Boulevard 21st Anniversary Fresh Hop Pale Ale

Formerly brewed at Boulevard Brewing Company
Style: American Pale Ale
Kansas City, Missouri USA

Serve in Lager glass, Shaker, Tulip

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Bottle. Poured a clear, orange-copper color with an inch thick, bubbly off-white head that faded to a thin, bubbly layer and left a few spots of lacing. Aroma of ripe citrus fruits (orange, grapefruit, tangerine), some leafy, resinous hops, light pine, and a soft malty sweetness including some caramel. Smooth, moderately sweet entry with some citrus fruit (tart grapefruit, sweet tangerine) that leads into a moderately bitter, fresh, leafy hoppiness with hints of resin and earthy pine that coincides with a fleshy orange fruitiness with undertones of a light malty sweetness that lingers into a lightly bitter finish where it is paired with a peppery spiciness. Moderate carbonation and average mouth feel. Overall, it’s an easy drinking, fresh beer that seemed rather one dimensional until it began to warm up and more subtleties came out. If they could tone down the ABV it would be an awesome six pack beer.

Poured into a pint glass. Golden amber. A perfect inch of white head that holds on. Smells like honeysuckle and a lighter citrus. Light taste compared other fresh hop ales I’ve had. Still good. Malt and hops are balanced well with the malt sweetness coming through just a little more than the bitter of the hops. Moderate body, a good amount of bubbles on the tongue, but it does not come off as too carbonated. Despite my preconceived idea that a fresh hop ale should be "hoppy" apparently Boulevard was after a more malty pale ale. In that respect they succeeded. It drinks great; easy to drink but complex enough to enjoy slowly.

Pours hazy orange with a small off-white, tannish head. Smells surprisingly hoppy, touches of citrus and pine and flowers. Taste is citrus and floral with some bitterness. Medium-bodied with a faintly dry texture and mild mouth-carbonation, Boulevard 21st Anniversary Fresh Hop Pale Ale finishes with orange or sweet clementine citrus notes.

Pours a slightly opaque dark copper color. Aroma of citrus, grass and floral. Flavor is grass, citrus, resin and sweet-tarts. Overall a good beer, but lacking a bit for the smokestack series label.

Pours a hazy amber-orange color. Moderate white head with great retention and lacing. Light aroma of citrus and grassy hops. Flavor is lots of bittering hops that grab you up front. Slowly mellows to a little citrus and pine in the aftertaste. Medium mouthfeel and clean finish. A nice beer, but not something great. Would have really benefitted from some late hop additions for some more hop flavor and aroma to balance out the bitterness. A nice beer to be sure, but not spectacular.

UPDATED: DEC 18, 2011 -- note, 13 month taste, much the same but more malty, the hops still cover so much ground it is ridiculous. I don’t know how much longer it will stand age but it is the best pale ale I’ve ever had. -- original rate- Really enjoyed this one. Savored out of a 750 ml in a goblet. Pours a caramel like orangish hue with a couple fingers of off white head. It does taste a little like their pale ale but really big. There is a big malt body, i can taste barley but the hops are all over the place quickly covering it. It is like you get the best of every kind of hop quality, a little oily, bitter, slightly floral but more grassy, lemony citrus, its all here. Floral green grass dry finish, this is the best hop driven beer from Boulevard. I wish i could buy this in a 6 pack year round. Instead i won?t see it again.

750mL bottle from Bubbles in KC Northland. Pours a deep copper color with a moderate eggshell white head. Aroma smacks of the multitudes of hop varieties contained within, with depth of hops ranging from flowery sweet to German spicy. Flavor surprises by being nicely balanced, with strong malt at the finish and laced throughout the hop party. Semi-dry finish, a well-made beer that’s clearly superior to the run of the mill Bully Pale.

hay, floral, earthy, golden, cloudy, frothy, lightly bitter, medium body, creamy, flat, last of several bottles drank. aged one, non aged bottles tasted better. decent beer but for such a quality brewery i expected more for their 21st anny release.

The aroma is full of ripe fruit, spice,flowers and a touch of yeast. The color is that of their Pale Ale with a moderate foam. Excellent mouthfeel with just the right amount of carbonation. Hop spice, muted oranges and Munich malt make up the flavor. Very good beer that unfortunately will only go down hill with aging.

Shared bottle with Pawola22. Many thanks to Brian. A very pleasant and well balanced stronger apa with a nice wet hop profile. Poured with soapy white bubbled head, a nice ring of retention, medium bodied, sightly hazy, and a burnt orange color with some reddish hints. The aroma is fruity with some candy, licorice aspects that provide some uniqueness. Mild citrus, English cookie malts, light earth, and minor caramel as well. The body is thicker than a standard apa, but nicely smooth and easily drinking. Flavors start with citrus fruits up front, with English mild malts as well. A mild bitterness persists throughout, but not enough to classify as an ipa. Cereal grains, light nutty caramel, and then herbal hop and mild fruit in the wet finish. High quality stuff here, not incredibly unique, but well done.