Though winter is officially upon us, and the general consensus is that people wanna stay inside during the next few months, things are slightly different when being from Minnesota... It's a beautiful thing that an ice rink during the winter months is as common a sight as a baseball diamond during the summer - And I state that with no exaggeration... There's a public outdoor rink for just about every lake in the state - 10,000 for those who don't get out of their bubble too often... Along with hockey, there's yet another joy in life that's best savored cold - BEER!! As just about any hockey player will tell you, hockey and beer are an extremely common union, a belief that reaches much further than the state lines of Minnesota... Probably also helps in explaining why so many hockey players have false teeth somewhere in their dental repertoire... Though it's much more sensible to enjoy a case of relatively cheap beer when playin' some stick on the pond, enjoying a nice craft brew once the skates come off is never a penalized play...
Boulevard Brewing - Harvest Dance [Wheat Wine Style Ale | Smokestack Series] (750ml ---> Red Wine Glass : 8.6% ABV : 42 IBU)
A generously loud "pop" erupted from the bottle as I removed the cork from the top... I've said before that the sound is not always a good sign, but it adds to the element of excitement that builds up before indulging in a new brew... Though I poured it quite delicately, a large three inch head of large, pearly white bubbles formed quickly, it's retention aided by a nice amount of carbonation rising from the bottom of the glass... The head receded decently slow, fizzling to a superb retentive cap, leaving behind a considerable amount of lacing on the glass walls... It's got a beautiful, deep apricot hue, which is moderately hazy against the light... After a significant stir, the aromas of clove and banana strike first, followed shortly by yeast notes, all of which mingle nicely amongst a backdrop of wine-like elements... Tasting it was an immediate delight, the bread and soft citrus flavors intertwined on the palate as if eating a fresh prepared slice of banana-nut bread!! Mid-palate there's a resurgence of mild citrus and orange zest, which are presumably from the hops... The finish is awesome, as the oak flavor becomes more and more pronounced, and it contrasts the fruity elements in elegant fashion... It's a crisp finish, but the flavor continues to develop for quite a while once consumed, allowing for further enjoyment after finishing each sip... The mouthfeel on this brew is tremendous!! Not only is it fitting for the style, but it serves as an asset to further enhance the flavors contained within the beer... Overall this is an outstanding performance by the always impressive Boulevard Brewing Company... It's a fairly simple beer, brewed with seemingly great attention to detail, as it's minimal components amount to an outstanding balance of flavors... Another great brew - Cheers!!
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