Timberyard Blueberry Honey Ale

Timberyard's Blueberry Honey Ale is a Massachusetts-brewed fruit ale at 5.0% ABV and just 15 IBU, which tells you most of what you need to know about how it drinks. With bitterness that low, hops stay in the background and exist mainly to keep the malt and fruit from tasting syrupy. The result sits closer to a soft, lightly sweet session ale than to anything resembling an IPA, and it is easy to finish a pint without the palate tiring. Expect blueberry to lead, usually showing up as a jammy, slightly tart berry character rather than a candy sweetness, with honey adding a rounded, floral sweetness and a smoother body than the base beer would otherwise have. Honey ferments out almost completely, so in beers like this it tends to contribute aroma and a gentle perception of roundness more than actual sugar. Behind both, a modest malt backbone typically provides a light bready or cracker-like footing. Fruit ales of this kind often carry a faint purple-pink tint from the berries, and the aroma is usually fruitier than the flavor. Serve it cold but not frozen, around 40 to 45°F (4 to 7°C). Straight from a very cold fridge, the berry and honey notes go muted; a few minutes on the counter lets them open up. A standard pint glass or a tulip-style glass works well, and the tulip is the better choice if you want the fruit aromatics concentrated toward the nose. Pour with a moderate head and leave any yeast sediment behind if the bottle or can has some. At the table, the sweetness and low bitterness make it a good match for salty and rich foods: a sharp cheddar or fresh goat cheese, prosciutto and melon, or a salad with candied nuts and a vinaigrette. It also handles mild heat, so lightly spiced chicken wings or Thai-style dishes with some sweetness work well. For dessert, vanilla ice cream or a plain cheesecake pairs naturally, and the ale can even be poured over the ice cream as a float.