Red Truck Beer has burst on the beer scene in B.C. since opening, creating one of the biggest breweries in the province. It is because of this that they are able to consistently put out new beers and perfect old recipes quicker than some of the smaller breweries out there. B.C. Beer Reviews decided to take a look at one, the Blackberry Bourbon Ale.

B.C. Beer Reviews: Red Truck Beer – Blackberry Bourbon Ale

One of the components of this beer is abundant in this province, blackberries. They grow anywhere they are allowed to. Another is seldom found for an affordable price, and that is Bourbon. Put the two together and it makes for a very interesting duo in a beer.

Colour

This beer pours a very deep reddish-purple hue from the can. This is what you would expect from a beer using blackberries. In the glass it is a much deeper colour, and much closer to being purple with only a slightly red tint to it.

Nose/Aroma

Both notes in the name of this beer come out immediately in this one. There is a noticeable sweetness that comes from the blackberry. It is very slightly juicy but it is subtle enough to not be overpowering.

The Bourbon comes through in a very nice way as well. It is balanced nicely with the sweetness and very light tartness of the blackberries in this one. It adds a sweet note that is common with Bourbon and is balanced with a bit of a boozy note to finish.

Overall, this is a fairly sweet and nicely balanced nose/aroma. As the name states, Bourbon and blackberry are the only two notes at play in the nose/aroma of this beer.

Tasting Notes

The first, and undeniably the strongest, note in this beer is the blackberry. It starts off with a very strong sweet note and finishes off with a slight tartness. This is exactly what you would expect from a brew using blackberries.

Surprisingly enough, the Bourbon is much more subtle in the tasting notes then what it was in the nose/aroma. You catch it in between the starting sweetness and the tart finish of the blackberry. It would be nice to have a bit of a boozy finish to a beer that has bourbon in the name.

Other Notes

The branding/labeling is simple but nice. The label is a deep purple of a blackberry with a red truck, the one you would associate with Red Truck Beer, with Bourbon barrels in the bed of the truck.

There is a very nice level of crispness to this beer. The carbonation level is moderate, but it helps to keep it from being far too sweet for the blackberry. The slightly crisp finish is a very nice note.

There is a surprising amount of lacing on the glass from this beer. It is not thick patches, but light covering of lacing is present on the glass from top to bottom.

With this being as sweet as it is the mouthfeel is surprisingly thin and smooth. It is what you would come to expect of a typical ale.

Final Grade

The nose/aroma shows off the blackberry and bourbon notes much more than the tasting notes. It is a fairly thin bodied beer despite being as sweet as it is. The crisp finish is definitely a good note to keep it from being overly sweet.

Grade: 7.2/10

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Main photo by Nic Hendrickson, Lastword Inc., all rights reserved