Sometimes I need to prove to certain friends of mine that I still drink some Samuel Adams products now and again.  This is one of those times.

I still tend to go into drinking fruit beers with a little hesitation, as I don’t expect to like them that much.  The warmer days in Florida do seem to help out their case as the outdoor air and sunshine somehow changes how I feel about them.  Then again, being barefoot with my toes in the sand alone makes a lot of beers taste better to me.  So since I was not close to the beach when I evaluated this one, I was a bit surprised I enjoyed it as much as I did.

I should not have been too taken aback since it was a Boston Beer Company brew.  I may not love them all, but there is a consistent level of quality that I know will be there regardless of how my palate accepts it.

Brewery: Boston Beer Company (Boston, Massachusetts)

Name: Blackberry Witbier

Style: Fruit Beer

ABV: 5.5%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a pilsner glass.  $8.69 per 6-pack

Aroma: Noticeable fruit nose (though not sure that I would have guessed blackberry).  Light wheat character with some slight spiciness (coriander) in back.

Appearance: Light gold (almost to full/deep gold) color.  Three finger, off-white head that is thick with good retention and leaves a trail.  Mostly clear with a slight haze and many bubbles visible.

Flavor: Nice sweetness with a hint of berry (just enough) and the slightest note of hops.  Well balanced with nothing overpowering.  A bit dry at finish, though not lingering.

Mouthfeel: Medium to light body with high carbonation.  Smooth and slightly creamy with the slightest bit of dryness.

Overall Impressions: Refreshing and easy drinking.  Definitely glad I tried and was as good or better than expected.  I would drink again as a good summer beer.

Grade: B

Boston Beer Company - Blackberry Witbier

Though typically fruit beers are not one of my favorite styles, I don’t think I can continue to add fruit to my home brews and maintain that opinion as a baseline.  It is not that I don’t like fruit beers, but many that I have tried had an artificial flavor that just does not work for my palate.  Of course with that, there are also some that are really quite good.  This one falls solidly on the good end of the fruit beer scale for me.  The Wife likes her fruit beers quite a lot and really enjoyed this one (would have graded it higher than I did), so that should be endorsement enough.  This one will likely find its way into our house again in the future.

Brewery: Great Divide Brewing Co. (Denver, CO)

Name: Wild Raspberry Ale

Style: Fruit Beer

ABV: 5.6%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a pint glass.  $1.99 for 12oz.

Aroma: Full, smooth berry aroma (that is not artificial smelling) with an underlying malty sweetness.

Appearance: Amber color, but with a reddish hue.  One finger, off-white head with decent retention and a hint of a trail.  Very clear with a few rising bubbles visible.

Flavor: Berry flavor up front that goes away fairly quickly.  Fruitiness intertwined completely with the good base of malt flavor(s).  Bit of dryness at finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium (toward light) body and moderate (to low) carbonation.  Some slight astringency (dryness).

Overall Impressions: Typically not my favorite style, but pretty good as they go.  Better when not extremely cold.  The fruit/berry profile is nice (natural and well balanced).

Grade: B+

Great Divide Brewing Co. - Wild Raspberry Ale

After yesterday’s beer news I was pleasantly surprised to get the opportunity to enjoy a few Sam Adams Noble Pils drafts last night at the Celebration Town Tavern.  I really didn’t think I would get an opportunity to try it that soon.  It may be a bit strange to have enjoyed a spring seasonal in January, but it was good enough that I will have to reconsider my personal ranking of the Sam Adams seasonal lineup.  Combining that with meeting some extremely nice people, getting a tour of the beer cooler, and having some of the best clam chowder and onion rings in Florida (or anywhere for that matter), it was a really excellent evening.  A big thank you to Bill and Susan for your hospitality!

Oh yeah, I have a beer review for Friday to get to.  I am not sure if I would have picked this one for myself, but I am glad The Wife brought it home for me to try.  It is one of those different, but in a good way beers.

Brewery: Kerkom Brewery (Belgium)

Name: Bink Bloesem (Belgian Ale with pear syrup and honey)

Style: Fruit Beer

ABV: 7.1%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the wine fridge and served in a mug.  $4.99 for 11.2 oz.

Aroma: Mild malt aroma with some sweetness (honey?) and fruitiness, but no specific fruit nose.  Slight yeastiness and some alcohol in back.

Appearance: Brown with strong garnet highlights.  Two plus finger, beige head with moderate retention that does not leave a trail.  Seems clear (very dark and unable to see through).

Flavor: Malty with some sweetness.  A hint of honey is there, but I would not be able to blindly identify which fruit without the label.  Good balance with a finish that lingers a bit with the slightest hint of bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Medium body and a good amount of carbonation that gives some bite.  Slight warmth toward finish.

Overall Impressions: Very enjoyable and I might not immediately pin it as a fruit beer in a blind tasting (no overwhelming fruit flavors).  The bit of warmth balances well with everything else.  Good beer, but small amount for the price.

Grade: B+

Kerkom Brewery - Bink Bloesem

Prior to Thanksgiving dinner I was asked (by Jim) when I would be running out of Dogfish beers to review.  The answer is that I will be trickling “Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Month” into December since I have a few more to evaluate for next week.  Not that there are no more for me to review (there are many), but that is how many I have left in the house.

Maybe it was that question that put the thought in my head, but when The Wife suggested wine after we returned home I suggested the Black & Blue as an option.  It turned out to be an appropriate substitution and a good end to the day.

Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, Delaware)

Name: Black & Blue (refers to use of black raspberry and blueberry purees)

Style: Fruit Beer (based on Belgian Golden Ale)

ABV: 10.0%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the wine fridge (51 degrees +/-) and served in an oversized wine glass.  $11.69 for 1pt. 9.6oz.

Aroma: Full malty sweetness and a prominent fruit nose (raspberry with an apple-like tartness/acidity).

Appearance: Medium brown color with slight red tone (coppery orange when held to light).  Slight cream color head that dissipates fairly quickly leaving some trail (legs).  Clear with very slight haze (possibly chill).

Flavor: Even berry/fruit flavor (blueberry) on a light malty, sweet background.  Some sourness/acidity towards finish.

Mouthfeel: Light body with high, champagne-like carbonation.  Smooth, but quite crisp at finish.  Some warmth on back of tongue/throat.

Overall Impressions: Drinks like a crisp, dry(ish) champagne.  Aroma suggested a bit more punch than what flavor was.  Really came close to what I expected from the label description.  The Wife didn’t love the first sip, but enjoyed it thereafter (disconnect with aroma).

Grade: B

The point of entry

Dogfish Head - Black & Blue

This was one of those that I could not resist trying early on in my evaluations.  Bananas in beer?  There was no way that I could pass this one up.  I don’t know that I can say that it was a disappointment because I did not have any real expectations having never tried a beer with bananas and fruit beer in general wasn’t a common choice of mine.  It really wasn’t a bad beer, just not one that I need to go out of my way to have again.  Giving it the one try was good enough and I would encourage others to try it as well.  It is something a bit different than other fruit beers you will find.

Brewery: Wells & Young’s Brewing Co. (UK)

Name: Banana Bread Beer

Style: Fruit Beer

ABV: 5.2%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the wine fridge and served in a pint glass.

Aroma: Low hop aroma with some spice.  Slight malt nose with a bit of banana at the end.

Appearance: Medium amber.  Off white to cream head with good height that dissipates quickly.  Very clear with visible bubbles rising initially.

Flavor: Low alcohol noticeable with very faint banana at the finish.  Slight dryness (astringency)  Not much flavor overall.

Mouthfeel: Light(er) body and low carbonation (rather flat).  Very smooth with a short, slightly sharp finish.

Overall Impressions: Easy drinking.  Not as much fruit in the flavor as the aroma implies., but it comes through a bit more as it warms.  Heavier ale flavor would have been nice.

Grade: C+

Wells & Young's Brewing Co. - Banana Bread Beer