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Blueberry

Indiana
United States
Blueberry by Upland Brewing Co.
Judges Ratings 
1 Review
88
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
36 / 40
Appearance:
6 / 6
Mouthfeel:
7 / 10
Overall Impression:
17 / 20
Description 

Blueberry is a barrel-aged sour ale that combines the traditional Belgian-style sour with blueberries sourced from Michigan and Canada. We ferment our base blonde ale, Basis, over six to eight months in oak tanks to produce tart flavors, fruity notes, and a funky character. Then, we select a blend of individual batches for fruiting with whole blueberries for an additional three months, creating an intense blueberry fruit character with floral and dark fruit aromas. The final blend is bottle conditioned, resulting in a fine carbonation and spritzy mouthfeel. Blueberry is the perfect drink to share with friends over a plate of good cheese and fresh fruit.

Beverage Profile
ABV: 
6.15
IBUs: 
8
Judges Review 
Jason Johnson's picture
Judges Rating:
88
Aroma:
22 / 24
Appearance:
6 / 6
Flavor:
36 / 40
Mouthfeel:
7 / 10
Overall Impression:
17 / 20

This beer is a Wild Specialty Beer fitting well into the BJCP category 28C. This category is for sour and/or funky version of a fruit, or spice beer, or a wild beer aged in wood. If wood-aged, the wood should not be the primary or dominant character.

I love the color of this beer. It pours a plum/purple color. Very interesting color for sure. It was quite clear and poured a pinkish/purple head. The head was long lasting, which I honestly was not expecting. The aroma is dominated by fresh blueberries, which I would expect based on the appearance. After the blueberry aroma there is a low funky earthy aroma. I do get a light sour aroma. No hop presence that I can detect. The flavor is fruity and full of blueberries. There is just enough sweetness  and malt presence to prevent the beer from becoming wine-like. But looking at it, it could appear like a sparkling wine. I do not pick up any hops in the flavor, other than a low bitterness.

The carbonation is quite high, and gives the beer a slightly metallic tang. I suspect that’s from the combination of the fruit and acidity from the carbon dioxide. It comes across as medium bodied, with a high carbonation. I don’t get any alcohol warmth or creaminess with the beer. It’s just as the description suggests. It’s a funky blueberry ale. I don’t pick up any barrel character in the aroma or flavor on this beer, but it’s possibly drowned out by the intense blueberry character.

Brewery Introduction

Located in Bloomington, Indiana, Upland Brewing Co. began its intriguing story in 1998 with a mission to brew remarkable beers in remarkable ways, staying true to the artisan, progressive spirit found in our part of the Midwest. Our sour program began in 2006 as a way to entertain our curious... Read More