The Legacy of Dank 7

A Tale of Seven Hops.

13 years ago Boulevard Brewing Company set the brewing world ablaze with a revolutionary new take on a classic Belgian Saison, by using quintessential American varieties and dry-hopping, along with an increased alcohol strength, for an amplified take on a historically subtle style. The result was Tank 7 and it immediately became a classic.

Last spring when discussing beers that we wanted to drink in 2023 (over a couple of Tank 7s of course) the conversation kept turning towards beers that we do really well, and the powerhouse of Belgian-style ales in our portfolio. One of our brewers commented on a desire for a hoppier version of our American Saison, plus a slightly lower ABV, and the rest of the team agreed that an even bigger dose of hops in our perennial classic could be fantastic and delicious and the code name “Dank 7” was born.

After a few batches of a test version passed through the bar in the Beer Hall, visitors to the brewery gravitated back again and again to try this Test Belgian IPA. Meanwhile, we went back and forth on what to call this new beer. The name Dank 7 kept popping up, referring to the hops deployed in the beer on tap. Much like how in the very early days, the name Tank 7 was used internally when talking about the new beer in fermenter number 7, the name stuck and communicates quite well what to expect from this Belgian-style ale with whopping amounts of hop flavor and aroma.

The descriptor “Dank” has long been used in brewing to describe the resinous, piney, and potent hop flavors and aroma created by hops grown on the west coast and the Pacific Northwest. Combining those dank elements of the beer with the signature Belgian esters and phenols driven by the Tank 7 yeast created a beer whose roots are unmistakably familiar to our fan-favorite American Saison.

Our fan favorite is finally getting a buddy. Beginning with the spirit of Tank 7 and utilizing our unmistakable house Belgian yeast, lit up by a piney and resinous combination of 7 hops, and clocking in at 7% ABV, 55 IBUs, we are stoked to introduce you to Dank 7.

Dank 7 is the far-out cousin of Tank 7. Try them side by side and the familial relationship will be unquestionable.

Brewed with 7 different hop varieties: Bravo, Chinook, Citra, Columbus, Mosaic, Simcoe, and Topaz. Our Belgian yeast strain adds layers of spicy phenols, fruity esters, and a one-of-a-kind indescribable house character, while our hop choices might be reminiscent of other mind-bending pastimes.

Greg Garrity, our innovation brewer, says “We pulled out all the stops in our marriage between West Coast-style IPA and Saison in Dank 7. We incorporated a hefty addition of Golden Naked Oats into the grist to balance out the absolute absurdity of hop bursting and dry hopping we deploy in this brew.”

Dank 7 Belgian-style IPA will hang side-by-side with Tank 7 seasonally.