Boulevard Smokestack Series

Once a month, the Catholic young adult group I’m on the steering committee for, hosts something called Tuesday’s on the Boulevard. After Mass at Sacred Heart Guadalupe we all walk down to the Boulevard Brewing Company for beer, pizza, and socializing. The new brew house they built, and opened last fall, is the epitome of utility and stylish sophistication, complete with a spacious banquet room that faces North toward the city. If you walk out onto the patio, which runs the length of the banquet room, you’ll find a gas fireplace made of stacked cannonballs to keep you warm. There’s even one of those 25 cent stationary binoculars with which to get a closer view of the city (hardly needed).

But this post isn’t about the new facilities, it’s about the new beers Boulevard will be offering at the end of the summer! If you’ve been enjoying the new Lunar beer that Boulevard came out with several months ago, there’s more new beer on the way! Last month I was privileged to actually try a few of the prototype beers they had on tap down in the employee lounge.

Apparently, this September they’ll be rolling out a new line of beers called the Smokehouse Series, which will include two very strong Belgian-style beers - a Saison (11%) and a bottle-conditioned Golden ale (8%). The first of these tasted much like the blue label Chimay (at least as far as strength, color, and Belgian-style go...Chimay isn't actually a Saison style beer) - and the second was similar to Duvel. The beer will be bottled in champagne bottles with a cork for added Belgian authenticity.

The third beer on offer will be a Double IPA. This isn't my favorite style of beer - especially considering it has double of what I don't like a lot of - hops. But, if you're one of those people that thinks the closer your beer tastes to a grapefruit the better - this one's for you.