Boulevard Smokestack Series - Bourbon Barrel Quad

Brewed by Boulevard Brewing Company
Style: Abt/Quadrupel
Kansas City, Missouri USA

Serve in Trappist glass

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FoBAB 2008 offering: #603 - I assume this is the right listing, however there are no ratings under this bad boy. Pours a very murky brownish amber with a tannish head. Belgian yeasty notes are prominent with a touch of sourness kicked off by the cherries, and some subtle earthy hoppiness. Taste is similar, belgian malt and yeast in the drivers seat with some earthy / grassy hop notes and a touch of sourness from the cherries. No real fruit / sweetness. Pretty good. Cheers!

UPDATED: JUN 16, 2009 Thanks to ? at Funky. Not much quad left here for me. A ton of sticky wood resin and bourbon. Aroma and taste is quite strong of heavy malt and alcohol. A little vanilla but a lot of the fruit the SG Quad has this loses it for me. Still a very good BA beer. A little spice is present but that could be the bite at the back of the throat. Pretty good overall. Had new batch and it was way better than previous unlabeled bottle. Great flavor with a nice amount of bourbon. So smooth and delicious.

Gorgeous. How does Boulevard do it? This ranks right up there with the other Abbey ales I’ve had. Deep mahogany color with pillowy cream head. Aroma of toast, malt, wheat, and cocoa. Taste is smooth with all the complexity of a good Quadrupel. Pleasant surprise!

Multiple samples at Provisions tasting, St. Louis. Tried one sample of the non-barrel aged and enjoyed it, but several of these had me convinced that this was the superior of the two. I found the non BA version to have a more complex aroma, whereas here the nose is profoundly oak and vanilla. Palate reveals a beer that is a bit more bourbon than Quad, but the bourbon isn’t overdone. Notes of candied sugar are dominate, as is orange peel, nutmeg, and clove. Finish is sweet and bourbonized. Not exceptional for the category, but a great sipper

Terrific beer brought by the brewery to Cole’s, on the way to Cooperstown. This one put aside for the real geeks, here I am. Brewed with cherries, and that aroma is a gift that keeps on giving. Great white head, lace. 18 months of cellaring, a good mellowing. Good quad.

Pours rusty brown with a big creamy head. Big wheaty nose highlighted by hop "pepper", banana bread, and a rye-like aroma. Flavor is initially grainy, easing into some woody notes, a tangy midsection, and a long, grassy finish. Alcohol is very well hidden at room temp. Very well done.

UPDATED: MAY 9, 2009 On tap. Poured a murky brown color with a thin, frothy beige head. Aroma of light bourbon, malt, some light fruit and yeast. Flavor consisted of a nice fruity malt (plum and light citrus) that led into a slightly dry, yeast finish with bourbon, light vanilla, and some oak. Full on the palate. Bourbon was sort of strong, but as it warmed up it got a lot nicer. Another good beer from Boulevard.

murky brown with a tan head. Definite vanilla notes tinged with yeast. Full bodied with notes of toasted oak and vanilla. Overall a good selection, but i like their tripel a touch better.

On tap at the Power Plant SAF
Muddy brown in the middle with some amber highlights around the edges.
The aroma is just what you’d expect. A bit of oak. A bit of vanilla. A bit of bourbon.
It tastes like bourbon oak and vanilla. None of the character from the base beer.
Rich full body. Carbonation seems on the light side. Dry finish.
I’m not a real fan. Its a fine beer but the original didn’t need any help.

From the Keg at Logan’s Pre-GABF Party. Sweet on the aromas and the flavor. Lots of Bourbon to be detected. The finish was rather smooth as well. Good stuff.