Sgt. Pepper - Cambridge Brewing Company

womencantsail

California

3.68/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Golden/orange in color with a white head. The pepper aroma on this is huge. That’s pretty much all I smell, actually. A bit of sweetness from the bready and toffee malt. The flavor is nice. It’s a bit sweet and very peppery. And that’s pretty much it. While enjoyable, a small pour is really all that I could handle.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2012 21:30:07 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.15/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

On tap at the brewpub back in March 2009.

A: Slightly reddish with a decent head and lacing that sticks fairly well.

S: The aroma of all the types of pepper is quite appetizing.

T: While the pepper was good in the smell, there's just a little too much going on here--it's simply overpowering. Aside from the pepper, I can pick out some sweetness and a little bit of the Belgian yeast character.

M: Fairly light body, but again overtaken by the pepper.

D: Okay. I really like this brew in theory, but the execution was just a little bit off.

Serving type: on-tap

04-24-2009 05:51:53 | More by Thorpe429

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.46/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

"Holy peppercorn, Batman!"

Cambridge's not-so-subtle, pepper infused, Belgian-style Saison kicks off with an exuberent golden pour. Lightly hazed, the bubbly elixir thrusts its carbonation into a fluffy, short statured head that cowers to the pepper additions and falls apart relatively soon after the pour, leaving no meaningful lace behind.

But the aromas are alive with the tingle of freshly cracked black peppercorns. As the spice tantelizes the olfactory senses, other background notes lurk in the pepper's shadows: green apple, pear, and berries give a fruity tone that make the low-lying malt a bit more apparent.

And its the taste of pepper that dominates the flavor profile. Early grain sweetness is lightly bready and dryly starched. But then the spicy pepper taste greets the front of the tongue with husky, rye-like character except it continues to intensify to near capsasin-like taste. Although soft under-ripened orchard fruit and yeast spices keep the beer wine-like, the sharpness of peppercorn makes the more finesse elements in balance go largely unnoticed.

The dry malt taste translates well to texture, but allows for the abruptness of peppercorn to spike the tongue with intense heat and prickling sensations. Finishing hot from the spice additions, the beer dries early on the palate and stays that way through the aftertaste.

In general, the Saison base beer is solid but not absolutely authentic. But the peppercorn additions through the balance way off for me. I'm sure that those who prefer hotter cuisine than I will appreciate the beer much better. I'm glad I split the large bottle with a friend as the whole contents would surely incite heartburn.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 17:11:03 | More by BEERchitect

MasterSki

Illinois

2.85/5  rDev -22.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Thanks to Reagan1984 for this oddity. Batch 1 from February 2012. Served in a tulip.

A - Quick-dissolving white foam settles to a thin ring, wisps, and minimal lace. Hazy peach flesh body.

S - Tons of peppercorns, spicy esters, herbal and zesty hops(?), and some peach and other stone fruits from the malts.

T - Taste is overwhelmed with white pepper flavor, as well as some vegetal notes, and spicy black pepper and chile heat? Maybe a touch of saison in the periphery.

M - Smooth body, with zesty carbonation, and a very dry finish. No obvious alcohol, which is a plus.

D - Too peppery, even for my tastes. Not the easiest beer to drink. Kind of interesting to try, but Jason and I barely finished our pours.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2012 17:57:41 | More by MasterSki

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.45/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Not much head and what's there settles to rom bubbles. No lace. The liquid is straw-gold color with a haze.

Sour and earthy aroma. Light black pepper in the program.

The black pepper is the predominant flavor here. It makes for an interesting blend with the traditional farm house sourness and earthy flavors. Solid body with an above average carbonation level.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2012 22:38:26 | More by smcolw

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.16/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

First batch, bottled Feb 2012.1

Pours a descent fizzy 1/2 finger head that fades semi quickly, crystal clear golden almost nectar orange color.

Nose has lots of belgian malts, golden malts with some sweetness, hints of Belgian yeast esters, and plenty of pepper aromas, touches of bright fruit.

Taste brings plenty of pepper right off, peppercorns, a bit of green pepper and quite spicy peppercorn, Belgian golden malts, juicy malts with a bit of bright fruit and touch of esters both from the yeast. Hint of yeast spices and a light farmhouse like yeast flavors. Finish is a bit drier, quite spicy from the peppercorns, hint of malts.

Mouth is med bodied, decent carb.

Overall interesting and tasty, nice Belgian malts, spices fruits and hint if esters from the yeast, and a nice dose of pepper.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2012 01:34:16 | More by jlindros

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.81/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

First had: on tap at CBC

Hazy golden-amber pour with a wispy white head that stuck as a ringlet and left a few dots of lacing on the glass. Aroma of toasted grains, peppery spice, with hints of earthy yeast. They weren't kidding with the peppercorn aspect of this beer, as it was front and center in the taste, earthy yeast, pale malts, and a mild fruity sensation. Body was light-medium, moderate carbonation, making for an interesting and quaffable brew overall.

Serving type: on-tap

02-27-2013 03:27:02 | More by Rifugium

HopHead84

California

3.88/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Consumed on tap at Pizza Port Carlsbad on 11/1/2009 in a 10oz glass. The beer is transparent gold with no head (ugly bar pour).

This isn't too surprising, but the nose has a lot of peppercorn. I detect white pepper, lemon, and orange. It's phenolic with grassy notes. It's a nice balance of spicy peppercorn and fruity esters.

The taste is very spicy, with peppercorn and white pepper. The white pepper attacks from the back of my tongue and up into my nasal cavity. Citrus flavors are of lemon and subtle orange. The finish is very spicy with grassy notes and lingering citrus. An interesting take on the style.

Serving type: on-tap

11-03-2009 05:17:16 | More by HopHead84

kojevergas

California

3.79/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Acquired at a local SoCal beer store. This is only the second beer I've had from Cambridge Brewing. Expectations are high; I' love a good farmhouse ale and I'm really in the mood for one. Curiously, it has a World Beer Cup award for the Herb and Spice Beer category. 6% ABV confirmed. 1 pint 6 fl oz brown glass bottle with appealing label and unbranded standard pressure cap served into a Mitchells of Lancaster flared stem-tulip in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. I don't see any obvious best before or bottled on dates.

Served cold and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a one finger white colour head - disappointingly thin - of no cream whatsoever and mere average retention. The ABV isn't even that high; I'm pretty disappointed with the head. Lacing is light and even. Body colour is a fairly vibrant clear bronze. Translucent. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Looking substandard for a farmhouse ale. It's not much to look at. Appears filtered.

Sm: Definite peppercorn presence. Pale malts. Fragrant floral hops. I do pick up on the rye malt, but I wouldn't have noticed it if I hadn't been searching for it after reading the label. Spicy robust yeasty character with notes of biscuit and clove. It's not that spicy in comparison to other farmhouse ales, but it's got a definite spice presence. The pepper is quite evocative; that's remarkable. I'm looking forward to trying it, but I do want more depth and complexity from the aroma. Nicely subtle and above average in strength. No alcohol is noticeable.

T: Remarkable peppery character throughout - both black and white pepper is noticeable. The rye really complements the spicy character on the climax going into the third act; that's a lovely pairing of flavours. The floral hop character lends a pleasant background flavour letting the spices and yeasty complexity take centre stage - exactly as it should. Malty foundation is well-executed rye alongside light biscuity grains and I suspect some pale malts. Spice, light biscuit, and clove from the yeast. Peppery spice is definitely dominant here; I love that. Make no mistake - it's spicy in the sense that lots of spice notes come through, but there's also a bit of spicy heat here. Fortunately, no alcohol heat is noticeable. Impeccable balance, even if it is a bit simple for the style. These cats really knew what they were doing when they brewed this gem. If you're after a peppery-as-hell farmhouse ale, this is the beer for you. Subtly executed. I'm really enjoying it.

Mf: Smooth and wet. Understated. Near ideal carbonation; it's just a touch too high - but that'll help it cellar if you're so inclined. Good thickness and body. Complements the flavour profile well - mostly by keeping its head down, supporting the flavours, and not making itself noticeable. It even approaches refreshing - a nice counterpoint to the spicy pepper of the flavours. This texture was developed with intentionality, and the marriage to the flavour profile is rewarding. Well-executed. Not creamy or buttery or milky. Excellent presence on the palate. Just soft enough.

Dr: A surprisingly good farmhouse ale from Cambridge Brewing. I'd definitely pick this one up again; I'm glad I stumbled across it. I'm now very interested in trying their other beers. Surpassed my meagre expectations. Very drinkable, but the spice may creep up on you. The low ABV for the style makes this a go-to when you're trying to stay coherent. They aimed to brew an extremely peppery farmhouse ale, and damnit, they succeeded. The execution is great for the concept. Well done, Cambridge. I'd recommend this to friends.

Low B+

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 21:13:52 | More by kojevergas

Brad007

Vermont

4.81/5  rDev +30.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Love the artwork!

Pours a beautiful golden blonde with about a 85/15 ratio. Thin head in my glass. The thought of peppercorn in a beer is enticing.

Spicy yeast meets peppercorn. Very intense aroma that draws the nose in.

It tingles the taste buds with a spicy kick enhanced by the use of peppercorn. It's literally like pouring ground black pepper into a beer. I do not mean that as a slight because it's unique.

Lingering citrus, spice and peppercorn notes. Can't forget the citrus. Oddly thirst-quenching too, which is a traditional hallmark of the style.

Highly recommended if you want something that will literally tingle the taste buds.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 19:21:01 | More by Brad007

stakem

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bomber into a snifter, the brew appears a clear color of golden yellow with a big white frothy head. The sudsy white topping fades leaving fingers of patchy lace sticking to the glass. A light swirl revives.

The aroma is solid with the advertised pepper. Freshly crushed array of peppercorns but not harsh like the normal black. Taking a guess that white, pink or green were used in a more mellow to almost fruity zesty sense. A touch of saison yeast fruity quality with a bit of earthen aspect is also felt through the nose.

The taste includes a solid array of pepper and fruit. Lots of peppery quality comes off subtle from perhaps the yeast and then gets augmented by the addition of what seems like freshly cracked peppercorns. It is yeasty and spicy with a warming feel. A bit floral and a hint of green bell pepper. The warming sensation across the back of the tongue is reminescent of black pepper.

This is a medium bodied brew with an effervescent level of carbonation. Quite a pleasant warming spice of alcohol accented by pepper. This at times flirts with te heat of crushed red pepper, but not that extreme. If you have never experienced peppery flavor in a saison before, this is the one to really drive that character home. However, it might be off-putting to some. I liked it.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 15:40:39 | More by stakem

DefenCorps

Oregon

3.94/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Bottled 13th Jan 2013, I paid $9 or so for this. I initially balked, but my time at CBC several years back was great, and so, I had to get this.

A clear honey gold with a dense, white head with decent retention and lacing, this looks solid. The nose shows why this is named so. Peppercorns - black, green and Sichuan (especially the Sichuan) lend a bright spicy and piquant note to the nose. Now, the CBC website tells me they only used white, black, green and pink peppercorns, but the combination of the green and pink pepper with the rye really brings to mind the aromatics in mapo doufu. Honey and rye are present, along with a moderate yeast character that's not particularly saison-like, but will do. It's closer to a fruity/ estery yeast profile rather than a more traditional spicy/rustic yeast character. Quite excellent.

The palate opens with a blend of mild sweetness (honey, cantaloupe), a moderate pepper flavor and a mild heat. The peppercorn flavor is quite excellently expressed here, and pairs well with the honey sweetness that's initially present. The rye is noticeable on the mid-palate. As the beer lingers on the palate, the heat grows and lingers on into the finish, with a fruity pink peppercorn heat. The flavors in this beer are great, but the only disappointment is the palate - it's just too damn watery. Drying, spritzy and peppery on the finish, this has quite a bit of fruity and estery yeast flavors here. Very nice stuff here.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 04:13:01 | More by DefenCorps

Jwale73

Rhode Island

2.93/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

22oz. bottle procured at Julios. Pours a semi-hazy, dull orange hue with a loose, bright white head that dissipates into a tight band around the shoulders. Nose expresses peppercorn and citrus rind - I can almost smell the heat off the pepper. The taste just has an enormous pepper presence that is borderline unpalatable. I see nothing in the flavor profile that is akin to any saison I've ever had. Consistency on the mouthfeel is somewhat watery and there is definitely a bit of residual pepper burn that lingers between quaffs. In terms of overall impressions, all I can say is it's interesting. The pepper is way too intense for me and it is a borderline palate wrecker. Worth experiencing, but definitely best shared amongst many. Not something I need to revisit again.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2012 14:29:51 | More by Jwale73

maximum12

Minnesota

3.55/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to ferillo for this amongst other lovely rye beers...this is the last survivor. Pop! Now it's not. I'll wager this is one of the odder descriptions I've seen on a label. Peppercorns, rye, saison, Belgian yeast...time to dive in. 22 oz. bomber split in two. Batch 1 bottled February 2012, props & points to Cambridge for the clear dating.

Pour is a not cloudy but not clear orange. Nose is like sniffing raw black pepper off a mirror in an '80's movie - yowza. Anybody who can smell something else is either a better man, a liar, or a canine.

Sgt. Pepper could never be sued in a court of law for false advertising. Pepper! But unlike the nose, other components do raise their hands. First is a light yeasty shot of Belgium, then a fleeting glimpse of lemony saison & wheat, before the pepper comes on & the screen goes blank. Pepper! Then pepper. More pepper. Whatever nice subtleties arrive in the first swig are gone quickly as pepper conquers the world & enslaves all. Mild heat builds after repeated sips. This should be a chore to drink, but it's not. Huh.

I wouldn't want to drink this every day, & there's no hint of rye underneath the glacier of pepper, but this ain't bad. If you're looking for pepper, seek no further. Good beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2012 01:59:15 | More by maximum12

harrymel

Washington

3.43/5  rDev -7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

First bottling, Feb, 2012

Pours a hazy gold on amber with a broken sheet of light cream foam. Smells of peppercorn right out the gate, nice sweet malts with biscuit and grain tones. Esters from the belgian yeast add nice accents along the nose. Flavor has some initially sweet, wheaty character, then the peppercorns come through in an almost spicy nuance. The yeast comes through with a bit of a coriander and seeds of paradise tone. Nice dry belgian yeast comes through. Medium on heavy bodied with a lighter carb and wet finish. Nice beer overall, don't know that I'd buy twice, maybe once the weather warms a bit.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2012 12:01:40 | More by harrymel

merc7186

New York

4/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this beer poured from a bomber into a tulip glass.

A: Hazy Orangish/Golden Straw Hue, Passes Some Light, White Head, Mild lacing

S: Peppercorn, Yeast

T: Yeast, Peppercorn, Mild Citrus

M: Decent Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Spicey

Overall, a really nice spicey saison with a great different taste.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2012 23:53:26 | More by merc7186

brewandbbq

New Hampshire

3.83/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle from batch 1.

Hazy copper with a short-lived head of white. A mostly placid surface with a thread of foam around the edges.

Apples, honey, fruit loops, cloves and a hint of mango in the nose.

Light bodied with a crispish mouthfeel.

Honey-drizzeled biscuity malt with pepper burn on the palate. Earthy spice and pepper heat follow through.

Finishes with a lingering pepper burn and a trace of crackery malt.

The bottled version is way more peppery and hot than I remember the draught version being. The bottled version is also suffering from low carbonation for the style.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2012 00:24:42 | More by brewandbbq

GratefulBeerGuy

New Hampshire

3.85/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

you gotta love the Dr.Frankenstein aspect to CBC's brewing!! don't stop experimenting guys!!!

This one pure amber with golden hues and a thin, lacy white head that is pretty sticky.

The aroma is mostly, well Peppercorns! and a shit load of them! spicey and zesty yeastieness with very subtle fruits.

This is a light and crispy brew with a zippy, peppercorn flavor, it's pretty intense but not annoying. Peppery yeast and peppercorns dominate, but it's not at all tough to finish even though the heat seems a bit high along the peppery effect.

Serving type: on-tap

04-18-2009 16:10:53 | More by GratefulBeerGuy

deltatauhobbit

Maine

3.8/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Batch 01
Bottled February 2012

Pours a golden color with a light orange tint, smallish head that fizzles fast away, not much lacing on the glass, no cap.

Smell is quite interesting and appropriate for the name, I actually get a quick whiff of pepper at the beginning that almost makes me feel like I should sneeze.

Holy crap this beer is spicy, like spicy peppery hot, leaves a lingering burning feeling, the malt tries its best to cool down and balance things but the peppercorn overwhelms everything.

This would be a perfect beer for hot wings!

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2012 21:05:06 | More by deltatauhobbit

Dope

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: A hazy medium orange pour with a large fizzy slightly off-white head. Just a touch of lacing.

S: Certainly peppery. Lots of nice belgian yeast with cloves, as well as grass and oranges.

T: Lots of orange, grass and yeasty bread with some rye and pepper up front. Aftertaste turns into a BUNCH of black pepper. Not overpowering but not exactly subtle. Almost get a little lingering sting from the pepper - it lasts a long time! Pepper gets even stronger as it warms. A must-have for spicy saison lovers.

M: Medium bodied, smooth, and a little spicy.

O: A nice smooth, drinkable saison with a unique black pepper kick on the back end. I like it, very interesting, tasty and drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2012 05:07:56 | More by Dope

tai4ji2x

Massachusetts

3.2/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

from day two of the CBC 20th anniversary party on may 9, 2009

this was the second course of the anniversary prix fixe pairing dinner. paired with a braised rabbit dish.

similar appearance to the cask version i had at nerax, maybe more head, although retention isn't great. some lacing, but less than hoped.

aroma and flavor are just underwhelming now. this is in comparison to the newly released batch in late april, in both cask and tap versions. don't know if this is the same batch, but if so, the peppercorns have faded substantially with age. underneath, it's just a very plain, barely-better-than-average saison. what made this creation unique before is now gone. it's okay with the food, although even the mild spicing in the dish was starting to overtake the beer.

feel is a bit thinner too, but maybe i'm just too disappointed?

Serving type: on-tap

07-11-2009 12:28:39 | More by tai4ji2x

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

3.96/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle into tulip. Pours a golden color with slight rim of white lacing. Looks nice but not outstanding. Smell is great...lots and lots of peppercorn mixed with saison yeast. Awesome caramel malt mixed with saison yeast and hops...and lots of pepperco. It works so well...really nice. Its a bit spicy but good. Overall its not the best saison but its exactly what it says it is...and it works so well. Nice unique brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 22:54:53 | More by DrinkSlurm

Bendurgin

Maine

2.5/5  rDev -32.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1.5

Poured into a pint glass. This one pours a clear golden color with a thick fluffy white head.

The aroma is full of spicy pepper. Hints of saison characteristics in the background, but the pepper dominates. The pallet is mostly spicy pepper. Again hints of yeast and some other saison characters but the pepper really takes the forefront.

The body is light with a bit to much carbonation. Overall this one is simply not very good. The pepper detracts to much from this resembling a saison.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 20:33:07 | More by Bendurgin

IBUnit63

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the CBC yesterday during the Sox' Opening Day rainout. Now that's as good a Plan B as you can hope for. Serve it up, Meat...in a tulip.

Pours a straw-golden honey color...quite a nice dry white head up top...about a finger. Mild chill haze with a fair amount of carbonation. Retention is solid and lacing is decent.

DAMN! We read that there are several varieties of peppercorns in this batch. Well, they're all firing on the same high-functioning cylinders. This is so nice and dry that the peppercorns...even the pink ones, come off as so fresh and spicy it isn't funny. Dry-hopped peppercorns? Dry rub? Only beef is that I don't get much more nose than the PCs...maybe faint wheat and light malt with a touch of yeast electricity and some Styrian Goldings straw-pine, but it's not called Sgt. Hop...

This stays true to form from the nose throughout. Fresh, raw peppercorns are the spicy star here. Core ingredients provide unobtrusive supporting cast, remaining quite clean.

Carbonations works in tandem with peppercorns to provide even spicier touch to the palate. No trace of booze or sweetness...the yeast strain cleaned it all up. Finish is crisp to say the least.

I enjoy this change-up for my favorite style. It's one filthy screwball in baseball terms yet it's not for everyone. The utterly crisp, dry and lively character of this upstart burns just a tad from the pepperiness but it's an enjoyable pain. I forget what CBC said about timing of peppercorn additions (20 and 5 with dry "hop" maybe), but they hit it perfectly. Maybe a touch out of style without the yeast electricity but this is exceptionally well-crafted and brutally enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

04-07-2009 09:38:16 | More by IBUnit63

axeman9182

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle, bottled in February of 2012. It was poured into my Duvel tulip.

Sgt. Pepper pours a color that bounces between orange and tangerine, depending on the strength of the backlighting. Clarity is pretty good and the beer ends up crowned by almost three fingers of just off white foam. Head retention is very good, and some spotty lacing is left behind. The nose is fairly aromatic, but perfume-y, spicy peppercorns are pretty much the only thing to come through. There's a brief swirl of pale fruits at the beginning of each sip, lots of granny smith apple and just a bit of pears. From there the peppercorns come in and close out the beer. There's a little bit of heat, but also a good amount of flavor coming through. The body, while dry, is not as bone dry as you'll find in some saisons. The carbonation is fairly active, probably helping highlight the peppercorns similarly to the way it does hops. Sgt. Pepper is a good, fun twist on a saison, and another above average offering from Cambridge Brewing Company.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2012 03:57:22 | More by axeman9182