Hobnail
Urban Artifact

 

 

The absolute best blueberry fruit beer I’ve ever tasted. Urban Artifact is doing some crazy good stuff right now! And I’m not even a big sour drinker

 

 

I was kind of worried when people said this beer was very wine like but was pleasantly surprised by the flavor sour blueberry some grape flavor but well hidden abv. Not sure I would get it again but it's a decent sour!

Beer? Wine? Maybe both. Grape color-smells of oak tannins and tart grapes. Tastes follows the nose with a tart, dry, oaky wine flavor. Low carbonation with a medium mouthfeel. Interesting beer. Nothing I would seek out but I wouldn’t pass another one up either.

Ordered from Tavour in a 12 ounce can, chilled and poured into a pint glass.

Look: Deep, red grape color with no head, although you can see carbonation along the edges of the glass.
Smell: Light earthy berry up front, blueberry and sour smelling grapes.
Taste: Sour berry up front, sour grapes almost like wine, earthy blueberry that hangs with some light malt after taste. The booze is present but not overpowering.
Feel: Medium to full feel, light tickle of carbonation, tannins with some drying like a watered down wine).

Overall it is a strange kettle sour type of beer. This is more like watered down wine, not a great beer.

Cheers!

 

12 ounce can, canned on 03/18/21. Served in an Urban Artifact Chalice, the beer pours a very dark reddish/purple color with not quite an inch pink head that didn't stay around for very long. No lacing at all. Aroma is nice, the brew smells mostly like blueberries, along with some earthy and red wine/grapes. Taste is similar to the aroma, but there's also some blackberry and plum flavors noticeable too. More tart than sweet tasting. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's smooth and a bit coating with a low/moderate amount of carbonation. Blueberry stands out here, but lots of other dark fruit is still noticeable. I liked this one, certainly worth trying if you come across some.

 

 

Deliciously juicy with copious amounts of blueberries, Urban Artifact applies the mastery of the "Midwestern Fruit Tart Ale" to an imperial strength kettle soured ale and a unique wild Canadian twist.

And those wild Canadian blueberries are evident with the deep and dark purple pour. As a loose and swift head builds onto Hobnail, a wine-like appearance soon ensues. Juicy and tart aromas of blueberry juices, red wine, cider, citrus and floral scents decorate the nose before an equally juicy first sip washes the tongue in dark fruit delight.

As the slim suggestions of taffy and cobbler subside, a burst of blueberry develops on the middle palate. Radiant, juicy and laden with dark fruit, the blueberries invite nuances of blackcurrant, plum, black raspberry, cherry and prune to permeate the strong blueberry character and bring a rounded fruitiness to complement green apple, lime and white grape acidity. Trending dry and tart, the beer's late palate is peppery with red wine but otherwise off-sour and slightly acetic.

Medium light and finishing dry, Hobnail's strong alcohol spice carries a red wine presence with vinous-like vapor. A medium length aftertaste of berry skins, seeds and stems add a spice to offset the fruit but to also offer an unsettled bite in a woodsy and warm mouthfeel.