Guava Grove Saison - Cigar City Brewing

tectactoe

Michigan

3.88/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Thanks to rynosf23 for this one - split five ways at a recent tasting. Burnt sunburst would be the best way to describe the color of Guava Grove - almost one-hundred percent opaque, very volatile, and producing a heavy, foamy, off-white head with very good retention and semi-decent lacing. I like how this one is looking.

The aroma is full of a sweet and bitter mix of fruit, much of which must be guava. I've never had a real guava, I've only had guava-flavored things. But I am picking up some of that guava smell, but it's nowhere near as powerful as I would hope, expect, or like. There's actually an intense pungency that sort of stings the nostrils, not sure if it's a bitterness or what. It's not bad, it's just... different. Some pears and mangoes make up for the remainder of the aroma profile. Not much in terms of malt here - maybe a little bit of added sweetness, but nothing extraordinarily standing out. A light grassiness hits on the tail end as the fruits fade to black.

I'm immediately met with a sharp carbonation upon taking the first sip. Some light spices; clove, coriander, maybe orange peel - much akin to a Belgian style ale - followed up by a light guava flavor. The fruitiness of the guava is very pleasing, however it seems to "come and go" very quickly - it hits your taste buds hard, then it fades away almost instantly. Upon fading out, heavy-ass barnyard flavors hit center stage; wet cork, oak, damp cellar, musky - those are certainly the best descriptors. Upon tasting those, I finally remember that this is a saison - otherwise, it could pass for any old fruit beer. The aftertaste is also dominated by the funk, perhaps with just a tiny bit of fruity flavors and malty sweetness to couple with. Medium bodied with a heavy dose of carbonation and a reasonably dry finish.

I had high hopes for this one - I like CCB and I like guava-flavored things. I also like saisons. So this is a win-win-win, right? Well, perhaps it didn't quite live up to my godly expectations, but it was still a damn good beer. I enjoyed the saison and funk flavors tgat come through and pound hard from middle to end - but my main complaint is that the guava (and fruit in general) was too muted, both in the aroma and the taste. Still very enjoyable - very solid saison.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 22:06:28 | More by tectactoe

moonknight31

California

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%

05-19-2013 17:08:09 | More by moonknight31

clay23

New York

3.5/5  rDev -12.9%

05-19-2013 01:36:24 | More by clay23

ajtorres311

Florida

4/5  rDev -0.5%

05-16-2013 15:00:46 | More by ajtorres311

Bonko_the_sane

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%

05-13-2013 05:25:04 | More by Bonko_the_sane

powz87

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%

05-11-2013 00:48:53 | More by powz87

mikeburd1128

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -12.9%

05-10-2013 22:24:41 | More by mikeburd1128

FUwolfpacker

South Carolina

4/5  rDev -0.5%

05-10-2013 12:29:41 | More by FUwolfpacker

tree777

Florida

3.75/5  rDev -6.7%

05-10-2013 01:31:50 | More by tree777

maxcoinage

Illinois

4.01/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

From a trade (thanks to rynosf32 )

Poured a 750ml bottled 11/2012 into snifter an orange sunburst color with a nice big 2 inch frothy head.

Aroma is great-orange, tropical fruit, guava, creamy

Mouthfeel- very carbonated as would be expected with a a saison

Taste-fruit hits you at first but then turns a little sour

Overall - A great Saison that I'd buy again, but not sure I would trade for it.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 02:46:06 | More by maxcoinage

wyatt13

Illinois

4/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

I received this bottle in a trade with 67couple. Thanks Jon! Poured from a 750 ml bottle into a tulip glass.

A – Pours a beautiful reddish-orange, a hue that is more common in sunsets than beer. A crackling head immediately erupts, only to fizzle away within the minute. Lots of quick moving bottles shoot around the glass. Lacing is nonexistant.

S – A definite Belgian character, with some clove and banana notes. A lot of tartness with a green apple acidity. A nice spiciness.

T – Oh man, this is nicely complex. A great sour character that manages to be simultaneously sweet and puckeringly tart. A nice musty funk in the aftertaste. I’m not sure that I would be able to identify guava, although there is certainly a nice fruity quality.

M – Very active carbonation, which I assume is due to the extensive bottle conditioning. A sharp dryness in the finish.

O – I thought the fruit was incorporated pretty nicely into the beer, adding a good amount of sweetness and complexity to the saison. Very refreshing on a warm spring day.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 03:38:51 | More by wyatt13

Lurkerson

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%

04-28-2013 20:28:11 | More by Lurkerson

DrIPA

Michigan

4/5  rDev -0.5%

04-28-2013 14:41:14 | More by DrIPA

DRBiser

Maryland

4/5  rDev -0.5%

04-25-2013 14:32:59 | More by DRBiser

Bluecane

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +11.9%

04-21-2013 06:42:08 | More by Bluecane

Boilerfood

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%

04-20-2013 00:38:22 | More by Boilerfood

juliusseizure

New York

4/5  rDev -0.5%

04-15-2013 01:45:36 | More by juliusseizure

Pinknuggets

Vermont

4.14/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle to Fantome tulip

A: It looks clean and orange although it is completely opaque. There is a big tan orange head that dissipates quickly and leaves a heavy lacing and a lot of carbonation. Pretty much what you expect from a hoppy farmhouse ale and definitely resembles guava.

S: There is a distinctive yeasty scent that reminds me somewhat of a farmhouse, but more of a sweet scent. The guava definitely has some presence it is not necessarily a fruity or citrus smell but it does sort of remind me of a tropical smell. The scent is not necessarily pleasant it stings the nostrils a little.

T: The taste follow the nose with a distinctive taste it is yeasty but it is more unique of a flavor then it is stereotypical farmhouse yeast. It does have a distinct begin flavor that probably comes from the yeast but is also very ale like. The guava does also have a presence it is deep in its fruitiness I do not know how to describe it not quite sweet but dead on in terms of my guava experience very similar to mango and a very interesting complement to the powerful yeasty flavor.

M: There is a medium mouthfeel not too heavy or light it is pretty watery but not thin what so ever. It is smooth and goes down easily so it has a good drinkability with the alcohol being completely hidden. There is a light carbonation that adds to the drinkability.

O: I have only had a few Cigar City beers and I have been impressed so perhaps I expected too much but I was kinda disappointed with this beer it is pretty good but I was expecting great. It does have a disnctive yeast flavor with a solid guava presence but nothing really super special flavor for me. I like it, but perhaps I expect too much worth a try for sure though that being said I don't know if I will be back.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 02:40:17 | More by Pinknuggets

JReites

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%

04-06-2013 20:06:51 | More by JReites

madnismo

Florida

4/5  rDev -0.5%

04-03-2013 02:43:06 | More by madnismo

Johnnyramirez

California

3.75/5  rDev -6.7%

04-01-2013 04:51:46 | More by Johnnyramirez

Rimbimhoot

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%

03-28-2013 21:52:06 | More by Rimbimhoot

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%

03-25-2013 18:31:46 | More by onix1agr

kingmaker

Louisiana

3.75/5  rDev -6.7%

03-22-2013 04:37:09 | More by kingmaker

Envelopes

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -12.9%

03-19-2013 03:07:54 | More by Envelopes