Review of Brooklyn Buzz Bomb Ale

Posted By Zach Thursday, 23 September 2010 18:41

This is a fairly old review considering this beer was only brewed once and I tried it back in June. I believe it was draft only and I don't know how far it was distributed, but I wanted to do a review and found notes on this particular beer, so here we are.

I was intrigued by the concept of this braggot beer that is brewed with honey, so I gave it a shot at a bar while in New York. See what I thought after the break.

Taste: B I was surprised by this braggot beer, partly because I had no idea what to expect. For those who don't know, a braggot is a blend of beer and mead with some spices thrown in for added flavor. In the case of Brooklyn, they have an emphasis on honey, hence the name. Buzz Bomb was a nice, crisp beer with a good clean finish. You could certainly taste the honey aspect, but it was not overpowering. While it does have a bit of sweetness, it was not too much and added to the flavor. The only issue I could see is the sweetness that it does have getting to be a bit much after a couple.

Packaging: N/A This beer was draft only, so there isn't any packaging outside of the keg. I guess the Brooklyn logo is pretty cool, so there is that.

Value: B I got this at a bar for $6 or so for a pint. It is higher ABV, so that is probably why it costs a bit more. Certainly not overpriced for a beer from a high quality brewery. I would guess this would be around $10 if they ever bottled it.

Drunkeness: B+ While this certainly isn't at the top of high gravity beers, it comes in at a nice 8% ABV. This beer gets some bonus points for being decently drinkable. After two of these, you'd be feeling it nicely. Although, I wouldn't say you'd want to get hammered on this beer. Save that for your next round of King Cobra.

Overall: B I have had mead in the past, but never had a braggot. At first I was a bit skeptical as I have usually found mead to be a bit on the sweet side for my tastes, but this blend was pretty good. Brooklyn did a good job of mixing the two and adding in just the right amount of honey. I would certainly recommend this beer if you run across it at a bar. Unfortunately, I'm not sure how long that will last or if you can even still get it, but maybe they'll decide to bottle it. Regardless, this is one to try when you want something different.