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

Manosbeeroffate

Maine

3.38/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Found this in my usual haunt in Belfast. Pours golden orange color with a thick head. Smells a bit like malt. Tastes quite sweet, almost a bit raisiny, malt and some spices, though the spices are not prevelant. Mouthfeel is good. But overall, it's just OK in my opinion. It's a little too sweet for me. I'd drink it again if it was given as a gift, but I won't be looking for it.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2006 23:01:52 | More by Manosbeeroffate

gosurfobx

North Carolina

3.43/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from 22oz bottle. Pours with a large rocky head. Beer is a cloudy straw color. Smell has some spicy notes with noticeable malt sweetness. Taste is decent but not what I expected, does not have the spiceyness that I have come to expect from saisons. The sweet malty backbone of this beer prevails and any spice notes get pushed to the side. Mouthfeel is pretty good, the carbination feels good in the mouth. A drinkable beer, but not my favorite as far as saisons go.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2006 04:48:56 | More by gosurfobx

nfo

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Overall, I thought this was a tasty beer, although not a great example of the style (or my perception of the style is off).

I was looking for more of the characteristic tartness and spiciness, and a less of the sweetness that I'd associate more with a tripel. If I forget about my expectations, we still have a fine Belgian ale, with lots of fruity and yeasty flavors. It has a full, creamy mouthfeel, with light carbonation, and the alcohol is hardly there. I'd prefer it to be a little drier/crisper, a little funkier, but I would get it again for the right food or mood.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2006 14:27:23 | More by nfo

phisig137

Virginia

3.73/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a light amber color with a minimal head and no lacing.

Aroma is yeast and bready, but little else. Not quite what I'd expect.

Flavor is decent. Minimal hops, and little malt. The yeast is prevalent, but not quite spicy enough for me. Mouthfeel is creamy and smooth, and drinkability is dangerously high. This one hides it alcohol VERY well.

I expected more, considering Smutty's other big beers series. As an ale, it's pretty good, but as a saison, it's not so hot. Decent beer overall, but I don't think I'll be buying it again anytime soon. It just doesn't "wow" me.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2006 01:32:49 | More by phisig137

lordofthewiens

Maine

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

This is a very good beer. Plus the label on the 22oz bottle is cool. It was an orange color with a small head and some nice carbonation. It had a sweet spicy aroma. The taste was fruity up front, followed quickly by the spices. Carbonation was excellent. It had a nice bite to it, and I thought it was fairly robust. A great beer to drink; I will be buying many more in the coming weeks.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2006 12:15:44 | More by lordofthewiens

EPICAC

Massachusetts

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

I picked this up at Trader Joe's about two weeks ago. I chilled it and served it in one of my Duvel tulips.

Appearance: Pours a lightly hazy copper topped by a thick fluffy/creamy head that thins to a persistent half-inch layer, leaving lace all over the glass. The clarity is very good.

Smell: Sweet dried fruit aromas, pepper, musty yeast and light hops.

Taste: Fruity upfront with an orangey tartness, toasty malts and a significant bitterness in the finish. This beer might be a little sweet for the style, but the flavors make up for it.

Mouthfeel: Moderate-carbonation, medium-bodied, silky with a dry finish.

Drinkability: Nice flavors and refreshingly dry and bitter.

Overall: I like saisons because they're a nice balnce of fruity and spicy and hoppy. This beer was no exception.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2006 03:29:01 | More by EPICAC

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

MaltyGoodness

Pennsylvania

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

22oz. bomber

Pours a slightly hazy orange amber with a creamy white head that thins. Thick lacing on the glass.

Aroma is very bready and yeasty with some pronounced fruity and spicy tones.

Very yeasty and bready with some nice fruity and spicy flavors. Has a rather bold tartness to it.

Full body, good carbonation.

A nice saison with an interesting tartness. No problems putting down the bomber.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2006 02:42:14 | More by MaltyGoodness

barleywinebrewer

New Hampshire

3.9/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Nice golden color with a huge cascading head.

S - The aroma had hints of citrus, sweet malt and floral hops.

T - Citrus / light sour with a sweet malty backbone. Light spice undetone.

M - Quite the flavor swirl on this one. Definitely one that will be refreshing as the summer temperatures rise!

D - Haven't really had many beers in this style. This was a nice intro and I would consider trying others based on this brew. One bottle was plenty for the evening and I can envision enjoying one on the deck with friends this summer!

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2006 13:04:57 | More by barleywinebrewer

NEhophead

Massachusetts

3.65/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

1 pt 6 fl oz brown bottle.
Bottle Conditioned in 2006.

Light, glowing peach in color with shades of copper. Foamy, white head that lingers as a delicate sheet with pools of larger bubbles. Beads of lacing around the goblet.

Bright, slightly tart fruit esters: orange, cherry. Big clove and corriander spice that cuts through the sour quality. Faint, musty Belgian candied sugar.

Mouth puckering tartness at first: bright lemon, green apple, orange, and grapefruit followed by earthen, yet bright floral hops. A rather intense corriander and pepper spiciness that leads to a musty sweetness with a drop of diacetyl.

A light, medium bodied; a bit filmy, properly carbonated.

Not a bad stab at a Belgian Saison. A bit one-sided on the spices, but a pleasant flavored brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2006 01:55:58 | More by NEhophead

Bierman9

New Hampshire

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

I actually have had this bottle since EBF, courtesy of Renee at Smutty, but am only now getting around to try it. Needed the weather to get warmer, ahh reckon...

Pours from a 22oz bottle a clear, pale golden hue. Intermittent bubbles rise within towards the thin, fine white head. This topping is creamy looking, and lasts quite well, albeit at a miniscule layer. Lacing is average, at best. Has some fine particulate suspended within, and there's actually plenty more sitting in the bottom of the bottle with the remaining 5 or so ounces of Farmhouse. Aroma has a light fruitiness to it, along with a musty, yeasty quality. First thing that came to mind was the "-ation" series of biers from Russian River, with their funky, wild qualities. Tripel-like is also an apt aroma description. Body is mid-range, and the Farmhouse passes rather inconspicuously over the palate. A small bit of prickly, bubbliness attacks the tongue, though it doesn't detract much, if at all.

Farmhouse flavor also has a light fruity character, akin to tropical fruit and a little green apple. Also entering into the mix are some earthy, yeasty notes, candi-ish flavors and a slight suggestion of spiciness. Aftertaste is again fruity, with floral hops also playing a role. Somewhat dry in the finish, Smutty Farmhouse could be a nice thirst-quencher in summery climes. And this is 7.5% abv? Never would have guessed it; quite well-hidden.

While Saison is not a style I actively seek out, this version is quite well-made and tasty, though I have come to expect consistently high-quality offerings from the Smutty gang.

Prosit!

overall: 3.95
appearance: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | mouthfeel: 3.5 | drinkability: 4

904

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2006 19:47:25 | More by Bierman9

bjohnson

Massachusetts

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

Purchased at Trader Joe's on the cheap, $3.49

A: Pours a slightly hazy amber color with ruby hues throughout. Slight head that dissipates in the middle, but hugs the edge of the glass. Oxidation noticeable with bubbles making their way to the top.
S: Aromas of grapefruit, bananas, bubblegum, green granny apples, and a slight tart with a nice maltyness that compliments. Smells wonderful.
T & M: Tastes of fruitness hits the palate first with many flavors including berries, grapefruit, bananas. Slight bitter tart at the front of the tongue and dryness at the sides of the mouth. Yeastyness is felt on the tongue. Slick and oily as it goes down. Nice aftertaste leaves me thinking this would be a perfect summer days brew.
D: Definately a drinkable beer while listening to a ballgame on the back porch in the sun. I will get this again. highly recommended as are all the smuttynose beers. Probably would go well with any meal.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2006 21:20:18 | More by bjohnson

deciding39

Massachusetts

3.8/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

22 oz brown bottle, served in a Saison Dupont glass.

A: Pours a golden-yellow color with a slight yeast haze. A sturdy one-finger head forms atop the brew, leaving a decent lace around the glass following each sip.

S: The nose is dominated by fruity esters and alcohol, with some faint malt sweetness. There are also some light phenols towards the back.

T: Earthy yeast, tart fruit (especially apple and pineapple), balanced nicely by sweet malt. Finishes dry with some pleasant mellow hop spice and bitterness. Very well-balanced; unlike some other saisons, the wild tones never become too cloying.

M & D: A smooth, medium-bodied brew with some unique and well-balanced flavors. Drinkable, but packs quite a punch at 7.5% ABV. Very true to the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2006 00:17:26 | More by deciding39

Ego

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

my third bottle of this already.. sheesh! I like it.. but time to stack it up and review it.. can't wait to have this on tap tommorow!

served @ perfect cellar temp in my allagash glass

eyes...
2 full fingers of head that begins to simmer as it shakes down towards the beer. clean orange hue, the head as it recedes clings on the sides like an ex girlfriend, some carbonation noted in the glass, an inviting beer but nothing special.

nose...
bready, spicy, yeasty, honey, the sweetness tends to dominate here, but I am still getting a nice floral "spring" aroma from this one, throw in a chunk of belgian funk as well which lends a grassy element.. personally I dig the nose on this.

taste etc...
light body with prickly carbonation which makes this refreshing and easy to drink. where as many belgian saisons have frothy head, this is more straightforward but still retains the features of traditional saisons. there are some lemon notes, a grassy finish with touches of honey. the yeast leaves your mouth feeling dry wanting another sip.. and then bang, the bottle is gone. The alcohol is barely perceptable. I really enjoy this one. Although bottle to bottle it tends ot vary a bit actually.

verdict?
I bought 6 bottles to have around for the spring season. I worry about keeping this too long as I had a bad experience with one bottle. I was taking it to a friend's house for dinner and it was laying down in the cooler.... when I went to retrieve it .. it was leaking.. so be carefull and store this upright just in case

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2006 03:17:46 | More by Ego

geexploitation

Indiana

2.93/5  rDev -24.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

This Belgian style beer pours a clear amber with a decent head that disappears quickly. There is little lacing left on the sides of my glass. The nose is overwhelmingly sweet -- the main impression I get is of prunes smothered in candi sugar. On the palate, that sweetness translates into a biting sensation of sugar with a strange kick on the mid-palate. There is little in the way of fruits or spices here, just straightforward sweetness. The tastes are underwhelming, and with the medium body sticking around the mouth just a bit too much, this is one cloying beer. Not my favorite of the Big Beer series... not by a longshot.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2006 23:35:49 | More by geexploitation

jvdineen

Massachusetts

3.8/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pretty good try from Smuttynose. It pours a yellow-orange hue with a little head. The hops give a not-overwhelmingly spicy taste that lasts the entire bomber. Quite light and refreshing. The moderately high alcohol content is well hidden and balanced.
Bottle conditioned in 2006. Label contains a 18th-19th century scene of a "gentleman farmer" and his family as he quaffs some drink.
Bought at Charles St. Liquors on reccomendation of employee.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2006 22:52:02 | More by jvdineen

goodbyeohio

Oregon

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

pours a glowing orange. hazy and thick, although dark blips in the shape of bubbles can be seen blurrily rising to the surface.. there, a crusty egg-white head rises and settles... chunks left behind in willy-nilly fashion.

very sweet, cloying, cotton candy aroma is a bit overwhelming. warmth brings out some tripel characters.. citrus rind, belgian malts and faint hints of white pepper in the nose.

flavor finds a nice happy point between tart sourness and sweet maltiness, although it falls victim to some unsalted butter hooks and riffs. what saves it, ultimately, is the one-two punch of carbonation and the tart flavors of barely ripe fruits. finishes strong with some green apple, apricot and bitter lemon peel. for 7.5%, this is pretty darn drinkable, although it leaves a warming in my empty stomach. very dry flavor overall, suggests awry hopping and raw grain husk unable to integrate.

like sly fox's saison vos, this tries to be a hennepin clone but plays it a bit too safe for my book. still, a solid, drinkable belgian style summer beer.

thanks t.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2006 22:20:41 | More by goodbyeohio

NiceGuyMike

New Jersey

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

Dark yellow with light head and a bit of lacing. Smells of strong belgian friutiness. Strong flavors of sweet alcohol with fruitiness, delicious.
Very smooth medium body mouth feel with a bit of fizz, very drinkable.

This is an excellent american saison. Something this good warrents further research in to Smuttynoes.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2006 22:18:52 | More by NiceGuyMike

bignick

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle purchased at Bauer Wine and Spirits in Boston. Poured into a pint glass.

This beer pours a slightly hazy, but mostly clear orange. It smells fruity, particuarly of pineapple. It tastes a little sweet and fruity, but not really citrusy. The taste finishes with a little bit of spice. Overally this is a pretty good beer, well-suited to warm weather.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2006 23:35:12 | More by bignick

mattpetti

New Jersey

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

Pours a cloudy gold with an average head that dissipated fast into a small ring in my glass. The smell was a mixture of something slightly sweet, my guess is honey, floral, and a pleasing smell of yeast backing it all up. In sum up it smells like a winner. The taste is very good. I started drinking it when it was ice cold and it is a beer you can down fast without hesitation. But i chose to slow down and enjoy the subtlies of this one. It is smooth and medium bodied with flavors of sweet malts, basic light hops, slight breadiness that leaves your mouth watering after each sip. There is a light hint of alcohol too. The close is the slightest kick of citrus zest. This beer is very coating for a saison. All in all i enjoyed drinking it and will get more for the hot summer months ahead. I think if you are a fan of hennepin give this one a shot. Another good one from our friends in NH. Make yours a smutty farmhouse.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2006 03:37:58 | More by mattpetti

guinness33

New Jersey

4.15/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This must've been fresh off of the truck from NH as the lone case in the store was still unopened and sandwiched amongst a plethora of Smuttynose Summer Weizen cases with a bottled on date of April 19th (if memory serves).

It pours a nice orange to amber colour with a medium sized fluffy white head that leaves plenty of residue on the glass, but dissolves a bit quickly, I thought.

The smell is execllent: sweet floral goodness, citrus notes, lots of yeast and some candy hints as well. Good stuff.

The flavour starts out with a yeast/sweetness mix then moves into some
hoppy fruit flavours with an everso slight hint of alcohol, and finishes with a mix of everything, and actually a bit of juiciness. This is well carbonated and smooth for a nice mouthfeel overall.

I enjoyed this one. The Smutty Big Beer Series usually (if not always) produces some real nice brews and this one is no exception.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2006 03:09:54 | More by guinness33

DANTHEMAN

New Jersey

4.63/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

EARS- quiet now, earlier my kids were fighting, now the only sound is the nice clink of my smuttynose keychain bottle opener making contact of the baby seal on the crown of this gem....pfisschunk, the cap is now off...

EYES- here we go, pours beautifully into my weiss glass, nice full choppy head and a wickedly cloudy golden amber body.

NOSE- the refreshing smell reminds me of my past life as a belgian farmer making this beer in my house, nice smell of yeast and citris, my mouth is actually watering onto my keyboard as I type slower and slower day-dreaming of this awesome smelling brew.

THROAT- all I can say is these two words: glug glug. goes down refresingly smooth, I just wish it wasn't 15 f-ing degrees outside. nice acidity balanced with a slight tart/hop soft mouthfeel.

DIAGNOSIS- I can't wait to drink this beer in the warmer weather, once again smutty big beer series puts out a winner, buy it buy the case if you can, caus ya can't just have 1, trust me I only got 1 and I wanted MORE. I can't wait for it to hit the retailers.

DTMITBBITWWW

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2006 03:06:08 | More by DANTHEMAN

JizackFH

New York

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

Had on tap earlier at Sunswick 35/35 in Astoria, NY.
Review taken from notes.

This beer pours a slightly hazy golden straw color. It has a nice size pure white head on it. The head has good retention, and it leaves behind some scattered lace on the glass. The smell starts off with some belgian yeast and and spices up front. There is a nice fruity smell, as well as a bit of funkiness and mild hop presence. The taste starts off with a lot of citrus fruit like oranges and lemons. There is also some clove and belgian yeast present. I am also getting some earthiness and a bit of hop flavor. The finish leaves some lingering earthiness and spice flavor on the palate. This has a medium body and good carbonation. It goes down easy and has a nice feel to it. There is some tingling on the palate from the spices. The drinkability is good here. I could easily have a few glasses of this in an evening. It goes down easy and has a nice flavor. Overall I thought it was a good saison, and I would drink it again.

Serving type: on-tap

09-23-2011 15:35:54 | More by JizackFH

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

First had: on tap at the Khyber, Philly, PA

Poured a honey color with a decent white head that retained fairly well and a bit of lacing. Toasted malts in the aroma, hay, and yeast, with some fruit and spice noticeable, but more just semi-stale funk that ends up taking over. Sweet pale malts and yeast in the taste at first, with some grass and hay moving in, and slight notes of citrus. Light-medium body, and pretty easily drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

06-20-2011 17:52:58 | More by Rifugium

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

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

Smuttynose Farmhouse Ale pours a pale yellow, good sized froth and decent retention. Aroma is light but there was some belgian yeast notes. In the flavor, belgian ale characteristics with some sweetness. Alittle bit of earthy funk but very distant. Overall this drinks like a belgian pale ale with alittle wheat malt and straw. As it warms, ever so faintly tart. Lighter bodied and hides the big alcohol fairly well.

Serving type: on-tap

01-08-2011 05:17:11 | More by Stinkypuss