Mama Needs a Milkshake
Listermann Brewing Company

New England milkshake IPA brewed with El Dorado, Centennial, vanilla, blackberry, and raspberry. Poured from a can into a Listermann pub glass. The pour is very hazy and a dark reddish-purple color with about a finger of off-white foam. The color makes it look like a fruit beer. Average retention. On the nose I get some grapefruit and faint raspberry notes.

Medium body with a firm feel. Up front you get a little milky sweetness that is immediately joined by soft hop flavors and the tart, earthy flavors of the berries. It's hard to tell where the hops end and the fruit begins. The blackberry especially makes itself known (with its characteristic, sharp flavor) and tends to linger the most on the finish. Overall, a good beer. My misgivings have more to do with the choice of fruit than with the construction of the beer itself. I don't think the fruits (particularly the blackberry) do much to complement the hops. I think I still prefer beers like this that utilize more tropical fruits (like mango and guava). Those who enjoy blackberries will probably love ths beer. Still, I give Listermann credit for always pushing the boundaries and seeking out new flavor combinations.