Boulevard Saison

Brewed by Boulevard Brewing Company
Style: Saison
Kansas City, Missouri USA

Big bottle. Great lasting clumpy head. Big Saison nose. Great flavour. One of my favourite Saisons. This is delicious and with an ABV you can have more than one.

750 ml bottle. It was quite the saison. I was impressed with its foamy white head atop the yellowy-brown-gold beer heavy with carbonation. Lots of lemon, wheat grass, spices, and a little apple on the nose. A great aroma. The flavor wasn’t any worse though. Similar flavors to the aroma, just right. Nothing dominated the palate, but it was very flavorful.

Bottle. Head is initially large, frothy, white, mostly lasting. Body is hazy medium yellow, bottle conditioned. Aroma is moderately malty (toasted grain/bread/cracker), lightly to moderately hoppy (herbs, flowers), lightly to moderately yeasty (cobwebs), with notes of pepper, lemon zest, gum, dried pineapple, wintergreen. Flavor is moderately sweet, lightly to moderately acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, lightly to moderately acidic, moderately bitter. Medium body, velvety texture, lively carbonation, lightly alcoholic. Wow...sooooo much better from bottle than draught (or maybe they’ve just gotten better in the few years it’s been since I’ve had a draught sample). This is patterned after Dupont Saison for sure (which is a good thing), but is still its own animal. Wonderful balance, great yeast/malt/hop character, fluffy mouthfeel...you really can’t ask for much more in a saison. Big thumbs up, as with the bottled Tripel.

Batch S8228. Lightly golden color with a plethora of bubbles rising to form a tall mound of slightly off-white foam. Really a beautiful champagne look in this one. The bubbles get smaller and fewer as the time passes, but I have yet to make a second pour. The next pour does not increase the bubbles but the head is massive and sturdy, rising high above the glass. The first few tastes are just chunks of foam. Fun from the start. The aroma is dusty malt, white currants and some hints of spice. Perhaps my judgment is atilt after just trying a saison by the brewers at "Horny Goat", but straightforward, honest and simple is much better than stating something is a saison and making a simple and insipid brew. Lightly toasted malt and hints of honey start and winnow about. Herbal hops and hints of zest mid swallow. Light willowy body. Perhaps a bit bitter in the finish and linger as I am gradually left with a old spice flavor pondering. There are slight returns of the malt, in a dry caramel accent in the finish. This was perfect after two glasses, The last half of the 750 is starting to wear on me. After a slight respite, I’m now catching vanilla malt flavors. A saison with some tripel attitudes. I must get more of this.

750 mL bottle. What a wonderful beer this was! A bright yellow with a huge, thick head. Aromas of citrus, apple, a good bit of spice, some malt and a hint of hops. Flavor tracked the aroma, but was a fair bit milder. Very good; grab some if you’re able to.

Draft pours at the BCTC 07 festival. Beautiful cloudy soft yellow colored body with a large building white head - same as the brett saison. Big amarillo grassy hop nose, with cannibus scents and fluffy marshmallow yeast. Crisp and fluffy and elevating, uplifting yeast. Dry, hoppy, spicy, mellow flavor with a bit of sweet lemon in the finish. Much different than the brett saison, but almost as good.

Fresh bottle, batch S8254, consumed March 2009. Loud pop of the cork but no buildup or overflow at all. Beautiful hazy gold color with a tall head, amazing nose of fruity esters, minerally, maybe a tad too much pineapple juice sweetness. Prickly, fresh, fruity, fluffy. Drinking it right now with some salty ham, makes the mouth feel snappy and prickly. Good stuff.

Pour is hazed light golden yellow with a big fluffy white head...smell is dry and funky...horseblanket, straw, cloves, coriander, cardamom, pepper....this is probably the best nose I have ever smelled on an American saison...the taste is dry...some horseblanket, leather, dust, lavender, and hints of vanilla....the finish stays super dry....wow....I am blown away by this...

Objectively speaking: An awesome example of which one glass was not enough.
I like: Very fresh opening. Healthy white head. Charming meringue notes combine with the wheat to form a remarkably refreshing package. The yeast whispers spicy messages. Crisp hay-like maltiness. Remarkably attenuated for an American example.
I dislike: I only dislike how hard it is to take possession of.