Saison De Lente - The Bruery

JamnesCameron

Illinois

5/5  rDev +23.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured into a MJ Tasting Glass. Purchased at my local Binny's.

A - Pours with a thick white head with lots of large bubbles. Leaves copious amount of lace down sides of glass. Head stands up like meringue. Beer is the color of my favorite coed in college - hazy blonde.

S - Aromas of malt, musty, and my favorite saison word - clean. Nothing too assertive.

T - first sip is slightly bitter, earthy, peppery. Very thirst quenching. Everything is in balance with a little hop bitterness in the fore.

M- mouthfeel is dead-on saison - dry, but not astringent. Very nice after a long day "spring cleaning" in the yard.

D - exceptional. Everything you want in a saison, dry, thirst-quenching, not too high in alcohol, slightly bitter, a little pepper spiciness. Overall, in my opinion, a landmark saison. I'd put it up against Dupont. Very nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2010 00:27:54 | More by JamnesCameron

TheycallmeTim

New York

4.93/5  rDev +22%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

750 ml. bottle poured into a Hennepin flute.

Beautiful, impressive beer. Pours up golden honey-hued, the color of ginger ale, with two and a half-three fingers of off-white chunky foam. Considerable lacing.

Nose is funkay. Like James Brown funkay. Plenty of barnyard combined with a clean, crisp grassy hop aromatic. The blend of wet hay and fresh grass is almost picture perfect as a complement to spring. The yeast is playful--yes, I said playful--and a bit floral with what seems to be, for the style, decent hopping.

Flavor profile is similar to the nose. Ultra-refreshing blend of fruits that tastes more like their flowers, more perfumey, than the actual fruit. So, so delicate and nice. A very dry saison, a lot like Saison Dupont in that way, though with more hops and less lemon on the tongue. Citric is dialed down on this in favor of delicate florals and bittering hops. In the middle it's plenty more funky hay tastes.

Mouthfeel is light without being watery, with plenty of soft champagne bubbles. Pretty much the rosé of beers. Very fresh, very dewy--perfect for the season. I'd drink the hell outta this beer, and iffen I can find it on-tap you KNOW I'm gonna re-review, as I can only imagine what that experience is like.

Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2009 21:17:08 | More by TheycallmeTim

DoubleJ

California

4.88/5  rDev +20.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Lent Season is over, but it's not too late to try this beer. 750 ml bottle, on to the beer:

Poured into a tulip, no exploding bottle here. The head is big, fluffy, and creamy in texture. Underneath sits a pretty golden blonde with haze in the body. Looks great. Smells great too. A mix of dry rustic flavors. There are notes of leather, apple skins, pepper, lemon rind....I could sit back and inhale for awhile.

Surprisingly light in flavor, yet very easy to kick back and drink on. Dry and rustic without the imported drawbacks, just the way the style should be. Slightly fruity, but with a kick of wool and leather blanketing the palate. Mild pepper flavor too. There's a light touch of ripe candied apricots. Oh, and there's the brett, with a sour lemon-like pucker. Finishes very dry, with the rye lingering on.

Oh. My. Goodness. I am impressed by Patrick Rue, again. I expected this to be really good, but I am floored by this offering. I can't find any flaws with the beer's flavor and feel. As for drinkability? 750 ml is not enough! Good thing for growler refills, but I will have to do it soon before this year's supply runs dry (no pun intended).

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2009 05:14:21 | More by DoubleJ

mattgreger

Pennsylvania

4.88/5  rDev +20.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Had on Draft at Eulogy Tavern in Old City, Philadelphia

The brew was amazing from the start. It was poured on tap into a goblet style glass. It was a beautiful golden, orange/yellow color with one the most amazing, fluffy/foamy white head that I have seen on a beer of this style. You almost don't want to touch it. As you consume the brew, the lacing is sticky

As the head on the brew fades just a bit you begin to get the wonderfully complex aromas. It is a very earthy brew. It has a nice grassy aroma, it has nice blend of lemons, spices, and a bit of a yeasty aroma. As the brew warms, a nice floral aroma hits the nose, causing a nice hoppy smell. It rounds out well, coming back to what almost smells like fresh cut grass.

The flavor on this brew is everything I expect out of a great Saison. It began with a flavor of grass, peppers, and orange/lemon zest. It then feeds into a flavor palate of earthy cedar/pine. Again, as the brew warms it gives some flavors that weren't at the forefront of the brew. There is hoppy floral like flavor, and a honey sweetiness that finishes everything off.

Mouthful on this brew was perfect. It was creamy, almost silklike. It was a medium body brew, that finished smooth and dry. The carbonation was also key, it gave this brew a life that touched every taste bud.

The brew has a great drinkability. A beautiful represenation of a saison. It has amazing flavors and texture. It is super complex, but is rounded out perfect that makes it a great brew.

Serving type: on-tap

05-07-2011 03:21:22 | More by mattgreger

meeekyh

Colorado

4.85/5  rDev +20%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I found this beer today at one of my local LQs and figured I'd try it based on the many good things I have heard about The Bruery and the fact I generally enjoy a saison. Price was just under $12.

I opted to serve this beer in a Fin Du Monde glass which is basically a tulip. The bottle is a 750ml brown and has a semi-psychedelic pink and green label. The beer is a hazy light golden-yellow with a slight orange tint. The head is huge, white, and displays considerable staying-power and ample lacing.

I will point out that the first thing I noticed from this beer (after the label and distinct 'pop' upon prying the steel cap off) was the brettyness in the nose, not a bad thing but some dislike it so I will mention it up front. I suppose those people are not really likely to choose this beer on account of the label clearly noting the brettanomyces is in the beer. Apart from that there is apricot, bubblegum and a bit of black pepper, a neat combination of smells.

Taste, mmm I do love a good saison. There is this complexity in the light style that rivals most anything I have sampled, and this beer does not disappoint. There is sweetness, though just a little; tartness, but likewise sparing; just a bit of bitterness up front and then more so in the finish, both subtle {edit: I am not sure what I was doing before this review but upon second taste I have overstated the subtlety. If one has recently been to the dentist, maybe}. The combination comes off variously as citrus, biscuits, hints of anise and grass. This is a good saison in flavor and it carries off the ultra refreshing paradigm well.

As for the mouthfeel of this one, it is, in a word, perfect. This beer is dry all around, but not drying. It is on the medium bodied side of light but has a fullness to the mouthfeel brought by the high carbonation as it effervesces all over your palate.

Drinkability: great.

As far as I can tell this beer has hit every mark and then rubs your nose in it a little. It kicks ass. I would be glad to drink more, many more, and to share with my friends and loved ones.

Slainte!

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2010 01:40:28 | More by meeekyh

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.8/5  rDev +18.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Clear golden body with voluptuous amounts of carbonation surfacing. Needles to say, the carbonation looks to be quite ample. Aroma is nice. Doughy maltiness spiced with pepper and hints of lemon as well. Vibrant nose. Effervescent feel to this beer. It has a high amount of carbonation without being gaseous. Light to light-medium in body. This one is exceptional. It doesn't get any better than this for a saison. Crisp and refreshing....quenching. And very tasty. Doughy malt flavor is center of it all, but not singular or overbearing. Honey maltiness adds into the equation. Lemon and pepper spice things up as well. And a little mustiness and hay and other spice are added bonuses. Very well done.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2011 04:44:07 | More by Bighuge

FunkyFibes

Florida

4.78/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A- Pours a cloudy pale straw yellow, lending more orange hue as the bottle draws to a close. It produces very active carbonation that requires a patient steady hand to control. Thin lacing sticks to the side of the glass.

S- Hits with a nice whiff of that beautiful saison funk, and a lovely bouquet of lemons with a floral background.

T- I was a little over zealous, and started enjoying the beer a little too cold. The barnyard funk is more intense as colder, and balances in to the flavor as it warms to a more appropriate temperature. The lemon is present from beginning to end, with a back note of pepper in the middle. An outstanding balance of flavors that is a great representation of the style.

M- The high carbonation helps to smooth out all the flavors as it dances on your tongue. A perfect light body and very clean finish, with a light lingering flavor to remind you why another sip is such a great idea.

O- The Bruery has certainly jumped out as one of my favorite new finds as of recent. Their saisons are world class, and should be enjoyed by every fan of the style. What a great treat this would make after a long day in the Florida sun.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2011 19:38:37 | More by FunkyFibes

stewfnrocker

New Jersey

4.72/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Right when I popped the cap off there was action, bubbles trying to escape. I poured this into a tulip shaped glass and there is a lot of action and head build up. It had a cloudy orangish/yellowish color with a very prevalent and slowly dissipating head. The smell was of mostly citrus and some hops. That first sip was quite complex, it took a few sips to get all the flavors. I tasted grapefruit, lemon/citrus, hops, some light spices, a bit of a sweet after taste. The mouthfeel was quite light for the explosion of flavor. It was evened out by the carbonation and not a hint of the 6.5% abv. I could drink a lot of this for sure.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2011 11:00:39 | More by stewfnrocker

vfgccp

New York

4.68/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A - Poured into a snifter glass and was greeted to a laughably robust head. Gave me about 1 finger of beer and a snifter-full-o-foam. The peaks are pretty incredible as I'm watching this settle out. Might be the best head I've ever seen on a beer... of course it also happens to be frustrating as all heck to wait for... but it hangs around and claws at the side of the glass beautifully. The body color of the beer is a deep orange / medium grade honey with about 70% opacity.

S - Rich and earthy. Grass, washed lemons, touch of unflavored chewing gum, thyme, pink peppercorns.

T - Grass, orange zest, black pepper, green bananas. Touch of cedar, pine, and unsalted butter on the back end. Carries a light lace of floral, honey-like sweetness throughout the profile.

M - The foam is creamy enough that it's worth mentioning as a serious component of the mouthfeel. It has a texture of silky marshmallows and pop-rocks as the micro-foam tingles away on your tongue. The drink itself has a medium body that starts with a strong effervescence and finishes smooth and just a shade dry.

D - Fantastic flavor, and an inviting mouthfeel. Thank god this comes in 750ml bottles.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2011 03:45:47 | More by vfgccp

bitterthebetter

Oregon

4.6/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

poured into a chardonnay glass, wide wide mouth, color is a hazy light golden copper white solid white head

sweet malt upfront, apples, spices, slight yeasty notes, very enticing

sweetish malt upfront followed by solid spice, green apples, piney and grassy hops leading to a crisp, malty, slightly peppery finish

smooth, medium bodied, with a long subtle finish that just begs the beer to be sipped. good layers to pick through which only come out more as the beer warms

smooth, crisp malty flavors with a solid spiced and yeasty backbone with a semi dry finish and subtle flavors throughout. a delicious example of a saison, although not as dry or foral as dupont, but who cares

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2009 07:45:00 | More by bitterthebetter

goatgoat

California

4.6/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured into a tulip. A huge white head billows up. Massive. The head falls slowly leaving a lace of soft meringue. Slightly hazy sunflower yellow. Plenty of playful carbonation supplying that huge head.
Smell and taste is classic saison, a mix of banana fruit, clove spiciness, lemon peel freshness and bread over a lovely funk. Bitterness was nicely balanced and not very strong (though I had a couple of IPAs earlier in the day so...) Nice dry finish and good carbonation on the tongue.

A sexcellent saison. I enjoy the lower abv since saisons to tend to slide down easy.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2010 16:45:54 | More by goatgoat

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.6/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle into a Duvel tulip. Big thanks to BA vonschplieffen for sharing this one.

A: Cloudy pale orange body beneath a voluminous two-inch head of light, frothy white foam. Good retention and nice lace. Ethereally beautiful.

S: Very light, fresh, bright, and delectable. Delicate fruits are foremost, with green apple, pear, and citrus leading the way in to cherry blossom and more aromatic floral notes. Some lightly peppery phenols lend some depth, but never even get close to being medicinal. Complex and wonderful.

T: Generic fruity esters up front, with the beautiful floral and spicy notes taking over midway through. Bone dry finish. Terrific, but not as clearly complex as the nose.

M: Lively medium body. Frothy, fun, and creamy. Awesome.

O: What a fantastic beer. I love the fact that this Saison delivers a plethora of complex flavors without beating me over the head with vodka-soaked bandaids. Too often Saisons get carried away with the phenols and alcohol, but this one manages to deliver every flavor one could desire without ever losing its delicacy. Truly world-class, and definitely the best American-brewed Saison I've ever had.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2011 00:14:36 | More by woosterbill

IBUnit63

Massachusetts

4.58/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Good to see Patrick's stuff making the rounds amongst us Massholes finally. I celebrate the arrival by putting this fine effort into my trusty St. Bernie's chalice...

Pours a great citrus honey color - classic Saison look with bluish-thin head and yeast wisps up top. A little cloudiness and ample carbonation at speed of traffic flow.

Ooohhh...
...that orange zest, hay & barnyard scent from the mild Brett is combined with lots of soft vanilla sweetness and light yeast electricity. Soft caramel with mild peppercorn spice. The whole is much larger than the sum of its parts, though. Put in some nice pininess to the hops and stewed wheat and warmth and this is really perfect. As I told several people, I wanna bury my nose in this chalice like Tony Montana did with the mountain of coke in "Scarface." This is really fucking outstanding.

It all comes together on the palate...the mild Brett funkiness, the yeast and big stewy grain electricity, the soft coriander and orange peel with a tiny hint of ginger, and a softly austere piney hop presence (Styrian Goldings?). Classic Old World with just a bit of new world hoppiness to bridge the frontier. NOW I feel like Chairman Kaga as he snickers after chomping on the bell pepper in the intro to "Iron Chef."

Palate feel is also classic Saison...a little funk, quite yeasty and spicy with a little citrus bent. Those piney hops put it all together in Beautiful Chemistry and the finish is the gift that keeps on giving. Classic example of style.

I remembered that Patrick & Co. made some fine stuff from last fall's Belgian Beer Fest but this is insane. Well-crafted, traditional enough to be strictly on point for style but enough of a twist to break new ground. This one floored me and the next day I went out and found a few more bottles. Outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2009 12:35:46 | More by IBUnit63

NoLiberty

Pennsylvania

4.53/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Very interested in trying this, another saison, from The Bruery.

Pours a frothy, clear light orange color that eventually seems to turn into a very light yellow. Definitely on the lighter side for a saison but still attractive. A thick white head builds after the immediate pour then settles into light spotty cap with strong edging and dollops of lace here-and-there.

Smell is delicious. A totally defined yeasty farmhouse smell - fresh and funky, slightly spicy, peppery with peach and pear-like fruitiness. This is the perfect springtime aroma, like blossoms and exposed decomposition. A light alcohol and really low-key hop smell gives it depth and warmth.

Flavor is fresh of grass, lemon, yeast, fruit and moves into a mild hop middle with a spiciness toward the end. A moderate sweetness rides underneath the whole time and creates great drinkability.

Mouthfeel is crisp and smooth, light bodied and highly refreshing. Carbonation is very present and strong, large bubbles, not the subtle champagne like carbonation of it's Belgian cousins. Would definitely look for this again and again, especially on a hot summer day.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2009 04:10:43 | More by NoLiberty

callmemickey

Pennsylvania

4.53/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Hazy yellow-orange body with the trademark massive fluffy white head which I've come to expect from the Bruery... great retention and lovely clinging lace

S: Lemon, clove, yeast, brett, honey, banana ... nice and funky

T: Much like the nose, there is a nice sharp lemon bitterness which is superbly balanced by the funky brett and the more typical belgian flavorings (yeast, clove, banana)...

M: Light bodied with a bold crisp finish. The carbonation is just right and leaves with a slightly drying finish. Refreshing as should be expected.

D: Very nice in the bottle, I'd rate it a tad better than the on-tap offering but not quite like the firkin that I first had this from.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2009 16:56:12 | More by callmemickey

TexIndy

Texas

4.53/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 750ml capped bottle into a Duvel tulip. As usual, cool labeling from them. No dating info but I know it's from this year and it's a spring seasonal so few months on it. It was a slightly hazy golden yellow color. Carb fount in center from etching. Good sticky white lace as well. Even with a gentle pour so not disturb the sediment, I got a massive white head that took several long minutes to subside enough to drink.

The aroma was spicy, fruity, sweet (all the classic saison aromas) with a good dose of earthy/funky brett in there as well. Combined really well with the brett taking a slight lead. Had a couple saisons mixed with brett lately and this one so far has pulled it off the best in aroma and flavor. The flavor follows the aroma very closely. Brett in the lead with a great saison base underneath. The finish is less dry than most saisons but works well with this one. Spicy aftertaste - peppery.

Overall, an excellent saison. I've been disappointed with the other Bruery's that I've had but this is a definite winner. When I'm in the mood for a saison, this one would be near top of the list. Highly recommend. Rotation: not available here..yet. If it was this would be a mainstay in the saison rotation.

[HR-saison;y-tap;M-seek]

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2009 01:58:57 | More by TexIndy

SaCkErZ9

Florida

4.53/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served on the growler station at Greens on Piney Grove in Columbia, SC.

Pours a murky, golden straw color with a huge, rocky, dense head. The head is as stiff as meringue and remains about one finger in size for nearly five minutes. A great deal of lacing clings to the glass.

Aroma is spicy and funky. Quite a bit of lemon rind in the nose as well. Wheat seems to present in the aroma. The funkiness is minimal but there is a significant yeast smell.

Really good flavor. Grainy and slightly grassy. The fresh barley taste is great and is almost like a fresh German beer. Strong yeast presence in the flavor. The lemon flavor is missing but the overall flavor is very nice. Quite bitter as well.

Loads of hop bitterness in the finish, which is really clean and dry. This was a great beer to have on the growler. It tasted very fresh and pungent and great for an early spring day.

Serving type: growler

03-25-2010 20:12:18 | More by SaCkErZ9

Ryan011235

Ohio

4.53/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a snifter on 5/15/10

It took a while to get this one in the glass; right off the bat the head flared up massively - a full three fingers of porous foam. The color is a fitting pineapple/tangerine; pale, faded & of the cloudy order. Despite being light in color, it's a dense beer. I've waited several minutes & the head has thinned a lot. Retention is quite thin, but solid; lacing is sparse.

The aroma has a lot going on & I like it. There are lots of clean earthy notes that come through at first: fresh cut hay, prairie grass & grains. Livelier spice notes come through, namely clove. There's a nice hoppiness that comes across via lemon zest. The Brett yeast isn't too overbearing; it actually adds a pleasant musty funk to an otherwise bright-smelling beer. There seems to be a touch of banana & pear, but with so much going on it's tough to ascertain.

The taste is impressive as well. Zesty lemon & tangerine notes hit upfront, mingling with spicy clove. It's none too hoppy but a mild bitterness develops toward the finish. There are airy, grassy overtones to the hilt. Definitely reminds me of relaxing in a prairie on a brisk day. As with the nose, the Brett yeast doesn't seem too pronounced, offering a subtle twinge of mustiness. All told, everything seems very well situated.

Saison de Lent is more toward light body than medium; certainly an appropriate heft. Carbonation is spot on; just enough prickliness to hoist the beer, leaving ample space for the flavor profile to develop. Lemon, grass & clove linger on the finish.

Drinkability is awesome. Overall this is a great beer; solid from start to finish. I find precious little to fault. Definitely recommended.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2010 00:01:40 | More by Ryan011235

sweetbrew82

California

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750 ML into a tulip

P: Exits the bottle a straw color and is a clear, sparkling light gold with a tangerine twist in the glass. Two fingered white head is slightly loose and frothy with large bubbles on top that showed decent retention. It soon sunk to a chunky halo and left some nice lacing on the way down.

A: Light fruits, floral-like notes maybe from the hops, pepper, a definite citric twang with the Brett behind it all. What's there is good, but the aroma is definitely lagging behind the flavor. It's just not very powerful at all.

T: Soft malts support the citrusy fruits from the start that reminds me of lemons with a dash of orange zest. The citrus then seems to fall back in the pecking order while earthy-like hops come to the forefront with the tartness really coming through at the midway point. Pretty mild Brett that stays subtly underneath in a rather minor supporting role, but is nice. Not sure if the peppery spice was added or if it's from the yeast. Whatever the case is, it works great and lasts through the dry finish.

M & D: Light-medium bodied, smooth with a nice prickly acidity, and moderately carbonated. Drinkability is extremely good in my book due to the low ABV and great flavors that never get boring.

Notes: Even with my somewhat limited experience with Saisons, I can tell that this is a very, very good one! Mildly funky, very fruity with a bit of spice and a nice tartness that never overwhelms. I'm glad to see Orange County being represented in the craft beer world so well. Good work guys, this is excellent! Highly recommended

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2009 22:39:45 | More by sweetbrew82

Hojaminbag

Colorado

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Saison de Lente has a very cloudy yellow-range body. The center of the beer is the darkest tinted and is orange; progressively moving out from the center the beer gets lighter and closer to yellow in color. Two fingers of white head has good enough retention to leave a nice ring on top of the body throughout the drink. Leaves behind sheets of lacing that looks a lot like a net. Good look.

One whiff of this beer and you can tell its going to be good. Candied sugars, fruits, a touch of "funky" sourness, a little bit of an earthy aroma.

The taste reflects the aroma rather nicely, and is both crisp and complex. A good bite of sourness comes through up front, followed by a mix of candied sugar and fruit that gives way to an earthy hop flavor. The finish is nice and peppery, like coriander. A great saison.

The body is light, turning to foam on your tongue from the high carbonation. Very dry finish.

Great drinkability. Great everything here actually. I plan to pick up a Saison Rue next.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2009 00:28:28 | More by Hojaminbag

GbVDave

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 750ml bottle into a Mikkeller tulip. Extra special thanks to Ineedabeerhere for the trade and hook-up!

A: Pours an incredible looking hazy-peach color with a two-finger, bright-white head that retains forever and leaves a wonderfully lacey mess in the glass.

S: Aromas of biscuits, citrus, coriander, toasted malt, and maybe some candi sugar. Slightly funky...most certainly spicy. Grassy hops. Hints of peach, pear, and apple.

T: See above. First pour is full of toasty and spicy flavors as well as lemon, grassy green hops, white pepper, and sweet orchard fruit/candi sugar. The second pour follows a distinctly tart and spicy tack with help from coriander, more peach/pear/apple, more spicy green hops, and my old friend Brett. Simply fantastic!

M: Dry and toasty with a tangy citric profile as well as an "edge smoothing" touch of sweetness. White pepper and spice add yet another layer of complexity.

D: An exercise in simple complexity...if that makes any sense. Low (but typical for the style) abv and a wealth of rich flavors and aromas make for an experience that is hard to beat.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2009 00:37:49 | More by GbVDave

seaoflament

California

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks Joey for bringing this 750ml bottle to share tonight at La Bella (4/14/09). I've wanted to try this beer for weeks now.

The beer was a very clear and bright yellow with about an inch of foam. Some cloudiness in the color after the yeast pour and some lacing on the glass as the bubbled fell back into the beer.

Good aroma at first with some light fruits, powdery sweet pez candy, and dry apricot. Estery, flowers and honey later on with a lightly toasted malt sweetness that intensified, but never took over, when it warmed up. The beer just seemed to get better in this department so I just had to give it a little more on the score.

The first sip had some grapefruit, orange, light brett character, dry apricots, and some earthy and spicy hop bitterness in the finish. Yeasty phenols were more apparent later on. And just like the aroma, the sweetness was a little more forward when the beer warmed up but it was still very well balanced. Medium-low carbonation with enough dryness to make this one way too easy to drink. Very refreshing as well.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2009 17:55:41 | More by seaoflament

scottyshades

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bomber for $10 at Total Wine in Greenville, SC

A: Pours a transparent, but slightly cloudy apricot color. The head is pure white, dense, rocky, and retains very well, leaving thick sheets of foam along the glass.

S: The nose begins with a wonderful Brett-inspired aroma. Light clove, banana, light citrus zest, and just awesome fruity esters (over-ripe apple and pear). The Brett is less pronounced than I had expected, but still lends some very nice qualities nonetheless. I am not really getting any barnyard or horseblanket aromas, but there is a faint funk to it. The hops are slightly tart and grassy.

T: Very mellow, yet powerful if that makes any sense. Light flavors, but rich complexity. Fruity and estery; apple (similar to apple juice), pear, peach, and citrus zest (lemon). Spicy as well with a little clove, a tinge of cardamom, and banana. The Brett plays a much better role in the flavor profile, giving a little funk (and yes, it is a little more barnyard than the nose)- really a lot going on here. There is also a notable hop presence that adds a bit of bitterness and dryness that balances well with some light light malts and wheat. As it decants, slight coconut and a touch of lactose are felt. Perfectly balanced and surprisingly complex.

MF/D: Dry feel, with a lingering estery/barnyard funk to it. Carbonation is spot on and fizzly. Amazing drinkability- alcohol is completely discrete, not even warming, the flavors are light enough to enjoy without compromising your palate, and a perfect warm weather brew!

This is my first Bruery offering, with 2 Turtle Doves in the cellar, so I am definitely looking forward to trying more when I can find them. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2010 22:54:30 | More by scottyshades

Beerenauslese

California

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a hazy gold with an ample head that lasts.

Aromas of malt, citrus, brown sugar, and hops.

Starts with malty sweetness, then a bit sour with funk and citrus/grapefruit notes, and ends with a dry, bitter, hoppy finish.

Body is medium to light, with a good amount of carbonation that gives it a scrubbingly refreshing mouthfeel.

Very good saison for an American attempt, and is highly sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2010 00:06:50 | More by Beerenauslese

scruffwhor

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I love the head on this beer. Four fingers of awesome bone white fluff. But when this recedes, theres nothing left but a little stickage lacing. The bubblings ok amidst My golden hay and copper color with a faint haze.

Fresh milled and toasted barley with the smell of a just snapped maple branch right off the tree. Grass, malt, maybe some soft citrus. This beer smells like Spring! An aroma to look forward to every Spring.

You can feel more carbonation than you see right up front. Just so springy in flavor and texture. Great toasted malt flavor lending flavors of baked outsie and soft inside bread. The hops add citric grass flavors. Combined, the flavor gives the illusion of walking through a flower field that leads into a forest.

Great saiosn from The Bruery and look forward to this beer next Spring.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2010 04:56:18 | More by scruffwhor