McKenzie Dark Saison

Time to catch up before BCTC. Bottle at CL Rosso release. Thanks to all the RB’ers and BA’s that brought great beer. I know I got this one from Dickinsonbeer. From growler. Reddish with big bubble head. Strong sugary bubblegum spice mild red fruit and spice with clean finish. Nice.

Bottle at the Otown Throwdown. Dark brown amber body. Very rootbeer-like and very peppery. Roasted malts and spicy feel. Really liked this. Hope to have again.

Bottle... C&P’sLYFO Throwdown... Clear amber/copper ale with a little, fizzy, white head. The aroma, to me, mainly suggests ginger and sassafras. Light-bodied with a watery mouthfeel and modest carbonation. Bitter, spicy and thin. Abrasive, moderately bitter, dry finish. Not quite my cup of tea, but thanks to Dickinsonbeer for sharing the bottle! Most attendees really seemed to like it. * * Video = http://homepage.mac.com/maltajo/RATEBEER/iMovieTheater10.html

In short: A spicy and semi-wild toasted Saison. Very good.
How: Bottle 22oz (hand bottle I think). Post-EBF tasting. Big thanks to Dickinsonbeer
The look: Slightly cloudy golden copper body topped by a small off-white head
In long: Nose blends spiciness and wilderness. Taste has “rough” toasted crunchy malts, caramel pastry, semi-wild yeast, spicy character, tree bark. Semi-fluffy body. Another excellent beer on a night when I had way too much to drink again. Way too much to drink. But I never hate myself in the morning. I sleep ‘til noon.

Bottle, courtesy Dickinsonbeer. In a day full of damn fine beers, this one might just have been the most interesting and unique of the bunch. The pour yields a lightly hazy body body that is a rusty, reddish brown in color. A small, frothy, khaki colored head leaves spotty lace. The nose is off the wall, spicy gingerbread cake and dessert bread dough showing in the malty base, followed by layer upon layer of spice and fruit. Cinnamon, raisin, banana, vanilla, and clove all make their presence felt. Hints of dark rum and toasted rye also show. Flavors are similarly structured, again quite bready and cake like, with wintery spice elements and dark fruits throughout. Gingerbread shows most prominently, and the cinnamon really lends a spicy kick. Substantial and smooth bodied, with a well concealed alcohol presence. This quirky brew is really, really cool.

Bottle from the Otown throwdown. Brown pour wtih a small whitish head. Aroma is full of some anise aromas, earth and maybe a bit of yeast. Flavor is spicy and malty. This was a very good brew.

Pours a dark caramel brown, with a small white head. big earthy, minty notes arise, with some clove and other spices as well. Huge malty backbone to go with it. The flavor was much like the aroma, very spicy with big doses of that clove and some numeg as well. very big on the flavor, a little syrupy n its texture and mild carbonaton in the mouthfeel. Nice little treat this one was.

Sample at O-town throwdown ’09 Pours amber with thin white head leaving nice light golden lacing. Aroma is very fresh loaded with what seemed licorice and medicinal herbs. Taste fruity, herbal and spices very fresh and some licorice and rhubarb. tasty and was extremely fresh on the palate. A fine Saison.