Irish Ale - Boulevard Brewing Co.

JoeAmerican77

Colorado

3.28/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours out a root beer lollipop brown with two fingers of slowly dissipating tan head. Smells of molasses and malts. Tastes of a dry roasted malts and, some cherry and walnut hints, a slight after taste of semi bitter hops. Medium thick mouthfeel, a little light on the carbonation. I'd recommend a pint to a friend its quite drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2011 01:05:06 | More by JoeAmerican77

Zadok

Kansas

3.15/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Had on tap at Jack Stack, the plaza location.

Arrived at my table with a deep amber appearance and about a finger head, lacing was actually pretty good as the beer receded.

Very mild if not weak smell, mild malts and not much else. Maybe a bit of a roasted aroma.

Taste similar to the smell, sad to say not a whole lot going on. Mild roasted malts and maybe a dash of hops not much else.

Pretty good mouth feel as the style would dictate and carbonation was on par.

Overall a pretty average brew. Probably not something I would try again to be honest, not bad per se just underwhelming.

Serving type: on-tap

02-14-2011 01:08:17 | More by Zadok

jpkoch1962

Indiana

4/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A nice middle of the road Irish Ale. It poured a darkish ruby red, ahd sported a long lasting head which left plenty of lace. The aroma had a subdued malty, toffee chracter to it. Overall, this was a malty and somewhat sweet ale. A smooth bitterness could be picked up only in the background, but the fully body malt character had the last say. A very nice session ale.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2011 18:44:29 | More by jpkoch1962

bnes09

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Deep amber in color. Huge ivory colored head which refuses to quit and leaves some patchy streaks on the glass.

Aroma of biscuity malts and some nutty character.

Flavor is highly malty with buttered biscuit notes. Almonds. Touch of raisin and prune sweetness. Not too much hop character but it's not really needed.

Solid medium body. Good carbonation. Slightly coarse texture.

Overall, a tasty Irish red.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2011 05:43:29 | More by bnes09

SmithwicksNut

Missouri

3.85/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours out a nice, ruby color. 1-finger tan head with decent retention. Nice and clear, with a slight lacing down the sides of the glass. Not bad looking at all.

S - Very sweet and caramelly. A bit roasted scents along the way, and very low hops. Scent is a bit thin.

T - A lot like the nose, but much more potent and noticeable, with the caramel taking center-stage. Nice mixture of roasted malt flavors makes for a vaguely coffee-like undertaste. As it warms, this becomes more powerful.

M - A light bodied beer, with sharp carbonation and a surprisingly dry finish, porter like.

D - Pretty much the definition of a drinkable brew. It's affordable, easy to drink. A nice session beer if you want to call it that.

Overall/notes - It's a solid Irish red ale from one of the best breweries in middle-America. A good beer to drink while relaxing.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2011 21:30:45 | More by SmithwicksNut

BigHeavy

Missouri

3.68/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a New Belgium globe. Beer was consumed shortly after pouring as a way to stave off the bitter cold and 20" of snow sitting in the driveway.

A: Beer pours an almost opaque auburn color that looks pretty good. A semi-fluffy, tan two finger head appears and parties for a bit in the glass before settling to about a half finger. When held up to the light the edges are a brighter red color and the beer is fairly clear. Looks delicious.

S: Aroma of Irish Ale is more muted and subdued than I remember. Hmm, it has been two years since I have had it. I got some almost candy-like sweetness (caramel/toffee) and some citrusy hops (a little orange-peel like, almost). Aroma did open up once it warmed a bit, but nothing mind-blowing.

T: Taste was also more muted than I remember. It was 90% malts, which I did find enjoyable on this cold evening. The caramel sweetness shines, as well as some nutty grains. A little bit roasty as well. Hop flavor is a little spicy and citrusy, and there is just the slightest tinge of hop bitterness that lingers on the tongue. Flavors that I remember are there, just not as pronounced.

M: Mouthfeel is very nice, but perhaps a little thin. A little bit creamy and oh-so smooth. Lower levels of carbonation work well with the style.

D: Irish Ale is very drinkable, could down several in a session, no problem. Not overly filling, and alcohol was not overbearing in any way.

O: While not exactly as I remember, Irish Ale is a solid seasonal from my local guy, Boulevard. If they could just ramp it up to like a 7 or 8 on the volume knob (it's like a 5 right now) I would enjoy it more. That being said, it's worth a try and I will probably buy another sixer or two this year.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2011 17:48:41 | More by BigHeavy

AlCaponeJunior

Texas

4/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

It's a beautiful amber-red with a great head that lasts, slowly dissipating into a nice sheen with fine but beautiful sheets of lacing.

Crisp and clean is the smell of this beer. Toasty and hoppy.

A great malt character, almost like the pristine frozen woods of the northern states, permeates your taste buds when you're taking in the great beery goodness of this lovely creation. Yet there's still plenty of hoppiness, penetrating the frozen tundra, reminding you that summer's on its way.

Quite smooth, low bitterness on the finish, nice carbonation and medium body.

A very tasty Irish red, great value too. One of Boulevard's better seasonals.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2011 05:38:24 | More by AlCaponeJunior

bbkd3b

Missouri

4/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a pint glass.

A - Pours out a nice, cherry-wood color with a sort of rosy, 1-finger head with decent retention. Nice and clear, with a slight lacing down the sides of the glass. Not bad looking at all.

S - Very sweet and caramelly. A bit roasted scents along the way, and absolutely no hoppiness whatsoever. Scent is a bit thin, though.

T - A lot like the nose, but much more potent and noticeable, with the caramel taking center-stage. Nice mixture of roasted malt flavors makes for a vaguely coffee-like undertaste. As it warms, this becomes more powerful.

M - A bit lighter-bodied, with sharp carbonation and a surprisingly dry finish. Kind of like a dry, thicker version of soda. Normally it'd turn me off, but I actually think it works with this style.

D - Pretty much the definition of a drinkable brew. It's affordable, easy to drink, doesn't try to do anything new... Very accessible.

Overall/notes - What can I say? It's a solid Irish red ale from one of the best breweries in middle-America. A good beer to drink while watching a film with a friend or two.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2011 06:55:49 | More by bbkd3b

tito42

Missouri

3.95/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into an imperial pint. Best by 5/1/2011 stamped on bottle. 5.8% ABV

Appearance: Nice tan head with good retention. Cloudy copper with lively bubbles.

Smell: Smells almost exactly like honey sweetened hot tea. A nice, strong smell.

Taste: Lightly toasted malt and a sweet tea flavor. Very balanced, a slight alcohol bite at the end. Very true to the style.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light body with just a hint of creaminess. Only a slight drying effect from the carbonation and alcohol.

Drinkability: This irish red ale fits the style description perfectly in my mind. This style is far from my first choice, but I enjoyed drinking this and will probably pick up a sixer.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2011 03:16:50 | More by tito42

jar2574

Missouri

3.18/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a brown/red color, with a thin off-white head, average carbonation and clarity. Smells sweet and malty. But no sweatness in the taste. The toasted malt taste is accompanied by a surprising taste of alcohol. Other than that, I'm not tasting much of anything. The beer isn't very full, it's a little watery. The combination of the toasted malt and the alcohol leaves this beer quite dry. As with most Boulevard offerings, it's not bad but not great.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2011 03:36:35 | More by jar2574

jokelahoma

Missouri

4.03/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2010 Edition, poured into a Sam Adam's Perfect Pint

It seems seasonals are getting earlier and earlier. I fully expect to see Oktoberfests show up in May this year, with winter warmers on the shelf before the summer solstice. Be that as it may, this is a good brew.

It pours a beautiful red/burnished bronze, crystal clear, with a good head that lasts a decent amount of time.

The nose is quite caramelly, with a dark sweetness that entices the drinker to partake. Almost has a sweet pastry aroma to it. Hops don't show in the nose here.

The taste really doesn't reflect the aroma. While the nose is all sweetness, the taste is surprisingly dry and a but roasty. Darker roasted malts take over from the sweet caramels and balance the flavor nicely, leaning it ever so slightly to the dry side. There's not enough to provide any astringency, but there's more than enough to counter the substantial amount of caramel malt. Hops barely make an appearance in the flavor, same as in the aroma. That's fine, and appropriate for the style. All in all, this is as good an Irish red as I've had in a long, long while.

The mouthfeel is fairly full, with the caramel malts finally coming into their own, giving this a creaminess that goes well with what the eye believes it ought to be.

This beer varies year to year. Some years it's good, other years it's outstanding. This one leans toward outstanding to me. It could probably handle a bit more bite from the roasted malts, but as it is it's very, very good, and well worth finding. Great job by a great brewery.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2011 22:48:34 | More by jokelahoma

HOPPYKC

Kansas

3.4/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Also had this beer on tap at johnnys tavern during the chiefs playoff game. This is a good beer. Nice dark red color almost black when not in the light. The look of this beer is amazing I love a beer with deep color and character. The smell is nice with alot of malt and a little bread. Lots of lacing on the glass. The drinkability of this beer is amazing. A nice Irish ale.

Serving type: on-tap

01-09-2011 20:43:52 | More by HOPPYKC

wmtxbb

Illinois

2.25/5  rDev -39.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5

Bottle poured into a pint glass

Appearance: Dark red with lacing.

Smell: Tea and cotton candy. Smells a lot like some of the scottish herb ales I've had.

Taste: Way too much alcohol up front, really over powers the other flavors. Not balanced at all. Alcohol followed by malt and ends tart. Horrible mix that ends far too bitter.

Drinkability: One is too much. I've really wanted to like Boulevard's brews, but I haven't been able to find any (thus far) that I like. This Irish ale should be revamped or just retired.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2010 01:22:54 | More by wmtxbb

Offa

California

4.58/5  rDev +23.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This is an excellent take on the Irish red ale and absolutely one of the best I've had, being light and easy to drink yet well-rounded with a little complexity.

Deep copper, it has a very big tan head with a hint of orange, steadily shrinking to a foamy ring and a hint of lace.

Aroma is very nice, caramelised, toasted barley and bread crust - full, bright and clean, with light firm fruitiness, light herbal-woody hop and some winey plum.

Taste is dryish, caramelised barley, some toast, light dryish plum and wine, light tea and woody bitterness balancing the light sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2010 23:38:35 | More by Offa

JamesS

Indiana

3.48/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a decent red-copper color with a bit of nice head and some decent lacing throughout. Odd scent, with slight malt but a distinct alcohol tinge; shouldn't be there at < 6%. Decent taste, some nice malt with that nice tartness that comes with an Irish red, but not as strong as would be liked; very little hop at the end, more of a sudden drop. Goes down fairly smooth, though.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2010 00:36:37 | More by JamesS

CHILLINDYLAN

Washington

3.78/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Clear deep copper, orange and amber highlights. creamy beige head that dissipated on the fast side. a light ring of lace that continues to drip back into the glass.

toasty caramel, bready, touch of soap. mild herbal and lemon hops. fruity apple yeast esters.

Nice rich toasty caramel, nutty, bready, malt with a bit of sweetness. herbal, medicinal, and lemon hop flavors are hanging around. Apple yeast ester, touch of dark fruit. pleasant earthy herbal bitterness.

Smooth, well carbonated, rich, a little dry

Good Drinkability, a decent craft irish-american ale with nice hop bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2010 21:55:31 | More by CHILLINDYLAN

Haybeerman

Colorado

3.85/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Clear red/amber color. Poured a 2 finger creamy tan head with good retention to a half finger skim. Laced in thick rings.

S: Crystal malt sweetness and wet grain. Grass and earth hops with some spice in the background.

T: Homey bready flavor followed by carmelly sweetness. Balances with peppery bitter hops (with a slight pine character). Some malty sweetness lingers through the bitter.

M: Medium body. Moderate carbonation. Smooth and rich with nicely balanced finish that doesn't quite completely mask the malt character.

D: Easily drinkable. Flavorful, balanced and moderate ABV.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2010 13:47:12 | More by Haybeerman

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a deep clear amber, with 2 solid fingers of off-white foamy head. This retains with a creamy ½ finger that flares up rather robustly into a cascade of thick and heavy lacing. The aroma is toasty and sweet in the nose with caramel and biscuits. There's also a good bit of leafy and citric smelling hops, which help impart a deep green tang in the nose.

The taste has a fairly strong roasted presence going on with it, with more than enough malty sweetness present to help balance things out. Hops offer up some herbal accents and spicy bitterness that adds some punch to the profile, while also letting this finish with lingering notes of earth and dryness. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, with a VERY creamy and softer feel to the carbonation that gives this a super mellow and easy drinking nature. I ripped through this glass, before I scarcely had time to finish reviewing it!

I've got to say that this was definitely one of the better Irish Reds that I've had in a while. Lots of robust malt flavors with just the right amount of earthy hops providing balance. Plus the feel and drinkibility on this were great for nearly 6%. Maybe not entirely true to the sytle with all of the hops involved but I was still impressed by this Boulevard offering.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2010 16:17:33 | More by Kegatron

morimech

Minnesota

3.63/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a clear amber color with a large off-white head that had good retention. The head settles to a thin cap. Moderate amount of lacing is left on the glass. The aroma is different from most Irish Reds. More hoppy than malty. A large dose of citrus and spicy hops before the malt underneath can be detected. The hops also play a large role in the flavor. Almost has a German Pilsener hop charactor. The typical caramel malt flavor comes in after the initial hop flavor. Bittersweet is a perfect discriptor for the taste. The body feels a little light which is not surprising considering the malt profile. Atypical for the style but it might appeal more drinkers because of the hops.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2010 16:52:21 | More by morimech

Vixie

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pours a nice red color with a bit of an off white head that dissipates fairly quickly.

Quite a bit of roasted malt in the smell. Actually reminds me a bit of the smell of rye bread. Also picking up a bit of sweetness in the smell.

You are first hit with the roasted malt taste, then a bit of sweetness kicks in. Before it can get too sweet, the hops come in and balance it out. Malty sweetness balanced by hops, with a bit of a sweet, almost citrus note tossed in.

High carbonation helps make this beer feel a bit more solid than it mighty otherwise be. Not bad, about what I expect from this style.

Very nice example of the style. Goes down easy and smooth, and there's enough in the taste to make it interesting. Worth checking out, glad I tried it.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2010 22:29:27 | More by Vixie

soju6

Missouri

3.68/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

It pours a nice amber color with a good head. The smell is that of grain with a hint of malt. The taste is crisp with a bit of bitterness. The body is light and smooth with a dry finish with a hint of bitterness. Is an enjoyable beer for kicking back.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2010 21:24:27 | More by soju6

NicholasCasber

Iowa

3.85/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: This beer was poured in a straight pour into a stein glass. Had great head and was well sustained throughout the drink, but gave minimal lacing.

S: Smelled of citrus, however it left off the bitter notes of plain old hops.

T: Tasted of sweet plums initially and then finished with a nice citrus end, still wanted more though.

M: Didn't feel too watered down for my mouth, however, the carbonation was perfect.

D: I'd do drink it again no problem.

Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2010 21:50:57 | More by NicholasCasber

ThaBobfather

Ohio

3.63/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

* Notes from Terre Haute Tasting*

Pours a lightly orange with some reddish hints a bubbly tannish head.
Nose is malty with a lightly sweet grain scent.
Taste is blended well with some light sweetness on the malt with a grainy bitter that is nudged into the flavor.
Finish is dryish with a grassy malt quality to the after-taste.
Drinks well-sessionable especially on this murky spring taste in the MidWest.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2010 21:25:01 | More by ThaBobfather

wmthorne

Tennessee

3.2/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Enjoying this on a sunny 65 degree day in West TN on the patio of my favorite brick oven pizza place.

Poured into a footed pilsner glass. Nice spongy head. Good caramel-red color with lots of bubbles.

Caramel in the nose and a fair amount of carbonation in the first swig. Just a touch of hoppiness to give it a little edge.

The beer laces the glass beautifully.

It is a pretty tasty overall Irish red. I could have several especially at the $2 happy hour draft price.

Serving type: on-tap

03-23-2010 22:00:18 | More by wmthorne

Bfarr

Washington

3.98/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Best until 4/12/10 printed on the bottle

Since this ale has a secondary bottle fermentation, the best by date may have an effect on the outcome of its performance. It's appearance is a dark amber color with a slight red glowing from the bottom of the glass. A generous fine head sticks around for quite some time. A pleasant earthy aroma starts things off. There is a pleasant hop bite that comes with an Irish ale and a good caramel malt sweetness to back it up. The mouthfeel on this is just fantastic. The high, fine carbonation gives this a silky feel that makes the overall impression of a very smooth ale. If it had just a little more bite it would be perfect.

This is a very fine example of an Irish ale just perfect for St. Patricks day or really any other day you have corned beef or soda bread. Or pizza for that matter.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2010 02:53:37 | More by Bfarr