Dark Horse Tres Blueberry Stout

Brewed by Dark Horse Brewing Company
Style: Dry Stout
Marshall, Michigan USA

12oz bottle.
Pours a menacing dark brown-black with saddle-soap-colored head that leaves nice lacing throughout the inside of the glass. Aroma is bitter-roasted grain, dark chocolate, and of course, blueberries. Flavor is also bitter from the roasted grains but has little of the charcoal flavor that so many craft-brew stouts seem to aim for (and lacking this is a good thing IMO). There is some sweetness from the malt and presumably the blueberries to keep the bitterness in check. Speaking of the blueberries, I was skeptical about a blueberry stout, thinking that a judicious dose of blueberry flavor would be the only way it could work. And that’s exactly what they have done here -- just enough to let you know the blueberries are there but not trying to "take over" the flavor. Any more of the blueberry flavor and I don’t think this would have worked. Body is full with a thick, almost oily palate. This would have been a solid stout without the blueberries, and adding blueberry flavor could have ruined it not handled properly. Thankfully, it was handled properly.

Bottle, thanks to ogglethorp. Poured black with no light coming through and no head, just a thin tan oil slick cover. Aromas of roasted coffee, chocolate and blueberry. Very nice flavors, lots of coffee with the background blueberry. As it warmed in my snifter, the roasty coffee flavor really picked up and the blueberry faded. Excellent mouthfeel, slick and creamy with a good finish. A ver nice beer.

Bottle. Small brownish creamy head that mostly diminished. Spare lacework. Pitch black color. Aroma of coffee, chocolate, blueberries and roasted malt. Over the palate came mild burned malt, bitter coffee and chocolate. Medium bodied with a soft carbonation and mild alcoholic thick texture. Moderated sweet and bitter flavor. Bitter burned malty finish. 7 / 3 / 8 / 3 / 15

12 oz bottle. Pours deep black color with a beautiful deep dark brown head that unfortunately dissipates rather quickly. Malt and mild jammed blueberry aroma. Flavor is roasted malt and a very subtle blueberry note. Good solid body. Slightly dry finish. Overall a little interesting and original tasting. Pretty enjoyable but nothing too special.

Picked up a single 12-oz bottle at Riley’s Wines of the World in Madison, WI. Pours a near opaque dark brown, near black, brew with a dark tan head. Excellent lacing. Aroma is blueberries, even at a distance away as I poured for our guests. Close up aroma has chocolate, some mocha, roasted barley malt, and mild fruit. Taste is a little gritty, carbonated, and lighter than the first two Dark Horse stouts. Finish is sweet at first and then slightly bitter. The aroma is better than the taste. Reminds me of going out for pancakes the next morning.

12 ounce bottle shared at Dickinsonbeer’s brewing fest. Very dark black with brown head. Rich chocolate spicy fruity blueberry aroma. Rich roasted coffee chocolate mild fruity blueberry and strong, call me crazy, anise spice or licorice. Blueberry is artfully subdued. Nice texture. Very good.

Bottle...incredible blueberry aroma, does not carry through as much to the palate. Nice creamy stout for the backbone.

Thanks TampaBrew for the share. Pours dark brown with a miniscule off-white head. Nose is roasted malt, perfume, prickly overripe blueberries, and some coffee. Flavor is roast, chocolate, blueberry puree, and sweet darkness. Medium bodied with a lingering sweet finish. Interesting spin on this style.