Rye Saison - Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery

jsprain1

Minnesota

3.9/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Pours pale honey colored. Pretty clear. Head is white and two fingers. Lasts quite well.
S- Lemon zest aroma is pretty big and bold. There is a tuch of citrus and pepper. But for the most part it's a one-note lemon aroma.
T- At first it's a bright and sunny beer with lemon, a bit of cracker, some wheat flavors, and just a touch of citrus. Finish brings out some of that rye peppery, spicy flavor.
M- Pretty standard body for style. Carbonation is fairly low.
O- This is a pretty good beer and one of the top few I've had from RB. Many of the categories were close to being rounded up a half point for me too.

Serving type: growler

12-03-2011 01:24:47 | More by jsprain1

maximum12

Minnesota

4.43/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Had this on tap twice & really enjoyed it, so when word came out that bottles were available, we made a stop after a Twins game to pick one up. And here it is. Bottle 47/72.

Annoying corked & caged; the cork was a bitch to get out, ended up breaking it off & using a wine corkscrew to fish out the remnants. Poured into two goblets, this is saison through & through, sunset yellow. Smell is heavy on the Belgian yeasts, spicy rye, banana. Lovely.

Rock Bottom's Rye Saison is a beer that I'd like to see around all the time, on tap & in bottles. The Belgian yeast & rye do a nifty synchronized ballet, yeast pitching in lovely spice notes, leaving a dry, withered wheat/lemon taste behind. The rye carries a nice punch, more spice, clean, grassy. No idea the ABV on this kid, but it's still summer & the drinkin' is easy.

Excellent beer. The addition of rye to a saison seems so natural, I'm surprised it isn't done more often. A brew you could easily sip all summer long out on the deck, or sitting on the woodpile, or whatever your speed is. I may go buy a few more.

Serving type: bottle
@ Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery, 800 LaSalle Plaza, Minneapolis

09-10-2011 01:27:11 | More by maximum12