7 Days of Christmas Beer – Boulevard Brewing ‘Nutcracker Ale’

Colin Joliat Staff Writer

The 6th Christmas present in my refrigerated stocking this year is Boulevard Brewing’s “Nutcracker Ale.” I had a nightmare last week that I picked a beer that wasn’t technically Christmas. Or at least I thought it was a nightmare until I pulled this beer out of the fridge and found that was absolutely the case. I think you can give me the benefit of the doubt though given that the ballet it’s named after is set on Christmas Eve. Plus, the bottle has an awesome fake mustache.

Boulevard Brewing Nut Cracker Ale 285x214 7 Days of Christmas Beer Boulevard Brewing Nutcracker Ale

Nutcracker Ale is Boulevard’s holiday gift for real beer lovers. This hearty, warming brew is a classic winter ale, deep amber in color, with hints of molasses balanced by the “spiciness” of freshly harvested Chinook hops.

This is another fairly malty beer, and this time the most prominent flavor is brown sugar. I don’t say as in I catch a whispering hint of brown sugar in the aftertaste; I mean that it’s one of the ingredients in the beer. There are four different malts, three different hops, yeast, and brown sugar. It’s noticable, not overpowering, and lends well to the overall winter spice taste. As brewmaster Steven Pauwels will mention in the video, you also get a great piney flavor from the hops as well. The two work well together to make it a very balanced beer.

It has a good amount of carbonation, to the point where I might even randomly throw out the word “zesty.” Then again, that reminds me of either soap or Burger King’s onion ring sauce. Let’s ignore that zesty comment. It finishes with a dry taste in your mouth encouraging you to rush to that next drink. The flavors are fairly complex though, so sit back and enjoy the ride. It’s one of those beers whose taste seems to morph with every sip, making it a truly interesting and enjoyable option.

ABV: 5.8%; IBUs 38. BeerAdvocate gives it a B+ while it scored an 89 on RateBeer. Instead of my standard ridiculous review quote, I’ll let the master brewer say a few words.

 

 

Day 1: Great Lakes Brewing – Christmas Ale

Day 2: Anchor Brewing – Our Special Ale 2011

Day 3: Three Floyd’s – Alpha Klaus

Day 4: Goose Island – Christmas Ale

Day 5: Bell’s – Christmas Ale

What'd you think of this?

Cast My Vote

Other Stories You Might LIke

comment on this story

blog comments powered by Disqus