As all 5 of you readers know, I enjoy a good IPA every now and then. Well, actually, more like all the time.
Seeing a couple 750mL bottles of special releases by Boulevard, I decided to get the Double Wide IPA and give it a whirl. Having a fine ale (or lager) served bottle conditioned (refermented in the bottle for extra deliciousness and carbonation) is something I cannot usually pass up… especially when served in 750mL Belgian-style champagne bottles.
Aromatically speaking, a moderate hoppy nose comes through with some slight sweet caramel-like malt aromas as well.
Hop flavors are quite abundant with the bitterness dancing around from first drink to well after the swallow (thats what she said). Malt backbone is not too complex yet still helps to give the beer a nice backbone on which to release a fury of hoppy goodness.
Body is not very big, but does have a slight “chewy” quality… which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, a “Chewie” body is right out.
The deep bronze/dark orangeish hue is mesmerizing… it almost tells me “drink more! drink more!”. Well, ok… that is a lie… any delicious beer tells me to drink more.
What may be telling me to drink more is a delicious Curry Chicken dinner I have prepared this fine evening. The India Pale Ale gets its name from beers that were brewed in Britain and were “over-hopped” to ensure they would stay intact on the long voyage to Britain-occupied India. Since Britain’s normal bitter beers could not last the long sea voyage to India, more hops were added. The Britain’s were probably unaware of the antiseptic and antioxidant qualities of the hops, but now that I think about it… they were probably too drunk to realize that to begin with.
This is why a lot of hoppy beers pair well with spicy foods… like this wonderful chicken curry dish with basmati rice… not because the Brits were too drunk.. but because the spicy bitterness of IPAs and bitter beers play well with the spices of Indian or Thai foods.
Well thats it… you can go home now.
Or at least go to the store and pick up a bottle of the Boulevard Double Wide IPA.
I should be back in a while with the other Smokestack reviews.