Cucumber Saison - Cigar City Brewing

Thorpe429

Illinois

2.08/5  rDev -45.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

On tap at Churchkey. Served in a mini snifter. Pours a clear light golden color with maybe a touch of cucumber. That’s unfortunately there’s the only place with just a touch of cucumber. The nose smells like cucumber juice. It tastes like cucumber water. Light body; no real beer character. It says saison, but I don’t get any sort of pilsner or bready malt, nor is there anything indicating saison yeast. Just cucumber. It doesn’t taste bad, but it’s not beer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-15-2012 19:12:19 | More by Thorpe429

brentk56

North Carolina

3.6/5  rDev -6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Well, it's an impressive pour, all right, with a massive head sitting atop the cloudy straw-colored liquid

Smell: Fresh dill and cucumbers - we are on our way to the pickle factory

Taste: Cucumber and dill, with an underlying grainy character that tastes more like a Lager than a Saison; grainy, in the finish, as well, with cucumber and dill flavors holding their own

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with high carbonation

Overall: Well, I am glad I tried it and, while I like cucumbers and I like pickles, I didn't much care for them in a beer; my scores are higher than otherwise out of respect for the creativity

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 23:50:02 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

3.55/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to vacax for sharing this one at NoSignsOfPain's birthday bottleshare hosted by mrbubbler.

Pours a murky light orange with a foamy off-white head that settles to a thin cap on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of grain and lots of cucumber aromas. Taste is of grain, cucumber, herbs, and spices. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer that has a really spot on cucumber aroma and taste that is quite interesting.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2012 01:43:33 | More by UCLABrewN84

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.69/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Exotic and grassroots ingredients are exploding in our era of "mixology". This is evident and even succeeding in the martini world and likely throughout the breadth of mixed drinks. Cucumber is thus being celebrated because of its lively and refreshing character. The 4th of July celebrations with reunions and picnics have seen this for years. But does it translate as well with beer? Cigar City thinks so---

Like many (un-cucumber-ed) and more traditional Belgian-style farmhouse ales, the beer explodes upon impact with the bottom of the glass. Even a prerequisite rinse did nothing to control the eruptive froth. The billowing head is airy with large bubbles and gives the impression of dryness. What settles underneath is the classic straw-hued beer with mild haze. As you would think, the beer laces intricately and randomly with very decorative patterns.

Surprisingly strong aromas of cucumber strike the olfactories with an oddly compelling scent. It evokes a sense of refreshment, but also hinges on notes of pickle juice, sweet relish, mustard seed, and soft near-fennel notes. After the shock of initial scents, the common spicy tone of yeast character shows up- propped up by dry bread and cracker-like maltiness.

In reverse fashion, its the light sweetness of pilsner malt, showing up in the form of dry bread, crackers, and whole wheat. The usual hop spice is earthy, mildly woody, and honey-like floral. But for the bulk of the session those tastes are lost on the distraction of cucumber. It's that garden variety gourde that diverts the attention toward tart pickles, light sweetness, cider notes, and pungent earthiness that decries ballpark pickle relish. It's very first sip signals the seventh inning stretch even though I'm drinking in February.

Trying hard to ignore the taste, its texture is actually pretty spot on for the style. Dry malts won't allow much sweetness to linger very long- allowing the early effervescence and short-lived creaminess to transcend quickly to a dry peppery bite with medium acidity and alcohol warmth to close the session. (Boy, it's hard to ignore that "pickle" taste when assessing mouthfeel.)

But in the end, I rather enjoyed the beer. I wanted the clean, crisp, and refreshing taste of cucumber to show up in its most vibrant and perfumy scent. But what I got was pickle relish. Though I like it on those ballpark hot dogs, its presence in my beer glass is slightly misplaced even though the base saison has much to celebrate.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 07:46:43 | More by BEERchitect

TMoney2591

Illinois

4/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a Duvel tulip glass.

Okay, cucumber? Really? All right... This stuff pours a hazy golden straw topped by a little over a finger of lightly off-white foam. The nose comprises light wheat, cucumber, and mild clove. Wow, the cucumber's really prevalent, but it doesn't really overpower you. Right on. The taste brings in more of the same, as though a beer was somehow made to taste like a more complex, flavorful glass of cucumber water. The cuke comes through a tad sweeter than usual. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a fairly refreshing finish. Overall, I was skeptical about the potential success of this stuff, but it turned out to be highly enjoyable. Go figure.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2012 14:32:12 | More by TMoney2591

drabmuh

Maryland

3.68/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Do you like cucumbers? Do you like water? Then this is the beer for you...do you like saisons? Skip this beer, this is not a saison in any sense of the world. On draft at Churchkey served in a snifter. Beer is yellow and clear with a white head of medium and large bubbles, low retention, moderate carbonation, looks fine.

Aroma is cucumbers, about what I expected and it smells good.

Beer is thin like water and wet like water and tastes like cucumbers. Is this beer? Next.

Serving type: on-tap

06-19-2012 00:58:45 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Dixonian for sharing this bottle.

The beer pours a hazy yellow color with a white head. The aroma is full of cucumbers, water and a little bit of biscuit malt. This smells like I think it would if you ran cucumbers through a Jack LaLanne Power Juicer. The flavor is more of the same. I get a ton of cucumber, as well as some biscuit malt, Belgian yeast, pepper and a hint of lemon and orange. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. My only complaint is that I wish the beer was green.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 18:31:24 | More by Mora2000

metter98

New York

4.05/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer is very hazy pale yellow in color. It poured with a two finger high white head.
S: From the second you put your nostrils near the glass, you are blasted with strong aromas of cucumbers. There are some faint hints of vinegar.
T: Like the smell, this beer is dominated by flavors of cucumbers—not an artificial flavor, but something similar to those in a cucumber and dill salad.
M: It feels light-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation. No dryness is noticeable.
O: I really found this to be an interesting and unique beer because the cucumbers are well incorporated into the taste (unlike gimmicky beers).

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 22:32:56 | More by metter98

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This was really something, I felt like I needed to try this one at the EBF just because of the Cucumber. The beer poured out as a clear looking yellow color with a thin white head on top of the beer. The smell of this is straight Cucumber, I really don't get much else on the nose here. The taste is Cucumber also, I like that it really stands out and isn't masked in any way. The beer is surprisingly refreshing in my opinion. The mouthfeel is clean and carbonated with a light finish. Overall this was just something that really sparked my interest and I was very glad I tried it.

Serving type: on-tap

02-06-2012 07:29:14 | More by Knapp85

barleywinefiend

Washington

4.58/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured a golden yellow with little white cap, some bubbles and light lacing

S:Subtle and refreshing cucumber on the nose with a little bit of spice and hay

T: Very refreshing upfront. A very nice, subtle cucumber throughout with light hints of hay, some lemon and yeast. Finish is nice, crisp and clean with a light grassy and lighter floral hop note. Perfect for thr hot summer day.

M: Light bodied, well carbonated very tasty and easy on the palate with light cucumber notes persisting

O: Absolutely fantastic with the only flaw I saw being the appearance

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 17:30:02 | More by barleywinefiend

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Keg at EBF.

Mostly clear pale pilsner color, pretty much no head.

Nose fresh and light pickled cucumber, light golden malts, hint floral hops, light farmhouse saison underneath.

Taste cucumber, light pepper, light dill pickle, then toasty bready farmhouse saison, hint spices, hint floral hops with touch bitterness, juicy golden malts. Dry finish with more saison flavors, and lingering light slightly pickled cucumber. Not sure if they put dill in it but I get the impression of pickles.

Mouth is lighter bodied, decent carb.

Overall fairly impressed. Wasn't expecting much but it has a good essences of cucumber and pickle, none of the bitter skin either, and a nice refreshing taste. I could drink lots of this too.

Serving type: on-tap

02-07-2012 18:04:02 | More by jlindros

corby112

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Draft at Cigar City during Hunahpu Day 2012.

Pours a hazy golden yellow color with a two finger frothy white head that quickly settles into a lasting ring. Sporadic spots of lace left behind.

I was expecting this beer to look and smell like a ridiculous vegetable novelty but it has mostly saison characteristics with subtle cucumber melon notes. Aroma has some earthy farmhouse yeast along with subtle spice and bread followed by a strong but not overpowering cucumber salad presence.

Medium bodied with some zesty pepper and coriander spice up front that lingers over the funky farmhouse and bready yeast notes before finishing with a refreshing cucumber melon flavor in the finish. The cucumber is more prominent than the nose suggests but ts not over the top or unpleasant at all. Really light and refreshing, making this beer extremely drinkable. I was skeptical going in but this beer was a surprise sleeper for me.

Serving type: on-tap

06-16-2012 02:09:23 | More by corby112

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

On draft back in July. Served in a snifter. The brew appears a pale yellow cokor hazed with a white head. The cap fades leaving some spotty lace on the glass. A couple swirls release a few bubbles back to the surface.

The smell is mildly fruity with wheat and typical saison spice. The fruited quality gets zesty and light across the nose that transcends into an unmistakeable scent of cucumber. Once the cucumber wrangles your nose, its hard to shake it and it almost dominates all other aspects of the aromatics.

Taking a sip, the initial flavor of cucumber is readily evident. It gets mildlybfruity and herbal with hops and some spice like clove. Some herbal bitterness and wheat grain flavors persist into the aftertaste and increase in perception as the brew warms up. There is nothing bad going on in the flavor, it just seems strange and a but clashing.

This is a medium to light bodied brew with a modest amount of carbonation. The alcohol is very well integrated here and the cucumber is surprisingly bold. I think this was an interesting idea and they executed it fairly well. Its worth a try but in the end it just didnt work for me to warrent wanting to have it again. To give you an idea of how bold the cucumber scent is, my wife had no idea what was going on and stated outloud while I was drinking this that she smelled cucumber salad.

Serving type: on-tap

09-06-2012 19:14:17 | More by stakem

thagr81us

South Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Shared by caSSino during BRoss242’s send-off party before he moves! Will miss you man! Served from bottle into a Mikkeller taster flute. Poured a hazy yellow-orange with a one finger white head that subsided to a minimal amount slowly. Maintained decent lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, cucumber, spices, and earth. The flavor was of sweet malt, cucumber, spice, earth, and earthy hop. It had a light feel on the palate with high carbonation. Overall this was a decent brew. If I am honest here, I really like cucumber, however the cucumber in this brew was SO intense that it was almost unnatural. My guess is that they used an extract on this brew as the cucumber isn’t know for being too strong on taste for the most part. While I’m glad Cigar City wanted to try something new I just don’t think the cucumber addition was the right choice on this one. Still drinkable and enjoyable, but there are definitely better options out there to experiment with.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2012 11:43:42 | More by thagr81us

kylehay2004

Florida

4.04/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Large foamy head with nice lacing on a cloudy orange and gold body. Cucumber dominates the aroma but it doesn't overwhelm with tropical fruit and bealgian yeast undertones. The cucumber flavor isn't too strong but also dominates but has a musty Belgian yeast, breads, cream and hint of tropical fruit. Medium creamy body and moderate carbonation. Much better tha I was expecting. Wouldn't necessarily have again but a must try at least once.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 02:02:02 | More by kylehay2004

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.19/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

750 ml bottle poured into a Bruery tulip.
5% ABV, 04 AUG 2012 on label

Thanks for the brew Paul!

A - The crack from cap unleashed a spray like a can of compressed air. I moved quickly to pour this beer, afraid of possible gushing, though it didn't seem an immediate threat afterwards. A monstrous white head rises above the golden beer, lowering slowly while leaving minimal lace on the glass.

S - Cigar City Cucumber Saison has a nose completely full of freshly sliced cucumber, quietly trailed by Belgian yeast nuances of faint white pepper and clay with notes of dry straw and soft wheat.

T - Cucumber is completely authentic in flavor, not ever broaching that artificial line, and more subdued in flavor than aroma, just like the real thing, allowing more saison notes to emerge. A touch of lemon citrus sneaks in around the dry earthy notes of white pepper and clay while the finish incorporates a sensible level of malt.

M - High carbonation dances on the tongue throughout this crisp and light-bodied beer while a dry and spicy finish trails off. Crisp and clean like a cucumber.

O - I'll be upfront (at the end, how ironic) with the fact I don't like cucumbers. They're best served as pickles, in my opinion, but I went into the review open minded. I won't lie, the aroma scared me into thinking my wife, a cucumber lover, would be drinking the vast majority of this bottle, but Cigar City did a fantastic job with this beer. Like a cucumber, this saison has a heavy nose that's lighter in flavor, letting more saison through. It's incredibly authentic and the comparison of the cucumber's crispness with the saison is a wonderful pairing. I still may not like cucumbers but I can get behind this unique saison and say it's one well-crafted beer!

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 22:17:10 | More by BeerFMAndy

drpimento

Wisconsin

3.58/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pretty good beer except the cuke goes a long way. Poured at a good temperature with a nice, billowy, foamy, off-white head that settles after a bit and a smidgen of lace. Color is a a hazy amber. Flavor's like nose, cuke really dominates and offsets all the other qualities. Body and carbonation are good. Finish is like flavor, with the cuke wasn't so assertive, not a repeater.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 02:59:33 | More by drpimento

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a hazy medium straw yellow with some hints of golden yellow in color. The beer has a three finger tall bright white head that reduces to a thick film covering the entire surface of the beer and a thick ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate to significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Very strong aromas of cucumber with a lighter hint of rice wine vinegar giving the beer a refreshing aroma that is not dissimilar to fresh homemade pickles.

T: Very light in flavor and refreshing with lots of cucumber flavor (reminds of the refreshing beverages that one would get at a spa but as a beer). Light hints of vinegar and possibly dill. Very tasty.

M: Light bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Extremely light amounts of dryness in the finish.

O: Interesting and unique beer, I think of it as the refreshing spa beer... Very enjoyable and refreshing due to the presence and flavor of the cucumber - sessionable and a beer I would be glad to try again.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 16:16:11 | More by dbrauneis

ngeunit1

California

4.43/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a hazy golden-orange color with a finger of frothy white head. The head fades down at a normal place leaving behind some lacing.

S - Aroma is a mix of grainy malts, citrus, tropical, and lemon hops, cucumber, Belgian yeast, and coriander.

T - Starts off with a mix of lemon and grapefruit hops with some bitterness and some grainy malts and coriander. Through the middle the cucumber comes through with some honey and Belgian yeast. The finish is a mix of lemon and citrus hops with some bitterness, honey, cucumber, grains, and Belgian yeast.

M - Medium bodied with moderate-plus carbonation. Feels smooth with a vegetative, dry, and yeasty finish.

D - Very drinkable. Really nicely balanced with the cucumber adding a really nice element to the beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2012 04:49:39 | More by ngeunit1

oline73

Maryland

3.95/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This is one of the beers I was most excited to try and the EBF. I went to have this in order to cool down after trying Punishment, so I had to have a few to get to actually taste the beer.

Appearance: Pours a clear golden color with a layer of off white head that leaves a ring around the edge of the cup.

Smell: Very herbal and a bit sweet. Definitely picking up the cucumbers. There is almost a hint of uncooked squash.

Taste: Better than the smell. Very smooth, cool and herbal from the yeast. There is a nice sweetness from the malt in the finish. I'm loving the blend of herbal flavors and cucumber.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with tingly carbonation and a dry finish.

Overall: This is genius. Really enjoyed the mix of flavors. I would have more given the chance.

Serving type: on-tap

02-10-2012 22:14:16 | More by oline73

maximum12

Minnesota

3.9/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks over the airwaves to moose3285 for pulling every Cigar City bottle ever made & ferrying them via sled dog to Minnesota. 750ML bottle split with my wife.

Pour is yellow, with Cyc Typhoon-level carbonation tearing at the glass. Nose is, well, like sombody tossed cucumber puree' in a saison. You'd think they could warn a potential drinker about something like that.

Cucumber Saison could be the new V-8, or C-8. Damn. Unwashed cucumbers pulled out of the ground are wrapped around a nice peppery, lemon-tang. The yeast & high carbonation gives this a zesty feeling in the oral cavity. 5%? Easy. Nice.

Simple, quick, direct. I've disliked cucumbers since I was a thirty-two week embryo - & now my wife is going to force me to try them again. Maybe I'll like them...another instance of beer changing a man's life. Very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2012 03:36:38 | More by maximum12

ehammond1

California

3.6/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle (2012)

Thanks for opening this with me, VaTechHopHead!

Clear golden with a small near-white cap. Leaves the glass dotted with moderately-sized bubbles. Very little retnention. Appropriate enough.

Distinct aroma of cucumber and little else. There's perhaps an earthy quality to the aroma that actual cucumbers don't have, but the dominant aroma overall is very clearly cucumber.

The flavor, too, is, not surprisingly, very cucumber forward, along with a bit of earth and some bitterness. Very simple and straightforward, while obviously very unique as well. Very drinkable. I enjoy it, but it's simply not a very complex saison.

Thin bodied with moderate-high carbonation.

A wonderful cucumber drink, but an uninteresting saison.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 00:18:14 | More by ehammond1

rfgetz

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a lightly hazed golden straw, full cap of prickly white bubbles. Scent brings notes of cucumber water along with lightly earthy and musty dried grain. Cucumber more pronounced in the taste with it having the full effect on the tail end of the sip, light spicing along with mustyness of sasion base adds a light pickling note. Lighter side of medium bodied, dry. Unique beer with a decent cucumber note... while i like beverages made with cucumber and celery, the saison added a touch too much spice throwing off the cleanness of the cucumber.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2012 14:54:30 | More by rfgetz

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Robbie for this bottle! Bottle dated June 2012.

A - Medium yellow; slightly cloudy yellow. Lots of bubbly white head.

S - A big burst of fresh cucumber at first, which settles down after the initial nose. Belgian yeast, peppery spice and a light lemon aroma are also present.

T - A good overall integratoin of the flavours with the cucumber not dominating, which I was afraid of. Cucumber is still the prediminant flaovur but is well balanced by, pepper, spice, Belgian yeast and a lighter lemon zest flavour in the background.

M - Light body. Moderate carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 14:11:53 | More by TheSevenDuffs

claspada

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a mostly clear pale golden yellow color with a small frothy white head that quickly settles into a lasting ring leaving some spotty lacing.

Aromas begin with freshly sliced cucumber and a lot of it. Once it warms a little and you get past the green cucumber flesh there is a light sweet pilsner maltiness and a light farmhouse saison yeast underneath.

The tastes begin no surpirsingly with a lot of cucumber and light pepperiness from the Saison yeast. As it warms you get a little more doughy, bready farmhouse yeast, but the cucumber tastes still dominate mostly.

Mouthfeel is medium to light bodied with medium carbonation; a bit low for the style to be honest. Finish is dry and lightly peppery almost like a pickled cucumber.

Overall I was quite impressed by this offering. If you are not a fan of cucumber, obviously avoid this beer but this was quite a fun, interesting flavor profile to enjoy in a Saison. I don't know if I could drink the whole 750ml by myself but shared with a friend with a nice light summer meal, why not.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2012 17:35:37 | More by claspada