Boulevard Special Brews
This weekend I got a chance to try a couple of special brews that the brewers at Boulevard have put together for kicks. I don't think either brew will ever make it to bottling but it's fun to brew new things.
The first was a Single Wide brewed with Tank 7 yeast which Show Me Beer calls Trailer 7 but I prefer to call it Mickey Mantle* Single Wide. Show Me Beer also reported that the beer he tried was hopped with Sorachi Ace Hops. His hockey jersey must pay better attention than my normal person attire because I heard nothing of the Sorachi Ace Hops. The Mickey Mantle I tried was a different batch and may very well have had different hops in it. Whatever was in it was wonderful. I enjoyed it much more than I enjoy regular Single Wide (and I enjoy it quite a bit). The hops weren't the primary flavor of the Mickey Mantle rather it was that farmhouse yeast which provided a nice depth of flavor. I tried a Tank 7 after I drank the Mickey Mantle and I'd be hard pressed to say which I preferred. In a pinch I would say I liked Mickey Mantle more.
*I've been watching "61*" quite a bit lately because it seems to always be on HBO. I would like to see someone develop a sitcom based on Roger Maris, Mickey Mantle and Bob Cerv. There's was something a little bit great about the three of them sitting on the couch watching "Andy Griffith" together and eating black eggs. You could even get the same 3 stars from the movie to reprise their roles. Someone needs to get this done ASAP. If HBO does it it might make it to my list of HBO's top original series.
The second experimental brew was the Imperial Stout with a cherry puree. I make no secret of my hate for cherries, but this sounded like something worth trying. It was quite fabulous. The cherries gave it a bright flavor not often found in a stout. The cherries added a sweetness that would be hard to identify as cherry flavor had I not known what was in it. I don't think Boulevard will move forward with this beer but I would welcome its addition to the Smokestack series with a few minor tweaks, namely a little bit of aging to balance the flavors a little.
These 2 beers are not advertised as being available at all on the tour so you have to ask for them to get them. Your tour guide might or might not let you have them. You'll have a better shot getting the Mickey Mantle as they have made quite a bit of it. If you get your shot at them you'll be a very lucky soul because they're both excellent.
The first was a Single Wide brewed with Tank 7 yeast which Show Me Beer calls Trailer 7 but I prefer to call it Mickey Mantle* Single Wide. Show Me Beer also reported that the beer he tried was hopped with Sorachi Ace Hops. His hockey jersey must pay better attention than my normal person attire because I heard nothing of the Sorachi Ace Hops. The Mickey Mantle I tried was a different batch and may very well have had different hops in it. Whatever was in it was wonderful. I enjoyed it much more than I enjoy regular Single Wide (and I enjoy it quite a bit). The hops weren't the primary flavor of the Mickey Mantle rather it was that farmhouse yeast which provided a nice depth of flavor. I tried a Tank 7 after I drank the Mickey Mantle and I'd be hard pressed to say which I preferred. In a pinch I would say I liked Mickey Mantle more.*I've been watching "61*" quite a bit lately because it seems to always be on HBO. I would like to see someone develop a sitcom based on Roger Maris, Mickey Mantle and Bob Cerv. There's was something a little bit great about the three of them sitting on the couch watching "Andy Griffith" together and eating black eggs. You could even get the same 3 stars from the movie to reprise their roles. Someone needs to get this done ASAP. If HBO does it it might make it to my list of HBO's top original series.
The second experimental brew was the Imperial Stout with a cherry puree. I make no secret of my hate for cherries, but this sounded like something worth trying. It was quite fabulous. The cherries gave it a bright flavor not often found in a stout. The cherries added a sweetness that would be hard to identify as cherry flavor had I not known what was in it. I don't think Boulevard will move forward with this beer but I would welcome its addition to the Smokestack series with a few minor tweaks, namely a little bit of aging to balance the flavors a little.
These 2 beers are not advertised as being available at all on the tour so you have to ask for them to get them. Your tour guide might or might not let you have them. You'll have a better shot getting the Mickey Mantle as they have made quite a bit of it. If you get your shot at them you'll be a very lucky soul because they're both excellent.
