Ready for a Big Beer? Boulevard/Firestone Walker Collaboration No. 6 Due in December

A beer so big it fits four beers into just one! Boulevard Brewing‘s Collaborations have traditionally been on the lighter side. The highest ABV of the previous collaborations being 8.5%, but this year’s comes in at a solid 12.5%, perfect for the cold days in December when its due to be released.

This Smokestack Series Collaboration has been overseen by Boulevard Brewmaster Steven Pauwels and Firestone Walker‘s Brewmaster Matt Brynildson and includes two Boulevard beers and two Firestone Walker beers.  The big, bold flavor combination resulting in a Barrel Aged Ale includes the following beers.

45% of Boulevard Bourbon Barrel Quad, an abbey-style quadrupel separated into a number of oak bourbon barrels where it ages for varying lengths of time. Cherries are added and selected barrels are then blended for optimum flavor.

35% of Firestone Walker Stickee Monkee, a Central Coast Quad that is brewed with Belgian candy sugar and aged in fine bourbon barrels. The sugar imparts a molasses sweetness to the beer.  Maturation in bourbon casks brings ample barrel expression with notes of toasted oak, coconut, leather, and cigar tobacco.

10% of Boulevard Imperial Stout X – Tart Cherry (Whiskey Barrel-Aged), an imperial stout with additions of tart cherries to fermentation as well as lactic souring on the brewhouse.

10% of Firestone Walker Velvet Merkin, an oatmeal stout aged for a full year in retired spirits barrels from Heaven Hill, Woodford Reserve, and others. It offers rich milk chocolate, bourbon, and espresso flavors, preceded by aromas of vanilla, coconut, toasted oak, and mocha.

No exact date has been released, just some time in December. Its original targeted release was October, but it was determined the beer needed some extra time in the barrels to get the quality to the standards of the Brewmasters.

Boulevard Brewing’s and Firestone Walker’s Collaboration No. 6 will be available in 750ml bottles and on tap.