7.5/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Draught at the brewery, 7/9/16.
Dark ebony with dark chocolate highlights and a light clarity to the edges. Tan head is small and shows moderate to low retention.
Sweet fudge, chocolate and raisin is tempered by roasted barley dryness, light wood and a good deal of char, prune and vanilla. Alcohol is very nicely concealed and there’s no huge oakiness or bourbon character. Tons of toffee, raisin, light soy and char lingering with softer chocolate notes developing as it warms.
Low carbonation and a soft, malty-to-watery texture. For its size, it’s surprisingly light on the palate, relative to the style. Milk chocolate, toffee, caramel and roast all balance each other pretty well, with some stronger barrel notes from the bourbon and wood tannin showing themselves on the finish. Char, prune and raisin all add complexity and the alcohol is only felt lightly, at most. Very nice stuff.
Dark ebony with dark chocolate highlights and a light clarity to the edges. Tan head is small and shows moderate to low retention.
Sweet fudge, chocolate and raisin is tempered by roasted barley dryness, light wood and a good deal of char, prune and vanilla. Alcohol is very nicely concealed and there’s no huge oakiness or bourbon character. Tons of toffee, raisin, light soy and char lingering with softer chocolate notes developing as it warms.
Low carbonation and a soft, malty-to-watery texture. For its size, it’s surprisingly light on the palate, relative to the style. Milk chocolate, toffee, caramel and roast all balance each other pretty well, with some stronger barrel notes from the bourbon and wood tannin showing themselves on the finish. Char, prune and raisin all add complexity and the alcohol is only felt lightly, at most. Very nice stuff.
Tried
on 21 Jul 2016
at 15:59
6.8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Draught at the brewery, 7/9/16.
Lightly-to-moderately hazy, bright, marigold yellow with a light copper tint. Off-white head is small and shows very low retention.
Honey, not surprisingly, rises up in the nose. There’s a good richness to it and both fermented and unfermented characteristics abound. Lightly floral, with soft pepper, "sweetness" and light to moderate minerality. The all pale malt behind it helps keep the focus on the honey, but there’s certainly light bread, hay, grain and vanilla to be found as well. Alcohol is concealed in the nose and there are no flaws noted.
Sweet in the mouth, with a warming phenolic/ester character that is joined by very soft alcohol. Lots of pepper, bread, floral character and a big sweetness from both honey and malt, with a lightly sticky texture from the honey. I love the honey texture and flavor and they’ve done a great job with how much residual sweetness is left behind from the honey. That being said, it’s still very much dominated by sweet flavors and could use some more dry and bitter notes to balance it. Carbonation is low and no flaws are noted.
Lightly-to-moderately hazy, bright, marigold yellow with a light copper tint. Off-white head is small and shows very low retention.
Honey, not surprisingly, rises up in the nose. There’s a good richness to it and both fermented and unfermented characteristics abound. Lightly floral, with soft pepper, "sweetness" and light to moderate minerality. The all pale malt behind it helps keep the focus on the honey, but there’s certainly light bread, hay, grain and vanilla to be found as well. Alcohol is concealed in the nose and there are no flaws noted.
Sweet in the mouth, with a warming phenolic/ester character that is joined by very soft alcohol. Lots of pepper, bread, floral character and a big sweetness from both honey and malt, with a lightly sticky texture from the honey. I love the honey texture and flavor and they’ve done a great job with how much residual sweetness is left behind from the honey. That being said, it’s still very much dominated by sweet flavors and could use some more dry and bitter notes to balance it. Carbonation is low and no flaws are noted.
Tried
on 21 Jul 2016
at 15:54
7.1/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Draught at the brewery, 7/9/16.
Copper-orange-golden body shows a high clarity and small, off-white head that recedes quickly to ring.
An undercurrent of green, dank, spiciness runs through rather easygoing citrus notes of orange juice, lime and lemon. A fair amount of maltiness is felt as well, balancing things nicely and adding notes of honey and very light caramel. More subtle notes continue on the finish; lime zest, tangerine, leafy, green hop spiciness and melon with no alcohol or flaw.
Ample body provided by malty and lightly dextrinous notes show off the honey-caramel character that dries out significantly on the finish due both hop and a light, pleasing graininess. Lime, orange, strawberry and tons of green, spicy, dank character linger with a moderate bitterness that keeps things crisp and drinkable without becoming fatiguing. Maybe a touch too much maltiness builds up eventually, but it’s nothing major.
Copper-orange-golden body shows a high clarity and small, off-white head that recedes quickly to ring.
An undercurrent of green, dank, spiciness runs through rather easygoing citrus notes of orange juice, lime and lemon. A fair amount of maltiness is felt as well, balancing things nicely and adding notes of honey and very light caramel. More subtle notes continue on the finish; lime zest, tangerine, leafy, green hop spiciness and melon with no alcohol or flaw.
Ample body provided by malty and lightly dextrinous notes show off the honey-caramel character that dries out significantly on the finish due both hop and a light, pleasing graininess. Lime, orange, strawberry and tons of green, spicy, dank character linger with a moderate bitterness that keeps things crisp and drinkable without becoming fatiguing. Maybe a touch too much maltiness builds up eventually, but it’s nothing major.
Tried
from Can
on 21 Jul 2016
at 15:35
7.9/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Draught at the brewery, 7/6/16.
Gentle haze to the pale, straw/hay-golden beer with a medium-sized white head showing moderate retention.
Soft peppery phenols are gracefully drawn against honey and biscuit-like malt notes while easygoing esters mix deftly with the fruitiness from the hops. So well-integrated and not overbearing that I had no idea what hops were in here (other than knowing that it was obviously not a high alpha/citrus bomb American variety). Turns out there is a good deal of mosaic, which is shocking because there’s zero bitterness/pine that you sometimes get from that one and even the tropical fruit/juiciness is kept to a minimum so that you can get at the lovely, lightly grainy, rustic malt character and authentic yeast characteristics. No alcohol or flaw with some pepper, nectarine and hay lingering.
Tight carbonation and a high attenuation create a crisp, drinkable saison with plentiful, yet mild fruitiness ranging from light melon and nectarine to touches of mango and apple. Good phenolics, not overdone, with light honey, biscuit and other grain notes. Really nicely balanced and showing none of the many defects of current American "saison" brewing.
Gentle haze to the pale, straw/hay-golden beer with a medium-sized white head showing moderate retention.
Soft peppery phenols are gracefully drawn against honey and biscuit-like malt notes while easygoing esters mix deftly with the fruitiness from the hops. So well-integrated and not overbearing that I had no idea what hops were in here (other than knowing that it was obviously not a high alpha/citrus bomb American variety). Turns out there is a good deal of mosaic, which is shocking because there’s zero bitterness/pine that you sometimes get from that one and even the tropical fruit/juiciness is kept to a minimum so that you can get at the lovely, lightly grainy, rustic malt character and authentic yeast characteristics. No alcohol or flaw with some pepper, nectarine and hay lingering.
Tight carbonation and a high attenuation create a crisp, drinkable saison with plentiful, yet mild fruitiness ranging from light melon and nectarine to touches of mango and apple. Good phenolics, not overdone, with light honey, biscuit and other grain notes. Really nicely balanced and showing none of the many defects of current American "saison" brewing.
Tried
from Can
on 21 Jul 2016
at 15:30
7.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 8
Bottle shared at Sander Stag. Pours clear gold with a foamy, white head. Some light honey, biscuits, dough, lemon peel. Medium sweet flavour with more biscuit, honey, mellow citrus, dough, yeast. Light to medium bodied with massaging carbonation. Nicely balanced finish, more yeast, faint funk, pale bread, a little musty hay. Solid stuff.
Tried
from Bottle
on 02 Jul 2016
at 20:22
6.4/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Shared 25.4 oz. bottle. Amber color with an off-white head. Aroma is malt and mild hops with hints of rose. Taste is malt, light hibiscus, rose, yeast, and spice. Pleasant drinking.
Tried
from Bottle
on 24 Jun 2016
at 15:35
7.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Draught at Lulu’s, 5/26/16.
Dark copper-golden body has just a bit of chill-haze and a white head atop showing moderate retention.
Very fruity nose boasts a lot more dank, spicy notes than expected. Assumed it would just be a pure juice bomb. Continues with light nectarine/peach and some strong honey and light caramel from the malt. Clean, with a pleasant yeast character and some herbal and very light pine notes on the finish.
Soft, very malty body and a nicely attenuated though still lightly sweet at times character. Perhaps some of the sweetness is the classic mosaic "mushy-sweet nectarine" but I’m not sure. Bitterness is low but ample, as is the carbonation. Quite drinkable.
Dark copper-golden body has just a bit of chill-haze and a white head atop showing moderate retention.
Very fruity nose boasts a lot more dank, spicy notes than expected. Assumed it would just be a pure juice bomb. Continues with light nectarine/peach and some strong honey and light caramel from the malt. Clean, with a pleasant yeast character and some herbal and very light pine notes on the finish.
Soft, very malty body and a nicely attenuated though still lightly sweet at times character. Perhaps some of the sweetness is the classic mosaic "mushy-sweet nectarine" but I’m not sure. Bitterness is low but ample, as is the carbonation. Quite drinkable.
Tried
on 06 Jun 2016
at 13:53
6.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6
Draught at Hugh O’Neiil’s, 5/16/16.
Clear burnished copper with a fiery orange hue and an off-white head atop showing moderate retention.
Rich malts add honey, toffee and light vanilla-cream with a floral/spicy hop character that is a bit outdone by the strong maltiness in the nose. Fresh yeast, soft minerals and very light sourdough on the end as there’s a short reprise of herbs and spices. No alcohol or flaw.
Big honey and caramel character in the mouth with a medium to medium-low carbonation that is slightly loose and really concentrate the malty sweetness. Some pepper/spice-like character adds mild bitterness and a touch of dryness but this is just a malt monster through and through. The attenuation is medium to medium-high, but it sorely lacks dry/earthy/bitter balance. Even some bready notes from specialty malts would help.
Clear burnished copper with a fiery orange hue and an off-white head atop showing moderate retention.
Rich malts add honey, toffee and light vanilla-cream with a floral/spicy hop character that is a bit outdone by the strong maltiness in the nose. Fresh yeast, soft minerals and very light sourdough on the end as there’s a short reprise of herbs and spices. No alcohol or flaw.
Big honey and caramel character in the mouth with a medium to medium-low carbonation that is slightly loose and really concentrate the malty sweetness. Some pepper/spice-like character adds mild bitterness and a touch of dryness but this is just a malt monster through and through. The attenuation is medium to medium-high, but it sorely lacks dry/earthy/bitter balance. Even some bready notes from specialty malts would help.
Tried
on 28 May 2016
at 16:00
8.9/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 10
Overall 8.5
Draught at Hugh O’Neill’s, 5/16/16.
Lovely, brilliant, flaxen-gold body shows plentiful sparkling carbonation and a big white head with strong retention.
Herbs and spices abound in the nose as bright citrus notes quickly pick up their intensity as well. Hay and biscuit-like malts sit in the background adding no more than necessary as the hops do all the talking. Light minerality is notable and it’s just pure, crisp, hop aromatics with no resin or heavy grapefruit.
Perfectly attenuated, with enough residual malt adding texture and balancing easily the hops. Black pepper, fresh grass, herbs, hay, tangerine-lemon and tight carbonation all make for a flavorful and crisp finish with no sweetness lingering and no resin as well. Clean, refreshing and highly-drinkable, it’s good to see restraint used on the citrusy hop element, which otherwise could easily dominate the beer. But it doesnt and this is blissful.
Lovely, brilliant, flaxen-gold body shows plentiful sparkling carbonation and a big white head with strong retention.
Herbs and spices abound in the nose as bright citrus notes quickly pick up their intensity as well. Hay and biscuit-like malts sit in the background adding no more than necessary as the hops do all the talking. Light minerality is notable and it’s just pure, crisp, hop aromatics with no resin or heavy grapefruit.
Perfectly attenuated, with enough residual malt adding texture and balancing easily the hops. Black pepper, fresh grass, herbs, hay, tangerine-lemon and tight carbonation all make for a flavorful and crisp finish with no sweetness lingering and no resin as well. Clean, refreshing and highly-drinkable, it’s good to see restraint used on the citrusy hop element, which otherwise could easily dominate the beer. But it doesnt and this is blissful.
Tried
on 27 May 2016
at 11:53
7.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Poured from bottle 3/22/16 thanks Chris cloudy golden brown color with a nice white head. Aromas of malt grape oak and hibiscus. Taste is dry grape rose and mild spice.
Tried
from Bottle
on 05 May 2016
at 19:33