Dark ale “Blue beard” – a popular beer from the private “Vasileostrovskaya brewery”. Brewed in the Belgian style, it is distinguished by its high density and strength. It is sold in bottles of 0,375 and 0,75 liters with a muselet cork (which allows the beer to ferment in the bottle), as well as in kegs for bars and restaurants. The alcohol content is about 8%, the density is 17%.
Bluebeard gained particular popularity after a series of blind tastings, when it left behind many eminent representatives of dark ale from abroad. An additional attraction is provided by a nicely designed bottle that looks like champagne. The presentable appearance and exquisite taste ensured the Blue Beard beer a well-deserved place in the forefront on the shelves of specialized stores.
The recipe involves the use of six different malts supplied by the Belgian company Castle Malting. Due to this, the predominance of malt tones in taste and low bitterness are felt. The color of the ale is maroon, the head is beige, viscous and creamy. In the aftertaste, fruit, wine (with a slight sourness), chocolate and caramel tones, a distant aftertaste of raisins and prunes can be traced.
The cork seals the bottle very tightly, which can cause some difficulty in removing it. The opening of the bottle is accompanied by a loud bang, as it should be with this performance – “a la champagne”.
Historical information
Blue Beard beer is produced by one of the oldest breweries in St. Petersburg, Vasileostrovskaya Brewery, which practices craft brewing. It was opened as a private company back in 2002. Her path to fame began with just one brand of Vasileostrovskoe Domashny beer, which quickly fell in love with the nearest bars and restaurants.
Two years later, the assortment was expanded by one more item “Vasileostrovskoye dark”, which was brewed according to recipes similar to the famous Bavarian varieties. Even later, the assortment was replenished with other types of “live” beer and kvass.
The demand for the brewery’s products turned out to be so great that in 2005 the company had to leave its location on Vasilyevsky Island (which gave the name to most beers) and move to the Admiralteysky district, where it became possible to place new lines of equipment and start producing exclusive, experimental varieties.
In 2012, the brewery launched the first bottle-fermented beer, the Triple Wheat Ale, but it was the intriguingly named Bluebeard, which was released in 2014, that got the most attention.
In 2015, the brewery celebrated its 15th anniversary and opened a new production site in Kingisepp, Leningrad region, further expanding production capacity and ensuring uninterrupted supplies for an ever-growing list of customers. As of 2018, deliveries are made to more than 65 cities of the Russian Federation and neighboring countries. The product range includes both permanent author’s and exclusive beers, as well as seasonal options.
Awards
“Vasileostrovskaya brewery” 7 times over the course of 15 years of work became the winner of one of the most prestigious ratings of St. Petersburg – “Gazelle Business – 2015” from the newspaper “Business Petersburg”, which annually celebrates the achievements of the city’s rapidly developing companies. The leaders of the rating are the enterprises that showed the largest increase in annual revenue indicators for the previous 3 years of operation.
How did the name appear
The name “Blue beard” arose in the process of creating the recipe. When brewers thought of Belgium, they remembered one of the most famous fairy tales, the hero of which became famous for his cunning, bloodthirstiness and need to test the curiosity of his many wives. The associative series with the events of the fairy tale was reflected on the beer label, which depicts keys and a blue beard.
