Fitgers Farmhouse Special Reserve

Tap @ GTMW 2006. Translucent and bright copper colored with an oily, dusty cap. Sweet honey wheat and cloves attack the nose, along with some lime rind and ginger brushed grains of willow wheat. Bitter orange peel also plays a role. Sweet flavor rolls in with abundant candi sugar and citric orange consistencies. Cardamom and coriander team for a cola spiced scratch that maintains a mellowed vanilla danish underbelly. Medium to lighter bodied with livening lime traits for a touch of tartness at the tongue’s tip. A nice, sweet, candied saison.

Coriander and peppery spiciness is strong in the musty, doughy, herbal, lemon citrus aroma. Clear golden body is topped by a decent, large bubbled, white head that lasts. Floral, perfumey hops blend well with the spiciness in the sweet, malty, round flavour with fair bitterness and some milky acidity. Light alcohol warming to the medium light body with lively effervesence. Sampled at GABF 2005.

Fading off-white head covers the sadly clear gold-straw hue. Fresh “sandy” dry and spicy nose boasting biscuity and cereal malts along with very herbal, minty and floral hops. The flavours gently explode in mouth, creating a rather complex spicy character with individual varieties being almost impossible to pick out, possibly lavender and ginger. The yeast imparts a soft banana, mango, pear, grape juiciness that comes along in a perfumey manner. Wooden rye and mineral complete the exploration. Medium bodied, creamy texture, soft carbonation, aptly dry and refreshing though with a light bite of alcohol.

Clear golden colration, slim, yet capable, staying head. Aroma is a delicious melange of honey, spices, sweet fruit, prickly pears, peppers, and ginger. Quite a mix. Love it! Smooth and pleasant in the mouth, tingling with citrus and spice. Lays lightly on the palate, but hangs out memorably in the finish. Medium-bodied, eternally tasty. The flavor is genius, well and truly, a gently, but potent blend of spice and fruit. The taste is tremendous, and the strength barely registers. Dangittidang, delicious!

GABF 2005: A clean straw hue with a fizzy head and some lace. The aroma has a flowery (chamomile and lavender) , light funky yeast and mild apple character with additional notes of mint and dry sage. The taste is a bit twangy upfront followed by more of than flowery character. Get some nice spice and minor hop bitterness on the finish, I find it has an understated complexity. The feel is sharp and crisp with woody dry finish. It looks like I enjoyed this beer more than the others. I gave it a Mikey Likey recommendation. (Sorry Dave, you didn’t feel the same)