Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat Ale

Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat Ale. Hazy. American Classic.

4.4% ABV.

Boulevard Brewing, Kansas City, MO. 

I recently decided to buy a 12 bottle variety pack from Boulevard Brewing. Reasons: it was only $15 (and I am so tired of paying $15 or more for merely 64 ounces of beer, versus the 144 I'm getting here), and it contains 3 of their beers that I've never had before. But, wait, I think to myself, has the Unfiltered Wheat never appeared in the Nib before? Answer: no, it has not. When did I have it last? Actually, eighteen years ago. Let's go look at those notes: 

The decision to label this brew with the clunky technical term"unfiltered wheat beer" must have come from the marketing division. It certain lacks the poetry of "hefe weizen". The suits should learn a lesson: people like to speak German! All the kids are doing it!

Anyway...Slightly hazy, pale yellow color, with an admirably thick white head. Nose is oddly empty. I expect a good hefe to spring out with aromas and tickle my senses from the start, and that's not happening here. Very little suggests itself, apart from some citrus, straw, faint hints of vanilla, bananas, and overall, very dry. Typically grainy texture on the palate, a very light body, fine balance. Some honey flavors jump in the end, but it doesn't make much difference. The finish is swift, forgettable, disappointing. A lackluster hefe weizen, I'm afraid.

This bottle was a sample from a salesrep at a local distributor. I've got Schneider Weisse on tap at my bar now, and Bell's Oberon will be out soon. I'll have to pass on Boulevard, thanks.

So, nearly two decades later, I think I was wrong to expect a Hefe Weizen, and I judged it poorly against that perception. Gave it 2.93/5, which is 17% below the average. (You'll notice I don't do rankings here in the Nib, for various reasons.) I still don't think it's very good, but it's a decent beer, and you can drink it.