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

RickSawyer

Texas

4.35/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a vibrant orange with light ruby deep centered. Not an amazing head. Smell is full of pear, green grapes, hay field, tropical pineapple, hints of white pepper, and yeasty belgian floral earthiness. Taste... ok, I have to admit, this is, in my opinion, the most "to style" american made saison I have tasted to date. Taste is peppery pear, touches of citrus, earthy, moist hay yeastiness, fresh bread and green apples. Carbonated like champaign and goes down like veuve cliquot. I am impressed.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2008 00:25:42 | More by RickSawyer

gonzo46and2

Florida

4.35/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This was my first beer trade. Thank you Jwale73!

Pours a cloudy burnt orange with a fluffy head with big loose bubbles. After a few minutes it mostly diminished with big blobs of sticky lacing along the sides of my tulip glass.

Aroma is more like a belgian abbey tripel (or even trappist) than many Farmhouse ales. I detected fresh pear, clove, spice, bits of banana, candy sugar... Delightful. I want to keep sniffing.

Taste is complex with rustic bready malts, honey, citrus and pear, and lots of spice. Taste is sweet and earthy at first and warms to a nice hop bite.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with a sting of spice, alchohol and bitterness. Well balanced carbonation that's not overdone.

This is a fantastic beer although it's hard to call it a farmhouse beer. You won't get much brett, dirt, or horse blanket but it's a true belgian beer made in the USA. It has very similar qualities to the ommegang farmhouse and tripel but a bit better/complex IMHO.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2008 06:03:51 | More by gonzo46and2

bonsreeb85

Colorado

4.35/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - cloudy golden, very hazy w/ a velvety foam off white dome

S - plenty of fruity like sweetness aromas come pouring off of this one. peaches, apple skin, apricot and some honey joins in the fun too, damn! also some spicy clove and pepper notes. light earthy and floral hop bouquette round things out.

T - 1st sip: wow! this is a fruity-ass saison. lots of orchard fruits w/ some banana and even tangerine. nice yeasty flavor to boot. I really gotta say -I prefer this "sweeter" style of saison vs. the "tart/sour" versions. The sweetness is kept in check by a good hop drying finish, but the flavor lingers on. this is one flavor-packed beer exceptional!

MF - very smooth and creamy w/ a low level of carbonation especially for the style. i find this pleasurable, as most saison's co2 levels are remniscent of spritzers or champagne.

D - while this may be too sweet for some, I found the balance to be near perfection.

Overall: very refreshing and packed full of flavor(have I mentioned that yet??) excellent American take on the style thanks to SMason for the chance to sample this work of art.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2009 01:32:50 | More by bonsreeb85

HappyHourHero

Indiana

4.38/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a small, foamy, eggshell colored head that quickly faded to a thing bubble ring. Light aroma of lemon, wheat, and earthy bubblegum. Hazy golden beer with fine particles suspended throughout. Sweet candied flavors of spring flowers and bubblegum up front. Tart, almost sour flavor develops in the middle, but is never overpowering. Finish is fairly bitter, and lingers for a good while. Mouthfeel is solid, but a good dose of carbonation keeps it from sticking. Sourness towards the end is felt as much as tasted. I like a Saison that keeps my attention, and this one has plenty flavors and textures to keep it interesting. I was worried at first because it wasn't much to look at, but a whif of the glass showed promise, and it delivered in the end.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2006 22:17:01 | More by HappyHourHero

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.38/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22oz. bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a light gold color with a large white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of yeast and banana with a little bit of hops.

T: The taste is bready and a little fruity with flavors of yeast, banana and touch of spice. It’s simple but effective and refreshing. The malt character is thin and the hops presence is mild. The after-taste is bready and slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and very smooth, light-to-medium body, medium carbonation, clean and dry finish.

D: Very tasty, goes down quite easily as evident by the fact that I killed the bomber that I had in a very short time, not filling at all, good representation of style and a good kick, this is a very good light and refreshing beer that I good drink quite a bit of. It’s one of the best Saison style beers that I’ve had.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2007 04:00:54 | More by TheManiacalOne

gpcollen1

Connecticut

4.38/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into my Smutty Big Beer Glass. Head rises an inch or so and settles quickly. No head like some of the Belgian's, where you have to pour 2 or 3 times to get a glass. Aroma is decidedly spicy with hoppy overtones. Hints of sweetness weave in and out.

Taste hits lightly sweet and the hops quickly carry through. The sweet and spicy yeast combine with the hops perfectly. This one may not be typically Belgian but may be one of the finest American Saisons and one of Smutty's finest.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2007 21:15:15 | More by gpcollen1

Wasatch

Utah

4.38/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks goes out to Jredner for this brew.

Pours a cloudy golden orange color, nice carbonation, tiny fizzy white head, which leaves some small islands and sticky lacing around the edges. The nose is mostly malty, some yeast, and spices. The taste is very malty/sweet for a Saison, the typical yeast, cloves, slight caramel. Medium body. Very drinkable, a very tasty Saison, also another awesome brew from Smuttynose.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2007 00:21:51 | More by Wasatch

corey0212

Massachusetts

4.38/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a glowing golden/orange color, slight haze, small white head fades out pretty quickly and leaves some good patches of lacing on the glass. Smell is yeasty, fruity, maybe some pineapple, lots of clove and peppery spiciness. Taste is quite sweet, some lemon tartness, a lot of pepper on the back end, some pear notes as well. It's a bit on the sticky side, and maybe not as refreshing because of it, but a nice creamy mouthfeel nonetheless. I like it...another great Smuttynose beer, and really nice this time of year.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2008 21:39:07 | More by corey0212

Metalmonk

North Carolina

4.38/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

A welcome "zisssSSS!" from the pried-off cap and we're underway...humongous fluffy head emerges with hardly any effort, a rocky, firm thing that looks like the most comfortable pillow in the universe. Liquid is a dirty yellow/gold with bubbles wildly darting through it and to the top. Damn, this head is amazing...like the moon's surface, if the moon were made of meringue (rather than cheese, like it really is).

Aroma is fruity and earthy in equal measure. Just a light trace of barnyard funk, dirtying things up (in a good way), and lighter mineral traces in back. Little bit of lemon sneaks in as well.

While the aroma is a bit subdued, the flavor brings it all to the edge of the stage and just about topples right off. First sips seem to say "I am a big wild mutha of a Saison!!" Lots of citrus notes (mostly lemon), even more bready/biscuity malt sweetness, and then spice and mineral characteristics shove in and take the spotlight. Crisp and dry, although a spice/malt aftertaste remains long after the swallow, somewhat "cinnamon roll," especially with the yeast making its complexities known. Further sips offer all kinds of interesting impressions (flowery earthiness here, I'm-sucking-on-stones-plucked-from-a-forest-stream there).

This is an incredibly refreshing beer...I would love to have this in the middle of a killer humid summer day or something...but it works incredibly well on this rainy, chilly night too. Another excellent offering in Smuttynose's Big Beer Series. I'll be on the lookout for more bottles, starting NOW.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2009 23:13:10 | More by Metalmonk

prototypic

Ohio

4.38/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Farmhouse Ale pours a light copper color. It's clear, and has more of a gold look when held to light. I was expecting at least a little haze, but it's not here. A soft white head covers it. It's modest and only rises to a finger or so in depth. Retention was short. Stringy strands of lace line the glass as it descends.

The nose would benefit from more power, but it's still good. Belgian yeast is readily apparent. Ahhh. That's a promising thing! Smells nice and authentic. It certainly has an earthy, musky, grassy thing going. I'm not getting any funk. I'm fairly certain there's no Brett here. It's a little fruity. Smells like apple mostly. Spices are subtle, but are noted. Smells good all-around. I'd like a little more strength.

Wow! This is damn good! Shockingly good! Farmhouse Ale kicks off with a bit of a sweet malt flavor. It's followed by sweet apple and pear fruit flavors. Belgian yeast comes through loud and clear. It kicks up the flavor a notch or two easily. I'm impressed. This is a job well done by an American brewery. It's earthy, grassy, and a little musky throughout. There's not any Brett here though. No worries. It's not missed. Clove and pepper spices add some pizzazz. Alcohol isn't a factor at all. Finishes a little spicy with a nice blast of Belgian yeast.

Farmhouse Ale has a medium body that's very creamy and smooth. Carbonation is light. If this were a blind tasting, I truly might guess that it's authentically Belgian. Drinkability is very high. This is one tasty Saison that goes down super smooth and easy. At 7.5% abv, it's not intimidating. A bomber probably isn't enough.

Smuttynose Brewing really shocked me with this one. This might just be the best American Saison/Farmhouse Ale I've ever had. It's damn good, and could easily be confused with an authentic Belgian release. I was not expecting it to be nearly this good. This bottle is about 2 years old, and perhaps has improved. I need to find a fresh bottle and find out. If you see this anywhere, pick it up! Very impressive stuff.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2010 02:36:58 | More by prototypic

charmcityboh

Maryland

4.38/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a large tulip glass.
I have never seen a beer with this much head. Huge, thick puffs of foam rising out of the glass. As it settled it left 1/4" thick remnants of the head all the way down the glass. Beer itself was a hazy burnt orange. Smell was funky, grassy. Definitely what I expect from a good saison. Taste was crisp and intense. The ever intriguing horseblanket was front and center with this beer, followed by a nice banana like flavor on the back end. Mouthfeel was crisp and dry.
I love Smuttynose, but this is the first I've had of their "Big Beer Series". Hardly an original concept, but this beer at least lives up to the name for sure.
Big presentation, big aroma, big flavor, big beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2010 11:51:23 | More by charmcityboh

Higravity

Michigan

4.43/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Yeah so this is a nice orange red tinted clear with a white large chunky dense head. Damn near picture perfect in fact why not. Smell is of summer feilds with sweet malt and a lingering stinging feel from the CO2 in my nose. The nice citrus tones are well matched with the noble hop character. The flavor is just a large dump of the smells with a tangy sweet after taste that plays well in Peoria. Nice light decent carbonation that lends to solid drinkablility and makes this a beer to get a lot of at only $3 a 22oz.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2007 03:39:45 | More by Higravity

bonbright7

New York

4.43/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The Farmhouse Ale poured beautifully into my tall pint glass with a short head that belied its fathoms of taste. The fruit and floral aromas told me more about this ale I as dove in for a taste. The golden red ale tasted differently each time as a hundred different colors came to my mind. A light sense of hops came around to remind me this was an ale and not just a glorious find. It also had a malty background, unlike other saison interpretations I have had.

My hat is off to the Smuttynose Brewing Company for creating such a great ale.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2007 02:29:47 | More by bonbright7

TexIndy

Texas

4.43/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Got in a trade with johnnnniee - many thanks! Poured from a 650ml bottle with a 2007 date on the label into my DT tulip. It was a hazy golden honey color. It barely had a head and that was quickly gone. No lacing and slight carb. The aroma was spicy and orange with the usual corriander. It was a little fruitier than most saisons and didn't have that typical "dry" smell to it. The taste followed the aroma and again had a more spicy/fruity than dry finish. Really liked this one as the very dry ones leave me thirsty for a water chaser. This is my first Smuttynose and looking forward to trying more. Highly recommend if you can find it as it's a very limited release. (4.5, RR, T, Y)

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2007 01:36:35 | More by TexIndy

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.43/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Got this one from JasonA, cheers!!

Pours an effervescent amber with one finger of pearl colored head. Nice vicious look to this one, hazes a bit at the bottom of the bottle; average lacing & head retention

S: Orchard fruits & apple peels, orange blossoms & nature in abundance!

T: Pears, honey, apricot & a bit of dirt, mushrooms & dryness up front. Nice green apples, white grape juice & grapefruiity hops as this warms. Finishes with fruitty crispness, a bit of grapefruit hops & much appley goodness

MF: Sticky, effervescent & light/medium bodied all at once

Drinks very easy, despite all the complexity going on here. A great take on the style! Smutty rarely disappoints & mostly blows me away!

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2008 02:48:21 | More by russpowell

ericj551

British Columbia (Canada)

4.45/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

This is my new favorite Belgian style beer. It pours a nice light amber color, with a healthy head that fades quickly. Smell is like a typical Belgian Tripel to me. This is one delicious beer! The taste is nice and malty, slightly yeasty and spicey. No overpowering Belgian flavors that typically turn me off from the style, just in my mind, the perfect balance between those and a sweet maltiness. There is a slight tartness there to balance the malty sweetness. Hops are there, but not very strong. Although Hennipen is the only other Saison I've tried, I am starting to see the appeal of these beers.

Update: I just had another bottle of this beer last night, and I have to add that it is really refreshing. I had it shortly after running (after a few glasses of water of course) and it really tasted great.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2006 00:24:59 | More by ericj551

Bighuge

Minnesota

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

Deep golden body. Clarity is almost perfect. Head is small and bubbly. Off white in color. Lace comes in sparsely placed patches. Great nose of honey and hay and pepper and dough. Nice barnyard character on the palate, though not overbearing. I like the doughy yeasiness and bready malt base a lot. This is very easy on the buds. A little lemon and a little peppery spiciness add some complexity. Very well rounded. Mouthfeel is very easy going. Medium bodied and lightly carbonated. A very enjoyable saison.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2007 03:52:21 | More by Bighuge

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

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

I generally like Smuttynose beers and think them a fine brewery. That being said, I was stunned by the quality of this beer the other night. I ordered the 3 for 4 (three 10 oz beers for $4) at Mahaffey's the other night and quickly pushed aside the Dominion Winter and Anchor special ale and just drank this.

The beer pours a honey gold peach color with fair head retention and good lacing. The beer was very spicey and lively on the nose with nuances of rose, ginger and white pepper. The beer smelled great, but was even better on the palate. The beer has moderate sweetness with flavors of banana, bubble gum and orange. The beer is very light on its feet and carrries its 7.5% alcohol very well. The beer is incredibly drinkable and I was absolutely shocked to see the abv. as high as it is. The beer has a soft, almost creamy finish and is just delicious.

This is one of the best (perhaps the best) domestic farmhouse/saison I have ever had. A very impressive beer from Smuttynose.

Edit: Am trying this beer on tap again today on 8/1/10. While this beer is still very good. Smuttynose has obviously changed the recipe considerably since I first reviewed this beer in 12/07. A far cry from the 7.5% listed on this site, the 2010 version clocks in at 9.3% and shows it. The beer is still quite delicious, but the alcohol is starting to show, and I don't think it really helps the flavor profile in this beer. Really don't see the need to "imperialize" this excellent beer, but that's just my opinion.

Serving type: on-tap

12-06-2007 19:59:42 | More by johnmichaelsen

Franchise

Oregon

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

This offering from the Smuttynose Big Beer Series pours a foggy golden orange leaving a thick tan head. The aroma is pitted and tropical fruit, bananas, orange, lemon, lime, cilantro, yeast, wheat/bready aroma very nice and complex.

The taste is absolutely fantastic sugary ripe pineapple, grapes, passion fruit, orange, mango, wheat, spicy rustic hops and yeast delicious farmhouse one of the best I've had.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2008 20:47:31 | More by Franchise

Murchmac

California

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

Cant say enough good things about this beer. Fan-freekin-tastic.

Pours a 1 finger foam clear golden yellow.

Smells, crisp, fruity, a little funky. P-funky...

Sweet, carbonated, fruity

Finishes sweet, crisp. If fairies peed, this is what it'd taste like.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2008 22:45:34 | More by Murchmac

ccrida

Oregon

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

Bomber (notched 2008, I just bought in Boston last week) poured into my large Gulden Draak tulip, the Smuttynose Farmhouse Ale is a dark burnt gold with a large, tight bubbled white head that leave heavy chunks of foam.

Smell is full of saison esters, peppery then tropical fruit, with a hint of rubber and some funky phenols.

Taste is very nice, big saison flavor, very authentic and well done, with no off flavors. Pithy citrus and other fruits dominate, yummy.

Mouthfeel is very carbonated, medium bodied and super clean.

Drinkability is great, a big estery saison, heavy on the fruit, right up my ally. I brew mostly saisons, and this is very similar to my favorite batches, and so really speaks to me. Wish I would have brought back another one of these to share with some fellow saison lovers, as this is one of the best American Saison I've ever had...I need to give this one a showdown with Southampton's Saison Deluxe, wow, it's f-in' good!

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2008 02:01:51 | More by ccrida

DIM

Pennsylvania

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

a: This was a clear, slightly coppery golden color. It poured with a big but short lived sticky white head.

s: Smutty got the funk part just right. Earthy, pungent, and mildy acidic yeasty notes dominate. Also some almost citric, flowery hops and a little coriander. Nice touch of heat as well.

t: This has brief moment of sweetness before the yeasty funk kicks in. The finish is dry and peppery with a surprising hit of leafy, lemony hops.

m: Big viscous body and lush, creamy carbonation. This has a filling, chewy feel overall with a lingering peppery/funk bite.

d: I really like this one. This almost gives Ommegang's Hennepin a run for it's money. I need some more of these.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2008 15:43:44 | More by DIM

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

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

Kruggerand gold with a faint yeasty haze following the first pour. The three finger crown is an especially attractive shade of rich ivory, has a firmly creamy texture and isn't shy about laying down lace. Plainly and simply, this is good looking beer.

According to the aroma, Farmhouse Ale is a fruity-herbal-spicy saison, as opposed to an earthy-funky one. In other words, this is a Brettanomyces-free zone. Can a saison yeast result in a beer that smells this authentic and this wonderful? In the right hands, why not? Warming opens things up even more and forces me to click on the next highest score.

Farmhouse Ale is yet another outstanding Big Beer Series offering from Smuttynose. Who knew they had a Belgian-style saison in 'em? They definitely did their homework... and it shows. This stuff should be released in 750 ml bottles with a cork and cage. That way, the packaging can be as impressive as the contents.

With respect to flavor, barley malt stays the hell out of the way, which is definitely for the best. I'm guessing that pale or pilsner malt is numero uno by a fairly wide margin. Thanks to Belgian candi sugar, there's still a good bit of residual sweetness to balance the bitterness and the hoppiness.

The flavor profile includes ripe pears and apples, a surprising amount of creamy banana, a twist of lemon and a generous sprinkling of ground clove (possibly even coriander). It just occured to me that this ale tastes like an Imperial hefeweizen. And a damn good one at that.

It doesn't matter if you like big American beer or Belgian beer, the mouthfeel is beautifully built. The beer feels medium-full on contact, then the well-buried bubbles take over and lighten it to a silky smooth creaminess that seems to linger forever.

When I put Smuttynose Farmhouse Ale on my wants list, I had no idea what incredible beer it is. Thanks to biegaman for sending me this bottle so I could find out. Trouble is, now I want more. Much, much more.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2009 21:25:20 | More by BuckeyeNation

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

Immortale25

Florida

4.48/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Cigar City snifter. Label says it was bottled in 2011.

A- Pours a bright orange color with a one finger head that slouches down the an 1/8 inch ring with a spot of surface bubbles in the center and thin foam surrounding it. Quite good lacing as well.

S- Wonderful. Full wafts of ripe banana. Also sense some possible spice.

T- Oh my. I was right about the spice since upfront there's a clove sentiment which leads to those awesome bananas with an all-encompassing sweetness. After a few sips, the alcohol is finally detected and felt. At first, I couldn't tell at all that this was over 9%. Has a fruity finish with some hints of grapefruit. Kickass.

M- Medium carbonation and a solid body with a bit of back-of-the-throat sourness.

O- This is some good sheet, man. I didn't know farmhouse ales could be this...big! Yet it still has all those characteristics I love in the style. I may have found my favorite Smuttynose brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2011 03:10:01 | More by Immortale25