The second best thing about a family reunion is sitting around visiting with people you don’t have the opportunity to see very often. The best thing about a family reunion is talking to them while enjoying a good beer. (Best because if the conversation is no good, at least you can enjoy the beer while you are pretending to listen to that boring relative who thinks you really care about their latest bug bite or whatever….) I had the good fortune to see most of my family last weekend and my wonderful niece, who lives in Kansas City, was there. Not only did she bring her husband for me to drink beer with, she also brought beer for us to drink. The beer she brought was one of her favorites, Boulevard Pale Ale.
This brew hails from Kansas City and I can see why it is one of the her favorites. Because we were at an outdoor venue, I didn’t have ready access to a glass so I poured it in a plastic cup. It took a while for the white foamy head to die down enough for me to see the true color which was like a slightly cloudy cup of apple juice. It had a mild citrusy hop aroma that was not overbearing like some Pales. The taste was a little surprising to me. I was expecting a burst of hoppy dryness like you get with a good Pale Ale, but this one was fairly mild. About half way down, the hoppiness started to catch up to my palate but on a slow mild pace. Not your typical Pale Ale, smoother and milder than most, very drinkable. This would be a good gateway beer for those who don’t usually drink Pale Ales. A great session beer.
Pale Ale’s are a very versatile type of brew, they go with just about any food. This one however could be served year round with any meal (including breakfast), any snack, or any cigar. Because of it’s mildness, it falls just short of being my favorite Pale, but it’s up there. Next time I’m in KC it will be my beer of choice. I’ll even bring a case or two home for some of my Porch buddies to try. Good job Boulevard and special thanks to my beautiful niece thinking of her “Uncle Porch” when she packed her cooler for the reunion.
P-O-R-C-H Rating C-
Posted by Mr. Porch in Ales, Beer Reviews, Pale Ale
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