Double-Wide I.P.A. - Boulevard Brewing Co.

BeerlyLegal

California

3.33/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

I really love Boulevard Brewing Co. but this one I just don't get. I thought I may have had a bad batch but from reading other reviews I reaffirmed what I was tasting.

From the outside looking in it shines the way a DIPA should - dark creamy orange with a nice head. Smell of sweet hickory BBQ along with pines and spices.

However this brew is just bitter. Not a lot of depth here. Straight alcohol and a slow sipper for sure.

I'm going to stick with the Sixth Glass, Tank 7 Farmhouse and Long Strange Tripel

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 01:10:43 | More by BeerlyLegal

Goosehunter75

Missouri

4.18/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A - Pours a reddish amber thar is very hazy with an tannish 3 to 4 finger head with great retention. Don't plan on drinking this beer for several minutes! Great lacing as well

S - Orange and lemon aromas right off the bat. There is some pine mixed in and there are scents of the caramel malts and well as a roasted aroma.

T - First thing I noticd as the great balance of hops bitterness versus the sweetness of the malts. It was more pine tasting upfront than citrus which surprised me and it was followed by a very nice roasted flavor. Great tasing beer.

M - Mouthfeel is very heavy. This is definately a sipper! Leaves the mouth feeling somewhat dry as well

O - This is a wonderful BIG beer from Boulevard. Lots of flavor that is done correctly. Great use of hops and malts. Good carbonation. Will be keeping this one around!

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 15:46:45 | More by Goosehunter75

CobyMangum

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4

Great example of bitterness matched with creamy mouthfeel and a dipa with truly multi-dimensional flavor (i.e. not just citrus, tropical fruit, pine). The hops are toned down by many levels of sweetness -- graham cracker, apricot, caramel. The resiny flavor hangs around to keep you wanting more, but every sip is rewarded with several other flavors. A nice surprise.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 03:47:42 | More by CobyMangum

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.95/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a reddish coppery amber with a massive one third glass head that dissipates slowly, leaving massive lacing. Aroma of pine and citrus hops, light stone fruit and an unusual apricot fruit leather component that is intriguing. Flavor is dominated by sweet malt with citrus, somewhat dissipated herbal hops, hints of stone fruit. Finishes with a pleasant complex hop bitterness. Medium bodied. The hops are not as intensely forward as I hoped, but the hop flavor is relatively complex and interesting. A bit mellow for those spoiled by west coast hop bombs, but the malt / hop balance is nice and the flavors are complex enough to make a pleasant DIPA experience. Wish that dried apricot flavor was as dominant in the flavor as aroma, it is unusual and pleasant. I will return to this again.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 03:57:29 | More by LiquidAmber

Thads324

Connecticut

3.61/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

best by 08/09/13

pours a lovely deep copper that is vibrant and appealing. lots of bubbles shooting upwards into a quarter pint of big pillowy, off white head. fanastic lacing

smell is of mild dank grass, mild undertones of citrus and a hint of coriander. a bit of husky grains and some rubbing alcohol towards the end. very light aroma.

taste starts quickly with a sweet honey white bread flavor mixed with a juicy and citrus like sweet hop flavor. the hop flavor continues with mild muddled mint, green tea leaves that haven't been brewed yet and some earthy twig like bites. medium bitterness in the middle. the malt is sweet, and simply carries the hop along until an end of tart yeast esters.

mouthfeel is pleasant, medium bodied with a high drinkability. booze is hidden well in the flavor.

overall a pretty good beer. not the most bitter guy i've ever tried but is a solid option and a good example of flavorful hops. for those looking to learn how to taste hops, i would lean them towards this one.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 02:12:28 | More by Thads324

M_C_Hampton

Georgia

3.96/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: poured from a 12 oz bottle (BBD 8/9/13) into a pint glass, orange amber colored with a huge yellow white head that lingers leaving good lacing, cloudy

S: earthy hops, floral, citrus, grapefruit, caramel malt

T: intense bitter flavor coupled with a slight bubblegum fruit taste, grapefruit peel, sweetens slightly as the malt flavor appears, finish is dry and pine resin

M: medium body with high carbonation, sticky

O: decent DIPA, flavor is a bit one dimensional

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 19:36:25 | More by M_C_Hampton

mschind

California

4.04/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle with a best by date of 5-14.

A- Murky dark amber, darker than most DIPA's. Fair head retention with good lacing.

S- Hops dominate, more pine than citrus with some bready sweetness.

T- Bitter at the start with some maltiness in the finish to balance things out. Hops flavor ranges from pine to grass.

M- More highly carbed than I was expecting but still reasonably smooth.

O- A well made IPA but lacking the richness and depth I like in a DIPA.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 20:07:03 | More by mschind

mdcrouser

Missouri

4.46/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Though I had this when it originally came out, I haven't since - one of the original Smokestacks. Poured from one of the four-pack small bottles into a Smoketack tulip, the head booms for a full two inches, forcing you to stop pouring earlier than you'd assume, avoiding an overflow. The orange-gold glow from the beer beneath is wonderous - really a sight.

Hoppy of fresh citrus, a bit of strap leather.

Juicy to begin with lots of grapefruit, but then quickly drying, followed by lemon and a bit of vegetation.

Faint but sharp carbonation fades from the beginning to leave behind a long-standing bitterness, aromatic in the mouth.

This beer is sustaining like a stout would be - consuming, enveloping, really enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 03:08:57 | More by mdcrouser

bondjedi

Washington

4.19/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

On tap, poured from a pitcher at the WA hangout for KC ex-pats, Stan's BBQ in Issaquah. Beautiful mahogany hue, loamy head that dissipates into a melancholy lace. That's how life is - the fullness of our dreams disappear with age and reality, but there's always a trace of those dreams to at least remind you of your youth.

Serving type: on-tap

04-01-2013 16:32:44 | More by bondjedi

frankiepop

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Good Sticky Head. Reddish rust in color. Clean grassy scents with hop aromas bursting off the surfaces.. Hearty medium body with a smooth carbonation that flows very well.

Bittery beer. Not being a hop IPA guy, here i sit with another IPA beer that just bores me. The finish is semi-dry. Thirst quenching. I mean for an IPA it's pretty competitive.

Too carbonated for me. However, I let it set awhile and it kept getting better to me. If you enjoy this type of beer complement it with sonic sounds of guitarist T. Akiyama on his Relator cd.

Serving type: on-tap

03-30-2013 04:58:16 | More by frankiepop

RJLarse

Washington

4.55/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I bought a double-wide (27.5 oz) bottle of Double-wide Imperial IPA in a bottle shop. Poured into a Saxo Tulip.

Pours an orange copper color, hazy, with a stiff and resilient foamy eggshell white head.

Smell is a pungent pine and citrus aroma

Taste is a sweet citrus, pink grapefruit favor u front, with a biter lemon and pine flavor on the finish. very little malt presence, and not a lot of alcohol taste or heat.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, smooth and not particularly chewy or cloying.

Overall a very drinkable, if not sessionable, brew especially for the style. Smooth and not overpowering in any sense.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 23:20:06 | More by RJLarse

NiceTaps

New Jersey

3.95/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into my Alchemist pint glass.

A- Hazy burnished orange color, dark and unfiltered looking; yet there is some abundant carbonation visible with a close look. The tan colored head is huge, lasting and leaves lots of lacing.

S-Lots of citrus hops, earthiness from pine and wood, some alcohol. The label cites apricot, I'll give it that.

T-The hops lead the parade, citrus frutiness barely yields to some caramel maltiness. And there's no doubt about the 8.5% abv, it's a bit boozy.

M-Lots of oily, resinous body and hop zing, long dry finish. Notes of alcohol.

O- Sometimes the abv gets in the way of flavors, clearly the case here, for me anyway.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 18:29:32 | More by NiceTaps

JuicesFlowing

Kansas

4.2/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a balloon glass.

Look: Dark orangeish cinnamon. Off white head that settles to a film. Pretty good soapy lacing.

Aroma: Sweet caramel coats over a nice pine body. Some fruit notions in the end.

Taste: Some caramel sweetness up front before a solid piney, spruced up body. Faint spiciness and even some smokiness near the finish.

Mouthfeel: Dry and medium in weight.

Overall: Not a ton of complexity but everything that it does have is solid. The 8.5% ABV is pretty smooth.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 01:18:08 | More by JuicesFlowing

pschul4

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

12oz bottle poured into fantome snifter

A- Pours darker than I expected. Big head that leaves tons lacing

S- Floral hops with a bit of pine in the background

T- More of the same floral notes, touch of pine to balance. Taste is surprisingly soft for the 8.8% ABV

M- Not much carbonation despite big head

O- Decent IIPA. Nothing killer though

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 01:55:05 | More by pschul4

lonewolfcry

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

12 oz bottle, best by 8-9-13, poured into a half pint glass.

A~ Pours a light burnt orange, with a slight haze to it.
Love the full 2-3 inches of chunky head that's hanging around leaving a nice lace.
S~ Sweet piny hops, citrus and malt.
T~ Real nice balance of resiny-pine & sweet yeasty malt - it works very well for me with a moderate taste of booze.
B~ Nice medium creamy body with a nice bitter finish .
O~ Just got the sampler single, but now I'm wishing I had another.
This is, by far, my favorite of their Smokehouse series that I've tried so far.
I'm glad I took the clerk's suggestion and would buy it again (4 pk next time).

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 02:36:37 | More by lonewolfcry

beergoot

Colorado

3.98/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Crystal clear, copper-colored body crowned with a thick, chunky, light tan head. Moderate and appealing pine and citrus hop aroma mixed with light caramel malt note in the background. Deep malt flavors infused with a sharp and crisp hop bitterness. Medium bodied, semi-dry, crisp and clean finish.

A very nicely done DIPA that puts the emphasis on malts and hops while greatly taming the high ABV. The hop bitterness is especially well-done. A must-try beer for hop-heads...

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 21:54:08 | More by beergoot

estlinska

Arkansas

3.43/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the bottle into a tulip. Best before date 8/2013 (don't remember the day). Poured an orangish-red, the color for the flesh of a ripe plum and filled with yeast sediment. The head was a sandy white, the color of an east-coast beach in the spring and fair to moderate lacing. The smell was fairly sweet like a peach or lavendar with good grassy hops. The taste was a little overly sweet, like sucrose. It was like fruit that was a little north of ripe. The hops had strong bittering, but much more low key for a DIIPA. Very full mouthfeel and fair carbonation. Not my favorite of the Smokestack Series which are usually very strong offerings. Definitely not a bad beer, but not the best of the DIIPAs that I love.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 16:09:59 | More by estlinska

seand

California

4.11/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A: Pours a fairly dark reddish amber, with quite a bit of off-white head. This dissipates fairly quickly but does leave a solid blanket, enough to leave thick streaks of lacing.

S: Citrusy hops over a thick grainy malt background. It's surprisingly balanced.

T: Nice malt sweetness throughout, with grassy bitter hops coming through towards the finish and taking over in the aftertaste.

M: Medium to full body, medium carbonation.

Overall, a solid and vary drinkable double IPA. I think this could probably be paired really nicely with the right food.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 02:13:31 | More by seand

DoubleJ

California

3.93/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Super Bock earlier wasn't super, so here's hoping Boulevard can make up for lost oomph. A Double DIPA is often a safe choice. Best by 5/14/13 per bottle neck, and coming from a 12 ounce bottle, on to the beer:

Toasted orange on the verge of becoming crimson. A head forms an inch thick on top and continues to sit pretty even minutes after the pour. The aroma tells you that hops were once here. There's still an adequate hop nose, mostly in the form of resin, just not the super fresh one I've been spoiled from California brewers. Still, it is a pleasant aroma, and the smell of maple hits you.

Lots of malt and lots of hops make the character of the taste. It's resiny, earthy, citrusy, toffee-y....enough with the theme, it has some toffee notes too. Woody as well. And bitter. The alcohol is hidden well, and it's full bodied and slightly chewy.

Quite good as it stands; nothing to be ashamed of.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 06:25:33 | More by DoubleJ

BEERMILER12

Maine

4.03/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Best By 07/30/13

A: Pours a hazy amber/copper color with 2+ fingers of off white head that has great retention and laves some lacing

S: Citrus and pine hops combine with a caramel maltiness that is slightly sweet

T: Follows the nose, plus a little more sweetness. Citrusy and earthy hops take the forefront, along with caramel and toffee sweetness from the malts. There is also a hint of pine towards the back end of the initial hoppiness as well. Finishes lightly bitter

M: Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation

O: A very well balanced DIPA with plenty of hoppiness and lots of sweet maltiness to back it up. Very easy to drink due to the lack of lingering bitterness. Price point is decent as well, at $10.99 for a 4-pack or $9.99 for a 750

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 02:51:56 | More by BEERMILER12

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz Bottle from Palm Springs Liquors CA for 4$

Appearance - Hazyr dark copper with an huge size fizzy beige coloured head. There is a high amount of carbonation showing and there is some great lacing. The head lasted for around 4-5 minutes.

Smell - Hops, malts, caramel, earthiness, pineapple

Taste & Mouth - There is an average amount of carbonation and I can taste caramel, malts, and earthy hops. There is also some pineapple and some peppery/pine/floral notes. It ends with a dry woody piney hop bitterness.

Overall – More east coast than west coast taste wise.. and it sits perfectly between a IPA and a DIPA taste wise. I think I expected more from this beer but it's still decent.. it has a little of everything taste wise.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 21:34:05 | More by spinrsx

dreedvol

North Carolina

4.43/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours nicely in a pint glass with a nice rocky head with nice lacing. Hazy with some sediment. Nice copper color.

Aroma is a nice piney scent with hints of citrus and a slight floral hint. Smells very appealing.

Nice well balanced double ipa. Good piney hop finish with a nice citrus touch. The bitterness balances nicely with the other flavors.

Nice medium body with good carbonation.

This is a great beer not only for the class but also on general. Definitely will be a repeat beverage to enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2013 05:03:02 | More by dreedvol

Steamer

Missouri

4.59/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A - A nice amber with orange hues; a full head that leaves sparse lacing as it recedes.

S - tart citrus; orange peel. Strong hops aroma but sweet overtones, pine needles.

T - Very smooth with just a slight bitterness at the end. Orange citrus again with just a little bite. Very well blended. Much smoother than I was expecting for a DIPA, and much to my liking.

M - Medium bodied.

O - I usually prefer stouts and belgian style ales over IPAs, but I have to say this one hit all the right notes with me. It may not be "in your face" enough for the die hard DIPA lover, but if you are looking for an exceptionally well-balanced example of the style, don't pass this one up!

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 02:51:45 | More by Steamer

Dcmpres

California

3.35/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

A: Copper/dark orange in color with a hazy convection current and upwelling of fine beads. A billow of khaki head clings to the glass till the last sip.

S: Relatively mute on the nose. Strong resinous characteristic, slight breadiness and lingering notes of apricot.

T: A strong singular taste of resinous pine with a touch of heat.

M: Fuller bodied, nice hop bite, balanced malt and a dry linger finish.

O: To me this is an old school IPA that is not overly complex, but hits a nice balance between malt and hop bitterness without the cloying sweetness of most DIPA.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 00:17:44 | More by Dcmpres

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

4.46/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

A treasure from the land of BGThang. I meant to enjoy this sooner but...well, life happens. Anyway, this was bottled on 10/01/2008 so the hops should be lowriding at this point.

Appearance - pours a murky bronze, like muddy orange juice. Thin cream-colored head has great resilience. The second-half pour is notably darker, muddier.

Aroma - orange and papaya, some peach aromas. Very much like a barleywine.

Taste - biscuity malts, the hops are long past their former glory but have great balance to the sweet malt side. The hops are like orange pith and mild rind. Plays very well with the grain. Faint notes of earthy tobacco, the slightest touch of abv warmth, this one is disappearing fast for an 8.5er. Finishes dry, lingering orange peel and malt.

Mouthfeel - crisp, heavy but not chewy. Not the biggest IPA body, but it fits the beer perfectly.

Overall - tamed down, this is too drinkable for adherance to proper safety guidelines.It will be gone well before it ought. This was from the trading days where BGThang hooked me up on a regular basis. With any luck I'll get back into that scene again. Until then, thanks for this one Ken, she's a beaut.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 03:21:33 | More by brewdlyhooked13