It should be Vienna style lager. What a great lager beer and shows what a Vienna can be when a brewer actually takes the time to do it right. Mild hops throughout. Great malt aroma, lightly roasted. Similar in the flavor, almost all malt, just a touch of sweetness and mostly bitter with a very mild roasted character. Looks great, red with a tall and thick white head.

++++ RE-RATE 21 January 2015 ++++
2013 Batch. Bottle purchased in May of 2013 and stored in my wine fridge. The pour is clear golden with a billowing four inch white head. The foams falls slowly with pretty lacing. The aroma is leather, very much fully developed Brett. There is some soft lime citrus present as well. Engaging nose. The taste is dry leather Brett, some farmyard funk and the lime citrus from the nose. Very much the fully developed Brett as the nose suggested, though the flavor is not quite as pleasant as the aroma. Still solid, just perhaps too much of the Brett to take the beer out of balance. The palate is medium bodied with active carbonation and the residual dry leather funk in the finish. Bit past the prime, though still a delicious beer. (9,4,7,4,16 - 4.0)

++++ RE-RATE 22 August 2012 ++++
Three bottle blind tasting of 2012 Batch 1, 2011 Batch 1 (stored in a ~72 degree closet) and 2011 Batch 1 (stored in a ~55 wine fridge). The goal was to determine which version we preferred, as well as attempt to identify which bottle was which.

Bottle 1. Bottle opens with a loud pop. First pour from the bottle. The pour is mostly clear golden, with a one inch white head, that falls pretty quick. The aroma is soft floral hops, soft ahy, fruit sweet, and the light Brett notes. Fresh, alive nose. The taste is hay, floral, clove and the leathery Brett. Aftertaste shows herbal. The palate is soft, active fine carbonation, turns sweet, then finishes dry. (8,4,8,4,17 – 4.1) I predicted this was the 2012, it was in fact the 2011 which had been stored in the wine fridge.

Bottle 2. This bottle also opened with a loud pop. Third pour from the bottle. The pour is soft haze golden, with a foamy three inch white head, falls with nice lace. The aroma is soft Brett, spice yeast, hay, and apricot fruit. The taste is herbal, hay, grass, dry leather of the Brett. The palate is soft, active fine carbonation, light sweetness and then a bone dry finish. This one showed more of the Brett character. (9,4,8,4,17 – 4.2) I predicted this was the 2011 wine fridge, it was in fact the 2011 closet version.

Bottle 3. This bottle opened quietly. Third pour from the bottle. The pour is golden, mostly clear, with some visible chunks floating around. Not too much of a white head. The aroma is leather, soft earthy Brett. The taste is floral honey, hay, lemon citrus and some (almost off tasting) dirty leather Brett yeast. The palate was soft, active carbonation, the sweetness and a dry finish (though probably the least dry of the three samples). (8,4,7,4,15 – 3.8) I predicted this was the 2011 closet, it was in fact the 2012.

This was a really interesting blind tasting. I was surprised I did not properly identify any of the beers, yet my order of preference ended up being what I would have guessed going into the exercise.

++++ RE-RATE 22 January 2009 ++++
2008 Batch. Bottle #08629 of 11950. Let’s check in and see how this one is doing. Bottle purchased in October 2008 and stored in my cellar. Opens with a loud pop. Poured into my Smokestack chalice. Pour is hazed yellow golden with active carbonation and billowy 3 inch white head. Head falls slowly with spidery lacing. Aroma of gentle Brett goodness, earth, horse blanket, flowery - so expressive, so amazing. Wow this is as close to perfect a nose as I can imagine for this beer. Taste is the peppery, earthy, bretty, horse blanket of the nose. Absolutely bone dry. Again, this is tasting really great. Palate is mouth coating yet dry at the same time. Texture is so interesting, really exposes all the amazing flavors. My word has this beer come together. Wonderful, just wonderful. I never thought I would raise my score, but here we go. (10,5,9,4,20 - 4.8)

++++ Original Rating - Sept 1, 2007 ++++
Advanced preview of this beer at the invitation of the Brewery. Draft, on tap at the Brewery. They mentioned this had 6 months or a bit more age on it. Pour is a slightly hazy yellow with a nice white head. Aroma is just stunningly good, citrus (grapefruit) hops, some earthiness, and just the perfect amount of Tart grassy musty Brett. Taste is extremely smooth, with a nice hop brightness at the beginning, moving into the complexity of the Brett and finishing with a really nice dryness. This is just a great Saison enhanced (but not overpowered) by the Brett. I really enjoyed the regular Boulevard Saison and thought it lacked just a bit of character and complexity. The regular Saison would be perfect for everyday, this is perfect for that special treat with a great meal. Phenomenal job Boulevard, and thank you. Can’t wait until this is more regularly available. Thank you John Bryan for allowing me to taste this one! (10,5,9,4,19 - 4.7)