Boulevard Dark Truth Stout

3.9/5

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20

12 ounce bottle into snifter, best by 10/19/11. Pours thick black color with a nice 2-3 fingers of dense dark tan head with incredible retention that reduces to a thick lacing cap that lasts. Fair amount of thick lacing clinging to the glass as well. Aromas of big dark chocolate, dark fruits, roasted malt, caramel, licorice, molasses, coffee, and a bit of alcohol. Some very nice aromas with good strength and balance. Taste of big roasted malt, dark chocolate, coffee, caramel, burnt malts, and licorice. Decent amount of bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of dark chocolate, burnt malt, coffee, caramel, smoke and some spiciness on the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a fairly creamy and smooth mouthfeel. Nice balance of flavor and bitterness. Alcohol is well hidden with only a decent sized warming on the finish. Overall this is a very nice imperial stout. A little over the top on roasted flavors but I enjoyed this.

A very nice Imperial Stout and my first brew from Boulevard. I made sure to pick up pretty much the whole Smokestack series when I was in Indiana recently. Can't wait to try the rest of the series.