Smuttynose Farmhouse Ale (Big Beer Series) - Smuttynose Brewing Company

ksimons

New York

4.26/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2013 Bottle 7% ABV

A-clear golden color with a fingers worth of white head that quickly disappears to leave a bit of lace around the top

S-pale bready malt, a bit of spice, tart fruits, candy sugar sweetness, and a bit of Belgian yeast

T-very nice tasting, still get the pale malt backbone, but also get an interesting mix of sweet fruits, bitter hops, a bit of sourness, and

M-really great full to medium body and crisp carbonation

Overall again Smuttynose does not disappoint, a refreshing yet full body, complex and easy to drink

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2013 00:45:27 | More by ksimons

BEERMILER12

Maine

3.99/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

2013

A: Pours a clear straw yellow color with slightly more than a fingers worth of head that slowly dies down into a thin cap

S: Some slightly funky/barnyard yeast and lighter fruits start things off, along with a hint of spiciness and earthy hops

T: Again, starts off with the yeastiness which imparts very light funk and some barnyard along with light fruits and a touch of spiciness. Definitely get some sage about mid-way through. Finishes lightly yeasty with a touch of alcohol

M: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation

O: A nice "Imperial" farmhouse ale that provides some good flavors and is true to style. The saison yeast doesn't overpower the beer, but really provides a nice jumping points for the flavors. Good price point as always from Smutty, and another solid brew in the Big Beer Series

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2013 23:06:16 | More by BEERMILER12

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

2011 Vintage

A: Pours a lightly hazy golden orange in color with some moderate amounts of visible carbonation and some apricot + peach + burnt orange highlights. The beer has a finger tall off-white head that reduces to a very large patch of very thin film covering the majority of the surface of the beer and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Light to moderate aromas of light fruits (apples, white grapes, and a hint of orange), yeast, and spices.

T: Upfront there is a light to moderate amount of pale malts with some light fruity sweetness - hints of apple, white grape, and orange. That is followed by a moderate amount of saison yeast, barnyard funk, and some spices. Just a hint of spicy/earthy hops that imparts a light amount of bitterness.

M: Medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Very light amounts of dryness in the finish.

O: Considering the strength, this beer is easy to drink and the alcohol is extremely well hidden. Nice saison spicy flavors and nice complexity.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2013 00:03:09 | More by dbrauneis

HattedClassic

Virginia

3.88/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Appearance:
The beer pours a beautiful and clear amber which is very different from the Saison's usual color. The head is white and foamy but dissipates rather quickly.

Smell:
The beer has a fruity smell and a hint of sweet caramel smell with slight hops. The fruit smell seems to resemble more of an orange smell.

Taste:
The overall taste is a complex fruity taste with a bit of caramel. The hops are stronger and have a bitter and orange taste. However, the bitterness is counteracted by the caramel and fruit taste.

Mouthfeel:
Biting carbonation and heavy bodied. Given how long this thing has been aged, I'm not surprised.

Overall:
I thought that this was a pretty decent beer after its been aged for 5 years. I should probably get a fresh one.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2013 02:59:03 | More by HattedClassic

circus_cat

Virginia

4.83/5  rDev +24.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

A: Bright and clear goldish copper body with very little head (as one would expect with a beer this high in ABV). The head is soapy and bright white. The color of the body is beautiful and inviting.

S: WOW. The nose on this thing is incredibly complex. Green apples, riesling (and sweet white wine grapes in general), biscuity notes, Belgian yeast, booze.

T: And the taste did not disappoint. Brut sparkling wine, tart apples, sour cherries, wet hay, bready malt character, lively yeast, earthiness.

M: Crisp yet full-bodied. Very clean on the finish. It almost leaves my palate altogether the moment I swallow it.

O: Incredibly interesting take on a farmhouse ale! I really loved it--so rich in flavor and upped in complexity by the high ABV.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 18:20:20 | More by circus_cat

CanuckRover

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Slightly hazy light amber. Snow-white head, settles nice and thick. Good spotty lacings.

Big fruity nose and kind of ominous phenols.

Hot right from the start. Spicy through the middle, pepper and coriander, as you would expect. Yeast takes over really quickly and it's all strong fruit and strong herbal flavors. Nice complex finish.

If this said strong Belgian ale on the front I'd be more of a fan. However saisons are my favourite style, and this is just too hot. Certainly worth a try though.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 17:46:38 | More by CanuckRover

abrand

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

2009 bomber poured into pint glass

Pours a bright yellow almost gold color. Hazy with some sediment. Nice 2 finger head that leaves lining on the glass. Smells are full of fruit, soap, and some bready yeast. Pretty good smelling beer. Smells quite refreshing. Taste is maybe slightly past prime. Still plenty of fruits and doughs. A hint of hops finish off the palate. Mouthfeel is medium bodied and crisp. Overall this is pretty good. Should have consumed fresher but held up decently well.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2012 11:46:55 | More by abrand

fields336

North Carolina

3.95/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22 oz, vintage 2011 (Total wine had it for 2.99 a piece)

A: Orange to copper in color, 2 finger awesome looking head on it, with lots of bubbles. opaque, but looks like lots of bubbles

S: nice yeasty smell, with some bready malts and some floral/spicy/earthy/noble type hop aroma, barnyard, tart, green apple skin

T: pepper, clove, banana, spicy, lemon zest, cardamom, A wave of bready and sweet malts. little to no hop presence, not surprised for a year or so old. Nice depth of flavor.

M: Medium bodied, but nice dry finish. Hides the ABV well, its very drinkable

O: wow man, $2.99 a bottle was such a steal, I'm glad I picked up 3, but I should have bought out the store.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 04:14:34 | More by fields336

bigflatsbeerman

New York

4.18/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance - Poured into tulip pint glass from 22 oz. bomber. Clear golden color with 2 inch good looking head.
Smell - Citrus and yeasty smell, not unusual for a saison.
Taste - Pretty good. I did get a pretty strong alcohol taste probably on the third swig (just found out this was 9%+) but that went away after a while.
Mouthfeel - Somewhat heavy not light. For me this is drinkable.
Overall - Pretty good, not my favorite saison (Hennepin) but decent none the less. I would recommend you trying this.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2012 01:12:56 | More by bigflatsbeerman

Bung

North Carolina

3.68/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

22oz, looks like bottled in 2011 some time. Bright gold pour, thin layer of white.

Aroma, surprisingly malty. Also a fair dose of some citrus and biscuitiness, yeast.

Taste, more citrus and yeasty spice. Plenty of citrus zest. Some bready malt, white pepper, very light mustiness. An herbal note and slight bitterness in the finish.

About mid bodies and pretty thick for the style. Abv is very well hidden, to the point I wonder if the newer batches are lower. Still I hesitate to drink more than half this 22.
A BIG Saison, for the price worth trying to decide for yourself. I wish it was a little smaller.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2012 01:43:04 | More by Bung

facundoCNB

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

a nice clear golden yellow pour with two fingers of head. smells of lemon, orange, celery, pepper, yeasty. immediate bitterness followed up by a zesty citrus flavor, which ends up coming back to very grassy bitterness. tastes of lemon pepper seasoning, grass, dirt, a little soapy. a light bodied crossing over into medium body with a slight creamy feel to it, but high carbonation gives it a champagne like feel to it.

this is overall a very nice and refreshing drink. i didn't realize how high the abv was.. didn't see it on the label, no there's no overwhelming boozy smell or taste. a nice amount of head lasted most of the glass (which is good since i took tiny sips). my only wish is that i'd like a slight bit of sweetness present to balance out the grassy bitterness. maybe some honey would have balanced it out.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2012 00:56:51 | More by facundoCNB

Thorpe429

Illinois

2.28/5  rDev -41.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Thanks to Joppa for this bottle. Served in a tulip.

Pours a clear golden color, starting with a two-finger white head and falling quickly to a thin cap without leaving too much lacing behind.

The nose starts out with some faint phenolics and just a touch of fruit in the background. Light notes of alcohol. The flavor really beefs up the alcohol presence atop the peppery phenolics and spice, plus very mild fruitiness.

Body is medium with average carbonation and quite a bit of booze. Yikes.

Not a fan of this one. The saison character goes in the wrong direction and this beer is unnecessarily big. Why have a saison at 9%? It doesn't work here, that's for sure.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2012 12:40:07 | More by Thorpe429

projektyle

New Hampshire

2.36/5  rDev -39.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

This review applies to the 2013 vintage!

Over the past several years, Smuttynose Farmhouse Ale has been the "go to" beer at our house. I am not the greatest beer reviewer, and probably don't have the most sophisticated palate, but I know what I like. This year's Farmhouse Ale is labeled "brewed with sage". Short answer - not a welcome addition. This year's beer has a finer carbonation (tiny bubbles), a taste that was unexpected compared to previous years, and was very thin. Over all, not an enjoyable experience - one of the few times I have ever drainpoured a Smuttynose Big Beer, made all the worse by the fact that my expectations were so high.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2012 18:45:15 | More by projektyle

zac16125

South Carolina

3.83/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22oz bomber poured into a tulip
2011 Bottle

A: Pours a hazy golden color with 2 fingers width of sea foam white head, which takes a fair amount of time to dissipate down, and leaves some very mild lacing.  

S: Big tartness with aromas of sour apple, sour cherry, and sour white grapes.  Barnyard funk, hay, some citrusy lemon notes, and a hint of banana.  Excellent.  

T: Peppery spice, funky wet hay like character, some fruity sweetness with apple, some banana, and a hint of cherry.  But disappointingly, the sour characters that were present on the aroma didn't come out in the taste.  It's pretty good, but lacks the tart punch that's present in my favorite saisons.

M/D: Medium bodied,  moderately heavy carbonation, with a wet feel.  Completely masks the almost double digit ABV.  Drinkability is on the low end though, not really sure why, but it's sitting really heavy in my stomach and one bomber is more than enough.  

O: Overall, a pretty good offering.  I had really high expectations after the amazing aroma, but was let down with the palate profile.  Certainly a decent saison, and worth a try. In fact, I did quite enjoy it, but it was just a tease that made me wish ever harder than Fantome was available in my area.  

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2012 01:31:27 | More by zac16125

EgadBananas

Louisiana

4.2/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2007 vintage.

Pours a dark orange color, with a small off white head. Dissipates to a frothy ring with big bubbles. Aroma isn't huge, but there's some belgian fruity yeast notes and some light citrus and nuttiness. Taste is rich with Belgian dark fruits, citrus, spices and caramel. Creamy feel, which is typically a bit heavy, but with the age, it's quite nice and adds to the depth.

Fantastic brew and a testament to the age ability of Saisons. Different kinda brew at this age, but it's great.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 03:05:34 | More by EgadBananas

twiggamortis420

Texas

3.53/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 oz bottle courtesy of gsisk, I think. Pours a very hazed orange color with a small, off-white head. Not so much on retention and lacing is quite good.

Honey, ripe melon yeastiness and faint grassy hop aroma. Smells good, but a bit on the sweet side.

Yea, its a bit sweet and the yeast isnt as prominent as I would like to see. It is not as dry, crisp and refreshing like I like my saisons. It kinda tastes like a melon-ball salad with honey and sugar drizzled on top. It does have a nice little hop bite on the end. Not bad, about on par with most of decent American-made saisons. Fun to try, and I wouldnt mind having it again sometime.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 01:34:53 | More by twiggamortis420

FirstBrewsoon

Ohio

3.38/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into Brooklyn tulip for a live review.

A - Golden orange with onsiderable cloudiness. A finger of foam was the result of a fairly gentle pour. Little retention, but does leave moderate lacing.

S - Citrus rind, candy sugar and spice.

T - A remarkably bold first taste for the style, with orange, banana and cloves. The spiciness played a larger role than sweetness, which was subtly present. Very little bitterness, and the finish lacked length, but certainly a pleasant, drinkable beer.

M - Lots of carbonation, relatively light body. Nothing to write home about.

O - This would be perfect on a hot day when the air conditioner's broken. I enjoyed drinking this beer, and will again, especially at $3.00/bomber.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2012 02:30:07 | More by FirstBrewsoon

portia99

Massachusetts

3.05/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

22oz bottle (2011 release) poured into a Duvel tulip.

A - Pours a clear golden and orangey hued body with a half finger of rocky foam that lingers only briefly before retreating to the surface. Thick webs of lacing left on the glass.

S - Aroma of sugar, bubblegum, floral/perfumey, alcohol, light citrus.

T - A bit of alcohol up front with bubblegum, mild hop bitterness, citrus, band-aids, herbal and a bit spicy. Has all the components to make up a fine saison, but somehow this one misses the mark for me. Flavors seem a bit disjointed and out of the proper balance.

M - Medium body with a firm carbonation. A bit boozy and alcohol heavy in the flavor profile. Fruity and bubblegummy flavors mix with the alcohol and overpower things a bit.

O - Usually a big fan of Smuttynose offerings but this one really misses the mark for me. Definitely misses most of the finer nuances I look for in a saison (one of my favorite styles). Overall, just not my thing.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2012 23:53:43 | More by portia99

AgentMunky

California

4.1/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22 ounce bottle into a cervoise glass. 2010 vintage.

A: Lots of sediment at the bottom of the bottle. We'll see how that plays out later. At first pour, a clearish light honey-coloured beer. A finger and a half of head fades quickly, leaving heavy lacing behind.

S: Very funky-sour. I'm unsure how I feel about these unripe fruits...though as time passes, my nose seems to detect a mellowing and sweetening of the fruit here. I like it, along with all the strange yeast.

T: These are the sorts of saisons I seek out -- the quirky, unboring ones. I really, really like this beer. The foretaste is initially puckery fruit and a blast of scrumptious Belgian yeast. The maintaste is long and sweet-sour, like kiwi. The aftertaste is full of funky, mildly unpleasant yeast that somehow construes itself to be a plus.

M: Good. Moderate carbonation, puckery-strong mouthfeel mixes with a refreshing drinkability.

O: The ABV of this beer is underplayed and the fruity-yeasty characteristics are played up. Highly recommended to all, those investigating saisons and those who already love them. One of my personal favourites. Would drink again.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2012 03:46:31 | More by AgentMunky

kenito799

New York

4.47/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle poured into a pint glass

Light amber hazy brew, leaves nice lacing, active bubbles

Aroma as spot on for the style, spicy-sour with a slight funkiness, but that is a clean funkiness, if that makes sense.

Taste is wonderful, tangy fruitness and a crisp mouthfeel, balanced by a nice heft on the palate. The flavors are multiple, complex, herbal and apply fruit notes. Great job!

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 14:55:31 | More by kenito799

rlee1390

Indiana

3.55/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A-Cloudy golden yellow with a one finger head

S-Some spices and lemon

T-Spices are there but they should be more present. Some lemon and wheat round it out.

M-Light to medium bodied with some carbonation.

O-Not a great Saison. Although it has the spice, lemon and wheat flavors they do not blend together perfectly or have strong presence.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 17:06:34 | More by rlee1390

DaveBlack

Virginia

4.22/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled in 2011

A: Cloudy, golden beer without much in the way of head, despite a constant stream of bubbles that feeds it.

S: Big smell on this beer, that emanates as soon as it's poured. Lots of yeast, and peppery alcoholic phenols. Also a citrusy, raisin smell.

T: Very earthy taste, with lots of peppery notes. Alcohol is present, but not overly powerful. The malts balance out the spiciness nicely, and there is a slight lemony brightness as well. A damn tasty beer.

M: A solidly medium bodied beer, slightly sticky, with a decent amount of carbonation.

O: A really tasty beer, and excellent representation of the saison style. Nicely balanced, and they sure don't shy away from the spicy, funky flavors. I would certainly seek this beer out again.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2012 02:27:31 | More by DaveBlack

mdfb79

New York

3.78/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Received this one in the Secret Santa BIF from joepais; thanks Joe. Poured from a 22 oz. bottle into my new fancy Losy Abbey glass. 2011 vintage, first beer of the year.

a - Pours a hazy orange-straw color with one finger of fluffy white head and mdoerate carbonation evident. Head lasts for about two minutes and leaves some spotty lacing on the glass.

s - Smells of Belgian yeast, spices, lemon, citrus, earthy notes, floral hops, and a little bit of funk. Little bit fruity as well. Really like the nose.

t - Tastes of spices, pepper, Belgian yeast, earthy notes, floral notes, lightly musty. Nice, but not as nice as the nose.

m - Light to medium body and moderate carbonation. Pretty easy to drink.

o - Overall a very solid saison. I liked the nose a lot, and was surprised by how much funk it seemed to have. Taste was good though a little musty and earthy. Certainly a beer I'd have again and would pick up off the shelves.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2012 00:50:14 | More by mdfb79

champ103

Texas

3.48/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a cloudy and vibrant golden/orange color. A two finger white head forms with good retention. Lots of sticky lace is left behind.
S: Earthy, fruity, spicy yeast aromas up front that I really enjoy. Some soapy hops come in next that kind of take over. Like dish detergent.
T: Follows the nose. That great funky, earthy, fruity character. Though almost taken over by soapy detergent like hops.
M/D: A medium body with crisp carbonation. I wish this much more dry and less soapy/oily. Not hard to drink. There is some significant alcohol that is present. Overall, a nice slow sipper.

I get to much soapy hops for some reason. Which detracts a bit for me. Not bad at all, but not what I am looking for in a Saison.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 02:00:44 | More by champ103

n2185

North Carolina

3.63/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a slightly hazy yellow-gold with a finger of white head that recedes into a thin layer with no lacing.

S: Light spice notes at first followed by lots of bubblegum, candy sugar, and banana aromas. Sweet bready aromas bring up the finish.

T: Belgian spices up front followed by some bubblegum flavors. Light fruit notes of pears and white grapes are present. Slightly sweet yeasty flavors bring up the finish.

M: Medium-light body with medium carbonation, this beer is fairly light and clean, though could use a bit more carbonation.

O: A pretty decent American style saison. It could use a bit more depth and carbonation, but still a drinkable, refreshing saison.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2011 03:22:48 | More by n2185