I Tried And Ranked All 6 Blue Point Brewing Beer Varieties

As a New Yorker (and a bartender), I've been familiar with Blue Point Brewing Company for a while. Although I have never visited the brewery in person (out on Long Island), I have had Blue Point beers in the past, and the Blue Point brand feels like a hometown brew. Just like life in New York, the company offers a wide array of options for any taste or mood — including seasonal options (usually around six on rotation).

I took the opportunity to taste all six of the beers on the menu that are available year-round in New York and select retailers across the country. While I didn't personally love them all (to be fair, I'm mostly a wine and spirits drinker), I did find a couple of delicious stand-outs, and it was an interesting way to experience what makes Blue Point so uniquely New York. Read on for my personal recommendations, and taste for yourself to see where we align!

Some recommendations are based on first-hand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the distributor.

As a Blonde Ale, I expected the Imperial Sunshine to be one of my favorites because traditionally, these are easy-drinking, light-to-medium-bodied beers. However, this is no regular Blonde Ale — the Imperial Sunshine is a heavy hitter, with the most calories (265) and the highest ABV (9.6%) of the bunch. I could tell from those stats that there would be more going on with this beer than normal, and I was right.

While some traditional beer drinkers may love the variety of the Imperial Sunshine, it was my least favorite of the year-round selection. I found it a little too tangy for me — perhaps because of the added orange flavor that some may find fun or refreshing. I, however, found it a bit too overpowering.

You could try this ale with some loaded, crispy nachos or a burger; some traditional pub food to balance out the non-traditional flavor. The Imperial Sunshine rings in at $12.99 for a six-pack of 12-ounce cans.

True to its name, the Long Island Light is the lightest beer both in taste and calories in the Blue Point portfolio. Coming in at just 90 calories and a manageable 4.0% ABV, this lager will appeal to you if you're looking for something without the heavy alcohol content or overwhelming hoppy taste of some other beers.

I genuinely enjoyed the Long Island Light, as I do like a crisp lager, particularly in the summer months at the beach or a backyard barbecue. With the lower ABV, you can also have one of these and not feel woozy in the heat, which is a bonus! Some light beers, in my experience, can be so devoid of taste that they're almost watery. However, the Long Island Light has a hint of oakiness, a mellow taste, and a pale golden color, which all combine to make it a pleasant drinking experience.

It may be the airiest, but it's also the most expensive Blue Point pack on the list — because you get more beers per pack! It's the only Blue Point beer that comes by the dozen. You can grab a 12-pack of 12-ounce Long Island Light cans for $15.99.

According to Blue Point, the Hoptical Illusion was the first of the three India Pale Ales (IPAs) they produced, and this one was inspired by the story of ancient Egyptians filling their pillows with hops for vibrant dreams. The color is a darker amber, and the taste is malt-forward, hoppy, and citrusy. With 200 calories and a 7.0% ABV, the Hoptical Illusion is a step up in heft from the Hoptical Haze (which is also in the same Blue Point IPA family).

The Hoptical Illusion is also a bit more bitter than the Haze (which we'll discuss later), and although not technically "hazy," it has a bit of cloudiness in the body. It's slightly more complex and tastes like a traditional, vibrant IPA. But for me, it was somewhat too heavy and complex for easy, smooth drinking, so it's a couple of notches down for me.

Because it does have more personality than the Light, and I would prefer to drink it over the Sunshine, the Hoptical Illusion lands in the middle of this ranking. You can find a six-pack of Hoptical Illusion 12-ounce cans for $12.99.

I was a bit worried about cracking into the Blueberry Ale, as I thought it might present as too sweet. Sometimes flavored beers — especially those with fruit flavors or infusions — taste like something I would have enjoyed in my early twenties with a less experienced palate. With 130 calories and 4.5% ABV, this golden ale has a hint of berry flavor, but overall, it is just light and refreshing to drink.

The Blueberry Ale, while still light, does taste a bit more medium-bodied than the Long Island Light, and the blueberry taste is definitely present. What I enjoyed most about it is that it tastes pleasantly different than a standard ale you'd order at a bar, and the flavor is not so overwhelming that you can't or don't want to drink a full can. It's not too bitter or sugary, and in fact is well-balanced.

I could see myself in the warmer weather enjoying this with a light salad or a chicken dish. Ringing up at $11.99 for a six-pack of 12-ounce cans, this is one of the cheaper Blue Point options and would be great to grab for a picnic.

The Hoptical Haze is the other one of the two IPAs offered year-round by Blue Point, and this one, in my opinion, is the juiciest. With a slightly cloudy appearance and coloring somewhere between mango and pineapple juice (with the taste featuring notes of both), this beer comes in at 195 calories and 6.5% ABV, so a slightly higher alcohol content than the lagers.

When I'm in the mood for a more complex beer, I tend to reach for an IPA — I like hoppy, citrusy versions of this variety, and the Hoptical Haze delivers. Hazy IPAs (also sometimes called New England IPAs) are a newer variety of IPA and are in the Blue Point family. This beer will appeal to IPA lovers looking for something less bitter than the Hoptical Illusion and more fruit-forward, with a full-bodied yet smooth texture.

I would recommend drinking the Hoptical Haze with food containing a bit of spice — maybe an Indian curry or Mexican-style Chiles Rellenos. The Hoptical Haze retails for $12.99 for a six-pack of 12-ounce cans, if you want to try for yourself.

The flagship Toasted Lager is my personal winner. As mentioned earlier with the Long Island Light, I do enjoy a lager, and the Toasted Lager option is a great, reliably drinkable entry in this beer portfolio. It makes sense that this lager is so palatable, as it's the first beer that Blue Point Brewery ever created (as well as a World Beer Cup Gold medal winner, among other accolades!), so it set a high bar from the start and has created and maintained loyal fans.

With 170 calories and a 5.5% ABV, the Toasted Lager is a sensible beer, not too heavy, and not too light. There's a pleasant sweetness here, but not cloying, which balances nicely with the toasted notes. I've seen recommendations to pair a Toasted Lager with a nice, homemade barbecue sauce, but I enjoyed it with a chicken sausage cavatelli pasta, and it was an excellent complement. You can grab your own six-pack of Toasted Lager 12-ounce cans for $11.99.

To sample the six beers, I drank them over the course of six days. I wanted to space them out so that I could appreciate each taste individually — and so I wouldn't have an unpleasant next day. I kept all of the beers in the refrigerator overnight for at least 24 hours, so they were all chilled to the same cool temperature, and then I poured the first sip of each into a pint glass so I could observe the color and smell the nose.

After tasting from the glass, I then finished each beer from the can to see if there was any difference in flavor or any noticeable metal aftertaste. I'm pleased to say that all of the beers maintained their smell and taste integrity throughout the tasting process, and the first taste matched the last taste for them all.

While I wouldn't say all six beers were my favorite, none of them were unpleasant, and overall, I really enjoyed the Blue Point portfolio. I can't wait to reach for a Toasted Lager or a Hoptical Haze in the future — hopefully in warm weather with friends at the brewery itself!