Boulevard Nutcracker Ale

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

pours dark amber with full tan head,hoppy,raisiny nose.sweet up front,hoppy finish.interesting beer.

12 oz bottle received via trade with tjthresh. Pours clear tawny with a small, fizzy, off-white head, diminishing with fair lacing. Aroma is average malt (cereal, grain), heavy hops (flowers, perfume), light yeast (sweat, leaves) with notes of nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and cardboard. Medium bodied, gritty texture, lively carbonation, and an astringent finish. Average duration, light sweetness, acidity, and bitterness.

Deep amber coloured body with tints of brown with a tan head that tops the beer nicely. Aroma of toffee, raisins and peaches with some hops and malt thrown in the mix too. Medium-bodied; Strong initial malty taste showing some hops with a bunch of nuts and toffee also. Aftertaste is a bit bittering up front with some sweetness lingering further behind. Overall, a decent beer - not too unusual for a Christmas beer - but worth trying if you can find it. I sampled this twelve ounce bottle pulled from an 8-pack sampler purchased at Sam’s Wine & Liquors in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on 15-December-2005.

Poured amber with a fluffy off white head. Aroma of fruit and candy. Mostly sweet malt with some fruit. Finished with some candy hints.

12 oz. bottle, some fruit on the nose,medium head dissipates to some nice lacing, caramel and fruit flavor in an amber body, the best boulevard I have had so far

12oz Stubby 2007 Bottling Was lucky enough to get this as an extra in a recent trade with Vancer, thanks Vance. Nutcracker poured chestnut brown and I was getting a little anxious and poured in a little more yeast than I planned on which is causing a slight haziness. A healthy creamy two finger off white head formed on the pour and stayed put. It just wouldn’t disappear and leaves chunky lacing as I drink. It’s a little difficult pulling the aromas from this beer with such a dense head but there is certainly a nice hop bouquet. Big notes of candied orange peel with a complimenting floral nose bringing up the rear. Underneath the hoppy goodness lies a thick layer of molten caramel. The flavor, while good, falls short of the nose. The flavor is in line with the aroma but seems to be missing the vibrance I was expecting from the smell. Toasted breadiness gets things going but is quickly overtaken by the mouth coating caramel. Mid-palate the sugared hoppiness comes along to balance out the caramel. There’s a strong showing from both the hops and malts. Very well balanced beer. There’s a moderate carbonation present that keeps the body smooth and creamy on it’s way through. Medium bodied with a touch of alcohol heat and dryness on the swallow. A well balanced and enjoyable beer that’s more than easy to drink. The balance helps keep the glass tilted. This is a nice surprise in the winter warmer catagory. I was expecting something more along the lines of a spiced winter warmer. I’m pretty happy to find this no such thing. It’s refreshing to find a hoppy, candied, caramel dripping winter warmer. Thanks again Vance! 1/26/08

Nothing impressive here. Pours an amber brown color with a nice cream/tan colored head that is medium sized. Nose is malty and spicy. Taste is malty strong with a bit of hops and the finish has a hint of soy sauce. Pretty good but kind of lacking in the taste department. Ok surprised that it is rated this high.

Aroma is fruity hops like all Boulevards that I have tried. There is a bit of spiciness as well, but I am having a hard time picking or pointing out the maltiness. Creamy, off-white head with good lacing but no retention. Murky, dark orange body. Malty and very sweet flavor, not bad at all. Watery mouthfeel with fizzy carbonation.