mild brown sugar up front followed by figs and fruit and then the bourbon hits you, very lovely aroma.
Taste: Bourbon upfront, banana bread and roasted malts followed by mild fruit and then a very mild bitterness mixed in with brown sugar. The alcohol really hits you in the aftertaste and leaves you wanting another sip.
Feel: This is a medium to full bodies ale, very smooth and crisp and just envelopes your tongue with flavor.
Overall: A very pleasant beer and very tasty with no regrets, don't pass it up.
Reviewed by QuintusHorace from California
4.06/5 rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.06/5 rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a colorful brown with a thick head. Hints of fruit, banana, cloves, and alcohol on the nose. Taste closely follows with nutmeg spices and fruit notes. Finish isn’t too strong but you can tell there is alcohol, but it hides the abv quite well. Overall a complex and interesting beer that snuck up on me quickly after finishing
Nov 18, 2023Rated by KGT426 from Missouri
4.81/5 rDev +13.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.81/5 rDev +13.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Powerful but smooth. Sneaks up on you
Oct 24, 2023
Bourbon Barrel Quad Barrel-Aged Ale (BBQ) from Boulevard Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
94 out of
100 with
2860 ratings
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