Smuttynose Farmhouse Ale

Brewed by Smuttynose Brewing Company
Style: Saison
Portsmouth, New Hampshire USA

04.28.06 Bomber, shared at Paul’s Pre-TAPNY. I’ve enjoyed this beer not only on that day, but a handful of times since. Something about this style, which isn’t really a saison, but rather a sort of lightly funked up, nicely effy, mineral, juicy-fruit, and kind of spicy paler brew with nice alcohol punch, something about it I really like. In the past, I’d have compared this with Flying Fish Summer, but no more (what happened there?), but it’s what I’m most reminded of...nothing even remotely close to a Belgie saision like Fantome or Dupont, but certainly has its place as a summer refresher with some kick.

Bottle. One explosively carbonated mother. Delicious spicy nose with loads of fruitiness and definite Belgian Saison yeast. Clear orangish body supporting a rich foamy lacing beige head. Spicy, fruity, and dry. Deceivingly full body, coats well, merest hint of alcohol really adds a lot to the flavor. Coriander and dry orange peel. Only light earthiness. Con: aroma outpaces taste, which doesn’t stand up to volume drinking. Outstanding effort, light orvalian notes.

Rich golden body with some visible pale yeast flocks and a uniform, sudsy white head. Aroma has lots of sweet, honey-like malt, peppery phenolics, and some bubble gum. Lots of underattenuated base malt in the flavor and substantial, somewhat astringent bitterness. Unrefined, with little intriguing depth to put it anywhere near the league of a really good saison.

(draft @ The Old Toad - Rochester, NY) Hazy orange color with a thick and puffy white head. Aroma is full of citrus notes along with some pepper, spices, flowers, and some hops. Flavor is sweet and spicy all at the same time. Good amount of earth notes at the finish along with a spicy and tangy finish.

Bottle. Pale copper-orange body with a small white head. The aroma is fruity - banana, sweet pears, mild floral spiciness. The flavour is sweet and fruity with apple and pears peaking through; though there isn’t a whole lot of spiciness other than some weak pepper. Finishes slightly watery.

hazy gold with a huge soapy off-white head. aroma is spicy with peach, lemon, sweet corny malts, and grass clippings. palate is lively with carbonation. flavors bring out grass, alcohol, light colored fruits, hay. sweet and boozy. too syrupy. not really refreshing like i imagine a great saison should be. a little around the edges.

On tap at HDG. Deep yellow in color with a nice white fluffy head. Sweet and yeasty aroma. Coriander notes. Banana and spicey flavor. Clove, peppery. Very smooth. Finish is spicey. Tasty. Very drinkable. Enjoyable.

Huge thanks to Beerdrenched for sharing this fine saison. Poured cloudy and orange with a soapy white head. Aroma was very earthy with coriander, sour fruitness (nectar fruits / citrus) and even hints of vanilla. Medium body with light semi-sharp carbonation. Taste has lots of fruitiness and spice. There is a nectar-like sharpness and a good amount of earthy qualities. Some citrus mixed in as well. When the yeast is poured in the beer becomes much smoother. All around great beer.