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

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

ppoitras

Massachusetts

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

22ozer from Brattleboro Co-Op, Brattleboro, VT.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a 3/4" beige head over a clear and bright golden copper brew. Head lasts nicely, with lots of delicate lacing. Aroma is spicy doughiness. Taste is strong candy sweetness upfront, goes bubblegum for a second, and then the spices kick in and linger. Mouthfeel is smooth, although drinkability is limited a tad by sweetness that could get cloying after awhile, possibly. Another nice Big Beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2006 20:32:39 | More by ppoitras

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

My first from Smuttynose. Pours a hazy golden/orange, some chunkies in suspension, thin white head, some lacing. Smell is sweet, winey, some vanilla and spice, some funk. Taste is sweet up front, vanilla, spices, yeast, bread, funk, flavourful mix. Mouthfeel is full bodied, lots of residual sweetness, low to medium carbonation, quite rich. I liked this one, neat funky flavours. Thanks biegaman!

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2006 04:29:43 | More by Viggo

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

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

lacqueredmouse

Australia

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

Purchased in the good ol' US of A, and brought back to Sydney. Cracked open with @LaitueGonflable.

Pours a deep, hazed golden colour, that looks a lot darker when not held to the light. Head is full and frothy, although it vents its air and collapses relatively quickly, leaving a pure white veil on the top. Lacing is patchy, and the body is very heavy for a saison, but otherwise looks good.

Nose is light and slightly tart, with green appleskin characters the main event, along with a touch of slightly sweet vinegar. There's a little peppery vegetative character like arugula or something else slightly herbal, and it gives it the slight organic edge a saison needs. Not bad, but certainly not as good as the best.

Taste is also pleasant, and vaguely stylistically correct, without hitting the high notes. Slight peppery phenols through the centre and a dry, yeasty Belgian finish. Some herbal, organic notes, but only if you're searching for them. Lacks the slight touch of acidity and the true rustic funk of a good saison, but again, it's kinda on the right tracks.

Not a bad beer, and a surprisingly supple one for a saison this big, but the phenols and booze hints it gets from the extra alcohol are not supported by a really good base beer, so it feels big for no reason. I'd prefer more funk and less booze, thanks.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2011 04:27:05 | More by lacqueredmouse

glid02

Georgia

4.05/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle purchased from Green's on Ponce in Atlanta.

Pours a hazy gold color with a huge off-white head. The head literally filled my glass after the first pour, however it finally settles into a thin layer on top leaving decent lacing.

Smells of light to medium fruits - pears and green apples - with a good deal of sweetness and a small amount of spices.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Sugar-coated pear flavors up front segue into darker green apple flavors before allowing a small amount of spiciness to come out before the ending.

Mouthfeel is good. It has a very nice thickness with active carbonation.

Drinkability is good. I had no problem finishing my glass and could have another.

Overall I feel as though this beer didn't really have much of an identity. The level and intensity of the fruit flavors was right on par but there wasn't a whole lot else going on. Still, a good effort and worth a shot.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2009 20:43:11 | More by glid02

beerthulhu

New Jersey

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

A: Bright sunset orange color, nice frothy off white head. Stale oranges, citrus and a funky farmhouse yeast aroma dominate the nose with some sour fruitiness.

S: Nice spicy hoppiness is present, some musky yeastiness.

T: The beer starts off pretty malty per style with a nice tartness of sour warm oranges and malt. A decent sour bitterness with some slight sour citrus hints in the finish. Really malty per style, with a nice musky farmhouse yeast bite, peppery spiciness and a sour alcohol tang.

M: Mouthful is full and malty,

D: This is a really big interpretation per style but still a very good thirst quenching, citrusy farmhouse enjoyable in the warm weather.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2008 15:25:29 | More by beerthulhu

DrJay

Massachusetts

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

Bright, rich gold colour that's just short of orange, topped by a thin white head that quickly reduced to a rocky collar. There was a smattering of spotty lace between sips. Grainy sweet aroma with mild clove and pepper, some apple fruitiness, and a hint of yeast. The flavour is quite sweet, with significant clove character and maybe a bit of coriander. There's a bit of pepper in the finish, along with light alcohol warmth. Fruity flavour is a bit earthy, more like apple peel than straight-up apples, and lingers for a while. Full bodied with moderate carbonation. Fairly creamy as well and the residual sugar makes it just a little sticky. I thought the sweetness would be too much, but it actually provided a nice balance and worked well. This is great stuff, highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2006 02:09:23 | More by DrJay

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

4.53/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bright, early morning sunshine with bursting, beaming rays that jump out the glass even despite the misty haze that blankets the beer. Its head was initially quite voluptuous but it has lightened considerably. White is painted everywhere but nowhere is it thicker than along the outskirts. The glass is plastered in a shotgun spray of lace.

Yes. This is the smell of a Saison. It is flawless. Fresh-cracked peppercorns, budding orchards of pear and apple fruit, a countryside of flowers, a squirt of citrusy vinegar and the contents of grandma's herbs garden combine for a bouquet that is every bit floral, fruity, perfumy, earthy and zesty as any one could ask for. I don't even need to drink it...

But I will. Because it tastes amazing too. All that I loved about the aroma is repeated in flavour form: fields of wild flowers, (dandelions and rose water), grain husks and wheat flour, slightly over-ripened orchard fruits (pear, apple, apricot), spices (white pepper, coriander), herbs (thyme, savory), citrus zest shavings and a teaspoon of wild honey.

Delicious. But it's not worth much without the right fitting mouthfeel. Saisons demand a lot of carbonation to keep all those zestful flavours alive on the tongue - I'd say this is adequately carbonated enough to give the palate a good old scrub. The alcohol interferes none, thankfully, and its slight dryness is flattered by a mild tartness. Not bad.

No, not bad at all. American brewers often have trouble replicating the beers that their Belgian counterparts seem just inherently gifted at brewing. Smuttynose has succeeded where many others have failed - crafting a convincingly Belgian-esque ale that can stand toe-to-toe with the real things. This has to now be one of my favourite Saisons.

I found this beer to be tremendous. It's the middle of October - possibly my favourite month and time of the year - but just one look and smell and taste of this beer made me yearn again for summer. When a beer can provoke feelings and memories then you know it was made well and that it evinces all that makes that particular style unique.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2009 16:55:33 | More by biegaman

Brad007

Vermont

4.5/5  rDev +16%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

For my 200th review, I've decided to review this beer. This is probably the only one in the Big Beer series that I've seen around here.

Poured into a goblet. Color is a very nice amber/brown hue with minimal head. Aroma is bold, spicy and malty. Somewhat sweet as well. Taste is much of the same. It starts off warm and spicy, almost chewy. The mouthfeel is really nice as it leaves a sweetness on the back of the tongue. Well-balanced and pretty much what I expect from a saison. A second sip confirms much of the same. The alcohol is well-masked and is barely noticeable.

As for the style, I think it's closer than other saisons I've reviewed. I would rate it higher because of this. An excellent sipping beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2007 23:26:43 | More by Brad007

Georgiabeer

Georgia

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

This beer pours a nice amber color, little to no cloudiness and a medium head that is tight and off white. No real lacing noticeable in the glass.

The smell is more like a hefeweizen than a Saison, with banana and clove notes, but it is appetizing.

The taste is nice as well, but it doesn't have the depth of flavor I like in a Saison. The taste starts out a little thin and with a slight sourness as well as some dry hoppiness. The hops linger and become more spicy and there is a fruitiness as well (some stone fruit flavor I can't identify) and finally some earthiness at the end.

The mouthfeel starts creamy but becomes a little less so as I progress through the bottle. Very pleasant at first, maybe a little soapy later

A drinkable beer, but maybe not as haunting in flavor as some Saisons- that always makes me want to keep quaffing them. This one is interesting enough though, and despite the moderately high alcohol it goes down easy.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2006 04:36:06 | More by Georgiabeer

JohnGalt1

Idaho

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

22 received as a massive box of extras back in December from PEBKAC ... Awesome and finally enjoying it tonight from my New Belgium snifter... 2007 bottling.

3 Finger head rocky head dies back into a slightly hazy dark gold brew.

Smell is a complex mix of pale/toasted malts with lemon and white pepper... I like alot.

Maltier with a bigger body than many of the benchmark Saisons but it works in a big way. Dry finish. Spicy but not in a way that I am used to... some hints of coriander with more lemon grass. Earthy sweet and sour all at the same time with a binding low malt sweetness. The bigger body brings out a biscuity/bready quality as it warms along with more peppery and Bazooka Joe notes. Carbonation is lite/medium.

This would be a fridge staple if I had access to it. Huge thanks to Adam... I need to repay your generosity sometime soon.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2008 09:36:24 | More by JohnGalt1

thagr81us

South Carolina

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

2007 Vintage. Served from tap into a shaker. Poured a hazy golden yellow-orange with a half finger of white head that subsided to a minimal amount upon sitting. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, bananas, and spices. The flavor was of sweet malt, bitter malt, orange juice, and subtle spices. It had a light feel on the palate with low-mid carbonation. Overall this one wasn't that bad, nor was it that great either. I was just glad that the spices weren't overwhelming in this one. Started out to be pretty harsh as far as flavor, but definitely is much better upon warming up some.

Serving type: on-tap

11-17-2010 12:24:18 | More by thagr81us

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

largadeer

California

4.05/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle received from Dyan, thanks man.

Appearance: Pours a bright golden-amber, clear but slightly hazy. An inch of white head forms, slowly settling into a thin sheet.

Smell: Spicy phenols, slightly herbal/medicinal, bread with apricot jam, and funk - nice footy funk. Granted, it's a mild funk, but it's very welcome. I do believe this is the first American-made saison I've ever had with actual funk. Pretty nice.

Taste & mouthfeel: Sweet cereal grain malt flavors open this one, with spice and fruit hitting the palate soon after. Pepper and clove lend a nice spicy kick to an otherwise smooth and sweet profile, and there's a touch of yeasty funk below the spice. The body is sufficiently light, though there's more residual sugars than I generally like in the style. This one finishes on the sweet side, quite uncharacteristic for the style, but I'm still enjoying it.

Notes: Very good. With slightly lower ABV and a drier finish it might even be great.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2008 01:01:48 | More by largadeer

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

avalon07

South Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +16%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a yellow-orange color and a slightly cloudy consistency. There was a huge, foamy, long-lasting head and good (but not great) lacing.

S: A nice aroma of citrus, fruit, malt and esters.

T: Tasted of apples, citrus, pears, malt, yeast and some esters (this is particularly present early on). Very complex and flavorful.

M: A big, biting amount of carbonation with a smooth finish. Light- to medium-bodied.

D: This is one of the most drinkable American versions of a saison out there. Well-made and tasty.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2009 12:47:42 | More by avalon07

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a staw yellow / orange-ish color with a nice white head. Aromas that are yeasty with fruity notes. As in the taste, yeasty, spicey and hints of fruitiness. A yeasty mouthfeel, and a spicey aftertaste. A nice yeasty saison, fruity and spicey in the right places. Smooth and nice, and a very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2007 16:19:54 | More by OWSLEY069

gford217

Georgia

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

22oz bomber courtesy of MrRetardedMonkey poured into a tulip.

Pours a crystal clear golden orange with a decent fluffy white head that dissipated very quickly to a ring with limited lacing.

The aroma is a mixture of bready Belgian yeast, roasted caramel malts and spices. Not that I was expecting a lot, but there was virtually no funk at all.

The taste is a little better than the aroma and had the slight funk I was looking for. There is still the dominant breadiness of the Belgian yeast throughout with significant peppery spices and a good bit of light fruits, peaches and apricots especially.

The mouthfeel is light to medium bodied with good carbonation.

This is a good saison, though not at the top of my list in the style or of Smuttynose beers I've had. Still tasty.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2008 22:20:16 | More by gford217

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

I Tried this on tap a KClinger's Tavern in Hanover PA.
Served cool in a standard pint.
A - Hazy, medium amber w/ a half inch of tan head, some lace is apparent.

S - Slightly funky, belgian style yeast aroma w/ slightly sweet citrus nose.

M - Medium body w/ a tangy, mildly carbonated feel. There are gentle hints of spice w/ a nice malt presence and subtle hop spiciness.

T - A mild flavor of wheat w/ nice citrus flavor that doesn't go overboard. Some light pepper and herbal tea-like flavors in the mix. A pleasant dry toasted malt flavor and delicated hop accent w/ herbal qualities.

D - A mild farmhouse w/ little funkiness, very smooth, a quaffer. I could drink multiples of this w/ no problem. It seems a bit restrained for the style, yet still has very drinkable qualities.

Serving type: on-tap

09-17-2007 14:06:20 | More by Slatetank

dirtylou

Washington

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

22oz bottle from Steve's -University Ave

happy new years and such

appearance: pours a bright apricot-orange tone into my bells tulip...frothy beige head and bubbly lace

smell: fairly muted aroma on this one, sweet pear and other fruit, fair amount of yeast, clove and other spice

taste: lots of citrus sweetness, pear, white grape...heavy clove and white pepper components. tame yeast and a heavy sweetness dominate this decent saison

mouthfeel: syrupy and sweet

drinkability: ok

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2008 00:04:57 | More by dirtylou

Bitterbill

Wyoming

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

I got this bottle in a trade with Yamar18. Thanks Kevin!

It pours a slightly hazy orange gold with a 1 finger head of foam. Lots of lacing here and head retention looks to be very good.

The smell has notes of yeast, spice, earthy malt, and slight fruit.

The taste is quite spicy. It has some strongish pepper and light clove along with a fruity sweetness and some light funk and earthy malt. Nice. I get some warming from the alcohol but that doesn't hurt the drinkability too much.

Good medium mouthfeel with lightish carbonation, it finishes slightly bitter, slightly tart. A nice example of the style indeed!

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2008 15:41:14 | More by Bitterbill

cokes

Wisconsin

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

Pours a lightly murky and shadowy goldenrod sporting a moderate chalk-colored rise on top.
It's fairly sedate and lethargic, aroma-wise, but notions of sugared pears, white grapes, with yeast- (and partially hop-) driven peppercorns, bay leaves, and driftwood. It smells, actually, very good, you just have to try hard and risk snorting the liquid itself.
Across the mouth, the malt is laid with sourdough bread, golden raisins, bruised pears, and rock candy. It's definitely on the malty side of the style, and the first half has a Maibockesque vibe. Yeast delivers clove and ginger, and just a flash of suede-y funk. It segues with black peppercorn into an equally spicy hop closure, with dried herbs, and wildfire-prone plains. A splash of apple brandy dots the swallow, with background alcohol and sweetness
It's pretty rotund in the mouth, and those used to a spritzy, gassy saison might view this as a lard-ass. I think it works here, because the emphasis is on the malt, thus the saddle bags are apropos, and there is enough slow-n-steady carbonation to move this down the mouth-stomach conveyor belt unfaultingly.

Plain and simple, I like it, and will readily buy a lot more of it at roughly $4 a bomber. It's a steal in my book.
Caveat emptor: those looking for a farmhouse brew funkier than those boxer shorts you left in your gym bag in the trunk of your car all summer will be sorely disappointed, as that is not what this is about. It's all well-showered malts and only faintly musty hops here.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2008 07:32:00 | More by cokes