Proper Pour
Boulevard Brewing Co.

Well, this is an interesting and unusual beer, but I don't really like it, not nearly as much as other high ABV imperial stouts.

The look is ordinary, dark reddish, with almost no head at all. The smell is bourbon and red wine and cherries. I'm not getting any of the typical roastiness that I associate with stouts, nor am I picking up the chocolate that some other BAs are reporting.

The taste is similar to the smell, but includes some sweetness. There are dark fruits here, plums and raisins. The body is fairly light.

On balance this reminds me some of the old cherry Coke, an unusual flavor profile that was never my favorite.

 

Opaque black with ruby highlights and minimal tan head that disappears immediately.
The aroma is whiskey, wine and dark chocolate with some dark fruit notes.
The taste is amazing, whiskey, black currants, notes of wine, dark chocolate, vanilla, plums and more. Every sip seems to bring something new, somewhat sweet and boozy, but very nice.
The body is full, low carbonation, silky smooth and very drinkable but meant to be sipped and enjoyed.
Altogether, this is an outstanding stout, tasty and enjoyable. This should be a great after dinner drink or just for warmth and enjoyment on a cool winter day. I want more.

Pours out dark and silky with little to no head. Minimal carbonation, similar to Amager Double-Black in look.
A phenomenal imperial stout.
Very complex flavor profile that keeps giving new tastes, especially depending on what you're eating with it. The Cabernet jamminess comes through, but is very well-balanced with notes of plum, bourbon, brown sugar, and toasted grains. This is a world-class imperial stout that unfortunately is limited-edition! Grab whatever you can get your hands on and save it for a cold, snowy evening to share with friends. This warms you right up, and is definitely a proper pour.
Please keep making this, Boulevard!

2023 vintage in a 12 oz bottle consumed way before the "Enjoy by" date of February 2025.

A regular pour into my snifter produced no head other than a minimal thin ring. ... and that ends my complaints about this fine stout. The flavor is rich, complex, harmonious with a fine effect of double barrel k wine and whisky) aging. The high 12.5% ABV is partially hidden in the aroma and flavor, and well hidden in the feel.

Bought at Liquor Shed in Casper, best by February 9th 2025. 2023 edition.

It pours black with a nice layer of tan foam, good lacing.

The smell is whiskey, fruity from the wine barrel, roasty, sweet and somewhat boozy.

The taste is whiskey, dark pitted fruits, winey, roasty, quite on the sweet side, hot as in boozy but not as alcohol forward as the smell insinuated.

Close to full bodied, lightish carbonation.

What a treat this is. I'm hoping that there's more on the shelf.

Absolutely astounding beer. The nose is nothing less than delightful, with a massive and rich stout base swimming in bourbon, the red wine accenting with its own richness, but no sourness.

Delivers on the palate as well. The red wine is entirely complementary, very much third fiddle. Tasting notes include sweet bourbon mash, oak, chocolate, cherry, cola, prune, pecan, espresso.

Seems to be bottled 2/10/23. - enjoy by 2/9/25 Drank 6/30/23
Pour is black , with a slightly reddish hue. cap of dense, creamy khaki head.
Nose is roast malt, hint of bourbon interlaced with red wine. dark fruits.
Taste follows. the bourbon and wine barrels play well together, neither dominates. roasted malt, bourbon, oak, vanilla, subtle black cherries, plum, dark fruits, finish is hints of chocolate, bourbon, a touch of red wine. wine notes seem to come out more as the beer warms.
good beer. all the flavors mix nicely.

 

Pours midnight black with little head. Aroma is bourbon with whiskey and dark fruit. Taste is woody, bourbon with dark cherry and plum flavors. This is wonderfully balanced and tasty. A proper pour is a fitting name.

12 oz. bottle

Pours black with a dense creamy tan brown colored foam head. Smells like rich red fruits, red wine, oak barrel, bourbon, caramel, vanilla, toasty toffee, honey, nutty brown sugar, dark chocolate, roasted malts, dark fruits, black cherry, plum, hints of strawberry, currants, dried fruit, with earthy woody piney hops. Tastes creamy, rich and luscious, sweet and vinous with beautiful bourbon barrel and red wine oak interplaying, notes of red fruits like strawberry, cherry, currants, plum, dark fruits, dried fruit, vanilla, caramel, honey, toasty toffee, nutty brown sugar, dark chocolate, some smoky meaty roasted malts, and earthy woody piney hops. Feels medium plus bodied, creamy and thick with smooth moderate carbonation. Overall a really great bourbon and red wine barrel aged imperial stout.

What makes this one special is the way the red wine qualities come through. Jammy fruit and tannins lay on top of the sweet vanilla bourbon that allows for a really interesting pastiche of flavors. Oak, vanilla, figs, fresh raisins, and the cab barrel unifies everything. There is plenty of bourbon barrel coming through - it is a shared spotlight in every sense! Really good and more balanced than some of Boulevard’s other barrel-aged offerings.

Appearance: Pours a fudge colored with a burgeoning one finger head that fades to a ringlet and archipelago; splashy lacing

Smell: RIch chocolate and roasted malt with vanilla, Bourbon and fortified wine tones

Taste: Rich chocolate forward with some roast and vanilla; through the middle, the Bourbon and the Red wine flavors add complexity; bringing oak, and dark fruit elements; the finish is like a chocolate truffle

Mouthfeel: Full bodied with moderate carbonation; some warmth in the gullet

Overall: Quite impressed by this and the double barrel pairing works very well

this is the best of both world
plum, wine, bourbon, vanilla, bread, chocolate, toffee,
loved it

2023 rel tasty stout? sweet bourbony side, well made beer! cheers

05/30/23 bottle @ home

Very dark brown look. Knew I was gonna like this as soon as I smelt it - very sweet and malty, nicely balanced with the bourbon and a third "fruity" component that must be wine barrel. Very full feeling but not too heavy. Running back to buy more soon

 

 

Yum. Proper Pour had us oohing and aahing before we ever took a sip. Smells wonderful. Tastes fantastic. Not too sweet. Wonderful mouthfeel. I wanted to keep smelling and sipping. Usually I can’t get into wine barrel aged beers but Proper Pour converted me. Highly recommended. Other personal favorites: Ten Fidy, Trappistes Rochefort 10, Allagash Curieux, Art of Neurosis.