Compiled from 8 sources; we haven't tested this product ourselves yet. How we research
Quick answer
Noodler's Baystate Blue is an intensely saturated blue fountain pen ink made in Massachusetts, sold in a 3 oz (about 90 ml) bottle. It dried in about 5 seconds in Goulet's test and is highly water resistant, but Goulet warns it stains converters and clear pens and shouldn't be mixed with non-Baystate inks.
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The 3 oz Baystate Blue bottle, drawn in proportion, with a swab of the ink.
Product facts
Product
Noodler's Baystate Blue fountain pen ink, 3 oz bottle (19048)
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Notes on these facts
Made by Noodler's Ink, Massachusetts (run by Nathan Tardif). Made in United States: Noodler's About Us page says its ink is 100% made in the USA from cap to glass to ink. Noodler's Ink is based in Massachusetts, the Bay State the ink is named after. Source. Price: example listing.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026.
Key takeaways
Noodler's sells Baystate Blue as item 19048 in a 3 oz bottle, which Goulet lists as 90 ml with a 23.6 mm (0.93 in) opening.
Goulet found it 80% dry within 5 seconds from a wet medium nib and rated its water resistance high.
Goulet rates ease of cleaning low: expect stained converters and a blue tinge in clear TWSBI pens.
On October 22, 2026 it ranked 14th of Goulet's 891 bottled inks sorted by best selling.
Noodler's says its inks are 100% made in the USA, from cap to glass to ink.
What is Noodler’s Baystate Blue?
It’s an electric, highly saturated blue fountain pen ink from Noodler’s Ink of Massachusetts, the Bay State it’s named after. Goulet calls it about as blue as it gets, and the ink people are literally afraid of.
The fear comes from staining: Baystate Blue colors hands, converters and clear pens more readily than ordinary inks. It’s still one of the most bought bottles in the US: on October 22, 2026 the 3 oz bottle ranked 14th of the 891 bottled inks Goulet sells, sorted by sales.
Baystate Blue specs
Spec
Value
Maker
Noodler’s Ink, Massachusetts, USA
Item
19048 (3 oz); 19811 (4.5 oz with a free Charlie pen)
Bottle
3 oz glass, listed as 90 ml by Goulet
Bottle opening
23.6 mm (0.93 in), per Goulet
Properties (Noodler’s)
Water resistant, forge resistant
Dry time
5 s or less (Goulet)
Saturation / shading
High / low (Goulet)
Maker’s list price
US$12.50 on Noodler’s site, October 22, 2026
Price band
$$ ($5–20 per 3 oz bottle)
Like all Noodler’s bottles, it comes filled to the brim, so open it over a towel. We found no published bottle size beyond the opening, so the cover is drawn in proportion.
Fills per bottle (bottle ÷ capacity), with Baystate Blue's sourced properties.
Why does Baystate Blue stain pens?
Goulet says the Baystate inks use a different formula from ordinary fountain pen inks, made to be more vibrant, with a slightly basic pH. As a result they’re prone to staining, and they shouldn’t be mixed with non-Baystate inks.
Goulet rates ease of cleaning low and warns of stained converters and a blue tinge in clear TWSBI pens. Its reviewer also reports an old “street” claim that the ink cracks pens, which in years of use in Pilot and Sailor pens never happened to them.
Noodler’s own pH page says all its inks fall between pH 6.2 and 7.9, and that an ink needing a non-neutral pH would say so on the label. We haven’t measured it.
How fast does Noodler’s Baystate Blue dry, and is it waterproof?
It’s one of the fastest-drying inks Goulet has tested and close to waterproof once dry. Out of a wet LAMY AL-star medium nib on Rhodia, it was 80% dry within 5 seconds.
In Goulet’s drip test the line didn’t move, apart from a faint blue stain in the water. Noodler’s lists the ink as water resistant and forge resistant, but not bulletproof like Noodler’s Black. For a water-resistant Noodler’s blue that Goulet calls more conventional than Baystate Blue, see Noodler’s Liberty’s Elysium.
How do you clean Baystate Blue out of a pen?
Flush thoroughly with water, never let it dry in the pen, and use a diluted bleach solution for stains. Goulet suggests 10% household bleach to 90% distilled water if staining appears; our guide on how to clean a fountain pen covers the basic flush.
Because it shouldn’t mix with other inks, clean the pen completely before you switch in or out of Baystate Blue. For residue that water won’t shift, Goulet sells its own ammonia-based Goulet Pen Flush.
Which pens should you use with Baystate Blue?
Inexpensive, opaque pens you don’t mind tinting. Goulet advises avoiding rare or valuable pens, and its reviewer’s tinted TWSBI ECO shows what can happen to clear plastic.
If you only want a bright blue without the risk, Serenity Blue is the safer everyday choice.
Where is Noodler’s Baystate Blue made?
In the United States. Noodler’s says its inks are 100% made in the USA, from cap to glass to ink, and the company is based in Massachusetts.
Noodler’s own site listed the 3 oz bottle at US$12.50 on October 22, 2026; US retail puts it in our $$ band.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Noodler's Baystate Blue so controversial?
Because it stains. Goulet warns of stained hands, converters and clear pens, and says the Baystate inks shouldn't be mixed with other inks. People love the color and fear the cleanup.
Will Baystate Blue damage my fountain pen?
Goulet's reviewer used it in Pilot and Sailor pens for years with no ill effect, but suggests keeping it out of rare or valuable pens and never letting it dry inside a pen.
What is the pH of Baystate Blue?
Sources disagree. Goulet describes the Baystate inks as slightly basic, while Noodler's pH page says all its inks fall between pH 6.2 and 7.9 unless a label says otherwise.
How do you get Baystate Blue out of a pen?
Flush with water, then use a solution of 10% household bleach and 90% distilled water if it has stained, as Goulet suggests. Test bleach on old parts first.
Can you mix Baystate Blue with other inks?
No. Goulet says the Baystate inks use a different formula and shouldn't be mixed with non-Baystate inks, so flush a pen fully before and after.
How fast does Noodler's Baystate Blue dry?
Very fast: Goulet found it 80% dry within 5 seconds from a wet medium LAMY nib on Rhodia, and slower on Tomoe River, where it can't soak in.
Is Baystate Blue waterproof?
Close to it once dry. Noodler's lists it as water resistant and Goulet's drip test barely moved the line. Noodler's doesn't class it as bulletproof.
Is Noodler's ink made in the USA?
Yes. Noodler's says its inks are 100% made in the USA, from cap to glass to ink, and the company is based in Massachusetts.
