@boulevard_beer has always had feet dangling in the barley tidepool with life adjacent gems like BBBQ and rye on rye just dripping rolo and oak off the shelves. Now we get to the main Life event at the Kumite and they have throw a touch of grain in the consumers eyes, but remain poised. People have asked me whether this is English or American in execution and the answer is a resounding ABSOLUTELY. Basically they took the sweet heft and classic cling of that U.K. Sweet treat and the brash coniferous hopping schedule of its NASCAR counterparts and here we are. This is a style bender to be sure and while confusing, it works on several levels. The rolo and skor bar is almost snuffed out under substantial cut pine and tanned leather, but in tandem they work. If the average dipshit consumer only has access to ho hum intensely hopped American barleywines then this will give a more accurate appraisal of the limits and capacity of the genre. Essentially, duvel may win converts to the often neglected god tier style, by presenting something less than a cord of firewood on the palates driveway. The massive distro coupled with the sheer quality is a huge win for the Life movement at large. However, this is more of a prequel to the real victory: the barrel-aged version of this that is no doubt forthcoming. The strong Hop presence will give it a Grat fortitude of indefatigablility to survive the cask and temper any sweetness. This will not disappoint and even greater things are coming down that malty luggage carousel, have your barleyclaim in hand.