Dark Horse Tres Blueberry Stout - Dark Horse Brewing Company

dciBA

Maine

1.78/5  rDev -55.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1

Thanks to Boxcar01 for this intriguing bottle in trade...

Poured from the 12oz bottle into my heavy based pint glass. Deep dark black, with 1/4" of brown head that seems to be lingering. Solid layer of lacing.

Blueberries hit your nose pretty hard initially. That's followed up by dark roasted coffee beans. There's also some smoakiness in the nose as well.

Taste is mostly sweet blueberries. The coffee in the nose comes through in the taste as well, but is overpowered by the blueberries. The blueberry flavor is overly sweet, cloyingly so and is making this beer hard to palate.

Mouthfeel is fairly thin for the style. Carbonation is on the high side making for a fizzy/odd mouthfeel. I'm in the minority here but I thought this was an awful beer. I normally don't slam a beer like this but it tastes like blueberry soda mixed with bad coffee.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2011 23:36:23 | More by dciBA

AwYeh

California

2.35/5  rDev -41.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 1.5

12oz bottle poured into snifter; thanks to Jesse13713 for this one!

A: Pours a dark brown/black with a finger of brown foamy head, which dissipates moderately quickly without leaving lacing. Really amazed at how dark this given the low ABV; I would have expected something approaching double digits before checking on here, just from the appearance.

S: Lots of blueberry aroma here, tons of roasted chocolate, almost charred malts, with accents of wood, smoke, and vanilla. As the beer approaches room temperature it smells almost like blueberry juice.

T: Again, roasted chocolate malts provide the backbone for taste, at least in the front of the sip. Blueberry dominates the middle- not sure if I can pick anything else up beyond a bit of chocolate, and blueberry lingers for quite a while on the finish. At warmer temperatures the blueberry gains a tangy, almost bitter quality, which knocks taste down a bit.

M: Much like appearance, this is very good for a 4.5% stout. Medium-bodied and very smooth, with light carbonation and a bit of a stickiness left over on the finish.

D: A mostly hit or miss beer across its individual categories, the blueberry intensity here (without a great flavor to back it up) was just too much for this one to go down easily at all.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2011 06:29:37 | More by AwYeh

Callenak

California

2.38/5  rDev -40.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

12oz bottle acquired in a trade.

Was curious about this beer. Never had a blueberry stout before.

A: pitch black, with a small but very dark brown head.

S: Blueberries are very apparent, along with the roasted chocolate smell of the stout. Hints of coffee. Was excited after smelling it.

T: Yuck. It definitely smelled like blueberries more than it tasted. In fact, it almost had a vegetable taste to it that I didn't find pleasant at all. Thankfully the roasted malt takes charge, but still not enough to mask the unpleasantness of it.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2006 17:26:40 | More by Callenak

BB1313

Ohio

2.38/5  rDev -40.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

Ok, it's official, I don't like blueberry stouts. 12oz bottle poured into a snifter. Pours black with a mocha head that fades pretty quickly with decent lacing and retention. The aromas are a blend of chocolate, coffee, and blueberries. The blueberries are very prominant and is definitely the main attraction. I personally just don't find the this marriage to be enjoyable. This has all of the great qualities I expect from a DH stout, but the blueberries really make this unpleasant. Lots of chocolate and roasted malts. Coffee/expresso is in the mix. The flavors aren't too sweet. Mouthfeel is light and creamy, nice amount of carbonation. Alcohol goes unnoticed. I was milking this one, due to the unpleasant after taste.

I've had a couple blueberry stouts before, and I didn't enjoy them. I figured if I didn't enjoy a blueberry stout from Dark Horse, who can make one I'd enjoy? If you've had a blueberry stout before and enjoyed it, then I'd definitely recommend this one. You can't really ask for much more, I just don't appreciate the flavors.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2012 22:04:37 | More by BB1313

sidetracked

Illinois

2.5/5  rDev -37.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

Pours black with a medium brown head that lingers at about an eighth of an inch. Little lacing.

Odd blueberry aroma that comes across as artificial. Slightly sweet, yeasty bread, light chocolate, roasted malts.

Upfront taste is slightly roasted bready malts and a little sweetness. Taste follows through the middle. Blueberry flavor comes through at the finish but it is very artificial like soap or plastic--not good. Finish is heavy on the blueberry plus some chocolate roastyness.

Medium body, smooth and slightly creamy, clean finish. Moderate carbonation keeps it from being syrupy. 

Overall not a vey enjoyable beer. Really odd blueberry flavor and aroma. Tough to drink a whole bottle of this. 

3/2/2011

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2011 22:21:54 | More by sidetracked

kbutler1

Minnesota

2.63/5  rDev -34.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Bottle. Poured into a tulip glass a thick, dark brown color with a sticky mocha tan head that slowly settles. Some lace left as the head calms. Dark chocolate notes with an almost pepper like hint as well. For only 7% is smells a touch boozy as well. Light blueberry flavor in the beginning that is quickly dominated by a growing leather and roast flavor. A couple of sips of this pretty much told me exactly what kind a beer this was. Lingering roast with a slight alcohol burn. meh. Medium/heavy mouthfeel. Nice look but the aroma and smell leave a lot to be desired.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2011 01:07:20 | More by kbutler1

benito

Oregon

2.68/5  rDev -33.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

The first blueberry stout that I've ever tried...

pours an oily, black that allows no light and froths only so slightly as to acknowledge a cocoa colored head. The bouquet is blueberry dominated, though it has a nice roasty (rather than sweet) tone.

To taste, the blueberry burst, which is fizzy and sweet, is subdued by a dry stout cocoa flavor. The two seem to cancel each other out and create and absent aftertaste. In other words, an explosion of flavor followed by an eerie calm. While this mix-and-match flavor profile interested me at first, I quickly grew tired of it and struggled, perhaps because of its heaviness, to finish my pint.

I'll take a pass on this one.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2005 16:43:22 | More by benito

Crosling

Colorado

2.8/5  rDev -30.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Black as night. Moderately aromatic, with notes of blueberry pancakes, coffee, anise and chocolate. Taste is odd, revealing more than twice its potency in flavor. A subtle blueberry flavor is present but it distracts from other flavors more than contributing a flavor. Notes of anise, ginger, strong coffee grounds and a hint of blueberry.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2006 00:51:53 | More by Crosling

cdkrenz

Wisconsin

2.83/5  rDev -29.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A - The pour is thick as motor oil. The body is ultra black with an extremely dark brown head standing at about three quarters of an inch. The head fades after a short time to reveal a mirrored surface.

S - Strong coffee and dark chocolate.

T - Dark malt accented by chocolate and a hint of coffee. There's a sweet aftertaste. If I didn't know it was blueberry, I'd still taste it. I'm not that impressed with the blueberry because it adds an odd, "aged" taste that I don't care for.

M - The feel is coarse but consistent. This allows the flavors to really come through. Even though I don't care for the aftertaste brought out by the texture I have to admit the feel is good.

~ Unfortunately, the taste of brew is essential for drinkablility in my opinion. Therefore I gonna leave this brew at average. But because of the unique qualities this brew has I will recommend my pals give one a sip.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2009 22:34:50 | More by cdkrenz

Neffbeer

Pennsylvania

2.93/5  rDev -26.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12oz bottle into a tulip.

A: It pours a motor oil black color, completely opaque. There is a tan one finger head that fades quickly with no retention or lacing.

S: Blueberries out front with notes of coffee, cocoa and roasted malts providing a decent base. As the beer reaches room temperature there is not much of a change in the nose. The dimensions of the aroma don't imply any real complexity, a bit one dimensional.

T: The blueberry flavor takes the lead and never really lets up. There are hints of coffee, chocolate and roasted malts, but they are really subdued. A strange medicinal flavor to the blueberries takes hold mid palate which I find cloying and regrettable. It finishes a bit chalky and sweet.

M: Medium bodied with ample carbonation.

O: I was a bit disappointed with this beer. I thought there was some real potential in adding a hint of blueberries to a stout, but in the end the fruit was a bit to dominant for me.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2011 02:27:48 | More by Neffbeer

grandq

New York

2.95/5  rDev -26.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Thanks to autumnaldave for this bonus bottle. This pours practically black, with a very dark tan head that dissipates quickly. Smells of blueberry, molasses, and surprisingly alcohol. Tiny bit of chocolate coming through as it warms. Diving in, there's clearly a solid dry stout flavor profile here - roasty coffee, chocolate, slight nuttiness and faint oak bitterness, but the blueberry sweetness is just derailing it for me. It just dosen't mesh. Liking the dry finish but it clashes a bit with the lingering, increasingly cloying fruit. Bitterness leaves off with a strange herbal twang. Very thin mouthfeel, heavily carbonated - same sort of seltzer-like quality I noted in Double Crooked Tree. Could use a bit more body, maybe an oatmeal version, and maybe dialing back the bitter/dryness. Novel effort, but I'd much rather drink the (clearly quite good) plain old stout here that's been dressed up.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2008 21:57:34 | More by grandq

jrallen34

Illinois

2.95/5  rDev -26.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

12oz bottle poured into my De Struise glass...A dark brown body with a huge dark tan head that rises several fingers. There is incredible lacing and retention...The aroma is very strong, as I wait for the head to fall fresh blueberries start to waif over rom a few feet away. Weirdly, as I get closer the aroma lets me down as the blueberries come off more generic and chemical. Also quite a bit of alcohol for a 4.5% beer. Weird bitter note too that are hops, totally inappropriate... The taste is really weird and boring. The blueberries come off as bitter, only a hint of sweet blueberries. There is a strange medicinal note, aloe, light very bitter, hop finish. Not very interesting or good enough that I want to keep drinking.

Interesting idea, just not executed very good. Pass.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2011 02:43:28 | More by jrallen34

rarbring

Sweden

3/5  rDev -25.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

The brew is brown with reddish traits, a quickly dissipating tan foam, no lacing, some curtains.

The first whiff from the bottle was intensely blueberry jam, then it quickly turns very sweetish sour (stomach acid vibe). Some sour old coffee filter.

Tasting sweet brown blueberry bread, some vanilla and dark chocolate. Roasted nuts.

Little carbonation, big bubbles, smooth and slightly oily. A faint dry finish.

This did not resonate with me, the smell was very off-putting.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2012 21:13:19 | More by rarbring

Westsidethreat

California

3.03/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Dark brown brew with ruby highlights. Head is somewhat fizzy but settling down nicely to an uber dark beige 1/8 inch head.

S: Immediately after I poured the beer, massive blueberry aromas flowed through the air. In the lows minor milk chocolate and a bit of roasted barley can be found.

T: Starts with what tastes like razzberry otter pops. The fruit flavor here isn’t winning me over, its got an artificial angle to it. The fruity flavors go longer than I would have liked before letting some stout flavors in. Stout flavors are plain and unobtrusive with only minor coffee, cocoa or roasted barley. Finishes with more lingering berry flavors and not enough stout.

M: Medium body with a soft mouthfeel.

D: This wasn’t one of my favorites from this brewery. I could see how some like it but it didn’t suit me.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2007 04:23:02 | More by Westsidethreat

drabmuh

Maryland

3.05/5  rDev -23.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Shared this bottle with the wifey the other night, this came as an extra in a trade with...Kevin? Probably. Thank you low resolution due to impaired memory beer trading friend from the midwest.

Beer is black and even after a violent pour forms no head, at all. Its not even brown at the corners. Odd. No lacing or legs on the glass. Just looks like black water.

The aroma is really strong but not so much in the blueberry department. I really have to hunt for them, there is an almost tobacco aroma to this beer, very roasty and strong.

Beer is medium bodied and mildly fruity / sweet in the palate. Not sure what to think about it. It is really quite bitter. I am not really enjoying this beer and I'm glad I split it at this point. Not a repeat. Didn't taste like blueberries or smell like them. What a wreck.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2010 21:54:08 | More by drabmuh

champ103

Texas

3.05/5  rDev -23.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Pours an opaque jet black color. A two finger tan head quickly rises with good retention. Light lace is left behind as the foam recedes.
S: Big roasted malt up front. Acrid even. Burnt toast and slightly metallic. Light chocolate and the faintest amount of sweetness from the fruits I assume.
T: Big roasted malt and burnt toast. Acrid and astringent. Just the slightest amount of sweetness. I wish there was a lot more balance between the fruit/sweetness and the big roasted character.
M/D: A full body but a bit harsh and rough around the edges. Not the great smoothness I expect for a stout. Not hard to drink, but not something I want to come back to.

A bit to much roast and burnt toast for my liking. I am not a huge fan of fruity stouts, but I would like some more sweetness/fruit flavors to balance out the acrid burnt stout.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2011 05:10:58 | More by champ103

match1112

Illinois

3.08/5  rDev -23.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

this beer starts out like every other stout. dark brown/black body, half inch of brown head that quickly settles to a little skim on top. smell is where this starts to set its self apart from the others. at first there is a strong blueberry smell with a burnt coffee and smokey over cooked bacon. the all of these smels together remind me of the cheap gas station breakfast where a pancake is wrapped around other garbage. while i have never ate that stuff from the gas station i imagine it would taste like this, and that is not good. dont know that i would recommend this to anyone.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2012 03:40:37 | More by match1112

Luchman

Nevada

3.1/5  rDev -22.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

A: A black body that pours out somewhat thick, but with nothing but a faint bubble of head on top and some very very thin lacing on the side, that stays around for some odd reason.

S: Smell is a little faint, but like rich, fresh blueberries in a chocolate muffin. Also has some roasted malt qualities to it as well. Not so bad.

T: Having a rough time with this one... A very subtle flavor, but roasted malts, some licorice,and some chocolate.. Blueberries are, i guess, in the end and come off very very faint and like the smell - Kind of acidic actually. Ends pretty damn dry.

M: Mouth feel is pretty good. A medium/full body that goes down easy and leaves a coating-like feel in the mouth.

D: Well.. I dont know if this may have been a tad off or what. Either way, the bottle that I have is not too great IMO. Not a drain-pour but a definite "No thanks.." in the future.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2007 04:13:16 | More by Luchman

shivtim

Georgia

3.13/5  rDev -21.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Much better than most of the other blueberry beers I've had, but the taste is a off.
Pours an opaque brown/black with a thin dark brown head. Looks nice. Not very many bubbles. Smells very good, fresh blueberries and roasted malts, nice and smoky. Taste is very aggressive and acidic, heavy on malts and acrid blueberry. Way too tart, not sweet at all. Mouthfeel and drinkability are average.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2007 04:38:29 | More by shivtim

stonermouse

Massachusetts

3.15/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a standard pint glass.

Pours a superb color for a "blueberry stout." It is a deep, dark brown, and actually has a touch of purple in the body and in the head. Really cool stuff. The head does dissapate a little too quickly, but overall this one looks great.

Smell is blueberry-forward when poured and when a little cool. Aroma mellows as the brew warms.

Taste is interesting, I guess. The blueberry sweetness would be superb alone, but with the coffee, they just don't quite mix. The coffee flavor is a fairly standard columbia roast up front, but leaves a coffee-grind dry aftertaste that is pretty unpleasant. The blueberry flavor is fairly sweet and smooth, but the flavors just don't mix.

Mouthfeel is acceptable as well. The coffee is a bit sticky and hangs around in the aftertaste, but the sweetness from the blueberries goes away. I wish it was the other way around.

Drinkability is good here, as the flavors are mild enough and clean enough to please. This brew could pass as a dessert brew, although it could stand for a bump in ABV to beef it up.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2011 01:19:41 | More by stonermouse

montageman

Michigan

3.23/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

Pours pitch black, but when held up to the light the color of blueberries is evident - how cool! Smells like blueberries, coffee, dark chocolate, and roasted malt. The blueberry smell is nice, but not overwhelming. Tastes like blueberry coffee with a bit of dark cocoa mixed in - enjoyable, but primarily a dessert or end of the evening beer for me. Little carbonation and slightly creamy mouthfeel - not very pleasant, a light thin for my liking. This is a nice attempt - blueberries and coffee/chocolate come together nicely here.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2006 02:46:57 | More by montageman

eatatstokes

3.25/5  rDev -19%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I expected more from my initial impressions, but this one didn't stick to my tongue long enough to taste all that delicious blueberry I was smelling. A little coffee on the back. This might be a better stout for a warm day. It didn't hit the spot tonight.

Serving type: growler

11-22-2012 07:31:13 | More by eatatstokes

oline73

Maryland

3.28/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a bottle into a goblet.

Appearance: Pours a black color with no light coming through. There is a two finger dark tan/almost brown head that leaves some lacing.

Smell: Sweet ripe blueberries dominate along with some roast.

Taste: Sweet and roast with the berries more in the background than the smell. There are some dark chocolate notes as well. There is a weird aftertaste that is kind of off putting.

Mouthfeel: Thick for the abv. and a bit grainy. The carbonation is mild.

Drinkability: I really liked this beer other than the after taste. I don't think I'd have more because of it.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2011 04:35:14 | More by oline73

1Adam12

Indiana

3.28/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Blueberries on the nose, allthough my wife swears she smells only black licorice, and tastes only black licorice. Taste is all blueberry up front (to me), coffee after i've swallowed. The after taste is better for me then the in my mouth taste. The taste transition from blueberry to coffee is pretty cool though. Very different. much sweeter than i like from a stout. Something that any stout lover should try at least once based purely upon the peculiararity of it, allthough once was enough for me.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2011 01:45:46 | More by 1Adam12

karst

Missouri

3.3/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours black with a very dark head that drops before you would consider it persistant.

Having brewed with fresh picked blueberries I entertained certain expections re. aroma and flavor. I would, however be challenged to use blueberries in a stout. (Blueberries go well in a wheat, steam, pale ale, and even a mead).

Aroma of blueberries is burried by roasted barley and black patent. Taste of blueberries was akin to that artificial stuff they put on snowcones and bubble gum and candy.

I may have found this more likable with out the blue Jelly Bellies. (President Reagan's passion for jelly beans inspired a Blueberry flavor, which was cooked up so he could serve red, white, and blue beans at his inaugural)
The artificial flavor only detracts from the chocolate and espresso flavors you would otherwise enjoy. Mouthfeel is slick and satisfying.

Dry finish.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2006 00:58:31 | More by karst