Blueberry Boyfriend
Prairie Artisan Ales

beersampler6 from Michigan

4.11/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Very nice tart wild ale from the always solid Prairie. 3/31/20 date printed on can. Pours a darker purple-red color with a light cap of white head and spotty lingering lacing. Smells of tart blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries and lighter lemon, vanilla and bread. Taste follows the nose, very crisp and refreshing, tart and slightly sour but not puckeringly so. Crisp mild mouthfeel with good carbonation. Very tasty even though this isn’t my usual style.

Jun 18, 2020

StonedTrippin from Colorado

3.81/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

i mostly buy prairie beer now because every time i see a new one i remember how good and exciting they all used to be, and i guess i wax nostalgic for that and then buy whatever trendy new one im looking at. im not sure if the cool fermentation forward beers of old went to american solera or what, but this is about as basic a sour as you can get, and without the blueberry in it would resemble something like a very minimal berliner, monotone lactic pucker, some super light wheat malt, dry, bubbly, a hint of lemon, thats it, nothing wild or funky about it at all, nothing distinct. this is almost neon violet in color, has a fast rising and receding pink head, and looks pretty neat in the glass. the blueberry adds some neat skin tannins to the nose, additional tang, a summery sweetness too, and plays well with the lactic souring. its nice in the flavor too, super robust but also rather natural, and if it wasnt for the pucker this would be more juice than beer. i dont think there is any denying that this is objectively good, if all you want is a generic drinkable fruited sour, which just about everyone is making these days, but coming from prairie, this isnt really enough for me, i know the quality is there, but where is the inspiration, the nuance, the clever ingredients and processes? i miss that from prairie more and more each time i have something new from them, which is a real shame. this is good for summer, drinkable by the handful, and packed with blueberry character, but its a far cry from what they used to represent, at least in my opinion...

Jun 11, 2020

tone77 from Pennsylvania

3.37/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

A thanks to the commander of the canquest, woodychandler, for this beer. Poured from a 12 oz. can. Has a hazy purpleish color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of sour blueberries. Taste is desert dry, tart, some blueberries. Feels medium/full bodied in the mouth and overall it ain't bad, just have a bottle of water to drink with it. Whew!

May 17, 2020

Jugs_McGhee from Colorado

3.43/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

CAN:

The blueberry is nice but the sourness is one-dimensional...seems like all lactobacillus with no oak presence or true spontaneous fermentation life. No microflora, no pediococcus, no lambicus yeast/wild yeast.

Acidic with a 4/10 sourness in terms of intensity.

Soft, refreshing, smooth, wet, light-bodied.

A worthwhile albeit high priced sour ale from Prairie. The blueberry helps it stand out but I don't really taste lemon zest.

B- / WORTHY

Dec 18, 2019

Suds from Missouri

3.67/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

From a twelve ounce, silver-hued aluminum can, this brew is a dark and hazy brownish beer. Medium head. The aroma is a little fruity...some berry (not sure it is blue) and a little tart grain. The taste is very dry...slightly sour...and has the same berry fruit note throughout. Twangy, tart, and refreshing. Interesting.

Oct 13, 2019

Franziskaner from Missouri

3.94/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Deep amber in color with a fingernail of beige around the rim and barely elsewhere present. The aroma is of subtle lemon and there’s a deep undercurrent of blueberries. I’m initially tasting lemon which is gradually overtaken by blueberries. The mouth is very dry and crisp.

Jul 07, 2019

erk0607 from Colorado

3.68/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Look: Mostly white head that dissipated within a minute or so, small bubbles but not tiny. Once they dissipate there's nothing, not even lacing. Dark raspberry coloring. Not clear, but also not opaque.
Smells: Slightly of berries above the rim of the glass. Kind of earthy tones also waft up, but overall the smell is sweet, turning ever so tart.
Taste: Kind of like a stem/woody beginning that turns to tart fruit. Blueberries. Raspberries and strawberry aftertaste. Or maybe that's just blueberry aftertaste. Tart berries. There. Not pucker sour, but definitely a kettle sour.
Feel: Light, gentle carbonation, medium-light body, flavors cling to the interior of the mouth, despite being on the drier finish side.
Overall: After letting this warm up a bit, it's alright. Nothing to write home about. But not a sink-pour either. Lots of fruit flavors and tame tartness. Flavors are real enough that you can tell some expense went into making this.

Jun 06, 2019

Beersnake1 from California

4.1/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from just under fridge temp. Pours a nice orange with a reddish tint. Not much head. Nose is lemon and blueberry all the way. A bit of a sour note. Maybe a touch of apple and toffee. Taste is a bit tart upfront. Quite refreshing! Blueberry and lemon really shine through, along with a bit of wheat and lactose. Definitely some funk going on - really adds a complexity. I really like this one. Mouthfeel is light and dry, with a sparkling carbonation that tickles the tongue.

Apr 26, 2019

SierraNevallagash from Maine

3.89/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

12oz can - no date - poured into a wine stem at 45F

Pours a cloudy garnet red, with a centimeter of pinkish whifte head, that settles very quickly, leaving a film and thin collar.

Nose: Tart. Tary, sweet blueberry pie filling, plain Greek yogurt, vanilla bean, and a hint of lemon zest. Simple. Sour. Pleasant. As it warms and opens up, I get a strong oak vanillin note, that reminds me of a nice, mature, high proof bourbon. Interesting note.

Palate: Sweet blueberry juice greets the palate, immediately followed by a striking citric tartness, almost like you took a spoonful of blueberry pie filling, and then bit into a lemon right after. Some creamy yogurt comes to mind, which is definitely from Lactobacillus. The sweetness then subsides, and a second wave of tartness floods in, and the beer becomes quite dry, with a bitterness that isn't hoppy, but rather very similar to a wood tannin bitter. The creamy note hangs around as the tartness slowly fades, and the finish is long, dry, slightly bitter, and thin.

Mouthfeel/Body: Medium bodied, with a small bit of weight from sugars, and a creaminess from the Lacto. The ale has a fine, fizzy, lively effervescence. The finish is moderately drying, and the creaminess coats the palate. Crisp and drinkable.

Overall: A solid, middle-of-the-road fruited kettle sour. There's no complexity to be found, there's nothing terribly unique that stands out, and the tartness can be aggressive at times. The bitterness towards the finish isn't particularly pleasant. It's a one trick pony. If you come to terms with that, and really enjoy a fruited kettle sour, as well as a little bit of blueberry, then I see nothing that will be offensive about this. Perfectly acceptable.

Apr 13, 2019

russpowell from Arkansas

3.79/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Pours effervescent plum color with a thumb of rapidly falling pink head. Zero head retention & lacing

S: Sweet tarts, faint blueberry

T: Tart blueberry, a little lemon sweetart & dryness up front. Almost tastes like a blueberry lemonade as this warms. Finishes lemony tart with plenty of blueberry, pretty dry

MF: Light bodied firm carbonation. can feel the enamel getting pulled of my teety, puckery!

Pretty drinkable, great hot weather beer

Sep 02, 2018

depechemode1983 from Texas

3.6/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Pours out a purple plum color with a pinkish purple head. Retention is low and that is no lacing.

Smells like sour blueberry with a funk.

The taste is more of a lemon sourness with the blueberries on the back end. And when I say sour I mean sour. This actually reminds me of a dry red wine.

The mouthfeel is refreshing and well carbonated. Like a sparkling wine.

Aug 25, 2018

drtth from Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

The hazy reddish purple colored beer pours out into a Duvel glass with a 1/2” light purple head that recedes slowly but visibly and eventually disappears leaving little or no lacing on the sides of the glass. At first sipping creates some small patches of lacing, many of which slide back down to the liquid.

The aromas include the blueberries along with a bit of lemon and some gentle grainy, crackery malt.

The flavors are more complex than expected from the nose but definitely dominated by the blueberries and some tartness that is definitely there but not overly intense. In addition to the blueberries there’s a light touch of citrus from the lemon zest, some malty/grainy sweetness and a bit of earthy character.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied and prickly with the active carbonation. It also has slightly acidic feel from the tartness. The finish begins as the grainy malt character starts to recede while the slightly tart and fruity blueberry fade more slowly as everything moves to a dry ending on the back of the palate.

Overall this is a well made beer with lots of fruitiness from the blueberries. It was easy to drink and refreshing. But I don’t think I’d want two of them in a row.

Aug 19, 2018

jzlyo from Iowa

4.03/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Aroma is blueberries/slightly medicinal and tart fruit. The flavor is blueberries/berries, malts, mild tropical fruit and a tart/slightly sweet finish.

Aug 18, 2018

BEERchitect from Kentucky

4.14/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Sour ale is all the rage and it doesn't apply to any particular demographic or gender. So if your girlfriend likes sour ale, then watch your back! That's because Prairie Artisan Ales just might steal her away with their blueberry sour ale.

Caught between lavender and light mauve, Blueberry Boyfriend pours with a dark, plum wine character, racy initially but calm shortly into the session. Brazen sourness tightens the jaws and gets the juices flowing with its mere scent of dark berry, citrus, cider and the light funk of damp burlap. Light sweetness sprinkles on the tastebuds with the likeness of cobbler, tarte and sourdough.

But any semblance of malt sweetness is quickly cast away from the brunt of sourness and fruit that splashes the middle palate. Lime, lemon, crabapple, gooseberry and wine tartness commands the tastebuds while the juiciness of blueberry also brings a taste of cranberry, blackcurrant and red grape. A late palate of moderate spice, pepper, grapeseed and dried wood has the funk and fauna of fermentae resonating like hay and leather briefly afterwards.

Medium bodied for sour ale, the berry's juicy character and a return of wheaten malt allows the beer to balance with a mild creaminess and frothy support to keep the beer from absolute acidity. Hints of balsamic come to mind as the taste concludes sour, crisp and refreshing and a short winey aftertaste.

Aug 08, 2018

MNAle from Minnesota

3.25/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Appearance is cranberry with a moderately tall, pink head that dies quickly to a thin ring and a center spot. No lacing at all. Aroma tart fruit, I suppose blueberries, funky. Taste is quite sour & tart, just short of puckering. For me, the sourness overwhelms any fruit or other flavors. It is sour in the beginning, in the middle, in the finish, and in the aftertaste. The funky taste combined with the tartness just doesn't work for me.

Aug 06, 2018

GuyFawkes from Illinois

3.9/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Released June 2018; drank 7/28/18 @ the Yarchives.

Opaque red/purple appearance.

A violent pour yielded a nice, noisy pink head; almost no lace.

Burnt wheat, blueberry & faint lemonade notes in the nose.

Medium mouthfeel.

Tart blueberry & burnt wheat flavors up front; borderline harsh sour lemon notes on the finish.

A bit punishing for this timid soul; good but not one I'll return to.

Jul 29, 2018

justintcoons from Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz can poured into a tulip.

Appearance
Bright ruby/magenta. Extra hazy. Short head dissipates immediately. Looks awesome!

Nose
Blueberry, raspberry, peach, lemon, and lactic sourness.

Taste
Sour blueberry and raspberry. Lemon and peach with a moderately high lactic sourness. Bread and caramel sweetness underneath.

Mouthfeel
Light bodied and sour.

Overall
The firm sweetness of the malts help balance out the high acidity. Blueberry in the front.

Jul 27, 2018

dbrauneis from North Carolina

4.04/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

A: Pours an opaque cloudy (almost murky) purplish red in color with light to moderate amounts of fine active visible carbonation rising along the edges of the glass and moderate purple + deep cranberry red colored highlights. The beer has a two finger tall fizzy foamy pale pink head that quickly reduces to a large patch of mottled very thin film covering a little more than 75% of the surface of the beer and a very thin ring at the edges of the glass. Light amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate aromas of slightly sweet/slightly tart blueberries and tart lemon citrus zest over the top of light to moderate aromas of pale + wheat + cracker malts with minimal amounts of sweetness. Light amounts of lacto tartness/sourness and a light amount of earthy funkiness.

T: Upfront there are light flavors of pale + wheat + cracker malts with minimal amounts of sweetness. That is followed by light to moderate flavors of lacto tartness/sourness and a light amount of earthy funkiness. Finally there are slightly stronger than moderate flavors of slightly sweet/slightly tart blueberries and tart lemon citrus zest. No perceptible hop presence and no bitterness. The slightly sweet/slightly tart blueberries and tart lemon citrus flavors linger for quite a while.

M: Medium bodied with slightly heavier than moderate amounts of carbonation. Light amounts of acidic prickliness.

O: Easy to drink with well hidden alcohol, refreshing, and enjoyable. The combination of blueberry + lemon zest along with the lacto in this sour ale really work well together. Definitely worth grabbing if you like blueberries.

Jul 25, 2018

AyatollahGold from Indiana

3.5/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pouring from a 12 oz. can into a wine glass. This beer is almost the color of grape juice. It forms a thin pink crown that audibly fades away in less than a minute. The smell is blueberries with a slight hint of almost lemon like tartness. Maybe like a blueberry tea with lemon? The taste comes in with a rather smooth and sweeter blueberry than expected. It's like a blueberry pie. Almost feels like lactose was added into this. It doesn't end up being very sour, but instead just provides a wild and natural feeling tartness. Goes through pretty smooth, I just wanted more from it.

Jul 21, 2018

avalon07 from South Carolina

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

L: Poured from a can to a snifter glass. Had a ruby red color and a thick, opaque consistency. There was a quarter inch of foamy, off white head that lasted a below average amount of time. Not much lacing.

S: A good aroma of blueberries, citrus, Belgian yeast, and a few other fruits.

T: Tasted of a moderate amount of Belgian-style yeast / funk (present throughout), a good shot of blueberries, light citrus notes (lemon, in particular), some dark fruit, and melon. A much more interesting flavor than I expected. The blueberries are given a serious boost from the other fruit elements. Well done.

F: A good amount of carbonation with a lively finish. Medium-bodied.

O: This is a well made wild ale - very sweet and likable. Drinkable.

Jul 19, 2018

teromous from Virginia

3.29/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From the bottom of the can, overlapping the rim, in small yellow text: "13082TH1BBBOYFRIEND 18106 171 18"

Appearance: The body of the beer is an opaque purple-red color that looks like beet juice. It has a short purple-pink head that looks frothy and slowly fades out.

Aroma: It smells like old fruit with this meaty yeast aroma. It smells a bit like popcorn.

Taste: It's tart up front with a very fruit-forward flavor. It tastes a bit like a blend of fruit juices including grape, blueberry, and pomegranate.

Mouthfeel: It has a pronounced tartness which tapers off to the back of the mouth where the beer ends very dry. The body feels a bit thick in the middle.

Overall: The aroma of the beer was a turn-off but it has a good fruit flavor which is enjoyable. I would most likely pass on it again given the aroma but at least the flavor makes the beer worthwhile.

Jul 07, 2018

superspak from Ohio

3.88/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ounce can into tulip glass; no can dating, but was just released. Pours moderately hazy red/purple/pinkish orange color with a 1-2 finger dense and rocky light pink head with great retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of juicy/lightly tart/tangy blueberries, fruit skin, lemon, peach, plum, pear, melon, red/green apple, red grape, citrus zest, hay, straw, grass, wheat, cracker, biscuit dough, light lacto funk, and yeast earthiness. Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance and complexity of fruity/acidic yeast, blueberries, lemon zest, and bready malt notes; with solid strength. Taste of juicy/lightly tart/tangy blueberries, fruit skin, lemon, peach, plum, pear, melon, red/green apple, red grape, citrus zest, hay, straw, grass, wheat, cracker, biscuit dough, light lacto funk, and yeast earthiness. Light fruity/lactic tartness and fruit tang on the finish. Lingering notes of juicy blueberries, fruit skin, lemon, peach, plum, pear, melon, red/green apple, red grape, citrus zest, hay, straw, grass, wheat, cracker, biscuit dough, light lacto funk, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/acidic yeast, blueberries, lemon zest, and bready malt flavors; with a nice malt/tartness and tangy fruit balance; with zero puckering flavors after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from tartness and tangy fruit. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/bready/grainy, and fairly acidic/tangy/tannic mouthfeel that is nice. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 5.4%. Overall this is a very nice fruited sour ale. All around nice complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/acidic yeast, blueberries, lemon zest, and bready malt flavors; very smooth and refreshing to drink with the mellowly acidic/tangy/drying finish. Not overly sweet or tart either way. Nicely jammy berries; with balanced lemon zest, Lacto, and bready malts. A very enjoyable, and well made offering for a sweeter sour. Nice summer beer.

Jun 30, 2018