American Blackberry Ale
American Blackberry Ale - 6.5% ABV
Wild Leap Brew Co. (LaGrange, Georgia)
Blackberry Ale
American Blackberry Ale pours a murky purple, honestly more like a brown with tints of maroon than a true purple or red. In a tulip glass, there's a slight bit of bubbling that sticks around at the top of the beer.
If you're looking for a clear, crisp looking fruit beer, I'd turn away from this one, but I personally appreciate the haziness to the color. It kind of shows off the fact that there's real fruit in the beer? Maybe that's just me.
The nose isn't overwhelmingly fruity, but it does have a nice sweetness to it. There's a little bit of berry, but just as much wheat. There's also a little sharpness, but nothing like what you get from a berliner weisse or a lot of the fruit beers I've written about on this blog.
The taste, however, is full-throttle berry. The berries don't give off any bitterness, so it's more reminiscent of a blackberry pie, as the piecrust details on the can would indicate. It's nice and sweet, and the wheat is mild. I'd say it's almost negligible, but friends who typically steer away from beer (or tend toward sours) would probably think it's a little too much.
It's also got a nice body, with a bit of carbonation. The feel is smooth in the front of your mouth, with a little bubble on the back of the tongue to finish off the sip.Â
I'd say this beer is a definite winner. It tastes fresh, finishes nicely and is also super crushable. Plus, a 6.5% ABV for a drinkable fruit beer isn't too shabby.Â
Overall rating: 4/5