Dogfish Head Black & Blue

The real Harold Ramis


No, I am not on the Dogfish Head payroll. Though I frequently tout their beers, I am merely a fan. Their Black & Blue is a Belgian golden ale made with over 300 pounds of fresh blueberries and blackberries per batch. Dogfish is at it again, so I could not resist this seemingly odd beverage. By the way, who is that guy on the label? He looks like Elliot Gould in an A&E bio flick playing John Adams. No wait, he looks like Harold Ramis hanging out at the Playboy Mansion...

The pour reveals that Black & Blue is neither black, nor blue. It has a transparent light pink color, with a slight carnation colored head. The aromas has a good amount of yeast, with refreshing notes of berries and Belgian spice. On the palate, I discovered lots of blackberries. The blueberries were only apparent on the finish. Also, the palate had nice elements of sweet malt, coriander and even lavender. Like I said, the blueberries are evident on the mildly tart finish. I nice end of summer selection, which amazing has 10% alcohol. If you're out in the sun, I would definitely split a 750ml bottle with a friend rather than attempting it on your own. Very sneaky.

This Dogfish Head beverage is quite tasty, though it is a tad expensive for what it is at $11.99 per 750ml. But, that is to be expected when you toss in 300 pounds of fresh berries. Those suckers aren't cheap! All in all, this is a good substitute for a sparkling wine or a prosecco. Expensive for a beer, but it is quite affordable if you treat it like a wine. Good for a lazy Sunday summer brunch with fresh fruit and a few friends. I bet this one will convert a few of your wine drinker friends into the world of beer.