Dark Truth Stout - Boulevard Brewing, Kansas City

It's Imperial Stout season but Boulevard seems to be running a little behind this year... In lieu of another release of their Limited Release Imperial Stout, Boulevard has bottled a modified version this year and called it the Dark Truth. A very ominous name on it's own, but if you turn the bottle around and actually read the flavor text on the back you might think Boulevard is trying to sell this beer to guys who are waaaay in to Dio and like to volunteer at the local Renaissance Fair. "He who imbibes the Dark Truth shall find himself filled with the strength of mad bear!" Ok, it's not actually that bad... but there are references to alchemy and "hidden knowledge."

But enough about the back label, most people won't read that anyways. How's this beer look, smell and taste? Pretty darn good actually... Pouring this beer into my Smokestack chalice and Tank 7 tulip I was presented with two very different heads. As you can imagine with a wide-mouthed goblet, the head was medium sized but respectable. The tulip glass seemed to anger this beer and filled the head with much vigor! ...sorry, I was distracted by the back label again. Seriously though, if you're in a hurry to drink this beer you should probably use a larger glass so you don't have to wait 15 minute for the head to die down.

The aroma of the Dark Truth is pretty fantastic. It's blatantly stouty without being boring. There is also much less roasted and coffee on the nose, something I enjoy in moderation but seems to be used as a mask more often than not. If I had to sum up the aroma in as few words as possible I'd put it to you like so, "Chocolate breakfast toast." The Dark Truth smells like the dream breakfast I never knew I was craving... In many ways it TASTES like the dream breakfast I never knew I was craving too.

This beer is full of chocolate and sweet malt, but is much more full bodied than some Chocolate Stouts I've had. This puts the Dark Truth a step ahead of its peers in some regards. I say that because this beer isn't as bitter as I was expecting. I enjoy nothing more in my Imperial Stouts than a smooth body and pleasant finish, and that's exactly what I found in this beer. The malt is nice and sweet, lightly roasted but not enough to taste like coffee grounds, while the chocolate component is more sweet than dark... odd considering the name but it truly works.

If you like big dark beers you'll love the Dark Truth because it's a very well balanced Imperial Stout. If you're new to the world of Imperial Stouts you'll find plenty of welcoming flavors in this beer without having the hassle of incredibly bitter flavors.