The Sixth Glass - Boulevard Brewing Co.

Immortale25

Florida

3.45/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a snifter. Label says 07-2014

A- Pours a rubyish light brown color with a 3/4 inch head that soon putters away to a thick ring around the edge of the glass and a mostly full sheet of surface foam. Slippery ring of lacing.

S- A bit boozy with some mild dark fruit and caramel in the back. The alcohol is almost solvent-like.

T- Taste is also a bit harsh with lots of alcohol overtaking the dark fruit and raisin taste in the back. Some toasted malt and Belgian candi sugar. Most of the sweetness is thrown off-kilter by the sheer booziness in the flavor.

M- Sharp, bitey and dry. Medium-low carbonation and a semi-full body.

O- This is not the way a quad should go down. Maybe I should've given it more time in the bottle but, as it is, it's not so pleasant. Still, it pairs pretty well with brie.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 02:35:03 | More by Immortale25

WanderingFool

Massachusetts

3.43/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Sixth Glass pours a clear copper color with a big off white head on top. the foam dissolves quickly to a sheet on the beer, leaving behind a few spots of lace on the glass.

The aroma is sweet with notes of caramel, alcohol and dark fruit.

Each sip of this medium bodied beer is smooth, oily with mild carbonation. The flavor is sweet and malty. Caramel malt, candy sugar, ripe fruit (red grape) dominate the flavor. Notes of bread and clove are also present. It finishes with a medicinal alcohol flavor. Once gone the sweet caramel and candy sugar lingers on the palate.

This is an easy drinking beer with a descent flavor. Could use more bitterness to balance out the sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2011 19:37:16 | More by WanderingFool

superspak

Michigan

3.43/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

750 ml bottle into chalice, batch 69198 (bottled 07/17/2009). Pours hazy reddish brown color with a foamy 1 finger light khaki head with ok retention. Minimal lacing on the glass; plenty of carbonation streaming up. Aromas of big caramel, plum, raisin, bread, molasses, candi sugar, light fruits, light spices, and alcohol. Some decent aromas here, but they are a bit boozy. Taste of big caramel, raisin, molasses, candi sugar, toffee, light pepper, yeast spices, earthiness, and light alcohol. Lingering notes of caramel, raisin, molasses, earth, light spices, and light alcohol on the finish for a bit. Medium carbonation and fairly full bodied; with a fairly creamy and slick mouthfeel. Alcohol is definitely showing itself with a fairly large warming on the finish, and a bit in the taste and aromas. Definitely a sipper to be enjoyed slowly with the alcohol presence. Overall this is a decent and fairly enjoyable Quad. Some good flavors, though it is a little boozy. The age of this bottle is probably the culprit; combined with the fact it was sitting on a store shelf up until a couple months ago.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2012 04:52:41 | More by superspak

allinthehead

3.41/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

poured into a Bruery tulip

appearance - short lived white head over caramelly colored haze

smell - sweet, dark fruit notes accented with a sharp alcohol nose

taste - bready, sweet. lacking in complexity for a quad, ATMO

mouthfeel - nice carbonation; one of the tricks of the Trappists. dry finish that reminds me of iron. but a much better finish than Boulevard's Tripel that I had last night

overall - a budget quad. I can't always have a Rocheford 10 and I'm happy enough drinking this one.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 04:22:06 | More by allinthehead

midaszero

Washington

3.4/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - Hazy amber with one finger of white head with not lacing

S - Strong boozy dark fruit (raisins) and sweet brown sugar

T - Boozy raisins and dark fruit. A little bit of banana

M - Medium body with high carbonation

D - Wish it was less boozy but enjoyable otherwise but rather grab other quads in the end

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2008 19:33:59 | More by midaszero

auroracrisis

Kentucky

3.4/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12oz into a snifter, dated best before 07/27/13

Pours a rich amber orange with a small head that doesn't stick around. Ring of foam around the edges, pretty clear in the body for the style.

Dark candied fruits like cherries, plum, and figs greet you with a touch of alcohol. Continues with the sweet, almost syrupy like aroma.

More candied fruits and booze. Figs, dates, and cherries. Warming as well, with some cake-like flavors in there too.

Chewy with warming alcohol. Minimal carbonation.

Very sweet, candied dark fruit with alcohol. Not subtle or complex, but not bad.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2012 04:31:47 | More by auroracrisis

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

GilGarp

Colorado

3.38/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Batch #610120, best before 04/2013.

750 mL bottle, corked and caged, served into a chalice.

Sixth Glass is a hazy cherry wood brown with redish highlights. The head, which is thick and towering to start, settles pretty quickly and doesn't leave much behind on the glass.

The aroma is sweet and yeasty. Actually, the yeast smell seems to dominate this part of the experience. There is a sweet malty base behind it but otherwise it's almost like sniffing a starter.

Flavor is surprisingly strong on the first sip. It comes across almost as overpowering. The flavors seem right for the style but lacking in subtlety. Strong dark fruits, big spice notes, and alcohol to spare. As it warms, I get more leather and smoke, strangely.

Mouthfeel is medium-full bodied and a little high in carbonation considering the strength of flavors and alcohol.

Overall not at all what I was expecting or hoping for. What I enjoy about Belgian styles is the subtle nuances and depth of flavors. This one just punches you in the face.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2010 01:50:09 | More by GilGarp

Arbitrator

California

3.38/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Chilled 750mL bottle into a glass. It's never a good idea to tackle these on my own, but then, it wasn't a good idea to go to graduate school, either.

A generous extra from Sideswipe. Thanks, John!

A: Pours a dark reddish brown body, nearly opaque, but revealing a small glow around the edges. It's capped with two fingers of light beige foam. Great retention, and throughout the drink there is a perennial cap on the brew. It leaves wonderful lace during sips, though nothing that sticks.

S: Immediately when I cracked this, I smelled green apples or guavas. In the glass, I pick up cherries, raisins, caramel, brown sugar. A strong scent of cloves that nearly disguises the booziness that radiates off the beer.

T: Green apple, not guava, is what I settled on after tasting the beer. Cherries, plums, and apricots are noticeable. Brown sugar and caramel are also found. I expected to find some candi sugar here, but I don't taste it. Maybe it's all fermented out? No truly dark fruits, either (raisins, figs, dates). I pick up the clove I detected in the aroma, but it's weaker in the taste.

M: Medium-bodied. It is relatively dry, but the high carbonation becomes a drawback then; it disguises the flavor and prevents it from expressing itself. I can swirl it out, but I shouldn't have to. There's a small booziness in the finish that I don't care for, though it's not a major complaint.

D: I put down the 750mL myself. A good beer, but against the true Belgians, this falls a bit short.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2010 02:38:44 | More by Arbitrator

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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