30th Anniversary Ale
Boulevard Brewing Co.
Beer Geek Stats:
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- Style:
- American Strong Ale
Ranked #59 - ABV:
- 12.5%
- Score:
- 89
Ranked #6,660 - Avg:
- 4.2 | pDev: 10%
- Reviews:
- 13
- Ratings:
- From:
- Boulevard Brewing Co.
- Missouri, United States
- Avail:
- One-off
- Wants
- 1
- Gots
- 7
SCORE
89
Very Good
89
Very Good
Notes:
This blend includes:
Imperial Stout in rye whiskey finished port casks – 34%
Belgian Dark Strong Ale in ruby and tawny port casks – 26%
Double Mashed Imperial Stout in bourbon barrels – 16%
Belgian Dark Strong Ale in California sherry casks – 9%
Imperial Stout in bourbon barrels – 5%
Imperial Stout in Spanish sherry puncheons – 5%
Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels followed by ruby/tawny port casks – 3%
Belgian Dark Strong Ale in bourbon barrels – 2%
Imperial Stout in rye whiskey finished port casks – 34%
Belgian Dark Strong Ale in ruby and tawny port casks – 26%
Double Mashed Imperial Stout in bourbon barrels – 16%
Belgian Dark Strong Ale in California sherry casks – 9%
Imperial Stout in bourbon barrels – 5%
Imperial Stout in Spanish sherry puncheons – 5%
Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels followed by ruby/tawny port casks – 3%
Belgian Dark Strong Ale in bourbon barrels – 2%
Reviews: 13
| Ratings: 32
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Reviews by Curt3:
4.73/5 rDev +12.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
More User Reviews:
4.77/5 rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
4.24/5 rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
When you turn thirty, you've earned the right to be particular, to be selective, to be downright picky. So to celebrate their thirty year anniversary, the brewers of Boulevard select careful proportions of eight different barrel aged beers for their blended celebratory elixir.
Simply but aptly called 30th Anniversary Ale the very dark and tawny brown, seeming black beer builds a dainty whipped mouse while its scent swoons the nose with a host of dark sugars, coffee, nuttiness, earth, dark fruit and spice much like their classic stouts. But its the sweetness that seduces the tastebuds first with the savory maltiness of caramel, brown sugar and light molasses.
The sweetness is stews on the middle palate while an overcast of charred grains threaten to steal the show. Dark roasted coffee, walnut and bittersweet chocolate coat the tastebuds and saturate them with a plethora of savory maltiness. As the sweetness extends toward finish, the nuances of date, fig and red grape bring a vinous fruitiness to the palate with a follow of light fennel. Nuttiness, caramel, vanilla and peppery spice come from the blended whisky, fortified wine and bourbon barrels with its own spirited peppery, bitter and woodsy balance.
Full bodied and pleasantly chewy, the nougat-like textures of the beer is tempered by the barrel spices and a sharp and woodsy char of grain. A mild campfire linger of grilled fruit and coffee extend long and lean on the after palate. There's something about the spice of off-bourbon whiskies and wine that offer an agressive offset to residual sweetness that works perfectly in this after dinner digestive of a beer.
1,645 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
When you turn thirty, you've earned the right to be particular, to be selective, to be downright picky. So to celebrate their thirty year anniversary, the brewers of Boulevard select careful proportions of eight different barrel aged beers for their blended celebratory elixir.
Simply but aptly called 30th Anniversary Ale the very dark and tawny brown, seeming black beer builds a dainty whipped mouse while its scent swoons the nose with a host of dark sugars, coffee, nuttiness, earth, dark fruit and spice much like their classic stouts. But its the sweetness that seduces the tastebuds first with the savory maltiness of caramel, brown sugar and light molasses.
The sweetness is stews on the middle palate while an overcast of charred grains threaten to steal the show. Dark roasted coffee, walnut and bittersweet chocolate coat the tastebuds and saturate them with a plethora of savory maltiness. As the sweetness extends toward finish, the nuances of date, fig and red grape bring a vinous fruitiness to the palate with a follow of light fennel. Nuttiness, caramel, vanilla and peppery spice come from the blended whisky, fortified wine and bourbon barrels with its own spirited peppery, bitter and woodsy balance.
Full bodied and pleasantly chewy, the nougat-like textures of the beer is tempered by the barrel spices and a sharp and woodsy char of grain. A mild campfire linger of grilled fruit and coffee extend long and lean on the after palate. There's something about the spice of off-bourbon whiskies and wine that offer an agressive offset to residual sweetness that works perfectly in this after dinner digestive of a beer.
1,645 characters
4.2/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Picked up a 16 oz mason jar draft from the Craft Beer Quick Stop 10-29-19 for $8.00.
Beer poured a burgundy brown with a pretty good off white head that dissipated quickly.
Nose has notes of plums and currants, vanilla and bourbon - very nice.
Taste is similar to the sibling Firestone Walker anniversary ales over the years with the stouts and barrel aging. Mild roasted malts meld with the figs and currants. Vanilla and Bourbon join the party and combine nicely. Finish is a tad sweet but the bourbon offsets a lot of it.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied and smooth.
Overall a very nicely blended brew, very tasty. Glad i got to try it!
642 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Picked up a 16 oz mason jar draft from the Craft Beer Quick Stop 10-29-19 for $8.00.
Beer poured a burgundy brown with a pretty good off white head that dissipated quickly.
Nose has notes of plums and currants, vanilla and bourbon - very nice.
Taste is similar to the sibling Firestone Walker anniversary ales over the years with the stouts and barrel aging. Mild roasted malts meld with the figs and currants. Vanilla and Bourbon join the party and combine nicely. Finish is a tad sweet but the bourbon offsets a lot of it.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied and smooth.
Overall a very nicely blended brew, very tasty. Glad i got to try it!
642 characters
4.08/5 rDev -2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Priper 67678717-1187
20 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Priper 67678717-1187
20 characters
3/5 rDev -28.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Bottled 6/26/19; drank 10/28/19 @ the Yarchives.
Black appearance.
An even pour yielded a HUGE tan head; strong, frothy lace.
Red wine, cream, fresh earth, clove & root beer notes in the nose. An odd amalgam.
Creamy, thick mouthfeel.
Red wine, root beer, dry oak, clove & booze heat flavors; this is a mess.
The different beers don't meld at all; it tastes more like a careless cuvee at the end of a beer share. Permanent pass for me!
446 characters
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Bottled 6/26/19; drank 10/28/19 @ the Yarchives.
Black appearance.
An even pour yielded a HUGE tan head; strong, frothy lace.
Red wine, cream, fresh earth, clove & root beer notes in the nose. An odd amalgam.
Creamy, thick mouthfeel.
Red wine, root beer, dry oak, clove & booze heat flavors; this is a mess.
The different beers don't meld at all; it tastes more like a careless cuvee at the end of a beer share. Permanent pass for me!
446 characters
4.55/5 rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Niiice... Brilliant hybrid of a dark ale and stout, shit-ton of barrel influences legitimately add tons of character, with shifting notes of the various impressions... Body is medium-full, leaving a light shellac on the tongue; sweet with chocolaty flavors... Deeper dark fruit and molasses-notes weave throughout, with tannic notes keeping it from being too heavy... Moderate carbonation, lots of boozy barrel notes hovering over rich stout aromas... A classy brew, and a catch at $20...
7/26/19 bottling...
509 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Niiice... Brilliant hybrid of a dark ale and stout, shit-ton of barrel influences legitimately add tons of character, with shifting notes of the various impressions... Body is medium-full, leaving a light shellac on the tongue; sweet with chocolaty flavors... Deeper dark fruit and molasses-notes weave throughout, with tannic notes keeping it from being too heavy... Moderate carbonation, lots of boozy barrel notes hovering over rich stout aromas... A classy brew, and a catch at $20...
7/26/19 bottling...
509 characters
3.92/5 rDev -6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Boulevard 30th Anniversary Ale, 12.5% ABV. Pours black, with a 3+ finger tan head that left no lacing. Nose is wine, vanilla, bourbon, dark fruit, and brown sugar. Taste follows, plus rye, slight to moderate bitterness. Coffee in the aftertaste. Mouthfeel is slightly over-carbonated and dry. Overall very good to excellent. Presumably they carefully selected the eight beers that went into this, but in the end I found it too complex - like taking your eight favorite foods - including deserts - mixing them together and expecting a miracle.
549 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Boulevard 30th Anniversary Ale, 12.5% ABV. Pours black, with a 3+ finger tan head that left no lacing. Nose is wine, vanilla, bourbon, dark fruit, and brown sugar. Taste follows, plus rye, slight to moderate bitterness. Coffee in the aftertaste. Mouthfeel is slightly over-carbonated and dry. Overall very good to excellent. Presumably they carefully selected the eight beers that went into this, but in the end I found it too complex - like taking your eight favorite foods - including deserts - mixing them together and expecting a miracle.
549 characters
4/5 rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Came in a fancy canister that was impressive with pictures of wheat and hops on it. A canister I would expect from a more expensive beer (this ran me about $20). Poured out into a snifter opaque brown with a small and fast dissolving tan head. Smell really bites my nose with a deep leathery bourbon and cherry scent. Taste is similar, dark fruits, cherries, smokiness. But there is a lot going on here given that it’s a blend of eight different beers In varying amounts. I think it’s too many layers, like playing several dissonant jazz chords at the same time. Perhaps I just like my beer simpler. Not a bad experiment, but it seems like an experiment, rather than a perfected recipe.
691 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Came in a fancy canister that was impressive with pictures of wheat and hops on it. A canister I would expect from a more expensive beer (this ran me about $20). Poured out into a snifter opaque brown with a small and fast dissolving tan head. Smell really bites my nose with a deep leathery bourbon and cherry scent. Taste is similar, dark fruits, cherries, smokiness. But there is a lot going on here given that it’s a blend of eight different beers In varying amounts. I think it’s too many layers, like playing several dissonant jazz chords at the same time. Perhaps I just like my beer simpler. Not a bad experiment, but it seems like an experiment, rather than a perfected recipe.
691 characters
4.4/5 rDev +4.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.25/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Pours like a dark stout, almost thick, with surprising level of carbonation leading to a head which stays consistent but as the beer rests and the head leaves, the beer takes on a reddish hue with nice lacing in the glass.
The aroma is very complex with chocolate, coffee, bourbon, wine, sweetness. The mouthfeel does not seem as thick as the pour, but similar to other aged barrel aged beers.
The taste is as complex as the label, and the aroma. As the beer moves around the tongue picking up malts, bourbon, oak, wine, ports with some definite sherry notes. Chill this beer a bit and as it warms it warms other smells, and taste emerge. Even with the high APV, no real alchol taste.
This is a fun beer which leads to great conversations. Overall a very good to excellent beer. Going to put a bottle in my cellar (maybe 2). This is a beer which can get better with age.
882 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Pours like a dark stout, almost thick, with surprising level of carbonation leading to a head which stays consistent but as the beer rests and the head leaves, the beer takes on a reddish hue with nice lacing in the glass.
The aroma is very complex with chocolate, coffee, bourbon, wine, sweetness. The mouthfeel does not seem as thick as the pour, but similar to other aged barrel aged beers.
The taste is as complex as the label, and the aroma. As the beer moves around the tongue picking up malts, bourbon, oak, wine, ports with some definite sherry notes. Chill this beer a bit and as it warms it warms other smells, and taste emerge. Even with the high APV, no real alchol taste.
This is a fun beer which leads to great conversations. Overall a very good to excellent beer. Going to put a bottle in my cellar (maybe 2). This is a beer which can get better with age.
882 characters
4.75/5 rDev +13.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.3/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Superb beer. Boulevard hit the mark with their 30th anniversary beer. The ABV is hardly evident, but could hit at any point. Caramel hints over the chocolate overtones. GREAT beer.
180 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Superb beer. Boulevard hit the mark with their 30th anniversary beer. The ABV is hardly evident, but could hit at any point. Caramel hints over the chocolate overtones. GREAT beer.
180 characters
4.5/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.4/5 rDev +4.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Very reminiscent of their Grand Cru. The GC scored a little higher on aroma but otherwise almost identical. The barrel character paradoxically because it's fairly subtle, my personal preference.
194 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Very reminiscent of their Grand Cru. The GC scored a little higher on aroma but otherwise almost identical. The barrel character paradoxically because it's fairly subtle, my personal preference.
194 characters
2.7/5 rDev -35.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
Boulevard is a synonym for ‘underrated’ in the beer world. Their tap room is awesome, too. 750ML C&C bottle split with the wife.
The pour is very dark & very spritzy with a nose that’s fruity, oaky, & overwhelmingly sweet.
Boulevard 30th Anniversary is an impressive milestone, but the beer doesn’t hold up to the event. It’s sweet. It’s muddled; I love port & couldn’t have told you port barrels were involved. Maltish. Little bourbon. Terrifically overcarbonated, which seems odd in a blend, & chunks up the experience further. Four ounces would have been plenty.
Disappointed. Not a good effort from a great brewery for a big anniversary. Not very good.
676 characters
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
Boulevard is a synonym for ‘underrated’ in the beer world. Their tap room is awesome, too. 750ML C&C bottle split with the wife.
The pour is very dark & very spritzy with a nose that’s fruity, oaky, & overwhelmingly sweet.
Boulevard 30th Anniversary is an impressive milestone, but the beer doesn’t hold up to the event. It’s sweet. It’s muddled; I love port & couldn’t have told you port barrels were involved. Maltish. Little bourbon. Terrifically overcarbonated, which seems odd in a blend, & chunks up the experience further. Four ounces would have been plenty.
Disappointed. Not a good effort from a great brewery for a big anniversary. Not very good.
676 characters
4.19/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.4/5 rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
On tap at Lures Bar & Grille. I love blended barrel-aged beers and this one delivers a big hit of bourbon with sweet warming rum. (Side note: I'm going to stick with my impression of rum even though I just read the full description and the barrels used include rye, bourbon, sherry, and port, but no rum.) The base beers (various versions of imperial stout and Belgian strong dark ale) deliver dark roasted malt, dark chocolate, coffee, and a trace of Belgian yeast esters. Complex, highly drinkable for 12.5% abv, and delicious.
529 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
On tap at Lures Bar & Grille. I love blended barrel-aged beers and this one delivers a big hit of bourbon with sweet warming rum. (Side note: I'm going to stick with my impression of rum even though I just read the full description and the barrels used include rye, bourbon, sherry, and port, but no rum.) The base beers (various versions of imperial stout and Belgian strong dark ale) deliver dark roasted malt, dark chocolate, coffee, and a trace of Belgian yeast esters. Complex, highly drinkable for 12.5% abv, and delicious.
529 characters
4.35/5 rDev +3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
From the bottle in a snifter. This beast pours a rich obsidian with a
very nice head of tan foam that settles to a thin ring, thin dusty layer,
and shows sparse lacing. Nose of dark fruit, brandy, bourbon, spicy rye,
and dark brown sugars with strong booze. Flavors surpass the nose with
bourbon, whiskey, spicy rye, brandy, Cabernet wine notes, dark fruits
of plum and dark cherry, vanilla, moderate char, coffee...a cornucopia
of flavors and improves with warmth. Vast depth here. Excellent mouth feel
for a blended brew---medium full body, medium light carbonation that is
nice and soft, and a sweet boozy finish accentuating the brown sugars
and dark fruit notes.
Overall, what can I say----EXCELLENT!
Cheers
725 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
From the bottle in a snifter. This beast pours a rich obsidian with a
very nice head of tan foam that settles to a thin ring, thin dusty layer,
and shows sparse lacing. Nose of dark fruit, brandy, bourbon, spicy rye,
and dark brown sugars with strong booze. Flavors surpass the nose with
bourbon, whiskey, spicy rye, brandy, Cabernet wine notes, dark fruits
of plum and dark cherry, vanilla, moderate char, coffee...a cornucopia
of flavors and improves with warmth. Vast depth here. Excellent mouth feel
for a blended brew---medium full body, medium light carbonation that is
nice and soft, and a sweet boozy finish accentuating the brown sugars
and dark fruit notes.
Overall, what can I say----EXCELLENT!
Cheers
725 characters
30th Anniversary Ale from Boulevard Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
89 out of
100 with
32 ratings
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