Boulevard Harvest Dance Wheat Wine Style Ale

 

The greatly anticipated release of Harvest Dance marks the eleventh offering in Boulevard Brewing Company's Smokestack Series. Fans of  these specialty beers will not be disappointed.

Harvest Dance is a wheat wine style ale.  This type of beer is not widely available, and is just recently gaining popularity.  Wheat wines are usually high in alcohol(9% - 12%) and have a grain bill consisting of over 50% wheat.  This large quantity of wheat is what lends the style it's signature soft, smooth mouth-feel.  Harvest Dance's uniqueness comes from it's fermentation process.  This beer was aged on oak before bottling. 

A gentle pour into a Boulevard Smokestack chalice produces a fluffy off-white head.  The beer has an amazing deep reddish copper color and gives off strong aromas of yeast and alcohol.  There is also a strong presence of citrus that really becomes apparent as the beer warms.  The first sip starts with a tart yeasty flavor as the hops and oak take over the tongue.  The high alcohol and carbonation leave the palette cleansed, begging for another sip.

Another wonderful offering from the folks at Boulevard.  This beer fits in with other wheat wines yet still sets itself apart with some unique characteristics.  If possible, it wouldn't hurt to buy a few bottles to cellar for a while.  After a few months or even a couple years this beer could transform into something very special.  However, that may be easier said than done.  When you have a beer this good, it's hard to let it sit.