Dark Truth Stout - Boulevard Brewing Co.

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

3.73/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

"Deep is the well of truth and long does it take to know what has fallen into its depths."

--Friedrich Nietzsche

Batch 2010-1. Closer to mahogany than ebony, with a frothy crown of mocha colored foam that filled well more than half the glass on the pour. The lid looks good as it melts and is deserving of some (small amount of) praise in the lace deposition department.

The aroma is classic American double stout, with a mixture of both dark chocolate and coffee, born of chocolate and roasted malts. Malted rye and chocolate rye aren't yet appreciated, but may be on the palate. Hallertau Tradition hops are buried as well.

Even though Dark Truth Stout can't hold a candle to Boulevard Imperial Stout, it's still a pretty good example of the style. It's a shame that the bigger beer is a Limited Release, while DTS is year-round. Oh well, at least this offering comes in 4-packs now.

The flavor profile doesn't have the depth of roasted maltiness and the intensity that is expected of this style. On the other hand, the rye adds an interesting earthiness that almost makes up for it. This brew is most reminiscent of an Imperial Irish dry stout that features a heavy dose of rye and an intriguing spiciness from... somewhere.

The mouthfeel could use more ballast and the bubbles don't inject enough creaminess. Neither is a deal-breaker, but both could be improved. More barley would be a great place to start.

The dark truth is that Dark Truth Stout is disappointing relative to expectations. That's what Boulevard gets for creating Imperial Stout, one of the best Imperial stouts in the Midwest. This is pretty good beer, but there are too many better choices for it to be a repeat purchase.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2011 12:53:15 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

dark as night with a small cap of tan that appeared right on the top, settling down slowly it leaves a touch of side lacing and a nice bit of foam around the edges. Ten minutes in the top is bare though and only some light lacing on the sides remains. Aroma is sweet, licorice and brown sugar, hints of chocolate coming together nicely, but missing that little bit of push to really throw it over the top for me. Smooth, creamy and full bodied it started to grow on me as the session wore on. Bitter, dark German chocolate, coffee, hints of something else, fruit, maybe but probably not. Hard to place but there is something else there providing another flavor of some sort that is hard to discern. Dry finish with a light alcohol warmth to it and last tastes of cookie dough and coffee.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2011 06:16:43 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

3.5/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: The pour on this beer is really fantastic. The beer is almost black with a huge, sturdy tan head on it.

S: Where is the aroma? Really bland in terms of the nose. Even as the beer starts to warm up in the glass, all I really get is a bit of roast and a slight acidity.

T: The flavor is pretty nice. Lots of roast, licorice, coffee, and some dark chocolate. A bit of an alcohol note at times, but not surprising at nearly 10%. Fairly bitter with a slight char note from time to time, too.

M: The body is nice, a fairly high amount of carbonation for such a big stout.

D: I was expecting more from Boulevard on this beer. I didn't think it was bad, but sort of bland and uninteresting for a big, bad, imperial stout.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2010 18:07:12 | More by womencantsail

UCLABrewN84

California

3.95/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to bsuedekum for sending me this one.

Pours an opaque black with a 2 inch foamy beige head that fades to a small cap. Broken rings of lace form on the glass on the drink down. Smells of dark fruits, dark roasted malt, coffee beans, and slight bittersweet chocolate. Taste is of dark roasted malt, roasted coffee, bitter cocoa nibs, and dark fruits. Slight roasty bitterness on the palate after each sip quickly fades. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a slightly bubbly and smooth mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good stout from Boulevard and I am glad I got to try this one.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2011 09:24:21 | More by UCLABrewN84

brentk56

North Carolina

4.4/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Batch 2010-1 (corked and caged)

Appearance: It's got that Belgian Stout appearance, for sure, with a huge tan head that sits atop the fudge brown liquid, and sits and sits, leaving patches of foam around the side of the chalice

Smell: Roasty chocolate, smoke, fig and a hint of grassy hops

Taste: The complexity of the grain bill is quite apparent, up front, with layers of bready flavors making their contribution (wheat and rye, in particular); by mid-palate, the chocolate, coffee and smoke flavors compete with the fig, resulting in a rather vinous character; after the swallow, the hops add yet another dimension, with a grassy, bitter edge; in the finish, however, it is the chocolate that lingers on the palate

Mouthfeel: Medium body with the expected high degree of carbonation that one would expect from the Belgian yeast strain

Drinkability: Boulevard has knocked it out of the park with their version of a Belgian Stout; let's call a spade a spade - it is time to set up Belgian Stouts as a seperate category as this beer has little in common with American Double/Imperial Stouts

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2011 22:30:19 | More by brentk56

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.7/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours out a dark brown body with thin slivers of garnet at the far edges and capped by a tall, light tan head.

Smell: Moderately chocolaty with a corresponding roastiness ahead of lesser, lighter notes smelling of fruit, spice, and toast.

Taste: A start of dark chocolate, soundly roasted coffee, and with some soft, sweetish caramel included. Small pinch of aniseed. Dark fruitiness of plums and smoked dates. Very slight chalkiness. Particularly subtle German hop character and bitterness. Late-breaking alcohol presence. Dry, roasty finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation. Fairly smooth mouthfeel.

Overall: It's nice. No, really, it's nice. But, can I have the BIS instead??

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2012 15:59:04 | More by ChainGangGuy

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle: Poured a pitch-black color ale with a nice light brown foamy head with good retention and some good lacing. Aroma of roasted malt and light lactose notes. Taste is also an easily drinkable mix between some lightly dry roasted malt with some lactose notes and a black chocolate finish. Body is quite full with creamy texture and good carbonation with no apparent alcohol. Not the most complex beer ftom this brewer but well brewed nonetheless with good complexity level.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2011 02:45:19 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.98/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A boldly flavored Stout that favors sweetness and fruitiness over roasted or dry flavors. Because of the Belgian yeast, the vinous character can shine.

Dark Truth pours a dark brown color with complete opaqueness. A lightly tanned head billows towards the top of the glass and laces very well in its retraction and with great retention.

Roasted malts set the stage while aromas of dates, figs, grapes, and plumbs come in closely behind. The vinous character makes me think barrel aging. Burnt cocoa and currants come in as the beer warms and the roasted coffee notes subside. Woven into it all, a plastic or medicinal aroma rises from the yeasty matrix.

The beer takes a Belgiany turn in taste, showcasing the flavors of charred cherries, berries, lumbs, grapes and currants. The roast settles in nicely but never garneshes the attention that English or Amercian Stouts do. Peppery and alcoholic going towards the finish, allowing the beer to balance and vary in the subdued presence of hop bitterness or flavor.

Full, rich, and sweet feeling early on. Although the carbonation keeps the beer creamy and a bit lighter, the beer still has a sugary feel that keeps it from properly drying in the finish. Warming alcohols hinge on fusals but never fall on the side of harshness.

Obviously a delicious beer, but these Belgian Stouts often seem to be a contradiction of styles rather than a seamless balance of either. It's a bit too sweet for both the Belgian Strong Ales and for Imperial Stouts.

Thanks BlueOkie!

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2010 03:31:57 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

4.01/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours jet black with a creamy one finger beige head that left a broken sheet of lace as it settled very slowly.Aromas are a mix of plum and raisin along with chocolate and some nuttiness.Flavors are roasted with alot of fruity tones,the raisin flavors are really magnified with a hint of char in the finish,the alcohol comes into play more as it warms.This is one of the fruitier impy stouts I have come across,it's not a big roasted dry earthy bomb,a nice change of pace for an American version of the style in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2013 21:12:11 | More by oberon

TMoney2591

Illinois

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a Dogfish Head snifter.

Big thanks to hopsbreath and the Support Your Team! BIF for this bottle!

I never knew that a Mariners fan would provide a ChiSox fan like me with so much joy. This brew pours a solid onyx topped by over a finger of burnt sienna foam. The nose comprises maple syrup, molasses, brown sugar, toasted oats, chocolate powder, and what seems like a bit of figs. The taste follows pretty closely, with some late additions to the squad: bitter dark chocolate, burnt biscuits, coffee, rye spice, plums, and a dash of floral hops. The body is a very light heavy, with a light moderate carbonation and a somewhat dry feel and finish. Overall, this stout is all over the dark-beer map, but still manages to maintain its composure, allowing for an enjoyable drinking experience.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2010 09:03:35 | More by TMoney2591

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.08/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Dark Truth Stout.

Dense, fully opaque inky appearance, with a thick, clotted, creamy cocoa-toned head, leaving lots of lace. Luscious.

Aroma: nuts & toffee, cream & cocoa, nice and roasty, Good.

The label description intrigues. Wheat?Rye?Oats?German hops?Belgian yeast? A lot cooking here. A mighty mix.

Smooth.Rich, meaty, toasty/roasty... good hoppiness, nice tidy tingle, then the roasted malt... or is it oatmeal stout? Mmm. There's some dark fruit, a whisper of smoke, bit of charcoal, covered over by silky smooth deliciousness. There's the dark richness, and it's offset by the rich smooth, easy-drinking, utterly happiness.

Another winner from the Smokestack Series.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2010 23:43:06 | More by feloniousmonk

drabmuh

Maryland

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beer served in a tulip. Beer is black, thin brown head, small bubbles, some lacing, moderate retention, moderate carbonation.

Aroma is roasty, sweet, a little smokey, smells good.

Beer is thin and thick at the same time, the alcohol thins out the front palate and the back half is a full bodied beer. Some roast comes through a good beer overall, mildly bitter, pretty sweet up front, I'd have it again if I had a small bottle of it and some proper glassware, otherwise probably not a repeat for me.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2011 15:21:21 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4.3/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours dark brown to black with a large tan head. The aroma is coffee, chocolate and roasted malt. The flavor is coffee, chocolate, roasted malt and dark fruit. There is some bitterness either from the hops or the malt. Creamy, soft thick mouthfeel and low to medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2010 05:14:07 | More by Mora2000

zeff80

Missouri

4.28/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured out a opaque, jet black color with a large, ruby/brown colored head of thick, long-lasting foam. When the head eventually receded it left soapy rings of lace.

S - It had a very strong chocolate aroma with hints of plum, raisin and mild floral notes.

T - A very good blend of sweet chocolate and dried fruit flavors (plum & raisin) with a bitter hop kick. Really great balance.

M - It was crisp and sharp with a smooth finish. A medium bodied stout with a mild alcohol warmth.

D - This is a pretty easy drinking imperial stout. It hides the high ABV very well and it quite delicious.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2010 13:38:50 | More by zeff80

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.63/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Decanted into my Smokestack chalice, pours an effervescent mahogany/ebpny with 2+ fingers of chumy mocha colored head. Good lacing & head retention

S: Dark fruit & leafy hops

T: Much smokeyness, dark fruit, dryness & dark chocolate up front, along with charred grain Roasty malt & plums take over as this warms, along with oakyness & mesquite smokeyness & coffee. Finishes smokey, dry, fruitty with a hint of mocha; almost pulled a 4.0, but a bit disjointed

MF: Very chewy, low carbonation, & pretty darn sticky

Drinks fairly easy, nice stab at the style but didn't totally pull together for me. I preffer the original imp stout, all things considered

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2010 01:09:04 | More by russpowell

emerge077

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

New Beer Sunday...

In a Duvel tulip this has a gargantuan head of latte foam. Sticky meringue foam adheres a puffy ring of lacing to the glass. It seems to deflate in slow motion.

Aroma of dark fruits like fig, plum, and raisin. A little dry and roasty also. Coffee grinds.

Flavors of charred black malts, robust dark roast coffee, trace bitterness of bakers chocolate. Some green hops in there buried under the roast. Chocolate note becomes more noticeable as it warms. Medium bodied, a trace of alcohol, sort of astringent. I'll do my best to finish the 750, but it's probably best shared, and served on the warmer side of cool.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2010 19:33:27 | More by emerge077

Halcyondays

California

2.48/5  rDev -37.4%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

12 oz. bottle,

A: Pours black with a small tan head, poor head retention, no lace.

S: Dark fruit and soy, the Belgian yeast influence is clear.

T: Roasted malt, some light dark chocolate. Overall a cloying, plummy raisiny soy like flavour, that in a way tastes more like a BSDA than an Imperial Stout.

M: Medium-bodied, cloying sugar, a tad boozy, crisp carbonation character that gets fizzy at the end.

O: For me a poor example of an Imperial Stout, the beer simply was never interesting and left me wanting. Even at the low price point this is a pass.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2012 20:47:23 | More by Halcyondays

tempest

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up a small bottle from Princeton's for $3.25. Poured pitch black with a short tan head. There's a rich chocolate aroma with hints of rum and creme brulee.The flavor opens with chocolate liquor, cherries, toast and bitter baker's chocolate and citrus finish. I couldn't tell there was Belgian yeast at first, but the beer is fairly fruity for the style and has a little extra spice. It's appropriately thick and a great dessert beer. Check it out.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2010 02:57:35 | More by tempest

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to hwwty4. Bottle from 2010-1 (750 mL size) poured into a goblet.

A: Pitch black, the darkest of the dark stouts, and that's a dark truth. A cafe au lait head as left a wall of foam all around the glass, measuring half a finger.

S: Dark chocolate and deeply roasted malts, the stout doesn't go lightly on either aspect. Graham and nuts follow, slowly emerging as the stout warms. The chocolate has both milky sweetness and baker's bitterness.

T: Dark roasted, more than enough roasted flavors to go around. The dark malts have plenty of chocolate, both bitter and sweet with a boozy complexity. Graham comes through as well, chewy with a spicy finish. Chocolate ramps up as the ale warms, more and more sweetness with plenty of booze to keep things unbalanced. The overall taste is very creamy, smooth and sweet. She's doing very nicely right about now.

M: The rich mouthfeel, smooth and sweet, goes down way too easily. A bold stout that could probably last another year or so.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2011 21:22:22 | More by akorsak

barleywinefiend

Washington

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured black with good carbonation and deep tannish head

S: Smooth and bitter chocolate, roasted and booze

T: Bitter and milk chocolate, some lght dark fruits, roasted, light coffee

M: Medium body, booze feel and pretty good.

D: Pretty good overall

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2010 20:31:37 | More by barleywinefiend

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Huge, slowly receding head that leaves plentiful spider-webby lace. Near black color where a minimum amount of light passes through the edges of the glass.

Relatively mild aroma of semi-sweet chocolate.

Think chocolate chips with coffee grounds. Lots of burnt malt flavor. The swallow is also bitter from notable hops. The alcohol is very much present, but is overshadowed by the powerful flavors. Rich body like one expects in this style.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 03:11:50 | More by smcolw

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

(Served in a snifter)

best by 07/30/11
A- This beer has a jet black body with a tiny bubbles sliding up the side of the glass and a thick creamy tan head that last a good bit.

S- The roasted black malt has a touch of bitterness and a soft inky quality to it with some plum fruitiness and a prune and graham aroma at the finish.

T- This beer has a nice black malt flavor with a soft roasted grain flavor and a creamy taste to follow. There is a monastery yeast that finishes this beer with a light roasted bitterness and inky note that lingers.

M- The medium-full mouthfeel has a creamy texture and no real alcohol heat and a finish that gets thicker as the beer opens up.

O- The nice flavor has smooth rich depth and is very easy to drink with some interesting fruity ester yeast character for support.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2011 21:47:00 | More by rhoadsrage

Wasatch

Utah

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks goes out to RedHaze for this brew.

750ml Bottle
Caged/Corked
Batch Number: 2010-1
Best By Date: 01/13

Poured into a chalice a nice black color, nice carbonation, nice one-finger plus creamy tan head, with some big oil slicks and sticky lacing left behind. The nose is malty, with lots of chocolate/toffee, some dark fruits. The taste is very nice, malty, chocolaty, nice touch of toffee, and some dark fruits. Medium body. Drinkable, this is a fine AD/IS.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2010 00:18:26 | More by Wasatch

jlindros

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to all three of these traders, duff247, AttitudeBrew, Optimator13. THis was one of the recent batches in the 12-ish oz bottles.

Darker creamy head 1 finger with lacing, pitch black color.

Nose of stout like black patent, roasty, earthy bitter roast, light roast light chocolate, roasty malts and light ethers and woody ethers, light caramel,

Taste light smoke, earthy charred malts, black patent, roasty, bitter earthy malts and hops, chewy malts, light minerality gets a bit salty, light caramel, light creamy, light earthy hops. Finish is drier with lingering malts, bitter stout and bitter hops. A touch of warming booze.

Mouth is med to little heavier bodied decent carb.

Overall decent, nice dark stout flavors, nothing crazy but a good tasting stout.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2011 18:49:41 | More by jlindros

jdhilt

New Hampshire

4.1/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours with a four finger tan head that fades slowly leaving some lace. Black color, no highlights. Medium carbonation and medium-heavy bodied. Molasses and chocolate nose and flavor is more molasses with chocolate, then a light burnt molasses aftertaste. Decent imp stout. $3.49 for a 12oz bottle from Julio's Liquors Westborough, Ma. Best by Jul 2013.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2011 23:16:21 | More by jdhilt