FlyingTaco (112), Massachusetts, USA
| 4 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 16/20 | Jul 9, 2009 Original review date 4/9/2009...
A saison brewed with rye as well as Brett? Well, Bruery stuff has been excellent so far but let’s see how this goes. 750 into a St. Bernie chalice...
This one has a little bit of irrational exuberance at the outset. There’s 2 fingers of head that is buttery-egghell in color with a great chunky seam. Lots of effervescent carbonation travels slowly through the viscous honey-colored body. Carbonation and head continue to rise and crest in the chalice...it’s like dough rising in a way. Not a gusher but definitely happy to see me. The head ends up as being almost egg white in consistency. Big lacing as well. Not sure if this indicates slight slight slight infection issues or not, but aside from that it looks pretty solid.
Wow - there’s a very nice Brett sourness and Saison yeast spice and electricity with a slightly floral hop experience. It is rather creamy for the style; later on a more earthy hop quality abounds - could they be on the way out?
At first the hops are front and center - quite floral, almost soapy. Then a sweetness with rye maltiness and a slight alcohol burn take over. The Brett funk and yeast are muted by the creaminess and carbonation. Definitely malty for a saison.
Maybe it is maltier and a little heavy for a saison but it’s quite luxurious and velvety. With warmth a grassy earthiness on the hop side shows up along with viscous alcohol. Still, very solid.
This is complex, well-constructed and thoroughly enjoyable. Only things we can improve on are the crispness, a bit more Brett sourness and the electricity of a more traditional saison. Still a finely-tuned, well-oiled machine and yet another successful offering from Patrick. Not bad for a lawyer!
elihapa (1052), Honolulu, California, USA
| 4.1 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 17/20 | Jul 4, 2009 7/4/09 notes: on tap at brewery. I was quite excited to finally try this one! Pours orange with an amber hue, and a medium sized head. Aroma is satisfying funky, slightly tart, with pear and yeast notes. Very complex, even for a saison. Flavor starts with a smooth lemon peel, green apple, and peach blend. Palate remains almost creamy, supportive of the immense flavors within. By mid-palate, the funkiness of the Brett is in full swing, complemented by herbal notes and distinct fruit found in the entry. Finish is so smooth, adding some hoppy bitterness that rounds out Saison Rue nicely. This is top notch stuff. alagnak (335), Littleton, Colorado, USA
| 3.5 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 3/5 | 7/10 | 4/5 | 14/20 | Jun 30, 2009 750ml.Deep biscuit and rye nose, a little lemon and real slight funk. Tste is more of the rye, a little deeper brett character, some peppery saison spice, but an almost overload of orange/lemon zest. Much better as it warms and the barnyard flavor comes out more. I’d like to try one with some age on it. SamGamgee (1433), Santa Cruz (La Selva), California, USA
| 3.7 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 7/10 | 4/5 | 14/20 | Jun 28, 2009 75cl bottle picked up down in OC after the anniversary party. Hazed dark orange, almost copper color with a big, lasting off-white head. The aroma hits you with some brett in a funky earthy way right off. Hay, earth, lemon, blood oranges, candied ginger and some sweet malt in the aroma as well. Really nice nose. The flavor is fruity, and pretty spicy with a light tartness. There is a higher level of malt than many saisons as well, but the finish is still pretty dry. Not really hoppy, though there is some bitterness in the finish as well as some graininess. Medium bodied with lots of carbonation. Just a little sweeter than I was hoping, but a nice maltier saison Kevin (1918), Colorado, USA
| 3 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 6/10 | 3/5 | 6/10 | 2/5 | 13/20 | Jun 28, 2009 pours a heady yellow brown and reeks of rye, so peppery, with a bit of lemon, and sugar in there,. dry, and shalky flavors. spiced rye flavor with a bit of the milkshake mouthfeel, bbut it doesn’t quite cross the line, a kitchen sink beer for sure, i’m thinking of the other times i had this nad i’m assuming they were olser, and had time for the brett to really take hold, this has a bit of powder and metal going on, but nit much besides a bit of band aid in the finish . leaves a scotch gaurd like finish, and for those of you that have been there, you know exactly wwhat i mean, numbing, and chemicl notes, not necessarily bad, but noteworthy nonetheless.
3 6 6 2 13 duff (5475), Surrey, Greater London, England
| 3.5 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 3/5 | 7/10 | 3/5 | 15/20 | Jun 26, 2009 Bottle. Nose is quite yeasty, floral and citric, with some alcohol warmth. Palate is full bodied, yeasty, citric and rather fizzy (this softens as you work your way through it). Some llight sourness is in here, with somenice spicey, peppery alcohol and citric yeast bitterness in the finish. Pretty good. HopheadHans (755), Bay Area, California, USA
| 3.9 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 4/5 | 7/10 | 4/5 | 17/20 | Jun 25, 2009 Bottle. Very solid saison but a bit on the heavy side. Pours with a more golden copper color than expected. Has nice aromas of funk and ripe fruit. Flavors of spice, yeast, citrus and caramel. Finishes wiht some real funk. Nice. Sparky27 (1588), Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| 3.5 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 3/5 | 7/10 | 3/5 | 15/20 | Jun 20, 2009 Bottle sample at the Draft Magazine PBS Beer Festival. Pours clear gold with a fizzy white head. The nose is fruit and spice. The taste is lemon zest, candy, light funk and fruit. Light prickly mouthfeel. Decent Saison.
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