Buffalo Bill's Blueberry Oatmeal Stout

Dug · January 19, 2009

After my last bout with Buffalo Bill's (Buffalo Bill’s Pumpkin Ale), I hadn't really thought much about them so it surprised me a bit when I noticed their Buffalo Bill's Blueberry Oatmeal Stout on the shelf at Fred Meyer in Monroe.  Of course, we don't get that many new brews through, so I had to pick it up and give it a whirl in the hopes that the brewery would redeam themselves in my eyes...

So... did they?  Well, I must admit that they did a little bit with this one.  Blueberry beer is hard to get right... just ask the folks that brought us Wild Blue Blueberry Lager <shudder>.  So, heading into this one my hopes were barely high enough to be called high... but here you go:

Buffalo Bill's Blueberry Oatmeal Stout pours dark and with a small head... not surprising or particularly blueberry-ee, but it makes up for it in the nose...  the nose is definitely blueberry... sweet but not candy or syrup... so far so good.  Then the taste... the taste is definitely interesting. Not a typical stout... definitely more on the light side with the blueberry very subtle and having its biggest hit on the roof of the mouth near the back. There is a bit of bitterness in it that isn't quite right but only off by a very small margin, so hard to notice. Not much of a finish... dies quick after the swallow.  In the end, in the land of crappy blueberry brews, this one stands out... it keeps it mild enough that it isn't overpowering and isn't too sweet and that is commendable.  So... nice work, Buffalo Bill's... I might actually look forward to your next brew. :)

JBB6 Rating: Will Buy Again