Boulevard Nutcracker Ale

Brewed by Boulevard Brewing Company
Style: English Strong Ale
Kansas City, Missouri USA

On tap at the Flying Saucer in KC. Pours a bright, cherry oak brown. Darker, but clear. Small creamy off-white head that dissipates slowly and leaves a moderate lace. Aroma is almond and nutty. Lots of sweet toffee/caramel malts. Some roasted grains and sharp citrus hops in there. Maybe some dark fruit notes too, hard to tell...maybe raison or cherry. Little bit of brown sugar and molasses as well. Taste is very similar to the aroma. Sweet, toffee/caramel maltiness up front along with the piney/citrus hoppiness. Slightly roasted middle and a dry and moderately bitter finish. Long lingering earthy hop taste and some nuttiness. Medium bodied and a little bit of carbonation. Overall, very balanced and flavorful. Not too sweet in the least bit. I like the nut/hop/roast mix a lot. A great beer from beginning to beyond the end.

2007 bottle, courtesy of Argo0. Pours an attractive deep red/mahogany with a dense off-white head. Caramel, pear, molasses, bread and some christmas spiciness in the nose. Flavor has a strong caramel/toffee malt back bone then earthy/herbal hop character, apple, brown sugar, light pine and wood. Very well-balanced - not too sweet. Very full, round and creamy on the palate with moderate carbonation. Nice beer.

Pours an amber color with very little head. Aroma is a mixture of banana/clove and hops. Initial flavor of sweet malts balanced off with a warm spicy hop finish.

a good all around christmas beer. amber colored and pretty clear like a filtered ale, or maybe they used a lagering yeast. This particular beer is lacking in the head department. Aroma is malt with a little spice and some herb vegetable (carrot) notes. Dominate flavor is bitter hops and some sweet fruity notes. Consistency is kinda like beer mixed with whiskey. Finish is flavorful and balnced but hoppy.

pours a nice amber with a thin off white head. Aroma is toasty malt, a little earthy, light cherry fruitiness. Flavour was again toasty caramel malt, some molasses and light spice and dark fruit...

Nice and drinkable. Lost of bitterness with a good caramel malt. Dark fruits provide some luster.

Pours a dark hazy brown with a thick head and moderate lacing. Aroma is yeast and a hint of sweet fruit (raisins?). Flavor is slightly sweet with winter spices (cinnamon and nutmeg). Medium bodied with good carbonation. Not bad, but there are much better winter beers out there.

5-7-08 bottle shared with lb4lb thanks to artisanbrew
Cloudy red brown amber with a good bubbly head and very slight lacing. Smell is burnt dough and is sharp. Flavor is sweet dough too. It has some actual real flavor but it just isn’t my favorite flavor. Very very similar to drinking a liquid Christmas tree - huge on pine.