The Sixth Glass - Boulevard Brewing Co.

amphion1065

Massachusetts

2.08/5  rDev -49.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

750 mL bottle into a Duvel tulip. Reviewed from notes.

After an "Old Man and the Sea"-esque struggle, I was finally able to uncork this sucker. Pours ruby, magenta, and it's nearly translucent. 1.5-finger tan head that really lasted, with a creamy consistency. Nice lacing.

Dark fruits in the aroma, with some toffee and brown sugar as well. There's a definitive sour twang as well, with a tart cherry-like smell that becomes more evident as it warms. I'll be damned, but this almost smells like super generic, bottom-of-the-barrel duck sauce, saccharine sweet with a touch of citrus. There's also a slight metallic note at work, though it's not terrible

The taste is very bready, with a ton of biscuit malt. The dark fruits from the aroma come into play, but that bread character totally overwhelms them. Astringent bitterness in the finish, this isn't nearly as sweet as the aroma. Worst of all, there's a tinny, metallic taste that's terribly off-putting.

Mouthfeel is a little overcarbonated, and could stand to be toned down. For a beer this big, it's quite thin.

Given that St. Bernardus is roughly the same price, this is quite a tough sell. An inferior quad, and an unfortunate miss from Boulevard.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2011 01:08:17 | More by amphion1065

dcajero

Kentucky

2.68/5  rDev -35.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A = brown, cloudy and thick, a little like an unfiltered cider. Head puffs up to about an inch but is thin an dissipates quickly.

S = Figs, apples and an almost soapy alcohol

T = More figs and apples, brown sugar. Very sweet aftertaste with a metallic hint. Alcohol.

M = Not much body, with an astringent feel left behind.

D = Lacks balance between the sweet fruits and the alcohol. Reminds me of watered down raisinjack. I'll finish the bottle but won't buy another.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2010 05:34:51 | More by dcajero

deebo

Minnesota

2.75/5  rDev -33.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Drank a 750 ml bottle from Batch 68256

A-Clear mahagoney with large than head that hangs on.

S-Sweet, malty, raisin, toasted and burnt malt

T-Hoppier than the world class Belgian Quads and unlike them the alcohol is not well hidden.

M-Light for the style. More carbonation and astringency than others.

D-Below average for the style due to the alcohol burn that is balanced better with the real good versions of this style

The appearance and smell are by far the best attributes of this quad. I had big hopes that quickly faded after tasting. Not a bad beer but doesn't match up with some of the Belgian/Netherlands versions.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2011 01:27:11 | More by deebo

zeledonia

Minnesota

2.75/5  rDev -33.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Tasted 27 August 2012, reviewed from notes.

Pours a clear dark amber. Despite a very gentle pour, I've got some serious floaties in my glass. One finger of yellowish head, good retention, decent lacing. Not bad, just wish those floaties were back in the bottle.

Smell is delightful quad-essence. Big, sugary, and fruity. Brown sugar and figs dominate, with noticeable alcohol in the back. I'd like a little more yeast, please.

Taste is, well, just not all that good. It has a good side, but the bad side is much too strong to let that nice friendly side shine through. Good side is soft and sweet, though not as deep as I'd like it to be. Bad side is sharply bitter, with the alcohol screaming at me as if this were straight liquor. I know to expect the alcohol taste in high-ABV beers, but this is something else entirely.

Medium body, very sticky, but with really high carbonation. Should a quad be this fizzy? I don't think so. A little odd.

After continuing to sip this, I had to downgrade the taste from a 3. I struggled through this glass, and I don't ever plan to drink it again. Hoping that Boulevard's BBQ is nothing like this (at least, nothing like the bad half). How does a 10% beer come across as THIS alcohol-forward.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 03:03:45 | More by zeledonia

johnnybgood1999

Virginia

2.83/5  rDev -31.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Not my favorite from Boulevard.

A: Burnt orangish red with some head and a little lacing.

S: Some fruity spiciniess and lots of alcohol.

T: Not getting much but the alcohol. Can't notice any yeast or balance. A little cherry maybe behind all the alcohol. Wow! I've had some big beers and liked them, but the alcohol wasn't all I could tast.

M: Well carbonated with a lighter body.

D: I didn't make it past the first glass, so that probably speaks for itself.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2009 05:02:37 | More by johnnybgood1999

CoolJosh

Pennsylvania

2.95/5  rDev -28.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Big thanks to the kind trader that gave this one away, I was initially tempted to trade for this one based off of the name and label. As time grew on, I grew more and more hesitant to pull this beer out of my cellar. I have fallen in love with aging beers, but the thing is that I hadn't had this one fresh (semi-fresh). I needed to try this one just to see it's roots, shared with treyrab.

Beautiful hazy ruby red with orange tones that lighten up this stunning appearance. Beautiful 2 finger light yellow 2 finger head that remains through out the duration of the beer. Very nice.

The smell is very quad-tacular. Really nice sweet white grqapes stick out the most. A sugar complex is also very noticeable, as is some sweet cherry and some light brown sugar and bannana as well as some pleasing dark red grapes.

Don't know about this one, not on my short list of favorite quads. Tons of rougher tastes that would be better with time. Some prevelant alcohol tastes which really overshadow the other sweeter tastes. Way to hot. I'm serious my mouth lit on fire. Each sips tastes like a St. Bernardus 12 with a shot and a half of cheap vodka. Maybe try and grab another and let it sit for at least three years out of fear.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2009 07:19:18 | More by CoolJosh

mikeborglum

Missouri

3/5  rDev -27.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from 750 ml corked bottle; it presented a caramel, herbs aroma with presence of alcohol, deep dark amber color, frothy tan foam head, medium sweetness and spicy taste (apple cider), thin feel, light medium body, I like the entire series of Smokestack brews from Boulevard but this is just average.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2009 22:36:52 | More by mikeborglum

introvertedone

Tennessee

3.03/5  rDev -26.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Reviewed: 12/30/08

The Quadrupel ale presented a dark and slightly cloudy appearance. Almost chocolatey looking. Surprisingly, there was not much aroma with this ale. The taste was chocolatey with hints of a caramel finish. The Sixth Glass seemed very carbonated but kind of heavy with a smooth finish. This is a pretty decent ale I would definitely drink this again.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2009 22:18:53 | More by introvertedone

Steasy66

Minnesota

3.1/5  rDev -25.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12 oz into snifter

A Burnt orange, wispy head.
S Yeast, Candy Sugar, light malt.
T Light malt, a bit of red fruit, hint of candy sugar
M High carbonation, thinner than expected
O This beer is fine, nothing special, but nothing wrong with it. To call it a quad and compare it to Belgians is a joke, but its a fine beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2012 05:38:41 | More by Steasy66

DevilHawk

Virginia

3.13/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Disappointing. Not the best attempt at Belgian style strong ale. I could barely taste the Belgian yeast used in bottle conditioning.
-Rich hazy burnt orange color, almost mahogany, two fingers of beige head
-Aroma of dried fruit, perhaps raisin and cherry with a hint of date
-A twing of spice
-Alcohol anyone? I've had triples with higher content and less alcohol taste
-Nice feel in the mouth. Smooth, malty and sweet.
-Not a bad beer by any means, just not what I was expecting. With a name like Quadruple, you have to bring it! This beer didn't have that nice Belgian greeting you get with the first mouthful.
-Many of my friends can't stomach most of the beer I like and they all enjoyed this. That should tell you something.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2009 20:14:05 | More by DevilHawk

dlello2

Illinois

3.15/5  rDev -23.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured from a bottle into a snifter.

A - Cloudy caramel color. Half finger of head. Lots of carbonation. Pretty beer. Not all that much lacing.

S - Sweet fruit. Maltiness. It has a thick smell. Hmmm, kind of not that welcoming. Apples, then sour apples, grapes, white wine (of which I'm not that much of a fan). Smells somewhat like a foot.

T - Sweetness first. The girlfriend said it smells like a foot (I agreed) and now I'm getting the taste of a sweaty gym bag. Lots of carbonation. Alcohol... it is over 10%. Every sip is revealing something new for me--definitely not all pleasant tastes.

O - I'm not going to be finishing this one. I knew that this style was not my favorite but this really is not as wonderful as I thought it might be. A few sips made me think "oh ok maybe this is pretty good." However the bitterness and imaging have turned me off.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 01:05:01 | More by dlello2

bum732

Maryland

3.15/5  rDev -23.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

S: Cinnamon and clove with a rich bready backbone.

L: Hazy dark burnt orange, off-white head that dissipates to a dusting. Some sediment present.

T: Spicy cinnamon and clove, slight bready malt. Spicy bitterness leading to a quite dry palate. Alcohol slightly present.

M: Medium-high carbonation. Medium bodied.

Meh, very one-noted, missing the dark fruit and dark candy notes.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2012 01:06:21 | More by bum732

Hanke

North Carolina

3.18/5  rDev -23.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

During the holiday's I've been drinking nothing but Belgians and this was today's beer. This beer has a sexy apperance, but is lacking in mouthfeel and taste. It has a wonderful head and is a very nice dark ruby, but something was missing when I tasted it.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2010 01:23:01 | More by Hanke

NEhophead

Massachusetts

3.18/5  rDev -23.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

25.4 fl oz brown champagne bottle, caged & corked. Batch # 611175, best before 06/2013.

Served in a tulip.

Rustic copper in color with a mahogany hue. Carbonation-filled off-white head that fades to a broken sheet after a moment. A few traces of spotted lacing, but not much strength.

Aged, vinous fruit aromas, especially fig and plum. The aroma boasts a hefty dose of Belgian candy sweetness that is only mildly subdued by a brief must. The alcohol presence is bland, yet intense; similar to a cheap whiskey.

Intensely sweet from the onset. The sweetness is primarily comprised of vanilla and Belgian candy sugar. Fig, raisin, plum with very mild notes of orange peel. The alcohol presence is bulky and flat; rubbing alcohol. An intense amount of carbonation cuts the sweetness and allows a stiff, toasted out aftertaste.

Full bodied; a pretty intense level of carbonation, but in line for the style. Spots of slickness on account of the alcohol presence.

A pretty big Quadrupel with some refinement issues.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2011 00:36:46 | More by NEhophead

Vancer

Illinois

3.2/5  rDev -22.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Murky amber/mahogany she be in the ol' Corsendonk tulip, anything but an easy pour produces a massive foamy tan head - but no lacing to speak of. Sweet dried dark fruits in the aroma.

The quaff is not that impressive, a semi-boozy blast of a cloying cherry syrup. No Belgian yeast, just an over carbonated brew that doesn't drink that well. A mediocre stab at the Belgian dark ale, I won't be after any more of this one.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2008 18:06:46 | More by Vancer

Jeffo

Netherlands

3.2/5  rDev -22.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The Dooper shared this one with me a week back. We had this one and the Boubon Barrel Quad back to back. Cheers for the cool beer night man!

From a bottle into a mini-snifter
Best by 7 October 2012

APPEARANCE: Pours out dark auburn and yields a one finger, medium looking, cream white head with excellent retention. Cloudy with piles of carbonation evident. A good foam cap remains leaving some nice lacing down the sides of the glass.

SMELL: Caramel and toasted malts and some mild, spicy yeast notes. Some dried dark fruits in there as well. A touch of floral hops for good measure. Medium strength nose.

TASTE: Medium strength flavors as well. Toasted and caramel malts, toffee, and some spicy yeast qualities again. Bread in there, alongside some dark fruits notes. Mild but lingering aftertaste is slightly spicy, caramely sweet, with some bitter hop flavors and a touch of booze. This is nicely balanced, but unfortunately a little too mild to stand out.

PALATE: Medium body and medium-high levels of carbonation. Creamy on the palate, goes down smoooth and finishes slightly dry. Some spicy alcohol at the finish.

OVERALL: This is a good beer, but the nose and flavors are a little too mild compared to its Belgian cousins. It's lacking that bold spiciness as well. Good stuff, but can't compete with the homeland. Cheers again for sharing Dr. Doops.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2012 18:46:30 | More by Jeffo

scratch69

Missouri

3.23/5  rDev -22%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I poured a bottle into a tulip glass.

Appearance- Poured a cloudy amber color with a thick white head that lingered for a very long time. Fair amount of lacing.

Smell- Yeast and raisin.

Taste- Spices and raisin with a bit of alcohol warmth.

Mouthfeel- Medium bodied and creamy. Nice carbonation and a dry finish.

Overall- Somewhat enjoyable. I don't think I will buy it again. Not bad, just not for me.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2011 01:12:22 | More by scratch69

Hullabaloo2

Nebraska

3.25/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Aroma - Grape like ester. Mild alcohol. Malt sweetness. Almost reminds me of a sweet wine.

Appearance - Light brown with red hue. Small head on pour that dissipated to nothing. No lacing. Nice color.

Flavor - Malt sweetness over alcohol. The pleasant ester aroma doesn't come through in the flavor. Enough bitterness not to be cloying.

Mouth Feel - Medium-light body. High carbonation. Mild alcohol; not overpowering.

Overall Impression - Mediocre Quad. Nice color. Okay aroma. Very drinkable, but with other beers available I probably won't buy again.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2009 06:46:24 | More by Hullabaloo2

HosP

Indiana

3.25/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured 12oz bottle into Westy 12 glass.

A- Pours clear, darker orange in color. Big one finger white head. Quickly down to a very thin cap.

S- Sweet smelling. A little hoppy smell to it. Dark fruits mostly though. Raisins are picked up. A little boozy too.

T- Follows the nose pretty close. Dark fruit flavors throughout, however not as dominant as you'd like. Get some hop flavors poking through to. Hotter than other quads I've had, especially as it warms.

M- Medium body, but closer to the lighter side. Moderate carbonation. Boozy in the mouth.

D- Compared to the few other quads I've had, this one fell way behind. The dark fruits weren't as strong and drank a little bitter. Doubt I'll have another one... unless they are giving them away. lol

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2011 01:21:01 | More by HosP

gregshead

California

3.28/5  rDev -20.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A: pour with a solid 3 fingers of head. Copper color. Light for a quad

S: lots of vinegar. Some good figs/grapes.

T: strong figs and some red grape taste. Stinger vinegar taste than I like. Not bad but doesn't blow me away.

M: the mouthfeel completely depends on the pour. Can be overly carbonation or too sryupy. Overall the mouthfeel can be done

D: overall not the greatest example of the quad. Still an enjoyable drink.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2011 00:13:47 | More by gregshead

MbpBugeye

Ohio

3.33/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Part of an awesome box of Smokestack beers sent to me by Onion.

A- All of these beers have shared one characteristic. A big billowing, superb head. This one spots a big lacy head in my Chimay goblet. The beer is a little light in color in my opinion. Its a really deep red.

S- Lots of fruits, namely raisins. Alcohol is strong and smells like hairspray. There is lots of caramel, toffee and spice.

T- Tobacco, raisins galore, some chocolate, fig and a little touch of citrus hops at the end. Alcohol is better hidden in the taste than the smell, thankfully. This tastes less than stellar in the amazing world of quads.

M- Softly carbonated, slightly warming. In all it finishes clean.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2010 04:02:57 | More by MbpBugeye

twelvsies

Maine

3.33/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Great extra in a trade w/ GCurlow, thanks! Nice robust head atop a reddish brown amber beer - a little lighter for the style I'd say. Nice retention. Aromas of fruit at first, bananas and apple pie, sweet spices, sort of fluffy. Wow, surprised by the palate here which is nothing like I was expecting from the nose. Everything leading up to the first sip was pointing towards a lighter profile for a quad but this is pretty beefy. Very sweet up front, brown sugar and maple candy, caramel. Some bready malt undercurrents but really nothing too out of the ordinary beyond the sweetness. Slick slightly chewy mouthfeel. I gotta say this is the first Blvd beer that I haven't been totally blown away with - still a decent take, maybe just not up my alley.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2011 02:35:39 | More by twelvsies

irish53b

Nebraska

3.35/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle with the obligatory devil caricature on the front label. The back label includes a batch number and glass recommendation.

Poured into and oversize wine glass. The head was quite thick, but it dissipates quickly. The residual foam sticks on the sides.
The smell is intense, nuts, oats, honey, and orange zest. The taste has hints of caramel and wild honey. The alcohol presence does its best to cut through the sweetness but not enough to balance the flavor.

The mouthfeel is thick and creamy and a finer point on this beer. It reminds me of Stewarts country orange and cream soda.

The drink ability is surprisingly good given the alcohol content, but the strong sweet flavors kept me from having more than two glasses at one setting.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2008 03:01:45 | More by irish53b

craytonic

District of Columbia

3.35/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Much more clear than I expected, amber brown with a small head that quickly disappears, no lacing

Smell: Dark, sweet fruits (figs, prunes, raisins), brown sugar, vanilla, booze

Taste: Similar to the aroma, lots of figs, prunes, raisins, maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, hint of rum and brandy

Mouthfeel: A bit thin and flat

Overall: Good start, needs some improvement.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2011 02:55:32 | More by craytonic

mikey711

New Jersey

3.38/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Darker amber color with plenty of head to spare. Slightly cloudy, not much lacing to speak of, the heavy carbonation was a deterent.

S: Heavy banana and bubblegummy ester smells, with hints of clove as well. Also hints of candied sugar but mostly banana

T: Again the banana esters are heavily present. Really just an extension of the smell. Not overly complex and not perfectly executed either

M: A very clean feel, just the body I am looking for in the style. The booziness is pretty mellow and it is quite smooth

D: A good one to split amongst a few people. Maybe it is the banana overkill but definitely best split

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2010 23:57:27 | More by mikey711