My Blueberry Nightmare - Birrificio Del Ducato

nosavingsaccount

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +13.6%

01-14-2013 04:04:14 | More by nosavingsaccount

mdfb79

New York

4/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From 05/19/13 notes. Big thanks to whoever brought this to WTWBA; been a want of mine.

a - Pours a deep mahogany brown color, almost black, with one inch of otan head and low carbonation evident.

s - Smells of blueberries, sour dark fruits, roasted malts, chocolate, oak, burnt malts, toasted malts, and some vinegar. Not getting any of the peppers, but it's nice.

t - Tastes of sour dark fruits, roasted malts, vinegar, oak, chili peppers, dark chocolate, burnt malts, toasted malts, and molasses. Little more sour than the nose and a little more vinegar.

m - Medium to full bodied stout and low to moderate carbonation. Some alcohol present.

o - Overall an interesting beer; I was a little disappointed as I wanted it to be great, but it's still a good beer that works. A nice mix of sour dark fruits and vinegar mixing with roasted malts and chocolate, making it an interesting sour stout that ultimately works. I prefer Tart of Darkness, and am very glad I never bought a bottle for $40, but wouldn't pass it up if I was offered a few ounces. Worth checking out if you like sour stouts and don't have to pay an arm and a leg for it.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 19:31:58 | More by mdfb79

Zbeetleman

California

4/5  rDev +7%

05-16-2013 03:00:12 | More by Zbeetleman

anhigdon

Kentucky

4/5  rDev +7%

05-10-2013 19:28:49 | More by anhigdon

CTJman

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +7%

05-10-2013 19:22:36 | More by CTJman

JDavidRice

Connecticut

3/5  rDev -19.8%

05-09-2013 22:31:50 | More by JDavidRice

Chico1985

Massachusetts

2.16/5  rDev -42.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.75 | overall: 2.25

Imperial stout aged in whiskey barrels with blueberries added. Now here is a mystery beer...

Served in a tulip glass, the pour is black with a finger or so of thick tan head. A bubbly ring is left by the end with spots of lace left, decent retention for a big beer.

Smell...bizarre. Permanent markers and solvent alcohol are probably most noticeable. Lots of dark fruits, oak and ashiness.

Oof, taste is truly something. Sharpie markers, old straight whiskey, some tartness with sour notes. Lots of artificial-feeling berry sweetness, burnt rubber. Is there actually a stout in there somewhere? Intriguingly bad.

Crazy boozy, very thin, low carbonation. Just not very pleasant whatsoever.

Drinking this beer is like trying to solve a riddle - it is fun to try to solve it. This beer was good for a laugh, that's about it. Total mess.

Serving type: on-tap

04-21-2013 21:00:50 | More by Chico1985

beernads

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -6.4%

04-10-2013 09:11:39 | More by beernads

ADTaber

South Carolina

2.5/5  rDev -33.2%

04-05-2013 01:15:24 | More by ADTaber

GregoryMo

California

5/5  rDev +33.7%

04-03-2013 22:37:43 | More by GregoryMo

MadScientist

New York

4.75/5  rDev +27%

03-27-2013 03:24:10 | More by MadScientist

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.46/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Apparently these Italian guys have lost their damn mind! A sour stout? ...with blueberries? ...with chili peppers? ... with 11% alcohol? The ale is a blind-sided collage of complexities, challenges, and power that plays out a triangulated game of tug-o-war on the tongue.

Nearly still upon the initial pour, the translucent dark ale gives up little in the way of carbonation. A turbulent swirl reveals mocha-stained, loosely knit bubbles that zip away as quick as they're created. Light inky legging supplants lace and is hardly noticeable with a tilt of the glass. Tell me it's espresso and I'd buy that.

Sharp vinegary aromas pierce the olfactory senses with pin-point precision, making me nearly break out in a sweat simply from the beer's first whiff. Fruit, coffee, toast, chocolate, and alcohol all lurk behind the vinous acidity but never rival its sour dominance.

Intense red wine vinegar flavors contort the mouth with jaw stabbing astringency. Grape seed, sour apples, vinous wine, under-ripened blueberries, lemons, and salty brine trample the taste buds with no apologies. A terse rebuttal of roasted malt has a shallow attempt to balance the beer with dark roast coffee, cocoa powder, walnuts, and thin caramel. But when the acetic tone meets the immense alcohols, then the acetone flavor of nail polish remover takes hold and forces lasting impressions upon the aftertaste.

The sheer acidity and alcohol keeps the beer thinned and medium-light on the palate early and often. Difficult to explore the beer's taste, the sharp sourness has no problem stepping into tannin-rich astringency for intimidating palate sensations on the sides of the tongue. Finishing spicy, hot, and solventy- the vinegar acidity never backs down; even in its extended sour aftertaste.

Much of my review may seem detremental to the beer, but its a solid sour ale that relies heavy on acetobacter as a souring agent and dismisses many of the other souring agents or the cellar to help balance and sooth its intensity. It also gives rise to the alcohol for a compelling spicy/solventy interplay. So if that type of intensity is your thing, then you won't have a problem with this complex taste.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 17:52:55 | More by BEERchitect

oglmcdgl

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -6.4%

03-11-2013 10:02:20 | More by oglmcdgl

madnismo

Florida

4/5  rDev +7%

03-09-2013 04:52:50 | More by madnismo

rozymegs

Texas

5/5  rDev +33.7%

03-07-2013 00:51:46 | More by rozymegs

corby112

Pennsylvania

1.99/5  rDev -46.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.25 | overall: 2

Draft at The Pour House in Westmont, NJ.

Pours a dark purple, almost black color thats reminiscent of eggplant.  Opaque with a thin, half finger off-white head that immediately settles.  No lacing.

Vinous dark fruit aroma with some earthy oak and a strong acetone presence.  A bit too much solvent/nail polish for my liking but here's also some funky yeast and wild bugs counter things a but.  Lots of dark grape, currant and blueberry but the acetic vinegar is a big turnoff.

Wow, the acetone is much sharper and prominent than in the nose.  Really abrasive and acidic with tons of solvent flavor killing off the wild bugs, oak and blueberry.  After a while the dark fruit notes come too the forefront with some blueberry, dark grape and currant.  Still, it's way too strong on the acetic acid/acetone/solvent flavors.  Pretty much undrinkable after a few ounces.

Serving type: on-tap

02-26-2013 02:39:44 | More by corby112

shigg85

Japan

5/5  rDev +33.7%

02-23-2013 02:49:58 | More by shigg85

jderosia603

New Hampshire

3.25/5  rDev -13.1%

02-20-2013 14:10:56 | More by jderosia603

handpullme

Pennsylvania

4.65/5  rDev +24.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Had this last night on tap at Ebenezer's, served in a tulip glass.

A: Looks like a stout almost, but has a slight blue hue. 1/2 inch of head lingers a few minutes before dissipating. I was surprised how dark it was.

S: Blueberries and vinegar. You can tell there's sourness awaiting.

T: Again, blueberries dominate, along with the sour element. There are also very subtle hints of oak, but they're overpowered by the fresh wild blueberry flavor. While drinking this, I had no idea the alcohol was 11%....it's hidden incredibly well. I've had several blueberry beers in the past, but this is by far the best.

M: Very nice for a sour. Certainly not watery, and leaning a bit more toward the creamy end.

Overall: I don't understand nor agree with a few of the low reviews of this beer. I'm guessing they're from people who don't appreciate the sour style. I found it to be fantastic and cannot wait to have another poured at Ebenezer's today. I usually gravitate toward the IPA's, but if this is what a sour can be, count me in as a fan.

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2013 13:01:39 | More by handpullme

asafarc2

Rhode Island

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%

02-20-2013 03:04:44 | More by asafarc2

brewdude1982

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -6.4%

02-16-2013 06:05:12 | More by brewdude1982

giants24

California

1.25/5  rDev -66.6%

02-14-2013 22:02:55 | More by giants24

Mega

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%

02-13-2013 08:37:51 | More by Mega

mbs11

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +27%

02-07-2013 01:31:01 | More by mbs11

codasnap52

Connecticut

4.75/5  rDev +27%

01-31-2013 03:46:26 | More by codasnap52