That’s Why They Call it the Blues
Sommar Brewing Company in Birmingham, West Midlands, England 🏴
Belgian Style - Strong Ale Regular Out of Production|
Score
7.13
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Strong ale aged in freshly emptied Buffalo Trace barrels for 12 months with bourbon at the forefront in addition to layers of sweet, caramel, subtle vanilla and delicious oaky character from the barrels.
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7.4/10
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Appearance 7
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7.5
Sample courtesy of Grumbo, cheers Graham! Orange amber colour, some bubbles on top and aroma of wood barrel, vanilla, funk, fruity, fudge. Taste is sweetish, malt, caramel, candy, vanilla, fudge, funky, with harsh booze and some bitterness. Medium bodied, light carbonation, drying boozy bitter finish. Very boozy, quite drinkable.
Tried
on 15 Mar 2025
at 18:49
8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Taster from Sommar, Waterloo St, Birmingham. I didn't ask for it - just casually mentioned it was too strong for me and I was kindly given a shot glass of it to try. Clear amber-brown, small solid head even at this small sample. It was boozy, zesty, spicy, mixed fruits, whisky, rich and warming. Very tasty. Not sure if 1/3rd would too much but the small sample I had hit the sweet spot.
Tried
on 02 Jan 2025
at 03:05
7.6/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
28/12/2024. Can from Sommar Bar Waterloo Street, Birmingham. Pours clear copper amber with a short lasting bubbly off-white head. Aroma is toffee, brown sugar, sweet, bready, perfumed, woody, bourbon, boozy. Taste is sweet with mikd bitterness. Medium body, light sparkling carbonation. Sweet woody bourbon finish. Very nice.
Tried
from Can
on 28 Dec 2024
at 06:13
7.1/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Keg draught at Sommar Leicester. Brownish gold, a bit hazy, almost no head. Nutty, caramel aroma. Lots of booze. Even more booze in the taste, with a big bourbon character outshining everything else. Sour mashy bitterness in the long finish. Light to medium body, carbonation on the cautious side. Intense and dangerous!
Tried
on 07 Oct 2023
at 16:02
7.5/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Can bought at Sommar Bar, Brum. Aroma is Defford booz, as the kids using spellchecker say. Alongside a big doze of malts and stewed fruit. Clear copper gold. Thin foamy translucent white head, which soon recedes. Boozy. Underlying malts and fruit. Jammy. Medium bodied. Slick. Soft carbonation. Long astringent finish. Big and boozy. The latter isn't overdone. Yum.
Tried
from Can
on 30 Jun 2023
at 21:50
6/10
HEAVY on the bourbon characteristics - it’s almost too much for the style, it overpowers the ale flavor.
Tried
on 09 Jun 2023
at 21:44
7.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Keg at Craft Inn, Worcester, 16/02/23. Almost clear golden with a light beige cap that thins to a swirl. Nose is ripe old bourbon, stewed fruits, dates, grains, caramel, light yeast esters. Taste comprises fruit cake, spice, vanilla oak, caramel, bourbon in your face. Full bodied, fine carbonation, semi drying close with a boozey edge. Okay sipper if a touch 1D and the bourbon dominates too much ... needs a better balance.
Tried
on 20 Feb 2023
at 15:57
7.6/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Draft at Sommar, Waterloo Street, Birmingham. Poured a crystal clear medium amber colour with an everlasting frothy white head. The aroma is oaky, buttery. The flavour is moderate sweet, with a smooth, rich, malt, dry, oaky, warm boozy alcohol bitter palate. Over medium bodied with average carbonation. A big beer. Sommar pushing the boundaries?
Tried
from Draft
at
Sommar Bar Waterloo St
on 19 Jan 2023
at 22:06