Torcedores Series #2 - Neal's Black Saison - Cigar City Brewing

cjgator3

Florida

3.88/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

On-tap at Redlight Redlight in Orlando. Pours a dark black color with a light tan head in a tulip glass. The aroma is fantastic: dark malts, spices, some funk and yeast along with some hops as well. The taste much like the aroma is malt and a peppery spiciness with a very dry finish with some bitterness from the hops as well. Overall, this was a solid black Saison that I enjoyed. It was a little dry but that is my only complaint. Definitely worth a try for those who enjoy beers of this style.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2013 21:37:10 | More by cjgator3

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

4.01/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75

On-tap, served in a tulip

A dark black body with a creamy off-white cap. Some great retention as the head remained throughout the experience. Some large sip marks coat the glass.

Sage is fairly prominent, poking through and above the mild roast and cocoa aromas. Herbal and medicinal notes mix with the dark notes of the malts. Some slight spice from the yeast.

Follows the nose for the most part. Soft roast and cocoa with sage playing an important role. The sage is prominent, but is a very mellow ingredient. The herbal notes complement the dark malt very well. Just a touch of yeast spice comes through. Some grassy hops emerge in the finish.

The mouthfeel really shines. Smooth and creamy, almost to the point that it detracts from the profile. Sage lingers.

I really liked the flavors here. I really like sage and this definitely delivered on that front. However, it lacked the trademark saison spice/fruitiness. I understand you have to dial it back a bit given the malt bill/ingredients, but a little more spice and I could firmly put this in the saison category. This was more of a dark ale.

Serving type: on-tap

02-28-2013 14:10:06 | More by ColForbinBC

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.59/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

Enjoyed at the CC Tasting Room. Drinkable on a warm day, but undercarbonated and a little sourness that detracted from the spice. Not a normal saison by any account. Popular here and at other bars because, well, Florida is saison-friendly. I would like a bit of boldness in flavour.

Serving type: on-tap

01-21-2013 04:27:01 | More by northyorksammy

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

First had: on tap at Cigar City, Tampa, FL

Dark brown-black pour, seemingly opaque, with a small beige head that receded to a thin layer, and laced the glass a bit. Earthy aroma, spice, roasty dark malts and coffee, dark fruits, mild funk. The nose was reflected in the taste more or less, roasty with dark malts and a bit of coffee, overripe fruit, light nutmeg spice, earthy hops and a bit of bready yeast and funk. Maybe closer to a yeasty porter than a genuine saison. Medium body, and easily drinkable, but not your typical saison.

Serving type: on-tap

12-31-2012 22:54:55 | More by Rifugium