<b>Date:</b> 04/18/2007<br /> <b>Mode:</b> Bottle<br /> <b>Source:</b> Tasting<br /> <br /> clear dark brown, scant head, huge funky malt aroma with lots of barnyard character and a slight tartness, dark malt flavor, lots of tartness, musty character is well balanced with the dark malts, light woody character, <br /> <br /> <b>Aroma:</b> 7/10; <b>Appearance:</b> 7/10; <b>Flavor:</b> 6/10; <b>Palate:</b> 6/10; <b>Overall:</b> 12/20<br /> <b>Rating:</b> 3.2/5.0<br /><b>Drinkability:</b> 7/10<br /> <b>Score:</b> *4<br />

Pours a transparent mahogany ruby with a thin ring of spotty tan head. Aroma of tart fruity cherries and slightly biscuity malt with some funky barnyard character. Starts with a nice, lightly caramel malty sweetness with a good fruity cherry character and a touch of horseblanket. Finishes fairly full with nice balance and sweet tartness.

One of the better offerings from the two bros, this "black Saison" looks like a Coke but with less carbonation and a smaller head. After the biting smell of hops, I’m a sucker for the funky aroma of Brett, and this has plenty of that over the scents of lightly roasted, sweet malts and a slight woodiness. The flavor is a bit more tame than the aroma, still with the funky sourness and lightly roasted malts but adding a bit of dried fruit, oak, and a hot spiciness. Very nice.<br /><br /><font size=-4><a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp?PlaceID=1327><u>Party Pak Liquors, Indianapolis, IN</u></a><font size=-1><br />

22 oz bottle from Armanetti’s in Antioch, IL (October 2006) imbibed at cellar temperature from a Corsendonk glass. Near opaque, slightly bubbly cola appearance, fizzy head dies very quickly to leave a very thin ring, no appreciable lacing....licorice, roasty and burnt malts, bitter chocolate and light earthy-spice notes would seem to make for a very nice aroma but they’re all curiously flat and subdued, never melding into anything harmonious or interesting, and the yeast is not apparent, no real "Belgian" character noticeable....sour cherry and grapy qualities dominate the body, reminiscent more of a schwarzbier than anything else, or perhaps a light-bodied and dry Baltic porter; malts are thin and the body weak with low tingly carbonation....on the whole, not very saison-like at all though kind of interesting in it’s way; but I’ve had a couple of better "black" saisons just in the last month from local brewers and this sucker just doesn’t cut it.

Dark brown color with a chestnut rim when held to the light. Only a few bubbles that circle the rim of the glass. Sour dough bread and lightly roasted malt in the aroma. Really not much in the nose that entices me to continue. Tart and roasty flavors. Light berry and nouveau qualities. Hints of oak and a mild attic dust. A poorman’s Panil.