Ok, I know this time of year is just right for winter warmers, big stouts, old ales, scotch ales/wee heavys and the like, but I just felt like talking about this yummy beer while it's still reasonable outside. Too many times people new into the beer scene look down on Boulevard as a brewery in that they think that all they have to offer are the oft-seen Unfiltered Wheat and Pale Ale. They want to try something new and fail to realize that (while there's nothing wrong with Bully's everyday offerings) Boulevard has a number of really top notch brews in their "Smokestack" Series. Often times, where I work, the Tank 7 is a nice introduction into the previously unknown world of the high-end Boulevard offerings.
Like I said before, Tank 7 is a "Saison" aka: "Farmhouse Ale", and thus the crispness and dryness of the beer makes people think that it is more appropriate in the spring or summer. Nonsense, this (the Tank 7, that is) is a solid brew and is good any time of year. Furthermore, this beer can pair with a ton of food, as the dry character of it works as a great palate cleanser.
While you usually don't see this beer in bottles, I was fortunate enough to score a 12oz version of it. The Smokestack stuff was generally only available in 750ml bottles, but Boulevard just recently started putting out four packs. We'll see how this goes. Also, I usually post my own photos of the beers I'm drinking, but frankly that is becoming a pain in the ass. That being said, I would not recommend the glassware used in this picture for a Saison. I'm thinking something like a tulip, or at least not something with a wide mouth. I usually like a lot of air to get to my Belgians, and am not worried about head retention or loss of carbonation, but not with this beer. I like my Saisons to be a little more sharp, tart, and crisp. The smaller opening on the glass should help retain some of that character. Of course this is merely a suggestion, and my personal preference.
So....
12oz bottle poured into a Ommegang Hennepin glass. Boulevard is certainly going for the "Belgian" look with these new bottles. The label says this is 8% abv, pretty sturdy for a saison. Normal pour gives me a nice 2 finger head with a really deep, golden, hazy body with orange hues. In giving the beer a minute or two to settle down, the head is retaining pretty well with some lacing....although it's not the distinct rings, but more random little islands.
Smells like a real Belgian. Bready and yeasty. Outside of that is notes of alcohol and some sharp citrus with lemon/lemon-grass dominating the fruitiness. Back to that "smells like a real Belgian" comment: there is that definite hint of farmhouse funk to the beer. It's ok to use that term, because that's what I think it is, it's a funk. Not a bad or a good thing, but a nice quality that doesn't exist in a lot of American made Belgian ales.
Taste is interesting. I've only had this on tap (a bunch of times) and it may be because this is a touch colder than usual......but I'm getting quite a bit more hop bitterness than I'm used to. This isn't bad, it's just different. So I let it warm up a bit and the bitterness gets taken down *just* a touch. The first thing you notice when you drink it is the carbonation in it, which is followed by a punch of tart and citrus. It's not a HUGE kick of either, it's there....but it's clean and crisp. That is followed by the hops and alcohol which is certainly present. There is a hint of sweetness that's present in the background during most of the drinking, but it's not tongue-coating, or very "big" in that respect. Every aspect of the beer is clean and crisp, the only thing that lingers is a touch of hops and a touch of alcohol. I would say from my experience, that all these sharp flavors are lost (just a touch) when you get it on tap, and you get a slightly sweeter product. Now, don't get me wrong, it's phenomenal on tap, it's just a bit different as I find it sweeter.
(Note: this beer by all means gets sweeter as it warms up. If it's too tart or bitter at first, just give it 10-15 minutes).
All in all, this is just a top-notch saison. I talk a lot of shit on American brewer's ability to make Belgian beers, but this is definitely done right. It has that nice funky-yeasty character that most U.S. brews are missing, and keeps the flavor profile consistent with the traditional saisons. It's balanced, tart, clean, and refreshing and drinkable. The only thing that makes this clearly American is the noticeable hope profile. It adds a bit of "green-ness" that you probably won't see from ones from across the pond.
Once again, to all you beer newbies out there, Boulevard is more than a wheat beer with a lemon in it, they make some really top notch, high-end brews in their Smokestack Series. The tank 7 is one of them.
Verdict: 8/10
Cheers.
