Blue Point Spring Fling Ale
Brewed By: Blue Point Long Island Brewery
Brewed In: Patchogue, NY
ABV: Unlisted on the bottle. Beer Advocate says 6.0%
Type: American Pale Ale
What they say: Nothing, so far as I can tell. There’s no blurb on the bottle, the sixpack, or the website.
Website: I still really hate the Blue Point website. As has been previously mentioned, I really hate flash app web sites because they’re painful to update and their search engine hits suck. Here we have a new (I think) offering in Spring Fling and there is no trace of it on their website or in Google. Seriously… guys… I’m available. You don’t have to be stuck with a bad decision. We can make this work.
Why I picked it: For every level of whore I am for Sam Adams, I have two whore levels for Blue Point. I didn’t recognize this beer so I grabbed it immediately. Besides that it’s a “Copper” ale. Everything named Copper, for whatever reason, is good.
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Presentation (5): This is a little more hippie and less Long Island than most of their bottles. The buoy logo is included, of course, but the label design is an open, unspoiled plain. Some happy hummingbirds are feeding on hops, which I’m pretty sure is biologically inaccurate. I could also question the presence of open fields on Long Island. But then, I didn’t question the accuracy of Long Island-based quaint German towns on the Oktoberfest label. 3
Originality (5): While I’m happy Blue Point has a spring offering now, I wouldn’t say that this one differs much from Copper Hook or any other spring copper offering on the market. That said, there are certain types every craft brewery should probably offer to get their stamp on that particular market. While I may not find it any different than Copper Hook or Otter Creek’s Copper Ale — I’ll probably grab this one first because, as mentioned, I’m a Blue Point whore. 3
Body (10): As an American Pale, this beer’s job isn’t to be hearty or thick. It’s to be refreshing and light. The coppery color and thin head don’t try to hide a fizzy mouthfeel and a light drinking experience. Ultimately, it is rather thin and isn’t the most standout offering I’ve ever had, but it’s perfectly serviceable and nothing I’d turn down. 7
Taste (10): I don’t know what it is about beers with “copper” in the name that makes me automatically love them, but I do. This beer has a light, slightly citrusy odor from the hops that I absolutely love. The citrus, combined with gentle malt and gentle hop flavors makes this an extremely refreshing spring ale that both quenches thirst and leaves you wanting more. I have heard rumors of this being available ON CASK in Albany’s version of The Beer Snob Bar, Mahar’s (which, really, is a blog post all its own. The worst website in all the world coupled with their masterful use of the Eric Cartman “you shouldn’t come here” marketing strategy) but the aforementioned worst website in all the land makes no mention of it. I digress, but this beer is just tremendously refreshing, delicious, and a perfect spring beer. 10
Efficiency (10): I have to call shenanigans on the ABV until I see it from an official source. This beer’s flavor and body offer no indication of that kind of strength. If the ABV is correct, it’s one of the sneakiest stronger beers on the market. Besides the point, I’m pretty sure I’d feel something after a pair of 6% beers and I got almost nothing off of these. I’m calling it lower with the the right to revisit this rating if Blue Point ever updates their site to include this beer. 5
Versatility (10): Spring beers always strike me as the most versatile in the craft market. They generally have reasonable ABVs and they’re tasty and refreshing. I wouldn’t pair them with a meal, but they’re great hanging-out beers, great ballgame beers, and great bar beers. They’re the Craig Counsel of craft brewing. 10
Final Grade: 38 (of 50) – Great beer.
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