Friday Beer Snob: Tom’s Top Ten Series — Blue Point Blueberry Ale
Blue Point Blueberry Ale
Brewed By: Blue Point Brewing Company
Brewed IN: Patchogue, NY
ABV: 4.3%
Type: Fruit Ale
What They Say: Blue Point fresh Blueberry Ale offers an unusual twist on brewing that turns out to be just perfect. A wonderful blend of fresh blueberries matched with a thirst quenching distinctive ale. We carefully add 132 lbs of blueberries to each special batch. Brewed with 100% American ingredients. Enjoy a truly unique flavorful brew!
Website: It’s been discussed in my other Blue Point reviews. I still hate it and still want the job.
Why I Picked It: I think this might have been the first Blue Point I ever tried. And thus a love affair was born. This remains my counter-argument to the “don’t fruit the beer” rule. Because, you know, taking your beer consumption advice from Miller Lite is something to which we all should aspire.
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Presentation (5): The label is designed to look like a crate of blueberries stamped with the name of the beer and overflowing with blueberries. For whatever reason, I really like the look of the wet, juicy blueberries and it does look refreshing. 4
Originality (5): I’m reasonably certain this was the first blueberry ale I tried. I’m also reasonably certain this was the first fruit beer I liked. Previously, it was cherry lambics and peach nonsense that didn’t work out. I don’t know if Blue Point started the blueberry thing, but I’ll give it points for being pretty early on. 4
Body (10): This is an extremely carbonated ale with a light body, thin head, and constant strong carbonation. On draft, some bars will put blueberries in this beer and the carbonation will actually push the berries to the top and then they fall back to the bottom to get pushed back up again. In general, a great refreshing body for an ale. 10
Taste (10): Sometimes breweries insist certain flavors are in their beers and they just hang out in the background or are completely indiscernible. This is the opposite of that. This tastes like blueberry pie. Like liquid blueberry pie. It’s the only taste from the initial sip to the aftertaste to the proceeding belch. All blueberry. The only issue I have with it is that the blueberry taste becomes a little syrupy after a few. 7
Efficiency (10): While I do love this beer, the almost-nil alcohol content and the blueberry-pie flavor doesn’t combine in to efficiency. Don’t get me wrong — I absolutely love the beer’s flavor. But I only really like it for three bottles at the most. I also love blueberry pie, but I wouldn’t want to eat a whole one in one sitting. 6
Versatility (10): Unfortunately, not very. It’s tremendously refreshing but it has a flavor that doesn’t pair well. It’s a great draught to have at a bar. It’s also a great summer beer to drink on the porch or drink watching a ballgame. That’s pretty much the extent. I love it but I’m not going to drink it with a steak. 6
Final Score: 36 (of 50) – Really good beer. Turns out — probably not in the top ten, though.