Blackstone "Blueberry Picnic" Ale

I'm not going to start with my usual bashing of Blackstone. I'm not going to do it. Yes, they could be better, but it's not like they're the worst brewer ever. This time, they're going to go off the wall with a fruit beer. Particularly, this is blueberry. I had some blueberry beers before, and it's a strange mix when blueberry gets added in. It's not a particularly strong flavor, naturally, but concentrated into a generic ale, it could skew things just the right way.

The somewhat murky, copper beverage doesn't really have much of the color of the blueberries in it. Mind you, I've said it before, and I guess I'm going to say it again, but the insides of blueberries are not blue. Likewise, their juice isn't blue. The head is quite short-lived, and I'm not really sure why. It doesn't leave any lacing in its wake, and a naked beer is all that greets me once I make it to my desk to try and write this review. The aroma is heavy on the blueberries, and that's okay with me. The smell underneath appears to be a little malt heavy, but that just might be because the blueberries are overwhelming whatever hops might be in here.

First sip is refreshing and good. If you told me that this had blueberry and apple juice in it, I would not argue with you. I know that the two are linked in more ways than one, and it is not unusual for concentrated juices of various kinds of fruits and berries to wind up being mostly apple juice. It turns out, humans are not particularly good at telling the difference between apple juice and other juices. Overall, the sip is sweet with a mild malt backing, and the blueberries not intruding too harshly on the taste buds.

Tip-in is light carbonation tingle with blueberries, sweetness, and a vague malt. The middle turns up the carbonation a bit, but it doesn't become a ruckus. Instead, the sweet apple juice is joining the blueberries with the malt turning slightly grainy, but the sensation is really refreshing. The finish ends on a blueberry sweet note as it takes the berries into the trail off.

Bottom Line: Definitely one of the better brews from these guys.

4.0/5