Blueberry Milkshake IPA
Dangerous Man Brewing

2017 notes:
Thoroughly hazed, oddly crimson coloring, nearly purple....blue-ish red? with a pinkish head above. Right from the gate, weird.

In the nose: Soft and sweet. Fruity. Yeah, blueberries. Creamy. Milky. Huh. Just as advertised. But...but....it's totally like a smoothie, or yogurt, for christ's sake. What?

In the mouth: Smooth and easy, creamy and fruity. Smoothy-y, yogurt-y, milkshake-y, but where's the IPA, and why???

Medium-bodied, long, fruity finish, low bitterness. How is it an IPA? Not sure. Label of the crowler reads: "Blue Milk IPA", and I think they're just trying to make a Star Wars reference. (Visit the crowler shop for nice view of Star Wars stuff.) It is tasty, but I just want to reject the concept outright, as being anti-beer. This is not what I signed up for when I joined the craft beer crusade. I want bitter, I want strong, I want roasty and deep and dark and impressive, and not a soft drink or a yogurt or a smoothie in a glass. My soul dies a little if I consider actually enjoying this. I can drink it, and it tastes good, but it doesn't feel like beer. Is anyone thinking: "We made beer better, by adding lactose and fruit!" I suddenly find myself in the shoes of those who rejected or questioned beers that I've enjoyed in the past, like lambics or barrel-aged brews, over-proof beers, crazy stuff like that. Through it all, bourbon barrel barley-wines, hot as hell Belgian crazies, thick as heck Imperial Stouts, I said, YES!, this is beer, what's your problem?!?!

This stuff, though? I'm thinking, Are you improving beer, or just, you know, warping it? There's not enough bitterness to call it an IPA, and the smoothie/creaminess is great, but very not beer. (What about cream ales, you demand of me, do you hate those, too? Well, yeah, I'm not that big of a fan, but they don't have milk in them, either.)

Am I a hater? Am I not on the bandwagon? Am I old and in the way? This is the second "milkshake IPA" from DMBC, after the boysenberry version, which I missed out on, and I remember a recent exchange on Facebook where one friend mentioned having this beer, and another friend who is very active in brewing asked "Do they still make beer there?" I got a good laugh out of it, but when the place has to keep up pace with the chocolate milk stout, the coconut milk stout, and the peanut butter porter, it seems pretty true.

Stop the gimmicks, before it gets way out of hand. Or is it too late?

Not sure if this is the right checkin. But the crowler filled at Dangerous Man says Blue Milk on it. So who knows? Pours a dark green body, one finger white head, good retention and bits of lacing. Smell is candy, a bit of sugar, light pale malt, a bit of sweet caramel, a bit of bread. Flavour follows, weird beer, essentially a sweeter pale ale with a bit of candied sweetness to it. It's oddly refreshing, though a bit sweet. Mouthfeel is medium-lighter bodied, good carbonation, slight sticky sweetness on the backend.