Boulevard "Brandy Land" Imperial Stout

That last one was dang good. Boulevard can do an imperial stout, so long as it is aged in barrels, but can the stout stand on its own? Well, this isn't the one to find out with. This one is aged in brandy barrels (as opposed to the whiskey & Cabernet of the last one). I'm no hard liquor guy, so I can't really tell you what the difference is between them. Maybe there won't be a difference in the beer.

This is one deep-deep brown beer, and it has only the echo of a tan head that winds up gripped to the sides of the glass as a mixture of bubble sizes. The aroma is a blend of heavy alcohol, coffee, bourbon, and fruits. It's a heavy smell, and I don't know what that will translate to when I sip it, but sip it I shall.

Fist sip is like being hit in the face with a brick made of apples, brandy, earth, spices, and molasses. It's a whole lot to take in, but I'm pretty sure sipping this would go pretty well. I mean, it will take a bit for me to settle down the complexity, but it's smooth and flavorful, even if it is a bit much right off the bat.

Tip-in is thick brandy and apple syrup with all the sweetness that entails. The middle swims with a sudden rush of spices, earth, molasses, and dark fruits that rise up to meat the brandy apples that were in the tip-in. The finish is dry bitterness with even more spices and molasses before the spicy trail-off.

Bottom Line: Very heavy and complex; this is one of the few non-dessert dessert beers.

3.25/5