Wicked Maine blueberry ale: how to track it down

If you want Wicked Maine blueberry ale, search the CBC Liquors site for the name or contact the shop on Littleton Rd in Westford before you drive over. Stock changes, and a quick check is the surest way to know. While you look, this guide covers what a blueberry ale is, how to hunt for a hard-to-find bottle, and which beers on our shelves are worth a look in the meantime.

Can you buy Wicked Maine blueberry ale at CBC Liquors?

The surest way to find out is to type the beer's name into the search bar on our website or to contact the shop directly. We have 4,586 products in stock across 1,883 brands, and that range moves, so a beer you saw last month may not be on the shelf today and one you have never heard of may have just arrived.

When you search, try a few spellings and word orders. Use "blueberry ale" on its own, the brewery name if you know it, and the word "Maine". Beer listings do not always use the same wording, and a short search often turns up what a long one misses.

If nothing comes up, ask us. We can tell you what we have now and point you to something close. We would rather say a beer is not here than send you out on a drive for nothing.

What is a blueberry ale, and what does it taste like?

A blueberry ale is a beer brewed with blueberries or blueberry flavoring. The base is usually a light, easy ale, often a wheat ale or a blonde, so the fruit is not buried under heavy malt or hop bitterness. Some versions taste like a fresh berry. Others lean toward a jammy, muffin-like sweetness.

Brewers add the fruit at different stages. Berries added during or after fermentation give more fresh fruit character, while extracts and flavorings give a steadier, sweeter result. Wild blueberries are smaller and tarter than the large cultivated kind, which is why beers made with them often taste more tangy than sugary.

Because the style varies so much, two beers sold as blueberry ale can taste quite different. Read the description on the can or listing, and ask us if you are unsure whether you are getting a dry, tart one or a sweet one.

How do you hunt for a rare or limited beer?

Limited beers sell through fast and often come in small batches. A few habits help. Search the exact name, check back on the site, and ask the shop whether more is expected. Do not assume that a beer you cannot find is gone for good, since breweries release on their own schedules.

We keep a page for allocated items, which is where to look for bottles that come in limited amounts. If your search is for something scarce, start there and then ask us about it.

For larger formats or something you want in volume, the keg and special order request page is the place to send your request. Tell us what you are after and when you need it, and we will tell you what is possible.

Which beers can you buy here now if you like fruit-forward styles?

Start with the beer section and narrow down from there. If you want something with character beyond a standard lager, the speciality beer page is a good place to browse. If you like a tart edge, the sour beer category is where fruit and acidity usually meet.

For IPA drinkers who want fruit-leaning hop character, browse IPA or the narrower New England IPA page. Two beers in stock now are MAINE BEER CO Lunch and Lawsons Sip Of Sunshine. Neither is a blueberry ale, but both are worth a look if you enjoy a fruit-forward, hop-driven beer.

If what appeals to you is the fruit rather than the beer, look at cider as well. It is a different drink, but it covers a lot of fruit-led ground.

Can you browse by brewery?

Yes. If you know who makes the beer you want, a brand page is often quicker than a keyword search. We have pages for makers such as Night Shift, Finback, Foam, Mast Landing and Other Half. Open one and you see what we carry from that brewery right now.

That is also a useful way to find a brewery's other fruit beers when its blueberry one is not available. Breweries that make one fruited ale often make several, and the range changes through the year.

If you remember a brewery but not the beer name, tell us what you recall: the label color, the style, where you had it. That is often enough for us to work out what you mean.

Can you get it by pickup, delivery or shipping?

Once you have found something on the site, you do not have to come in to get it. We offer pickup, delivery and shipping. Pickup hours match our store hours: Sunday 10 AM to 8 PM, Monday through Thursday 10 AM to 9 PM, and Friday and Saturday 10 AM to 10 PM.

Delivery runs a little shorter: Sunday 10 AM to 7:30 PM, Monday through Thursday 10 AM to 8:30 PM, and Friday and Saturday 10 AM to 9:30 PM. See the delivery areas page to check whether your town is covered. We also have pages for Chelmsford, Acton and Lowell, among others.

For shipping, read the shipping policy first, since what can go where depends on the rules. Anyone receiving alcohol has to be 21 or older.

How should you serve and store a fruit beer?

Serve fruit ales cold, but not ice-cold. A temperature around fridge cold, then a few minutes in the glass, lets the fruit come through. Very cold beer mutes aroma, and with a fruit beer the aroma is much of the point.

Drink fresh beer fresh. Fruited and hoppy beers are usually at their best soon after they are packaged, so check the date on the can if there is one. Keep cans and bottles cold and out of direct light, and do not leave them in a warm car.

A blueberry ale suits a cheese board, a salad with goat cheese, or a light dessert. It is also good by itself on a warm afternoon. Pour it into a glass if you can, so you get the color and the smell.

Where is the shop?

CBC Liquors is at 142 Littleton Rd, Westford, MA 01886. We serve Westford and the nearby towns of Chelmsford, Carlisle, Littleton, Acton, Tyngsborough, Lowell, Billerica, Boxborough and Dunstable. Our Google rating is 4.7 out of 5 from 339 reviews.

Open hours are Sunday 10 AM to 8 PM, Monday through Thursday 10 AM to 9 PM, and Friday and Saturday 10 AM to 10 PM. If you are driving in for one particular beer, check with us first, then come by.