Introduction

Fruit beers have fans all over the world. Originating from Belgium, they are known to have the tartness of fruits, sometimes a little sweet that goes well with beer brewing. Fruit beers can be made of peach, plum, apple, apricot, raspberry, strawberry, and blueberry. The growing popularity of fruit beers is due to their low alcohol levels and refreshing tastes such as blueberry beer. We love blueberries because of their versatility. We can use them in our breakfasts, desserts, and salads. What we are about to learn about them will blow our minds. Blueberries can be used to craft beers! Blueberries are known to be tart and they have a specific taste that goes with the malty grains and bitter hops. This tartness of blueberries made the Cincinnati breweries consider a fruit beer with blueberries. Blueberry beer or blueberry ale has made a special place in the Cincinnati craft beer scene. Blueberry beer has become a popular choice, especially in the spring-summer season when people crave fruity-flavored beers.  

What is Blueberry Beer?

We need to understand the process of brewing fruit beer, especially blueberry beer. Blueberry beer can be made from scratch by sourcing the freshest blueberries from local farms. The blueberries are washed to make puree or juice, whichever the brewer prefers. We can also use blueberry extracts or flavor to make blueberry beer but that will not taste as authentic as the ones made with the fruit. This puree or juice is added to a base. The base can be a blonde one, or an ale one, depending on the type of beer that brewers want to brew. Then the other elements are added such as hops, spices, and grains. Finally, it is fermented for an adequate amount of time by adding yeast. The time of fermentation is very important since this decides the taste and the quality of beer. Then it is canned or bottled up, ready for sale. Blueberry beer and blueberry ale are the popular beer types

Why Cincinnati Beer Lovers Should Try Blueberry Beer?

As we all know, Cincinnati is known for its love and passion for beer. It is one of the largest beer producers in the world and houses a large number of craft beer breweries. Cincinnati is also known as the beer capital of the world. It is not surprising that the breweries here are always experimenting with the flavors and types of beers, crafting something special for every occasion. While at it, they have also gathered quite a huge number of connoisseurs for their uniquely crafted beers. They are known to produce different fruit beers because of several fresh fruit farms. Berries are a specialty here, so we will find different types of berry-flavored beers. Strawberry, blueberry, and raspberry are the best-selling flavors. In many of these additional fruit and spice flavors are also added for that extra punch and refreshing taste. Therefore, those who have not tried Cincinnati fruity beers yet should give these a try and they will not be disappointed. The fact that Cincinnati beer lovers admire is how the beer tastes refreshing, has a fruity punch that almost tastes like soft drinks, and has low alcohol value so it is not extremely harmful to health. The best blueberry beer in Cincinnati is made by breweries like Little Miami Brewing Company. Their River Dog Blueberry Sour is a perfect balance of sweet and tart, so we should not miss this one in our fruit beer tasting spree.  

The Flavor Profile of Blueberry Beer

Let us look at and understand the flavor profile of the blueberry beer. Blueberry beer flavor is like most fruity beer flavors, sweet and tart. Blueberries are generally tart but some can be sweet as well. This combination gives a unique taste to the beer. 

Beers are generally bitter and sweet due to hops and grains respectively. Blueberries are used in desserts to add a bit of tartness to the sweet deliciousness. For beers, blueberries add tartness to the sweetness of grains. Now, depending on the amounts of blueberries, grains, and hops, the flavor profiling changes. Sometimes, lemon, banana, raspberry, and other fruits are added to make it fruitier. Pureed blueberry beers have a stronger blueberry taste than juiced ones. The extraction ones have a slightly artificial taste. Fresh and frozen blueberries give a different flavor. Again, when added later in the brewing process, it tends to have a stronger taste. Fruit beers are generally very light, less alcoholic, and have a punch when carbonated. Chilled fruit beer almost tastes like cold drinks. The aftertaste of it depends on the brewers. Some might leave a bit of dryness. The fragrance of blueberry beer is earthy and fruity.  

Pairing Blueberry Beer with Food

Beer tastes the best with savory food. Food like pizza, pasta, tacos, and sandwiches. Let us explore some of the best beer food pairings that match the blueberry beer pairings. The first thing that comes to our mind while talking about beer is cheese. Cheese can never go wrong with a fruit beer especially because of its saltiness and slight tartness. Cheese compliments beers like no other food item. Mascarpone cheese is one of the best cheeses to choose to pair with blueberry beer. Next comes meat dishes. An excellent choice to pair meat with beer, again, a pair that can never go wrong. To balance the sweetness of blueberry beer, one can add a light dish of white meat or a saucy dish of duck and pork. Barbequed meat serves as an excellent pair for blueberry beer. Pickled dishes and fruity salads can be considered a good pair for the blueberry beer due to their similar tart and sweet combination. The importance of food pairing is to keep the stomach filled with nutrients and not just alcohol. Last but not the least, fruity desserts. Fruity desserts and fruity beer are a delightful summer combination to compliment the sweet palate.    

Where to Find the Best Blueberry Beers in Cincinnati?

Cincinnati, as already stated, is known to produce unique and traditional beer blends. Hence, the craft breweries in Cincinnati produce the world’s amazing fruit beers. The very first place to consider for fruit beers should be Little Miami Brewing Company. They offer up to 16 different blends of beers including fruity beers. They offer River Dog Blueberry Sour which is the best blueberry beer in Cincinnati. As the name suggests it is a perfect blend of sweet and tartness with layered complex flavors. Little Miami Brewing Company also has a taproom kitchen, where they serve the best food to pair with our favorite beer. Urban Artifacts has its bestselling fruit beer, Cabriole, which has a good amount of blueberry and strawberry, along with some figs and spices. Fat Head’s Brewery has an exquisite beer menu. Their Bumble Berry Honey Blueberry Ale is a must-try if we want to know how blueberry beers can be delightful. It has a blueberry aroma and finish and is a perfect blend of sweetness, tart, and malt flavors. 

Conclusion

We looked into the delightful details of the refreshing Blueberry beers. Fruity beers are always good for consumption because they can never go wrong. If we experience a craving for refreshing drinks and cold drinks feel boring, we can go for a can of chilled blueberry beer. The best part is they have low alcohol content hence, it will not make us sick. We can pair it with the most common savory items available in the food joints, such as cheesy pizzas and kinds of pasta, barbequed and saucy meat items, or a block of savory cheese and nachos, at the very least. Blueberry beer is a must-try in Cincinnati’s craft beer scene along with other kinds of beers. The complex tastes of blueberry beers from different breweries are amazing. And, we should not forget to visit Little Miami Brewing Company for their superior blueberry beer, food, and hospitality.