Kinda Blue Blueberry Wheat Beer - Boulder Beer / Wilderness Pub

monkeylovebeer

California

3.58/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

This refreshing example from the oft maligned "fruit and vegetable" category turned out to be just the ticket for a warm late-summer evening out on the porch. Kinda Blue pours a perfect golden color shining from within like a cursed ancient Egyptian death mask. Hyperbole? Perhaps ... and considering that this brew is built around an American wheat, I normally would like to see less clarity--since I like my wheat beers unfiltered--but damn, it is pretty.

The best part of this brew is the bouquet it throws. Blueberries are present, but not overwhelming or cloying. The hop profile makes itself known up front--yet upon tasting, it strikes a perfect balance with the grain bill.

All-in-all, Kinda Blue is a nice mellow American wheat with natural blueberry goodness. Points off for being filtered, though.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2010 23:01:46 | More by monkeylovebeer

scruffwhor

Illinois

2.8/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a transluscent amber color with some bubbling and an almost non-existant head or foam.

Toasted malts and a little adjunct skunk aromas. Maybe even a little blueberry fruitiness. For the most part, this beer smells pretty generic of any American amber ale.

Toasted Government issue white bread crust upfront. You might get some blueberry notes in the middle. And the finish is more Obama bread. This is a very generic, mediocre tasting beer. Especially since this is a "Blueberry wheat beer."

Not that I expected a super blueberry-esque tasting beer by any means, but its hard to tell there's blueberries in this beer at all for even the most discerning palate.

Not a terrible beer, but not one I will buy again or reccomend.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2010 22:41:37 | More by scruffwhor

atsprings

North Carolina

3.1/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On-tap at Flying Saucer served in a free Boulder Beer pint glass what I see as more like kinda dark pink. The beer is topped with a thin barely there head that quickly diminishes to nothing. Aroma is blueberry extract in front of sweet malts. The taste is a sweet almost syrupy blueberry juice with slight sweet malts. The beer is light bodied, but the sweetness gets in the way. I have to chalk this one up as almost a gimmick beer, it's one I won't be having again.

Serving type: on-tap

09-02-2010 14:53:53 | More by atsprings

JerzDevl2000

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked this up in the bomber because I like most of Boulder's beers and I'm not quite ready for the Octoberfests that are filling up the shelves now. This didn't have a look of a wheat beer but nevertheless, this fit the bill nicely for a late summer evening!

As others have commented on here, this poured quite a bit darker than I imagined. It probably has to do with the blueberry flavor and this was also a lot clearer than I was first led to believe. The head was nice but there wasn't a lot of lacing and if you're looking for hops, keep moving along. There's blueberry here, of course, with just a big of sugar and crystal malt flavors and a creamy, easygoing mouthfeel. This isn't strong but it's not artificial-tasting either and for me, that's all I ask for in a fruit or vegetable beer!

5.50% ABV? No sweat - this is easy to down and I probably could have had the whole bottle in a sitting. While this isn't as invigorating as the Hazed and Infused or the Cold Hop, this is a decent choice for the warm weather which has refused to go away this summer!

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2010 22:45:00 | More by JerzDevl2000

ArrogantB

Colorado

3.73/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22oz bottle $3.49 (not a bad price these days). The smell had a very, very subtle hint of blueberries. The color was dark orange with a creamy head which carried well to the mouthfeel, nice and creamy. The flavor was weird, not really wheaty, a bit of berry but not much. Overall it is quite easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2010 21:52:11 | More by ArrogantB

mtnbikerpa

Pennsylvania

2.5/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a bomber with freshness date of Sept 21 2010 on the bottle. Poured into a goblet with a very generous amount of head. The only real scents here are of the wheat. Most of the flavor comes from the wheat, roasted and toasted flavors. Drinkable nature is smooth. No real blueberry flavor here just some small background sweetness. I have had this brew on draft more than once and was not all that impressed. I am glad I bought this to try in the bottle, but next time I will pass.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2010 19:10:37 | More by mtnbikerpa

tapman

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Filtered, light honey in color, a giant whipped, sparkling, eggshell head. Fantastic head retention, and I mean really good. Tons of carbonation which for the style looks very inviting on a hot day. I like my wheats unfiltered and that is the only thing keeping this from a 5, but I would have no problem with someone else giving it one. It's an American pale wheat for christ sakes. After 5 minutes the head looks just like a freshly poured Guiness.

Pale malt with a spicy character that suggests some nice american-german hybrid hops. A very pale aroma with a hint of something like acetaldehyde, or should I say a hint of sour green apple, but not in a bad way... emphasis on LIKE. Smells like a good lager to me. No discernible blueberry, though that might mean no artificial blueberry anything, which I could get behind.

Tastes to me like an acetaldehyde-ed lager. Is it the blueberry sugars eaten by the yeast? Not too bad, but that's what I get. Hops I change my guess to a continental Saaz, maybe American or European. Malt profile is subtle and a little toasty.

Not as full bodied as I would have thought. I was expecting that carbonation bit which I usually don't care for, but something about this brew made me want it.

I'm a little confused with this one. Tastes to me like a continental pilsner. I don't really get any blueberry, which as I've said may be from the yeast eating the sugar and that is not bad actually. I would rather that then artificial crap. And why is this not under the fruit beer category? I might have to write a beermail...

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2010 03:19:27 | More by tapman

cnally

Indiana

3.13/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Should I put on Miles when I drink this? Nah, I think I'll roll with Pantera.

The look is a nice golden pale orange-red with a white head and a little lacing, sort of uncharmingly transparent.

The aroma does pick up some of the blueberry, but mostly it is a yeasty one with little depth.

The flavor begins a little cloying, too sweet, and doesn't deliver on the promise of a blueberry flavor that persists. The fruity flavor is very subtle and manages to allow a finish a little bitter and sour. Average.

A good creamy feel and well balanced carbonation.

Too sweet for my tastes, but managed to take expectations of a fruit beer and make it more into a wheat with a slight bitterness. However, sort of a chore to drink due to the sugars.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2010 01:06:01 | More by cnally

RickS95

Indiana

3.8/5  rDev +21.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Has a strange look. It's straw, but with a dark hue. After you see it's a berry flavored beer, it makes sense. On top is a huge pillow of white bubbles.

Smells like a normal wheat beer. You note some flowers and the wheat, but also something different. The berry scent is delicate and muted, not obnoxious like other berry beers.

The flavor resembles the smell. There is an obvious berry presence, but it's very mild and only slightly noticeable.

Some good stuff going on in the mouth. It's gently sweet from the wheat, and moderately bitter from the hops, but everything is balanced by the sweet tartness of the berries. It lacks the carbonated bite I expected, and almost has a creaminess to it.

Highly drinkable. It's not too sweet and you won't get sick of the sweetness after one bottle. It has a nice taste and the ABV of 5.5 means you don't have to worry about going to jail after just a couple.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2010 02:05:33 | More by RickS95

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +23.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Got a bomber for 6.25 since it's the only way to try this beer. Bastards.

A - Light amber in color with a light head that quickly diminishes. Pretty good.

S - mostly slight wheat with very mild berry smell. Smells of what could be a good beer.

T - Meh it's a pretty good wheat beer with mild fruit flavors. Not as bitter as most fruit beers and no way cloying as some fruit beers so it really is pretty mild. Overall pretty good.

M - Duh. It's light to medium bodied like most wheat beers.

D - Overall I really don't love it. Sure it's beer. Sure it's blackberry. But when you love big beers this is not enough fruit flavor or ABV to keep me interested. Pass.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2010 03:59:32 | More by DrDemento456

WVbeergeek

Ohio

3.53/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours clear bright copper hue with a fine bubbled white head forming thick. Lacing dwindles down leaving behind speckled lace on my sierra nevada hop tulip imperial pint glass. Aroma has very tame blueberry earthiness aout it, almost like the skins and stems make more of a presence than actual fruit sugars. A nice sharp wheat breadiness with hints of blueberry. We're so used to bastardized artificial flavorings and aromas like Leinenkugel summer wheat where they claim it smells like blueberry, I tend to think of fruity pebbles instead of actual fruit. As this one warms up it gives m a bit of Blueberry jam smell. Flavor is an American pale wheat with hints of subtle blueberry showing up on the palate, again a very earthy dry slightly bitter blueberry not your sweet candy artificial type. Does it work well with the base pale wheat? Not really the fruit additions don't make this explode with flavor and the base beer seems lackluster by itself, very middle of the road. I guess I'm just appreciative that they didn't make it with artificial flavoring. Mouthfeel is light on carbonation body is light to medium not as light as some pale wheats, the fruit at the end starts to weigh on my palate. Drinkability overall is decent a nice summer refreshing pale wheat from the folks in Boulder I would have been happier with a hoppy wheat instead.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2010 16:25:57 | More by WVbeergeek

cbutova

Massachusetts

2.65/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

A- Golden amber with a fizzy white head that builds to about one finger. Retention is decent and some fine, spotty lace is left on the glass.

S- Fruit notes atop a weak almost adjunct malt backbone. Strength is decent but there is just a lack of anything too interesting, fades to something like a macro.

T- Sort of what I expected. More bready/malty than anything with a slight hint of fruit that doesn't really appeal. Reminds me of Magic Hat #9, just not as good. Earthy hop notes are present as well. Sort of ends up tasting like throat lozenges to some extent.

MF- Light, decently creamy body with high carbonation stinging the palate. Very slight bitterness.

DB- It's nice to have a below average beer once in a while, keeps you on your game. Heavy on the malt with a slight fruit flavor that ends up feeling like cough syrup. No interest in finishing a whole bomber, flavor just keeps fading with time...

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2010 00:12:25 | More by cbutova

cbarrett4

Oregon

2.25/5  rDev -27.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Okay, I really like proper, quality made fruit beer. And I love blueberries. So it's not like I'm dumping on this for being a fruit beer. But I tasted it next to Marin Bluebeery (which rocked), so sorry Boulder Brewing...

A - looks a little copper and light for being a blueberry ale

S - smells artificial and a little medicinal

T - Tastes metallic and medicinal, reminds me of taking cold medicine as a kid, not a lot of blueberry flavor, just a hint of some unidentifiable fruit flavor.

M - Medium bodied with not much going on as far as tannin or balance.

D - I poured mine out pretty quickly and went for the Marin instead (which tasted like fresh blueberry muffins!)

Serving type: on-tap

08-11-2010 18:56:03 | More by cbarrett4

Bitterbill

Wyoming

3.43/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

It pours a hazy orange gold with a 1 finger head of foam.

The smell is mostly of wheat with a hint or 2 of blueberries. Some earthy tones join in.

The taste brings flavours of wheat, slight earthy malt, and again, only a light splash of blueberries. Slight citric bitterness in the finish. I was hopeful for a more "aggressive" use of the fruit but this isn't bad.

Medium covers the body and carbonation and it has a good mouthfeel.

Drinkability? It's easy enough to drink so the 22oz bottle won't be a problem, I'm just not sure whether I'd pick this up again.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2010 22:27:18 | More by Bitterbill

emmasdad

Colorado

3.2/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Picked this one up for my wife because it was priced a $3.49 a bomber, and I figured what the hell. Pours from the bottle a clear, medium golden color, with a bit of light purple-ish head. Good blueberry aromas here, but not much more. On the palate, I get more blueberries, along with some honey sweetness. Not a great fruit beer, but drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2010 03:26:48 | More by emmasdad

Haybeerman

Colorado

3.6/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Deep yellow color. Poured a 1 finger fizzy white head that dissipated to a skim. Laced in thin, wavy rings

S: Wheat malt and blueberries. Grass and hay. The blueberries were light and muted (one of the things I liked aboiut the beer overall).

T: Consistent with aroma. Wheat malt and blueberries. The blueberry flavor intensifies and the finish nears. The finish is mildy bitter with sweet and blueberry lingering.

M: Light to medium body. Moderate carbonation. Smooth, light and refreshing.

D: Very easy to drink. The blueberries were light and not too overbearing which for me was a big plus.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2010 18:16:11 | More by Haybeerman

gibby

Pennsylvania

3.1/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bomber given to me by Tim @ Pinocchios in media, pa, thanks man!
Pours a dark amber with a slight purple hint to it, no head. Smells faintly of blue berry but not much going on otherwise. Taste is ok but again it's majorly lacking the blue berry flavor. There is a hint of berry but it's basically a very lightly flavored wheat beer. Mouth feel is ok and drinkability is fine. I finished off the bomber quite easily but I am disappointed in this one for sure. Stick with sea dog or waschusetts for better blue berry wheat beers.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2010 21:21:06 | More by gibby

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A mildly fruity (blueberry) decoration to the ever-banal American Wheat Ale. The result is a nice but timid Abita Purple Haze-type beer but with blueberry flavor instead.

Bready aromas are met with grain and wheat scents, giving a medium bready scent. Blueberry notes come into play afterwards but in as little intensity as to suggest fruitiness but not overly blueberry. Low hops and moderate-light esters take back seats to the wheat character and non-descript fruitiness.

Light golden colors release a froathy eggshell white head that shows average staying power for a wheat. Mild lacing should have been better.

Flavors of wheat and barley malt shows a nice base blend but the character of their balance seems timid. Blueberry flavor is moderate and compliments the beer well. However the flavor only lightly captures the blueberry taste (maybe that's why they call it 'Kinda Blue'). Other ale-like characters are suppressed in favor of bready malts and berry flavor.

Part malt/part grain textures frame the forefront but finish moderately bready and rich despite the sporatic grainy moments. Berries assist with a light acidity that lightens the beer and allows for a crisp and refreshing finish.

The beer falls in the middle ground of fruited wheats. As clean and crisp as it is, it lacks the malt character and true fruit contribution that it takes to make it more highly regarded.

Serving type: on-tap

07-23-2010 06:49:56 | More by BEERchitect

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.15/5  rDev +1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Bomber poured into a chalice.

Pours a finger of light pink head. Fades to a thin layer. Color is a clear golden color with a pink hue to it.

Aroma: blueberries and wheat. fairly artificial flavored imo. Some sweetness to it. Not a lot going on here.

Taste: More wheat and blueberries. I guess that really sums it up. I really don't know what else to taste. Maybe a hint of lemon zest.

Mouthfeel: Crisp and smooth. Lighter bodied with a decent amount of carbonation. Ends very dry with wheat flavors.

Overall, this beer was just what the name said. It was nothing special. Somewhat drinkable but not very complex.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2010 03:36:00 | More by mothman

tigg924

Massachusetts

2.15/5  rDev -31.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5

Appearance: minimal head, gold/brown in color, clear, moderate carbonation

Smell: honey, wheat, artificial blueberries

Taste: wheat, honey, cereal like sugar, artificial blueberries that start in the middle and are stronger towards the end.

Mouthfeel: light body and moderate carbonation, sweet

Drinkability: Not a fan. The best way I can describe this is taking the sugariness--if that is a word--of a non-alcoholic beer mixed with artificial blueberries. If you enjoy NA beer, you might like this one. One is more than enough as I have had better in the style. Usually I like Boulder beer, but this one was a big miss in my book.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2010 15:30:34 | More by tigg924

aasher

Indiana

2.9/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This just came into my store today so I thought I'd try it fresh. It pours very smoothly, well carbonated and watery, with little to no head. A slight white head laces the glass. It looks like a slightly darker wheat. The smell isn't anything special. It smells like a pale, pale wheat but there is really no blueberry to it. It isn't even yeasty like you'd expect from a pale wheat. The taste is rather bland as well. It tastes like a light version of a wheat beer. There is some sweetness to it, yet subtly, but even here it's more like a generic sweetness, like a syrup. Again, there is still barely any blueberry traces anywhere. As for mouthfeel, the beer is very, very light and moderately carbonated. As for drinkability, it's drinkable because it's a light wheat beer that actually is refreshing. That said, it's only slightly sweet and there is practically no blueberry to it. I was very, very disappointed by this. Boulder normally puts out high quality beers, especially in their Looking Glass series, but here they missed the mark. I may have tried this one "too fresh", but I doubt it. It has a drink by date of September 29, 2010.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2010 06:36:50 | More by aasher

jsh420

Illinois

2.5/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

pours golden copper with a 1/2 finger head that fades fast and left no lacing

smells like your run of the mill wheat beer with ripe banana and some berry notes but i cant say i pick up any blueberry

taste is not good - tastes off with sharp ripe banana berry then with a bready bud light backbone

mouthfeel is light with plenty of carbonation

drinkability not good - most of this was a drain pour

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2010 00:37:36 | More by jsh420

Schmittymack

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev +20.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

This was my first one (actually ended up being three) shaker glasses/pints of this at my local watering hole (Old Chicago). Not a whole lot of smell going on--least what I could pick up--but it appeared to be a reddish-yellow in color--if that makes sense. One sip and I could barely pick up the blueberry. Subsequent sips, and the blueberry came through, though not in an overpowering way. Taste was pretty good; this is a pretty good sessionable brew from Boulder. I might seek out a bomber of this one after trying three on drafts. I'd recommend it for a very quaffable summber brew.

Serving type: on-tap

07-04-2010 06:48:06 | More by Schmittymack

metter98

New York

3.5/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: The beer is clear pale yellow in color with just a thin layer of bubbles on the surface.
S: The aroma isn't very strong; there are notes of blueberries and wheat in the nose.
T: Mild flavors of wheat along with notes of blueberries dominate the taste, which has a mild amount of sweetness. The aftertaste is rather fruity.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and lightly carbonated.
D: The beer was easy to drink and fairly refreshing, given that the blueberry flavors are mild and are not overpowering.

Serving type: on-tap

07-04-2010 01:31:10 | More by metter98

IronGiant

New Jersey

4.15/5  rDev +33%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

My favorite beer bar just put this beer in the cooler today. I'm told it's so new that Boulder hasn't even listed it on their site - and checking that seems true. I couldn't find much about it on the web, either.

Come in a 22oz bottle - the first I've seen in this size from Boulder - at least here on the East Coast.

It smells like a nice wheat beer - no fruitiness in the nose. The color is a bit darker than most wheat beers, almost bordering on a lager color.

I think Boulder has produced another delicious beer. It's light and not overly carbonated. The blueberry is understated and I detect more of a note of sweetness than of fruit.

Definitely a beer I could drink more than one of.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2010 05:51:54 | More by IronGiant