Carnevale
The Lost Abbey

CarnevaleCarnevale
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From:
The Lost Abbey
 
California, United States
Style:
Saison
Ranked #455
ABV:
8.2%
Score:
89
Ranked #12,491
Avg:
3.96 | pDev: 8.84%
Reviews:
340
Ratings:
867
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 23, 2023
Added:
Feb 12, 2008
Wants:
  61
Gots:
  114
Farmhouse style Saison with Brettanomyces, Amarillo and Simcoe Hops.

Brewed in celebration of Lent and Easter season, Carnevale is light bodied Saison, using Brettanomyces along with Amarillo and Simcoe hops to generate flavor and depth. Carnevale’s complexity grows with time. The citrus notes tend to wane and the wild yeast rears its wonderfully tasting head.

2008 (first release) did not have brettanomyces.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Fikash:
Photo of Fikash
Reviewed by Fikash from California

4.54/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
A: Very frothy head, nice golden color. Nice lace to the froth as well, sticking well to the side of my Duvel glass.

S: What an amazing smell. This is why I love Saisons. Tropical fruit, banana, Belgian yeast, they all come through. I can smell this beer from the table!

T: I don't think you even need to be a beer guy to know that this is an exceptional beer. I love the fruitiness of this style, I almost feel like I've bitten into some kind of tropical fruit rather than just finished sipping a beer. The yeast flavors are actually rather understated, which is definitely a big plus for me, as these Belgian styles are typically dominated by that flavor in my experience. There is a complexity in the flavor that I could only identify if my palette was more refined.

M: The carbonation is on the heavier side, but not unpleasant. Medium mouthfeel. Very drinkable.

Overall: This is an exception example of the Saison style, which seems to be becoming easier to find as more breweries are taking a crack at it. It's delicious, highly drinkable, and not overwhelming at a modest 6.5% I highly recommend it if you dig this style.
Jul 10, 2011
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.18 by AnitaBrewski from Massachusetts

Sep 17, 2022
Photo of Viaduck
Reviewed by Viaduck from California

3.96/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pale copper color, very heady. Very nice aroma: honey, caramel, ripe fruit. Mildly sweet with a hint of bitty & sour. Nice flavor: apples, caramel, pepper, grapefruit, tangerine, malts, spices & some funkiness. Feel is thin, low carbonation & a little heat on the tongue. A very good saison.
Nov 25, 2021
 
Rated: 4.44 by chiefz1 from New York

Jun 19, 2021
 
Rated: 3.87 by emptyglassagain from Massachusetts

Feb 07, 2021
Photo of kitch
Reviewed by kitch from Hong Kong

3.83/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
A corked and caged 1 pint 9.4 fl. oz. bottle, vintage 2018. Poured into a Holy Mountain tulip glass.

Appearance: A hazy golden orange colour with a big three finger white head that had decent retention but eventually settled to a thin layer, while leaving nice lacing.

Aroma: Pear, apple, bubble gum, Belgian candi sugar, yeast, with floral and spice notes.

Taste: Sweet-ish, Belgian yeast, brett, bubble gum, pear, grapefruit, notes of spice and a touch boozy.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

Overall: Sweeter and more boozy than I normally prefer, but still very drinkable.
Jul 12, 2020
 
Rated: 4.06 by ummswimmin from New Jersey

Jun 27, 2020
 
Rated: 4.16 by Beer-A-Lot from Virginia

Jun 15, 2020
Photo of Orca
Reviewed by Orca from Washington

4.27/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
750mL (2019) into a Hennepin glass. Pours a beautiful pale golden color with a big fluffy Bretty white head that lasts forever. Lovely patch clumps of lace cling to the side of the glass, defying gravity. Beautiful.

Aroma is bright grassy earthy Brett funk, but clean. Bready and enticing.

Taste is good, clean bready yeast and malt with a light honey sweetness tempered by a hint of bitterness. Crisp and sharp, a nice citrusy twist from the hops. It's been too long since I've had a saison and this one is hitting the spot.

Mouthfeel is—there's that word again—clean. Medium bodied, nicely balanced, soft on the palate with a nice satisfying finish.

Overally a really nice saison, I could drink this again happily.
May 09, 2020
 
Rated: 3.95 by jmbeerdude91 from Arizona

Mar 14, 2020
Photo of cratez
Reviewed by cratez from Canada (ON)

4.2/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Rating from notes. Consumed July 2014. "A complex, dry, and fruity saison with a subtle funkiness and huge drinkability. Worth seeking out in my humble opinion."
Jan 26, 2020
Photo of mothmanscott
Reviewed by mothmanscott from Georgia

4.01/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
From notes 12/26/12: Pours a near-clear and very effervescent deep gold producing a huge 3-4+ (depending on the pour from this bottle) fingers of shaving cream fluffy, off-white, insanely lasting head that leaves a thick and sticky coating of lace. This brew is very hard to pour due to its carbonation. Aroma is white fruity Belgian yeast esters with a Brett mustiness present, lemon zest with a little grass, cloves and a very faint hint of banana. Taste is sweet, dominated by the fruity yeast esters of apple, peach, pear and white grape. Brett must is there and some cloves but far less than in the nose. I do not detect the faint banana of the nose. Sweet and fruity with a lightly dry finish that quickly dissipates to a somewhat fruity and mildly astringent aftertaste. Mouthfeel is medium bodied and alive with carbonation but lacks much of the spicy prickliness one would expect from such carbonation.
Oct 23, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by edthehead from Maryland

Aug 09, 2019
 
Rated: 4.29 by Curt3 from Ohio

Jun 02, 2019
 
Rated: 3.94 by emerge077 from Illinois

May 30, 2019
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Rated by Bruno74200 from France

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Brett all along. But lacks a bit of character
May 26, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by KMcGrath from Massachusetts

May 10, 2019
 
Rated: 3.8 by Sir_Goatman from Oregon

Apr 28, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by Hellpop65 from Kansas

Apr 16, 2019
Carnevale from The Lost Abbey
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 867 ratings