Arbor Brewing Buzzsaw Ale - Arbor Brewing Company

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

3.43/5  rDev -10%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle poured into a Sierra Nevada imperial pint.
7.5% ABV, no date.

Thanks for bringing this one back for me Chris!

"Where's Buzzsaw?" "He had to split."

A - Buzzsaw's tall head lingers around for what seems like forever, making it quite hard to stuff my nose in the glass for a whiff. Thick gobs of lace remain stuck to the pint as the whipped head collapses to a plateau. The golden beer pours totally hazy and looks like a hefe in the pint.

S - This beer doesn't have quite the ferociousness I was expecting from the label's depiction. Instead, Buzzsaw shows restraint with the hops on the aroma as light pine and blended citrus barely rise above the caramel malt aroma.

T - Homebrew-like flavor seems to stem from plenty of yeast in the beer (again, totally hazed) with fruity esters I can't quite put my finger on. Grapefruit and mango hoppiness do seem to flourish a little more in flavor than the aroma lets on but, this beer is powerfully malty with a sweet caramel and base pale background.

M - Very smooth across the palate, Buzzsaw almost has a creamy, full feel to it. Medium-bodied, this beer's high point is the nice dry bitterness that lingers along the back end which still seems quite low for an American IPA of this high alcohol content.

O - Buzzsaw keeps me laughing about The Running Man which I suppose is it's best trait. Over all, I find it a fairly weak American IPA. Not because there aren't enough hops in it but rather because I think it's too balanced by all the malt (and plenty of yeast). This beer would be very passable as a (strong - alcohol-wise) Pale Ale but I just think the malt bill needs to be lessened to let the hops shine through. The building blocks for a good IPA are here but this beer doesn't quite hit the mark.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 00:14:21 | More by BeerFMAndy

Beric

Michigan

4.08/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Serving: On tap, 4oz sampler
Served: 17 June 2013

Appearance: Exactly what you would expect from an IPA- a nice deep golden color with a big white head (even one that sticks around in the small sampler size due to the hops in the beer), that laces down the side. You can see the carbonation bubbling up from the bottom of the glass, which makes this beer look pretty great.

Smell: You can definitely smell an assertive hop presence in the nose that really drowns out everything else. Definitely floral, rather than citrusy, in my opinion.

Taste: A really great beer. One that the hops take center stage and really hit you with nice floral notes. Good in the sampler for sure, and I wonder how a pint would be. The taste is really great for a micro-brewery's IPA, which always tend to be lacking a bit towards the hop extremes most craft beer people like, but this one is one of the best micro-brew IPAs I've had.

Mouthfeel: Feels nice and full-bodied on the tongue, rather than watery like some other micro-beer IPAs. Good carbonation.

Overall: A really great beer, and one I would certainly order again if I was feeling in the mood for a hoppy beer (which, if you can believe it, isn't always). Would certainly recommend this to those who like hops.

Serving type: on-tap

06-18-2013 03:09:22 | More by Beric

Jas45678

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev -1.6%

06-12-2013 21:38:11 | More by Jas45678

ygtbsm94

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -1.6%

06-08-2013 03:13:28 | More by ygtbsm94

MichiganderHB

Michigan

3/5  rDev -21.3%

06-07-2013 17:12:47 | More by MichiganderHB

SportsandJorts

Michigan

4.64/5  rDev +21.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Appearance: a lighter shade of orange. Very hazy. Two fingers worth of an off white head that slowly fades

Smell: strong hops. Citrusy, but more than just plain citrus hops.

Taste: big and bold and juicy hops. Strong juicy citrus flavor. Not complex but just really tasty

Mouthfeel: strong bitterness. Juiciness leaves a sweet refreshing taste to go with the bitterness

Overall: another one of my favorites from arbor brewing. The juiciness of the hops is just unbeatable. I usually like a more dimensional ipa but I loved this one

Serving type: on-tap

06-02-2013 14:40:09 | More by SportsandJorts

MrMcGibblets

Illinois

1.81/5  rDev -52.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1.75

this is in substandard condition, i think, but i'm reviewing it in said condition as i blame the brewer for using clear glass growlers. had i bought it, i'd have known to keep it away from light. however, a friend bought this for me and it may have sat on her counter for an unkown period of time. if the brewer is going to sell beer in clear growlers i feel it's incumbent upon them to make sure their customers are aware. not every random person knows what light does to beer in clear bottles.
a: marking this down for an ugly clear growler. the beer itself looks good-golden, clear with decent white head and lace. but just thinking about that clear growler makes me feel like waking up hungover next to a fat girl.
s: hops are skunked to hell. this is my first craft beer that smells like heineken. bleah.
t: this could have been nice, but the nose follows through on the taste, making this what i'd imagine a double/imperial heineken would taste like.
m: mouthfeel is just under medium bodied, with a bit of residual sugars and a lingering bitterness that reminds me of, wait for it, heineken.
o: if this brewery is going to try to appeal to the uninformed masses with clear growlers, maybe they could ensure that these same uninformed masses should keep these goddamn clear growlers away from all light, kept cold, etc. i had no idea craft brewers sold clear growlers so didn't think to tell my friend about ideal storage. i'm thrifty but had to drain pour this. this abomination of a clear growler is headed to the recycling bin so that it can't ruin any more beer for some unsuspecting victim.

Serving type: growler

05-31-2013 01:13:55 | More by MrMcGibblets

Durge

Connecticut

3.75/5  rDev -1.6%

05-30-2013 05:53:01 | More by Durge

Slay40

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev -1.6%

05-20-2013 00:54:32 | More by Slay40

HarmonMW

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev -8.1%

05-12-2013 02:22:48 | More by HarmonMW

rkf1976

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev -1.6%

05-10-2013 03:21:43 | More by rkf1976

TheBrewo

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

We crack the top and pour a brew of pale golden orange coloring into our Great Lakes pints. It holds a two finger head of white soapy bubbles, leaving slow patterned lacing after a beautiful retention that never quite finishes. A chill haze permeates the clarity, with no sediment noted. Carbonation appears to be moderate. The aroma is beautifully juicy with hops that shout of bright grapefruit, pine, and floral nectars. To balance are notes of lightly toasted pale malts, dried apricot, pear, pineapple, lemon zest bitterness, honey, and flashes of white sugar sweetness. With warmth comes some phenolic plastics, fusel booze, and softer cereal grain. Our first impression is that the hops steal the show, with big lemon and soap, pushing the balance to more generalized bitterness. As we sip, the flavor opens with those aromatic pale and toasty malts, robustly bittered soapy hops, rose stems, bittered booziness, lemon pulp, and more amber malt smoothness. The middle peaks with bite of peppery alcohol, tannic black tea, salted pretzels, and further hop kick of resiny pine, soaps, and bittered citric rind. The finish gives creamy vanilla sweetness, sweeter alcohol, juicy coconut and mango fruitiness, sweet pale malts, chemical airs, and herbal hoppiness, with mint, dill, and lightly phenolic clove. The aftertaste breathes of herbed Thanksgiving stuffing, herbal and more floral hop airs, white sugar sweetness, grapefruit fleshiness, black pepper booze, mineral, and cement. The body is medium, and the carbonation is high. Each sip gives soft slurp, smack, cream, froth, and sip, while the mouth is nicely coated and cooled. The hops afford eventual bittering pucker, and astringency stretched down the length of the hard palate and tongue. The abv is fine, and drinkability is great.

Overall, what we enjoyed most about this brew was its taste and general drinkability. The nose starts things off nicely, giving good fruitiness and hoppiness to start. The sip, however, is where the action is. The hops morph into this amazingly juicy, fruity, biting, sweet, and drying amalgamation of freshness, leaving you wanting more and more after each sip. While some might find it a bit bitter, this is the best, most exciting local beer we’ve found after moving to Michigan, and it will certainly become a staple as a summer porch beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 02:34:58 | More by TheBrewo

Gigantis

Michigan

3.49/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.25

I wish I could grade the bottle. I bought this beer because the picture is cool. Also, I suspected that this was a DIPA because of the graphics, the name and, largely, the prohibitive price. I read on the six pack when I got home that this is an America IPA and I tried to judge it accordingly.

A - Pretty nice looking beer. A bright, dark molten-orange color and an off-white head. The head dissipated very quickly but laced well on the glass. Very small amount of visible carbonation.

S - The beer's best quality is the aroma. A burst of hops; lots of fresh citrus and grapefruit with a nutty grain scent to follow. Hints of tobacco and leather. The scent was very powerful when I first opened the beer and poured it into a tulip glass. It was truly glorious, but also fleeting.

T - Grapefruit and mango with hints of earthy caramel. A very nice floral component and very complimentary of the way this brew smells. Good hoppy finish.

M - A little watery actually. I was expecting more. On a positive note, the carbonation is just right. I felt like this should have had at least a medium bodied feel to it but it has the mouthfeel of a session IPA at best and a Bud at worst.

IT's pretty good though not the best example of the style. I would have appreciated more boldness and more hop character. Good looking and again it was one of the better smelling beers I've had in a while but if I am every confronted with that cool logo again (mutant warrior in a cornfield?) I will have to remind myself that this beer just didn't satisfy me as much as it should have. Overall a nice IPA but not worth the price of admission.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 22:18:45 | More by Gigantis

drbenderdo

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +11.5%

04-21-2013 23:45:34 | More by drbenderdo

Pat316

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev -1.6%

04-16-2013 22:12:36 | More by Pat316

alphaacid9000

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +11.5%

04-15-2013 00:25:48 | More by alphaacid9000

SometimesIfart

Michigan

3.99/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours very murky copper with a two finger slight off-white head. Left a decent amount of lacing.

S - Starts off with grapefruit rind and mango, followed by some lemon grass and lemons. Caramel malts come through as well along with some blood oranges.

T - Starts with a pelthora of pine and banana, followed by some slight grapefruit and soap.

M - Medium slightly creamy body with medium carbonation.

O - Overall, another solid beer out of ABC. It's definitely sessionable, although the flavor could have been a bit cleaner.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 05:06:55 | More by SometimesIfart

dmnielsen

Michigan

4/5  rDev +5%

02-23-2013 22:48:24 | More by dmnielsen

Danielr26

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev -8.1%

02-18-2013 14:01:34 | More by Danielr26

Rostie

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +11.5%

02-16-2013 15:38:21 | More by Rostie

ChrisKayler

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +11.5%

02-15-2013 21:44:37 | More by ChrisKayler

andrewjraab

Michigan

3.79/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

I had a nice lengthy review on this one, but somehow the webpage booted me when I went to save it so hear goes the cliffs notes version,...

Good looking beer with nice camouflage like webbing. Clean and fresh hops in the nose. Nice hop / malt balance with a nice juicy hop presence.

Overall, I really enjoyed this brew and would definitely try it again. The flavor borders on a DIPA - lets call this a 1.5 IPA.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 00:10:55 | More by andrewjraab

beergorrilla

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev -1.6%

02-12-2013 19:23:55 | More by beergorrilla

buschbeer

Ohio

3.86/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

12 ounce bottle
Served in a perfect pint glass

A - This offering is amber in color with golden highlights. One inch of head caps it.

S - It has a nice citrus aroma. I get fresh oranges and grapefruit.

T - It starts out with a little mango. Then I get more citrus flavors. Finishing with some grapefruit and juniper.

M - Moderate

O - This is an easy drinking IPA. I prefer it to ABC's Sacred Cow. One of the better beers that I have had from Arbor Brewing.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 21:00:50 | More by buschbeer

adamant1912

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +11.5%

02-06-2013 04:46:11 | More by adamant1912