Tenpenny Ale American Bitter
Boulevard Brewing Co.

 

I'm so glad Boulevard brought this back in their recent sample 12 pack! I drank this all the time when it was one of Boulevard's first beers. Good head, smell of malty biscuit, tad floral and a tiny bit of tin...tastes just like a classic English bitter. I don't find that it falls under the ESB style...more like a basic, English bitter you'd find in a pub. I love that it's 4.2% alcholol, which makes it a great session beer. I wish it would come back full-time...my kid went to school with Boulevard's founders kid, and I used to argue with John McDonald all the time to bring this beer back.

Copper colored with hazy clarity. There’s a three quarter inch of creamy beige on top. The aroma is of biscuity malt and faint grassy hops. I’m tasting light, biscuity malt and faint grassy hops. The mouth is very crisp and thirst quenching.

This is a throwback beer, now available again in their sampler packs. I'd never had it before so I was glad to see it come back so I could try it. It's a solid ESB, not too bitter but very drinkable and a good representation of the style. Reminds me of Left Hand's Sawtooth Ale for comparison, though perhaps this one is a touch less bitter than that. I'd like to see this one become part of their regular lineup.

 

 

Look: Cloudy reddish-orange with an ivory head.

Smell: Hops, malts, floral and woody notes.

Taste: Sweet malts partnered with bitter hops and kind of oaky notes.

Feel: Medium body, normal carbonation, dry finish.

Overall: Pretty solid brew, easy drinking for sure.

Boulevard Brewing Co. "Tenpenny Ale American Bitter"
12 fl. oz. brown glass bottle coded "PLEASE ENJOY BY: 19MAY2023 A L102122 08:22" and sampled on 25DEC2022
$15.45/Fall 2022 Adventure 12-pack @ Aldi #75, Omaha, NE

Notes via stream of consciousness: A massive head of off-white foam tops a very hazy deep amber body. The aroma is floral, woody, fruity, and lightly spicy. The flavor follows with a bready, biscuity, and caramelish malt that's threaded through with floral, woody, grassy, citrusy, otherwise fruity (apple, pear), and spicy notes. It makes me think of a cross between a Belgian witbier and an English bitter. It's quite unusual, and packs a lot of flavor for a beer of 4.2% ABV. The label lists 19 IBUs and that's enough to dry it in the finish. A drip of sweet maltiness and some floral and grassy character lingers shortly. In the mouth it's medium-light in body and gently crisp then smooth. The head has held up well and there's some thin but nice lacing throughout much of the glass. It's flavorful, nicely balanced, and easy to drink.
Review #8,486

12oz bottle - it came in the mix pack. Very light ale, caramel malt dominates the smell and taste, accented by very lightly bitter floral hops. A very pleasantly easy drinking beer

12oz bottle. Poured out a clear, golden amber color with a small, off-white head of fluffy foam. It left sudsy trails of lace on the glass. It smelled grassy with fresh hops, bready malt and some toffee. Great grassy bitterness with toasted bread and malt.

Slightly hazy light amber color with a moderate but lasting white head and some decent lacing. The aroma is light caramel malt with some grassy notes.
The taste is also caramel malt with a very noticeable floral hops accent. Slightly sweet well balanced by a moderate hops bitterness.
The body is light/medium, moderate carbonation, nicely smooth and very drinkable.
Altogether this is apparently a revival of a beer brewed several years ago with slightly higher ABV but still a very sessionable brew. Tasty, refreshing and very easy drinking. I don't know why it was retired but "Welcome back."