Evil Twin / Stillwater / Stone - "The Perfect Crime" - Stone Brewing Co.

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

1.85/5  rDev -47.7%
look: 3 | smell: 1 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

First had: firkin at Capone's, Norristown, PA

Honestly, I would not have thought this was a saison if I didn't look it up. I can identify styles with the best of them, but at the time, I couldn't really tell what this one was, and kind of just passed it off as a weak porter.

Dark brown pour, opaque, or at least so it seemed in the light of the bar, a few stray bubbles on top, but otherwise no head. This beer had been sitting for a while, because it wasn't one degree below room temperature. I know that's the point of a cask, but it wasn't working in this case. I tried and tried to get an aroma from this, to the point of nearly dipping my schnoz in the beer, but it just wasn't happening. Nothing! I've had beers with bad aromas, weak aromas, muted aromas, but I really got zero in the nose with this. Taste-wise, I believe I literally said "bleh" when I sipped it. Bland dark malts, soy sauce, burnt cardboard, with a blast of earthy hops in the finish. And all this at puke warm temperature with little to no carbonation...it just didn't work. Light-medium body, and really just unpalatable. Three good breweries making one bad beer. I guess the "perfect crime" was putting this on the market.

Serving type: cask

11-29-2012 05:57:40 | More by Rifugium

sandiego67

California

2.15/5  rDev -39.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass

A: Pours dark with light brown head

S: Smells kinda like asphalt. I couldn't smell any other attributes.

T: Petroleum taste with no desirable flavors that you would expect from smoke or dark roast.

M: The mouthfeel was fine. Plenty of carbonation and body.

O: If I made this at home, I would not serve it to anyone. It truly tastes like it was fermented in a bucket used to tar a roof. I can't imagine ordering a second serving. Bad. Luckily, BevMo has it for $3.19 so you can try it yourself and see for yourself.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 04:20:03 | More by sandiego67

oline73

Maryland

2.2/5  rDev -37.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 1.5

Poured from the bottle into a goblet.

Appearance: The beer pours a dark brown with some light coming through at the edges. There is a half finger of light tan head that goes away quickly.

Smell: Sweeter than expected with some fruity notes that remind me a bit of cherries. I'm getting some mild roast and a faint hint of herbs.

Taste: I'm almost at a loss for words. This beer was a bad idea. There is a bitterness in the finish that just crushes anything else that might be going on. There is a fruity cherry note that is pleasant enough. Lots of roast along with a herbal saison component. The finish is full of roast and has a lot of hop bitterness. Just a mess.

Mouthfeel: The body is medium with a lot of tingly carbonation and a dry finish.

Overall: I really didn't like this one. I'm all for experimenting, but this one was an experiment gone wrong.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 01:56:04 | More by oline73

corby112

Pennsylvania

2.3/5  rDev -35%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Pours a dark chestnut brown color that appears pitch black and opaque in the glass with a two finger light beige head that slowly settles into a thick, lasting cap. Streaks of soapy left behind.

Slightly smokey, roasted dark malt aroma with some peppery spice and funky Saison yeast notes. Hints of charcoal/campfire, smoked meat and ash along with dark chocolate, robust coffee and farmhouse funk. As it warms, the smoke gets a bit stronger, overpowering the Saison characteristics. There's also some earthy, piney hops lingering underneath that comes more to the forefront as the beer comes to room temperature.

Medium bodied with a really strange combination of smoked malt, earthy hops, peppery spice and funky yeast which results in an unpleasant, metallic/herbal/medicinal flavor that's hard to drink. Starts off with liquid smoke, burnt malt and charred malts but is quickly overtaken by resinous, piney hops. These two flavors really don't work well together and when you add the Saison/farmhouse elements, this turns into a mess of a beer. Very harsh and tough to choke down. I appreciate their experimentation but I hate the way this beer tastes.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 10:06:35 | More by corby112

bbkd3b

Missouri

2.35/5  rDev -33.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Part of one my larger beer hauls. Hoping this purchase gets started off on the right foot!

LOOK: Dark-brown, nearly black body has a nice clarity with a ruby hue. Soft-tan head bubbles up to a half-finger before dissipating rather quickly. Some bubble cling to the edge of the glass thankfully. Rather bland-looking beer otherwise.

SMELL: Belgian yeast comes on strong before giving way to a smokier scent. Some hints of pepper and dark fruits with a rather thin malt undertone. I’m talking thin like Stephen-King novel thin.

TASTE/MOUTHFEEL: Really light, watery-feeling brew. The smoke is almost overwhelming and gives a strong sense of charcoal. Bitter aftertaste that I don’t find at all pleasant. Reminds me of aspirin, which is definitely not what I’m looking for. Sharp carbonation. This improved a bit as it warmed, giving a combination of dark chocolate and pepper. One small kick of Belgian earthiness is the closest this beer ever comes to being a Saison. Really not my thing.

OVERALL/NOTES: This is probably the first Stone collaboration that genuinely disappointed me. I appreciate the experimental approach here, but really, I don’t want to try it again. Bleh.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2012 04:35:19 | More by bbkd3b

kojevergas

California

2.35/5  rDev -33.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Not a big Stone fan, but I like Evil Twin and the price was right so I picked this one up. Most of these collaborations have been mundane; I don't know why I keep buying them. A Smoked Saison sounds pretty foul as well. But hey, every beer gets a chance. 12 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a New Belgium stem-goblet in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live.

Served straight from the refrigerator and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a one finger khaki-tan colour head of good cream and thickness, and pretty decent retention (~2 minutes). Colour is a solid nontransparent opaque black. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show.

Sm: Heavy rauchbier-esque smoke and bacon notes, with some acrid dark malts alongside cream. Not at all appealing. A mild strength aroma. I'm not looking forward to this.

T: Dark malt foundation with murky smoky lightly bacon-y notes on the climax. No real cream. Dreadfully simple. A bit too bitter. I get no brett notes or anything remotely saison-esque. Earthy but not fruity. Imbalanced and bland. Who knew such an experimental brew could be so non-committal? Drinks like a crappy rauchbier. Underwhelming.

Mf: Too dry and coarse in the late second and third acts. Unmotivated and unfocused. This is a mess. Smooth and wet up front, but also a bit sharp from overcarbonation. Thickness is okay. Presence on the palate is all over the place.

Dr: I'm all for experimentation, but they shouldn't have even brought this to the market. This is a mess of an effort and doesn't warrant purchase. Only the names of the breweries involved will sell this beer. If you want a nice brett-laden saison (even with hints of smoke, if for some reason that sounds like a good idea), look elsewhere. This reminds me of novice homebrewing.

D+

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2012 05:48:32 | More by kojevergas

vfgccp

New York

2.4/5  rDev -32.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2.5

A - Solid khaki head with ok retention and lace. Cola body with caramel highlights.

S - Broccoli, fermented vegetables, lemon, asparagus, sweat. Not necessarily pleasant.

T - Doesn't taste as bad as it smells, but it definitely fell short of my expectations. Just a hint of smoke over light malt, soft floral notes, and a touch of black pepper.

M - Thin body, with a semi-watery finish. Low carbonation, especially for a saison.

O - A super let down considering the caliber of the breweries that are behind this brew. The perfect crime here is that they convinced me to buy this brew.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 18:08:22 | More by vfgccp

rawfish

California

2.4/5  rDev -32.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Nearly black with some dark chocolate hues when held to the light. Toasted marshmallow colored head, forms 2 fingers with forever retention. Clumpy lacing on the glass.

Bright and citrusy with some Belgian spice notes of clove, lemon peel, rosemary and powder. Can't smell any malt or hop character, unexpected since this such a dark beer. Close your eyes and it's just another an ordinary saison.

Belgian spices in the forefront with clove, lemon pith and coriander. Thin malt on the palate with perhaps some wheat and hints of roasted malt. Really deteriorates on the finish with lemon juice, ashy, chocolate and burnt malt finish. Acidic and some soured milk, pretty bad.

For something so carbonated it's flat. Has the texture of juice or tap water, thin as well. Doesn't do anything to complement the spice taste or cover the abv.

It may be a Perfect Crime but it's still a crime that this beer was brewed. It comes off as an unpleasant sour. Not really much of a roasted malt or a smoked flavor in this beer. Kudos for being bold and creative and all but it's pretty putrid. Disappointed, the first bad Stone collab I've had.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 04:11:08 | More by rawfish

nUgZ

North Carolina

2.4/5  rDev -32.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

12 ounce bottle poured into a pint glass.

A: Pours a very dark brown color with a 2 finger head and very nice lacing.

S: I'm not too fond of the smell. There are dark fruits, spice, and some sort of funky smell.

T: Watered down fruits, some spice, smoke, and more funk. Not very enjoyable. This will be a chore to finish.

M: Light to medium bodied with good carbonation.

O: Stone is my favorite brewery, so I'll give anything they brew a try. This is the first time I've been truly disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 21:01:16 | More by nUgZ

MEsoJD

California

2.45/5  rDev -30.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

[Poured into a Tulip glass]

I: I had no idea of this beers existence until I passed by it at the store and figured, what the hell as it was pretty cheap. Stone's collaborations don't have the best reputation, but I do admire the sometimes radical directions these brews go in. These are like experimental beers. As for myself, they've been hit or miss. Let's see if,"The Perfect Crime" can impress.

B:[6.8% ABV 12 Fl. Oz. Bottled 2012 ] These collab brew bottles have always been subdued, but at the same time on the loud end in terms of presentation. Can't say I'm attracted to this particular bottle, but its littered with information like breweries involved, crazy bold title, abv, volume, back story(or should I story?)/brief description, age recommendation, etc. Whether I like the beer or not, I don't think I'll be shelving this one.

A: Pitch black body with a nice big semi mocha head(moderate/slow dissipation), and thin to no lacing.

S: Barnyard funk, fig, some roasted malt, peppery, and Belgian yeast. It kind of burns my nose.

T: Roasted malt, molasses, lemon citrus, tart, and late entry hops(presence comes and goes). There's this really weird background flavor that I can't put my finger on(it's not pleasant). Yeah this beer is imbalanced. Flavors come and go.

M: slight slick/wet finish, medium bodied, medium carbonation, and no apparent alcohol.

O: ugh... I hate to put down a beer, but this wasn't a pleasant experience at all. The biggest problem is that it's imbalanced and some of the flavors are kind of gross. Yes there are hints that this is a black Saison, but not throughout. I feel like they just threw in ingredients without much thought.Perhaps it's called,"The Perfect Crime" because people will buy anything with Stone name. I can't recommend this.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 07:06:23 | More by MEsoJD

MIA4IPA

Illinois

2.48/5  rDev -29.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

I got to say I love trying the Stone Collabs but I have had very few that were great but mostly its a very average!

Pours nice finger head that dissipates relatively quickly. Nice lacing on the glass, smell is slightly yeasty and mouthfeel is thin. I get more of a spicy smoky flavor towards the end. Leaves a dry chalky taste in my mouth (not pleasant)

Overall I would expect more from these 3 great brewers, in my opinion a poor attempt at a saison!

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 23:17:52 | More by MIA4IPA

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

2.55/5  rDev -28%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured into a pint glass.

Appearance
Deep, dark brown (almost black) with red-brown highlights. Excellent clarity and 1 finger of tan head.

Nose
Black licorice, overripe plum, caramel and cocoa.

Taste
Watered down black licorice flavors and overripe plum upfront. Mid-palate seems suspiciously void of any flavor. Lemon zest and black pepper kick in towards the back of the palate. Finishes with the filthy taste of used coffee filters and a dirty-ass smoked log. The unwelcome nastiness lingers in the form of crushed Aspirin tablets and grapefruit rind.

Mouthfeel
Medium bodied, silky, crisp and well carbonated.

Overall
I’m sorry that Stillwater and Evil Twin got involved with Stone. Not a very enjoyable beer. The aftertaste is pretty horrendous. Stone got away with “The Perfect Crime.” …Stealing money from me for yet another subpar Collaboration.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 19:04:46 | More by justintcoons

Uncle_Jimmy

California

2.58/5  rDev -27.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Bottle poured into a glass

This is perhaps the worst place to start on my "2013 year of beer" (my attempt to taste/review one beer a day for a whole year(yeah i know i'm not the first))

A lot going on in this one

Appearance- Nearly opaque with a thin tan head that dissipates quickly. very little legs and lacing.

Smell- Smoke , cherry plum/prune stone fruit. slightly sour smelling bready

Taste- roasty pine and a small amount of saison- sourness in the middle that finished with a resiny big hop bitterness at the end. The aftertaste is all hop.

Mouthfeel- dry, high on carbonation a little bit of alcohol warmth

Overall-There are three components to this beer, they are the roastyness, light saison sourness, and the hop character. Now I am all for blending of styles but i think the 3rd component detracts from the other two. I could do a heavily hopped Saison or a CDA it's that 3rd component that is just too much. I wouldn't order another but i am interested in each breweries individual efforts!

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 06:04:04 | More by Uncle_Jimmy

yourefragile

District of Columbia

2.65/5  rDev -25.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

12 oz bottle. Received as an extra.

Pours a clear, dark roast cola brown with a large frothy bubbly tan head that has long lasting retention and thick webs of lace. Yeast, clove, ash, char, banana and wet gravel on the nose. Medium thin body, soft carbonation, and a finish like a glass of cigarettes. Front of palate rides a wave of smoke, ashtray, char and roast throughout, like a bad porter. Underneath that mess and on the back end a yeasty and clove rich saison struggles to emerge. Not the drainpour mess that I expected; this seemed like a weak idea to me (to my own taste) conceptually, and the execution was like two different styles mixing like oil and water.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 20:59:40 | More by yourefragile

Justin_Neff

Ohio

2.68/5  rDev -24.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Pours dark, dark brown color with a 1-2 finger head that fades fast and doesn't lace the glass much.

S: Tons of Funk smell. A little smoke. There's a little fruit, a little pine, and a hint of farmhouse. Definitely not what I expect or want from the description of a "Smoked Black Saison".

T: Almost exactly what you expect from the nose - only difference is that you get a little more smoke than smell would suggest, which is a good thing. The funky, wild yeast smell tastes very diluted and doesn't mesh well with the smoke. As a whole, the beer tastes diluted.

M: Very light body, could be thicker, but has a good level of carbonation.

O: I'll give it a 3, for the sheer creativity of the idea, but overall my least favorite of the Stone Collaborations - by a long shot.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 01:34:39 | More by Justin_Neff

MusicaleMike

Pennsylvania

2.8/5  rDev -20.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

Served in a tulip glass. Poured a very dark brown, verging on black with deep ruby hues at the edge of the beer. Head is substantial, tight, and leaves some really decent lacing. Definitely a good start for this beer.

Served right out of the fridge, there was no aroma to speak of, so I let the beer warm up for a while, holding with both hands to try and help speed the process up. Eventually, I start to be able to smell this saison, but even as it approaches a warmer temp, it is still fairly subdued. What I do get is a very light aroma of hay, wheatgrass, and herbal hops. Smokey? Only in the subtlest of ways, and even then I'm not sure if it is just because I am looking for it.

Finally at the right temp, this beer exhibits a weak mix of smoke, hops and black saison. I expect something more aggressive from brewers like Evil Twin, Stillwater and Stone. I personally think "smoke" is missing from the equation altogether and that even the "Dark Saison" characteristics are a bit lost here.

Dry, medium body and well carbonated. Kinda spot on for where it needs to be for a saison. Gotta give credit where it is due.

Yeah, I was disappointed by the beer a bit. I feel like they advertised this as one thing (Smoked Black Saison) and went after a very "delicate" version of that and ultimately fell short of delivering that unique style. It had good Saison qualities, but missed the boat for the other things.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 22:38:23 | More by MusicaleMike

sweemzander

Illinois

2.83/5  rDev -20.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz. bottle poured into a tulip.

(A)- Pours a pitch black color. Produced some tan froth.

(S)- A light smoky roasted raisin aroma meets some mellow cocoa and baked bread-like yeastiness.

(T)- Very similar to the smell. Overall, an up front combo of a salty smoke brine meets roasted malts and some raisin/cocoa.

(M)- A good carbonation level. The balance is good too, just a slightly too heavy smoke component that gets in the way of the rest of the beer.

(O)- An interesting take on the style. I just do not think it is completely successful. Some good things in there, but the smoke could definitely be toned down a bit while still being present instead of overpowering.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 20:55:03 | More by sweemzander

ummswimmin

New Jersey

2.93/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Usually the Stone collaborations sell out really quickly. I just happened to get lucky that they had a bottle of this on the shelf at my local store.

The nose on this beer provides a little sour note as well as a light coffee touch. I also pick up a decent amount of malt there.

The flavor is really unbalanced. I don't know what to pick up. This beer is really all over the place. I am really not happy with what is in that glass.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 02:21:58 | More by ummswimmin

PDXHops

South Carolina

2.96/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75

12 ounce bottle poured into a La Chouffe tulip. Just a few shades shy of black with a head that's disappointing in terms of volume, but is tightly formed and leaves a fair amount of lacing up top.

The nose on this is like Exhibit A of why I haven't been a huge fan of the black saisons I've run into so far. It's pleasant enough but roast and light chocolate notes blunt any notions of the typical saison stuff. Dark fruit, mild spicing, bready. I dunno, pleasant but not what I'm expecting. It has to warm up plenty before the smoky notes begin to amount to much

The smoky flavor is more pronounced, and there's a sharp roast bite to this stuff. Oddly it's kinda thickish and creamy. It's yeasty, but without the crisp and bright spicy/fruity/lively goodness you want in a saison. A rare dud from Escondido.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 23:31:47 | More by PDXHops

mactrail

California

2.96/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75

Dark mahogany color in the Saxo tall tulip with a modest foam. Average carbonation. Very thin body but a decent sudsiness. I would call this a black Cascadian IPA, but then it is flushed with a whole lot of the Belgian dry yeastiness. A hint of apples and burnt oatmeal.

This stuff is quite sharp and bitter. Not hardly like a Saison, even stretching the style, but I'll rate it as such. Seems like the collaboration yields Stillwater's excess of the dry yeast flavors, along with Stone's prediliction for turning everything into an IPA, plus Evil Twin's murky silliness. Seems like a perfect crime to me.

Sourish aftertaste is even less appealing after all the harsh bitterness. And then it dries out from there and leaves a film on the teeth and the sensation of cardboard. From the 12 oz bottle bought at Grapevine Liquors in Denver.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 04:46:48 | More by mactrail

harrymel

Washington

2.98/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

Found this at Bottleworks, bottled 26OCT12

Black with a light tan etch across the surface. Smells of earth, yeast, clay, some light smoke, some cocoa, and a touch of tobacco. Flavor is light, some oaky mesquite character earthy yeast and a little bit of alcohol and some bitterness. Medium body with light carb and a semi dry finish. Not really into it.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 05:22:27 | More by harrymel

JK4Stout

Virginia

3/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Not too shabby. Pours a very dark brown. Could go even darker for the style, but we won't get picky here. Has a decent head, but it dissipated quickly.

S: There are better sassions out there in this department. It has a definite note of that tart/citrus-y/methanol-y scent I come to attribute with the style, but there is also a weakness in this area. it smells unfinished.

T: Not bad, but nothing really exciting with this ale. Certainly not worth the price. It does have a lingering smoky flavor, so I give it points for that, but not much else. All in all this is Stone's most mediocre collaboration offering. Sure it looks good, has a great name, and a cool label...but sadly I'm not six and I need something more than that at my age.

M: It is strong and medium in weight to the tongue. I think it fits the style pretty well here in this catagory. Carbonation could have been taken down a scosh.

O: I just can't get on board here. Sorry, Stone. I love most of your brew, but this one just fell short. I love the collaboration series. I think the very idea behind it deserves recognition...but either do more tweaking before a release or stick to a style you are all more comfortable with.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 23:18:19 | More by JK4Stout

Pinknuggets

Vermont

3/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Bottle to oversized wine glass

A: dark brown with hints of red to it but its also pretty close to black as it is completely opaque. There is a dark tan head that dissipates and leaves a ring around the top of the glass.

S: There is a little but of that hopped farmhouse smell but its not really there and there are hints at best of the smokiness though the malt is very present and unfortunately so is the alc.

T: As with the nose there is that saison hop taste but it is very mild and the smoke is there (once the beer warms up) but it is definitely in the background it seems balanced to me but not necessarily in a good way as it is just bland.

M: The mouth feel is oily and fairly smooth which is what makes this beer more drinkable and is probably the best part in my opinion and its nothing to write home about.

O: Well I was expecting a lot more from the three breweries involved, but evil twin is kinda hit or miss for me. Anyways it was just pretty bland no powerful taste or smell a decent mouthfeel and look but it definitely doesn't do much for me, but it also wasn't horrible.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 03:43:35 | More by Pinknuggets

BlurryVisi0n

New York

3/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served in a tulip glass.

Appearance: Body is thin you can tell from the pour coming off a solid black with an orange tint to the body. Rising high is the head maybe just a notch above a finger's length.

Smell: A citrus skin no doubt about it. Freaking light as the air you breathe, comes in and out just as quick.

Taste: iwill tell you this, it is sour, not crazy over whelming sour but you feel the lemon zest to this brew. Light bitterness to it and also cant forget to mention just a little peppery.

Mouth: Like I mentioned above a light peppery finish with a medium body, not too bad.

Overall: i give it this, that this brew comes off complex but other than it needs to taste and feel good to be a member of the elite. Sure there are guys that like "something different" but this beer needs beyond tweaking and should be either left in the store or just laid to rest. Salud!

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 05:44:27 | More by BlurryVisi0n

HalfFull

California

3.03/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12 oz. Stone Collaboration bottle into a large wine glass. This, The Perfect Crime, pours like no Saison I've seen before. Deep brownish black with ruby highlights and a steady cap of deep tan foam.

The aroma was interesting, particularly given the darkness of the pour. Perhaps there is a chance for this....perhaps... or perhaps not. Not..

Flavor is muddled and without nuance as for a Saison. And while this was expected given the color, it still is what it is. I think Black Saison's, like Black IPA's might well benefit from a jump off a cliff.

A decent brew, style aside. And the color here is subtle as in that it's just color as opposed to flavor. Hmmmm.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 03:52:07 | More by HalfFull