Bourbon Barrel-Aged Chai Imperial Stout
Boulevard Brewing Co.

12oz bottle from a 2024 mixed 12-pack.

I believe that Chai spicing can ruin a beer if poorly composed or overdone. The aroma of this one, while appealing, did make me wonder if that would be true of this stout and if it might be too sweet as well. ... Well, tasting reveals a delightful flavor, with both the quality and quantity of the Chai spicing blending well with the base BBA stout. If over-spiced, this would be obvious in the aftertaste, but instead even here the Chai spices are about on par with the BBA stout. The 12% ABV is well hidden.

Overall. Certainly the best Chai spiced beer I've ever had, and one that excels even among BB aged imperial stouts.

This beer if from a brown twelve ounce bottle. The beer itself is an almost impenetrably black, with a medium brown head. I get an intense chai tea aroma...lots of mixed spice notes. Pungent. The taste has a light tartness and a huge spice flavor. Medium in body. The ABV doesn't show itself immediately, but creeps up. Interesting.

Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has a black color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of spices, bourbon. Taste is bourbon, spices, vanilla, roasted malts. Feels medium/full bodied in the mouth and overall is a quality beer.

 

 

Black in color with no light penetration. There’s a fingernail of brown around the rim and covering a scant amount of the top. There’s aroma is of chai, vanilla, and bourbon. I’m tasting lots of chai, a bit of murky bourbon, and I’d swear there’s a touch of ginger in there. The mouth is boozy and sticky.

Pours black with a nice mocha head that leaves a ring of lacing. I can smell the spices right out of the bottle. That sure is chai - definitely cardamom and cinnamon, cloves. Not sure what else. Nutmeg? Bit of chocolate and vanilla. The taste follows. The spice is, unavoidably, up front. The notes of roasty malt and chocolate round out the back. I agree there is a cola note way in the back where the barrel aging is most noticeable. Quite strong going down for me; I can feel the weight and the warming sensation. However, the body is a tad thinner than anticipated. Not that it really harms the experience. The woodsy and herbal/spice notes linger here. Solidly carbonated, creamy and smooth finish.

I like it, but it isn't going to be for everyone. Think the only comparable beer I have tried is that Dogfish one from way back and it probably wasn't as spice-forward as this is. Although I don't think it was BA, either.

WTF Boulevard? Potpourri Bag spices second sip a little better but first taste was full on coriander, cinnamon spice and orange peel. As it sits and warms you get a bit more chocolate and roast but the body is still very thin as others described the body feels like 8% when it needs a bigger body like the 12%.

Overall not a big fan of spices in my beer and this is Christmas turned up to 11. Way too much!

12oz bottle. Poured out a jet-black color with a small, light brown head of foam. It left sticky patches of lace on the glass. It smelled of roasted malt, bourbon, vanilla, chai and sweet chocolate notes. Great roasted malt taste with bourbon, oak, vanilla and subtle chai notes.

 

 

The pour is jet black with a beige head of carbonation. The taste is roasted malt, chai spice, bourbon barrel oak, along with hints of dark chocolate, coffee, and vanilla. In addition to, the 12% abv drinks more like an 8.5% beer. Cheers! A-

12oz bottle poured into a snifter

A- pours black in color with a one finger creamy khaki head that has good retention

S- aroma is primarily chai spice; cardamom, cinnamon & clove. Undertones of herbal coffee & dark chocolate. Not finding much barrel on the nose

T- taste follows the nose with chai flavors of cardamom, cinnamon & clove up front, followed by some coffee undertones. Mid-palate gives some sweet malty chocolate notes. The finish brings out some light barrel that actually comes through as a cola note. Lingers of light oak and chai spice

M- medium body with medium carbonation leads to a creamy mouthfeel that continues into a silky slightly warming finish

 

 

 

 

Opaque black with ruby highlights and a modest but lasting tan head and even some decent lacing.
The aroma is bourbon barrel and chai spice, hint of cocoa.
The taste is cinnamon, clove, bourbon, dark chocolate, coffee, vanilla leather, somewhat sweet, mild bitterness.
The body is full, moderate carbonation, fairly smooth, ABV is noticeable as it warms up but just enough to be pleasant.
Altogether, this should be a nice after dinner dessert or winter warmer anytime, possibly a little heavy on the spice for some but appropriate for the name, very well done.

sweet spices, toffee, the spices fake flavor is over powering