Lil' Blaster - Half Acre Beer Company

MasterSki

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Growler from the source. Served in a Hill Farmstead tulip.

A - White foam settles to wisps, a thick collar, and spotty lacework. Hazy golden body.

S - Slightly sulfurous, lemony hops, yeasty, with a bit of toasted grain, white peppers, and some medicinal gauze/band-aid notes.

T - The taste is very grainy, with a hefty dose of phenolic yeast, and minimal sweetness. Guessing this was a small beer of some sort, as it's super attenuated? Perhaps a touch of cereal sweetness. Surprising and mildly unpleasant pepper and bitterness in the finish.

M - Very dry, with pleasant carbonation. Medium-light body, and quite refreshing. Pretty nice for this style.

D - This was alright, but got quite fatiguing due to the intense phenolic and mildly sulfurous yeast notes. I'm just not a big fan of Half Acre's Saison yeast strain I guess. OK for a pour, but we couldn't even finish the growler.

Serving type: growler

08-06-2012 04:40:52 | More by MasterSki

GbVDave

Illinois

4/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 64oz growler into a Duvel glass.

A: Pours a peachy, straw-gold color with the perfect level of haziness. A pillow-y, just off-white head spreads out on top and displays impressive retention. Carbonation is apparent, but not overly active. A few drooping ropes of lace are left behind to decorate the glass.

S: Definite Saison yeast aromas. Clove mixed with plantains, grass clippings, apples, and some faintly tropical fruit.

T: The taste follows the smell closely with some interesting mineral-type notes, scallions, fresh ground black pepper, and toasty grains.

M: Quite dry and astringent fresh from the fridge. After warming for a bit the bracing dryness mellows out lets a subtle sweetness and peppery prickle poke through.

D: Nice & pretty traditional for a Half Acre Saison. I've grown accustomed to their dabbling in the SE Asian influences with their Saisons (Sunday In Saigon & Long Thai Rainbow Rye) so this one comes out of the gate pretty straight up. Temperature is the key and this one really opens up the warmer is gets.

Serving type: growler

08-03-2012 23:28:40 | More by GbVDave