Chardonnay Cask Saison
Boulevard Brewing Co.

 

 

RB transfer

12oz bottle picked up at Big Head's Bottle Shop
Poured into Lolo Peak Belgian-style tulip

P cap came off the bottle with some force; pours a deep gold/orange color w/ a light haze; 1f foamy white head; lots of active carb; good head retention
N med-bold bright fruity notes; clean, defined aromas of grape, pear, some esters, and a touch of yeast; inviting
T big fruity notes over a hearty crackery malt backbone w/ some caramel character; grape, melon, floral notes, and lavender; this is really tasty; apple flavor as it opens
Mf light-med bodied with med-high prickly carb; pairs well with the profile
O an excellent saison; exceeded my expectations

Review date: 06.07.25
Bottle date: not captured

fruity, refreshing, wine

 

 

It's a tasty enough beer. I'm not very familiar with saisons, so I'm not sure exactly what I'm supposed to expect, but my main complaint is that this beer feels very thin. I love full body beers, so this doesn't really hit the mark for me. I'll drink this 4-pack happily, but don't plan to buy it again.

Handsome brew with bright yellow amber color and sticky lacing all down the glass. There is a distinct sweetness with a winey flavor. It's actually rather fruity with ripe honeydew, and the usual yeasty flavor is not so bold. Then there's the expected dry finish and the scratchy modest bitterness in the aftertaste. It doesn't taste of alcohol, as I am swigging this down. I am again amazed that Boulevard makes such excellent barrel aged brews for such reasonable prices. From the 12 oz bottle purchased on the West Coast. "Enjoy by 15 NOV 2025."

 

 

Appearance - The beer was straw, yellow and appearance with a generous white head.

Smell - Green grapes came through with a noted level of bitterness to follow. This saison notes were present.

Taste - at the front or notes of green grape, grape skin and just a bit of apple. The profile led into the cask notes, when combine with the funk, created a pleasantly dry and bitter finish.

Mouthfeel - The body was light and bubbly, but it did seem to have stain power.

Overall -This beer was really impressive. I will be buying more.

 

Very, very good but not sure where it stands style-wise. Bigger ABV, color and mouthfeel vs traditional saison. Really nice flavor, the Chardonnay barrel adds that je nais se quois to the flavor but kinda moves it out of my realm of Saisonness. I really don't taste the typical yeast esters and phenolics that I'd expect from a saison. I'd just as likely put this in the Tripel category. It would be interesting to see what a bit of Brett and aging would do to this. Could be a bit more effervescent as well. That being said it's very tasty and I'll gladly drink more of them, Inshallah.

12oz bottle. Label has this dating information 'PLEASE ENJOY BY: KC0524240917 15NOV2025C'.
Mostly clear, pale gold with some shimmer colored body. Two fingers of fizzy white head, but this maintains as a full cap and ring that rides up the side of the glass. Minor lattice work of lacing.
Aroma of white wine, oak, peach, apricot, and some woody notes.
Taste provides a depth of flavors - fruity yeast esters (peach, pear, and apricot), woody oak barrel, white wine dryness, and spicy pepper. Has an overall sweetness but this is not long lived. Oak and fruit linger in the aftertaste.
Medium mouthfeel. Slightly sticky before the dry finish. Higher ABV% is warming but avoids the burn. Very good carbonation.
Subtle but complex with fruit, wine, and oak pillars. Drinking this close to room temperature broadens the flavor profile.

 

Complex vinous fruit character, juicy pear and peach that meld into something unique. Phenolic white pepper on the back end, dry finish. Nice stuff, light and drinkable considering the well hidden ABV.

Boulevard #43

Really good to see this thoughtful a saison coming out of the Midwest; albeit from a Belgian-inspired and Belgian-owned brewer. Duvel buys brewers who found a niche in craft creativity that promises cash flow staying power. And Boulevard is proving it has both long-term. Then Duvel lets the creativity flourish by providing capital, great distribution and shares brewing knowledge and probably a lot of those hard-to-cultivate-and-keep Belgian yeasts. My opinion is fed evidence even more by Ommegang and Duvel's purchases in Belgium, particularly Liefmann's in the fruit niche and d'Achouffe in the hoppy (happy) gnome niche.

Duvel's formula makes everyone happy: not just its gnomes, but all its subsidiary properties, its Belgo-phile consumers (like me) and its stockholders. For that I give very elevated Overall Hugs to this Saison and Boulevard. It also paired well with an assortment of dry cheeses.

While there are several complex aspects to this saison that I will try to unpack when I drink the second bottle I bought from The Beer Temple, my main comment now is that Chardonnay Cask (CC) hides its big-ness very well. I drink more saisons than any other style (like double that of wits, my #2) and I can't remember a handful with an ABV this high. Related is that the yeast still performs like a 6% ABV, springing forth several tree fruits and spices like pepper. It's almost like Duvel's master Belgian brewers collaborated on this very accomplished saison for its first release. I can't wait to see if the second release produces yet another great recipe in the Duvel portfolio.

12/15/24 Drank the second bottle. Started with dry cheeses (again fine) and went on to my world-famous vegetable soup (improved by this saison.) Again from the first bottle, the improvements to be made here in future releases are small; and the big-ness of this beer is well-concealed.