Ingredient Insight: Abita's newest Harvest Series brew features blueberries

Abita Brewing Co. officially debuted Blueberry Wheat as the next brew in its Abita Harvest Series. Blueberry Wheat hit shelves starting June 6 and will be seasonally available June through September.

The flagship of Abita’s Harvest Series has long been Abita Strawberry Lager, a wildly-popular brew of not just locals, but also across the country. Abita said Blueberry Wheat is what Strawberry lovers have been hoping for.

Blueberry Wheat is brewed with a combination of pilsner and wheat malts, and hopped with German Perle hops. The wheat adds a crisp and toasty malt flavor. After filtration, sweet Louisiana blueberry juice is added to the beer to give it the aroma and flavor of fresh blueberries. Like all of Abita’s Harvest Series, Blueberry Wheat is all-natural and incorporates the finest locally grown produce.

Blossman and his brewmasters have put considerable time and energy into perfecting the Blueberry Wheat recipe, and strawberry drinkers are loving it. Abita surprised patrons in its tasting room with a special chance to sample Blueberry Wheat before it hits shelves.

“Don’t tell Abita Strawberry that Abita Blueberry is here,” joked a group of tasting room patrons who said Blueberry will be serious competition for their usual favorite.

But Abita’s Blueberry Wheat won’t be competition for its Strawberry Lager, as Abita Strawberry’s season ends when Blueberry’s begins — the perfect answer for some fans who don’t know what to do when Abita Strawberry can no longer be found for the year. Instead of having to hoard cases of Abita Strawberry, fans can begin to enjoy Blueberry Wheat.

“Abita Blueberry will be my alternate to Strawberry,” said another taste-tester of Abita’s Blueberry Wheat.

“We wanted to give Abita drinkers a new Harvest brew to look forward to, hopefully easing the blues of Strawberry Lager’s season coming to a close,” explained Blossman. “We’re constantly begged to produce our Strawberry year-round, but the key to our Abita Harvest Series is harvesting the locally-grown produce at the peak of its season for optimal ripeness and therefore flavor. We know Blueberry Wheat will be a refreshingly-satisfying sequel for strawberry lovers.”

Other lucky pre-testers of the new Abita Blueberry Wheat described the brew as “extremely crisp and fresh,” and “very smooth.”

Overall consensus? “If you love Abita Strawberry you will love Abita Blueberry.”

Further Reading: Oregon Fruit Products launches limited release program for new fruit brewing purees