Dogfish Head Black and Blue

Brewed by Dogfish Head Brewery
Style: Fruit Beer
Milton, Delaware USA

So I’m not quite sure why everyone is so harsh with this one. In the glass, this beer glows blood orange with golden highlights and a 1/2 inch peach foam that hangs on for a minute or two. Aroma is freshly picked black & blueberries (as one would hope). Noticeable sourness, belgian yeast, banana, clove, and spice are on the tongue. Thick enough to remember, not too thick for nightmares...interesting.

Interesting offering here. Pours cherry-amber into the glass, with a pinkish off-white fizzy, almost soda-like head, diminishing to the tiniest ring that leaves very tiny lace. The tart cider-like fruitiness shows up on the top of the palate, with small vinegar notes midway in the mouth, where the yeast predominates. The finish is much the same, with a touch of alcohol warmth to pepper the back-palate. This isn’t nearly as complex as the description might lead one to believe. I didn’t pick up on the "subtle bitterness" as commercially described, nor a lot of spice in the finish (although, to be truthful, it did get better as the brew warmed, but muddied by all the other vinegar, yeast and sours going on). I was a little disappointed with the mouthfeel, which was a weird cross between a weak soda, and not a lot of substance to the body. It’s a decent brew, just odd. I love the Dogfish Head brewery, but this just travels in too many directions to give a clear headway where the concentration lies.

Bomber, shared. Pours an amber color with a medium white to off-white head. Aroma is heavy berry up front, which really entices you to drink the beer, as well as some yeast notes. Taste is far more muted than the aroma, with slight malt and yeast notes crashing into a slight spice finish with a tart aftertaste that could only be a result of the berries. Remains smooth throughout, though the alcohol became more noticeable as the beer warmed slightly.

Got a bottle (1 pint 9.6oz) today, a very smooth beer, goes down really easy. Nice berry taste. Really a nice beer. would definitely drink again...infact i think i’ll finish the bottle today. Drank another bottle of this, a fantastic daily drinker. Dogfish head scores again.

Draft and Max’s Taphouse. Pours out an amber color with a medium head. aroma was fantastic. Full of fruity berries. I really liked the aroma. flavor on the other hand was not to match. it was sweet as expected, but the berries in the aroma was not very present and the had a slight burn in the finish.

Bottled. Pours out in a clear reddish amber colour with a frothy off-white foam. Rather stale and dusty aroma of neutral yeast, almonds and mild blueberries. Medium to full-bodied with notes of yeast, mild pepper, blueberry jam and mild grass. Dryish finish of yeast and mild spices with rather dense jammy undertones of blackberries and sweet blueberries. Decent, the berry part felt quite dumbed down.

Aroma is mild berry and a sort of biscuit maltiness. Cloudy orange/amber color. with a pinkish white head. Not a lot of hops in the flavor, the berries and malt last from start to finish, with some tartness that comes at the very end. Pretty smooth considering the alcohol content. Not bad but their are others that are better.

Bottle, 750 mL. 2008 vintage. Amber/deep orange with a slightly pinkinsh, diminishing head. Aroma of berries and malt. Slightly sour with a dry finish, and a lasting aftertaste. Good, but not great.