Boulevard Brewing Long Strange Tripel

**Aroma:** “Fruit at the front, with notes of banana, plum, pear, cherry, and apple. Slight clove and a moderate malt sweetness—mostly biscuit and a hint of caramel. Slight alcohol note.” **Flavor:** “Biscuity malt and fruit mingle nicely with notes of white bread, cara- mel, red apple, cherry, and plum. Finish is pleasantly balanced, considering the richness of the malt, making it very drinkable. Nice alcohol warmth to help the beer finish dry and medium-high carbonation level. Properly balanced.” **Overall:** “Classic example of the style that is very well executed. Nice play with malt and yeast character, and a surprisingly balanced, perhaps even dry, finish. It doesn’t break new ground, but offers a relaible and tasty experience with appropriate sweetness and nice fruit character.”

**Aroma:** “Rich caramel and even molasses-like malt sweetness up front with a range of fruity esters, including raisin, fig, and apricot. Deep port-like aroma with perhaps a faint whiff of herbal hops. Pleasant alcohol warmth. Slight chocolate and toasted tones show up as it warms.” **Flavor:** “Thick chewy malt base delivers on the promises of the aroma. Good, firm bitterness adds to the overall impression without dominating. Reminds me of a liquid fruitcake in a good way (not citrus fruits, but dark ones). Finishes with a pleasant sweetness that lingers.” **Overall:** “This is a delightful English-style barleywine with each of the elements playing well together. It’s like a fine port—warmth in the finish suggests that it might be a little on the young side, but it’s certainly enjoyable now. Put a few of these away to try annually at the holidays.”

**Aroma:** “High phenolics with notes of pepper and floral notes. Lemon, orange, black pepper, hints of fruit, some spicy Saaz-like hops notes and faint graininess.” **Flavor:** “Crisp! This beer exhibits a lovely crispness that sticks with you as it goes down. Nice blend of banana and citrus esters balanced by carbonation and sharp hops bitterness. The aromatic promises are fully delivered: lemon on the back of the tongue and spices near the front. A dark rich sweetness reminis- cent of a dark honey. A touch more fully bodied than expected, but the beer is so crisp that it works.” **Overall:** “Light and fruity. The brewer displays a subtle hand with yeast man- agement. Though the initial appearance could have been clearer, the aroma gives way to a generous palate of flavors that, while simple, create a wonderful drinking experience. A classic tripel that departs from the norm and does it well.”