Double Wide IPA

Another brew in the Boulevard Smokestack series, this time an India Pale Ale. The Boulevard website hints that this is a double IPA which could be due to the alcohol content (8.5%). However, this beer isn't quite as hoppy as most double IPAs, coming in at 55 IBU according to the site.

The beer pours a nice golden brown with a slight citrus hop aroma. It seems to be decently carbonated too. The first taste seems slightly spicy at first and then the malt kicks in with a caramel apple like flavor but it's not sweet. The hops come later but are definitely not in your face like many IPAs. My first impression is that this would lean towards an English IPA.

I had low expectations for this IPA for two reasons. A few years ago I had a super secret IPA from Boulevard and was hoping for a West Coast type. Unfortunately it wasn't, but it never was released either. I forget what the second reason was. Maybe it's time to refill my glass.

It might sound like I didn't enjoy this beer. Well, I did. It's an excellent beer. The quality is exceptional and the taste is very complex. Even though this IPA doesn't hit the bitterness level that I search for, it is bitter and also regifts the flavor. But this time, the regift isn't just with hops, there's also the caramel apple taste in there as well.

I always get my wife involved in the tasting because her ability to taste the subtleties is excellent. According to her, the carbonation fools you into thinking it is spicy. After the carbonation dissipates, the sweet caramel flavor attacks your tastebuds. At the end, the hoppy bitterness gets you. And that burp...(she's not a fan of the regift).

So once again, I'm impressed with the Boulevard Smokestack series. I have already replaced the two beers that I drank. I'm excited to get into the other two and hope they are as tasty as the ones I've had.