Mikkeller Raspberry Blush 4Pk

Mikkeller Raspberry Blush 4Pk is a 4.0% ABV Berliner-style Weisse beer brewed with raspberries and whiskey barrel-aged Ethiopian coffee. Scoring 89 on BeerAdvocate from 153 ratings, this boundary-pushing sour ale from Mikkeller Brewing San Diego merges fruit-forward tartness with layered coffee complexity in a way few beers attempt.

Quick Facts: ABV: 4.0%  |  Origin: San Diego, California  |  Style: Berliner Weisse with Raspberry & Coffee  |  Brewery: Mikkeller Brewing San Diego

Production & Heritage

Mikkeller was founded in 2006 by Danish homebrewer Mikkel Borg Bjergsø and has since become one of the world's most prolific gypsy brewing operations, eventually establishing a permanent brewing facility in San Diego, California. Raspberry Blush is built on a traditional Berliner Weisse base — a low-alcohol, wheat-heavy German sour style — then conditioned with raspberries and 2nd Craft rye whiskey barrel-aged Ethiopian coffee. The use of whiskey barrel-aged coffee beans rather than standard roasted coffee is the defining production choice here, introducing layers of oak character and spice that push this well beyond a typical fruited sour.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Natural berry fruit leads the nose, with gentle coffee-ground notes woven underneath. There is a subtle interplay between bright raspberry and earthy roast that sets up expectations for a more complex palate than the light body suggests.

Taste: Crisp effervescence carries immediate tartness on the entry, followed by a rich, almost oily coffee presence at mid-palate that tempers the sour bite. Candied raspberry sweetness surfaces between the tart and bitter poles, giving the beer a surprisingly layered mouthfeel for its low ABV.

Finish: The finish is refreshing and iced-coffee-like, with lingering tartness and a dry, lightly tannic fade from the barrel-aged beans. It closes clean and invites another sip without cloying sweetness.

How to Drink Raspberry Blush

Best served chilled at 40–45°F straight from the can or poured into a tulip glass to concentrate the aromatics. This beer also works as a creative cocktail ingredient: use it in a Berliner Shandy topped with lemonade for an amplified summer refresher; blend it into a Beer Mimosa with sparkling wine and a raspberry garnish for brunch; or mix it into a Sour Beer Spritz with Aperol and a splash of soda for an adventurous low-ABV aperitif.

Best For

• Sour beer enthusiasts exploring coffee-forward hybrids
• Weekend brunch sessions that call for something tart and sessionable
• Gifting to a craft beer collector who values experimental brewing
• Warm-weather drinking where low ABV and high flavor are equally important

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Raspberry Blush taste like? Raspberry Blush delivers bright raspberry tartness layered with rich, oily coffee bitterness and a crisp, effervescent finish. The whiskey barrel-aged Ethiopian coffee adds depth that distinguishes it from straightforward fruited sours.

How does Raspberry Blush compare to Mikkeller's Ich Bin Berliner Raspberry? Both share a Berliner Weisse base with raspberry, but Raspberry Blush introduces rye whiskey barrel-aged Ethiopian coffee, adding coffee bitterness and subtle oak spice that the Ich Bin Berliner series does not have. The result is a more complex, layered beer despite a similar low-ABV profile.

Is Raspberry Blush good for sipping on its own? Absolutely — at 4.0% ABV with a balance of tart fruit and coffee, it drinks easily on its own and rewards slow, attentive sipping from a tulip glass.

Where is Raspberry Blush made? Raspberry Blush is brewed at Mikkeller Brewing San Diego in San Diego, California. The brewery is the permanent U.S. production home of the Danish-founded Mikkeller brand.

What foods pair well with Raspberry Blush? Lemon ricotta pancakes complement the tartness and coffee notes; smoked salmon draws out the beer's dry, tannic finish; sharp goat cheese echoes its acidity; dark chocolate desserts harmonize with the barrel-aged coffee character; and fresh berry tarts mirror the raspberry without overwhelming it.

What sizes does Raspberry Blush come in? Raspberry Blush is commonly available in a 4-pack of cans, which is the standard retail format for this expression.

Is Raspberry Blush worth the price? Raspberry Blush positions as a mid-premium craft sour with a genuinely unusual production method — the rye whiskey barrel-aged coffee component adds complexity rarely found at this ABV and price tier, making it strong value for adventurous drinkers.

Why Raspberry Blush?

What separates Raspberry Blush from the crowded field of fruited Berliner Weisses is the deliberate use of 2nd Craft rye whiskey barrel-aged Ethiopian coffee — a production detail that introduces oak tannin, rye spice, and deep roast character into an otherwise light-bodied sour. With an 89 on BeerAdvocate and over 30,000 ratings on Untappd, it has earned broad credibility among sour beer drinkers. At 4.0% ABV it remains fully sessionable, yet its flavor architecture rivals beers of far greater strength. For anyone looking for a sour that genuinely challenges the category rather than merely repeating it, this is a compelling choice.