Boulevard Releases First Backroads Beer: Entwined Ale

From Boulevard:

We’ve never been the best at brewing to style at Boulevard Brewing Company and have typically taken a “brew to flavor” approach when it comes to recipe formulation. As brewers, we think about the desired appearance, aroma and flavor of a finished beer when we sit down for initial recipe talks. Once the beer is finished and in a glass in front of us, we think of the best way to categorize it so drinkers will have an idea of what to expect when they order our beer. Using this approach has led to the brewing of some very interesting, yet hard to categorize beers. To give our brewing team an outlet for this creativity without rules approach, we’re proud to introduce Boulevard Backroads beers. You can think of this new line of beers as yet another creative outlet for beers that fit neither the Smokestack Series nor or core line of beers. These are beers that are a bit more challenging and offer the opportunity for education as well as refreshment.

The first Backroads beer you’ll see from us is Entwined Ale. Born from an experiment to use up a spare drum of Muscat grape juice, Entwined is a balancing act between beer and wine flavors. A wort brewed with our two row base malt and hopped exclusively with Nelson Sauvin hops is infused with Muscat grape juice during whirlpooling. This addition of juice provides sugar for our house ale yeast to consume, but also contributes a tart fruity character reminiscent of the flavors you’d experience in a crisp white wine. Nelson Sauvin hops reinforce this intention with bold tropical fruit flavors. At 4.2% ABV, Entwined Ale is a refreshing, drinkable marriage of beer and wine notes that finishes crisp and dry with just a touch of fruity sweetness. If you’ve sipped on the “Test Nelson Grape Ale” in the brewery’s tasting room or at a regional beer festival, then you’ve had a sneak preview of what Entwined Ale tastes like.

Other planned releases for Backroads beers include a gose infused with dried hibiscus flowers slated to hit shelves later this summer and a wet-hopped beer for the fall. Backroads beers will be available in six packs of 12 ounce bottles.

“The road must eventually lead to the whole world.” – Jack Kerouac