Elder Brett: Saison-Brett Golden Ale - Epic Brewing Co.

kojevergas

California

2.63/5  rDev -34.1%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.5

1 pint 6 fl oz brown glass bottle with branded silver pressure cap and simple lime green/beige label served into a Uinta pilsner glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are high; I loved Big Bad Baptist and I love a good saison, but I'm not big on Crooked Stave. Release #2. 9.5% ABV according to my bottle.

Served straight from the fridge and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a two finger white colour head of fair cream, nice thickness, and pretty decent (~4 minute) retention for the high ABV. Body colour is a clear translucent pale yellow. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Not a great appearance for a saison, but it's not unappealing.

Sm: Pear, white wine, white grapeskin, lightly tart brettanomyces - nowhere near as funky as I expected, pale malts, crystal malts, light lemon citrus esters, cidery character, buried delicate wood barrel, and light pale grains. A subtly executed aroma of mild to moderate strength. No alcohol is detectable. It's not quite what I expected, but it's good. More a golden ale than a saison based on the aromatics. Any hopping is light and floral in character. Intriguing.

T: Hm. There's good and bad here. White grapeskin is the first thing I get. It has an overly sweet pale malt body. Hopping is floral and generic. The white wine aging takes a turn for the worse around the climax, where it quickly devolves into a crappy white wine mixed with cheap pear cidre. Ugh. Overdone crystal malt is prominent. Where's the subtlety of the aroma? I'm not liking this one at all; I didn't expect it to be this bad. Terribly balanced. Poorly built for a saison. I don't get hardly any brettanomyces; no funkiness and only a bit of tartness. What went wrong here? Is Batch #2 considerably different than Batch #1?

Mf: A bit acidic. Coarse and wet. Unrefreshing. Overly thick. Overcarbonated. Poor presence on the palate. Horribly executed for a saison. Doesn't suit the flavour profile or the style hardly at all.

Dr: I used to think Epic was crappy based on the Brainless beers I tried. Then I had Big Bad Baptist and wanted to try more Epic. Now, I'm moving back towards leaving their beers on the shelf. Is this brewery really this hit and miss? Or can I pin this one on Crooked Stave? Terribly done for a saison, lacking any degree of subtlety, balance, or sophistication. Really disappointing. I'll have trouble killing this bottle due to the low quality. Not at all recommended. Unexpectedly bad.

C-

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 04:36:30 | More by kojevergas

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.14/5  rDev -21.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Thanks Jeff. Served in a cervoise. Pale yellow. Bready and Bretty. Lemon and a bit of grain. Flavor a bit phenolic. Moderate carbonation. Dry.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 05:11:14 | More by Thorpe429

Beaver13

Colorado

3.38/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle, release #1. Pours a hazy yellow with a smallish white head that goes to a thin film that leaves some lacing. It has quite a few floaties.

The aroma is floral brett and some slightly metallic overripe fruits and some funk.

The flavor is some fruity apple champagne with brett notes and some funk with a bit of bitterness in the dry finish. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with smooth carbonation.

Overall, I recall this being a much better brett beer when I had it a couple of months ago. Either this bottle is different or it isn't aging well for my tastes. A lot more sediment this time around too.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2012 04:55:22 | More by Beaver13

rangerred

Tennessee

3.49/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 2.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25

Poured into a tulip out of a 22oz bomber.

Pours a clear medium gold with barely some thin wispy traces of a head. Plenty of carbonation with small bubbles rising throughout but all quickly dissipate when they reach the surface. No lacing either.

An average amount of funk in the aroma but not quite to the level that I was expecting. A little bit of grape and oak reminiscent of a Chardonnay along with lemon/lime and some white bread.

The brett is even less pronounced in the flavor, unfortunately. There is more grape skin and oak but it is subdued as well. A bit of tart lemon and lime come through nicely complimenting the tartness from the wild yeast. Mouthfeel is a bit thin which is ok for the style but the finish is not at all crisp and dry like it should be.

Overall, I am a bit disappointed with this beer. I really wish all of the flavors were more forward and less muddled. I was really hoping this was going to be a Brett bomb. An ok beer but really not worth putting tons of effort into seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 01:34:02 | More by rangerred

oline73

Maryland

3.5/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the bottle into a goblet.

Appearance: Pours a cloudy orangish yellow color with just a small layer of head that goes away as quickly as any beer I've ever had.

Smell: Some brett funk up front with some Belgian spice and a slightly tart fruity note.

Taste: This beer has that slightly funky and tart brett flavor right off the bat. There is a component that is a bit perfume like. Some sweet malt with a green apple like fruity tartness.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with tiny, tingly bubbles and a dry finish.

Overall: This is a good beer. I was surprised how fast the head disappeared. The perfume like qualities that show up in some wild ales aren't my favorite.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2012 23:30:13 | More by oline73

TheAngryBurrito

California

3.55/5  rDev -11%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a very transparent apple juice color with almost no head. Very fruity (almost apple cider like) flavor, with a mild brett finish. The flavors are all very mild, while I prefer stronger flavors in my beer. Overall I enjoyed drinking this, and would order it on tap, but it is not anywhere close to being the best in this category. Purchased at Valley Beverage Company in Sherman Oaks, CA.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 20:14:34 | More by TheAngryBurrito

Daniellobo

District of Columbia

3.65/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pleasing if a bit mellow bretty Golden Ale.

Presentation: 22 oz brown capped bottle . Paper label with a simple light cream and light green range, with name of the brew and series branding noting Crooked Stave collaboration with an image of the torso of a character wearing a tie and a bike helmet as he gives a thumbs up. Side narrative offers a small note about the special and limited character of the brew. Notes release #1, and 8.8% Alc. by Vol. Served in a tulip glass.

A - Light hazy pale gold pour, fair frothy head and retention, good surface memory and some lacing.

S - Softly bretty and funky, a bit too soft…. citric touches and a faint vinous insinuation.

T - ...which follows in sync in the palate. Good generic brett, light funk tart apples, light vinous note (chardonnay barrels maybe?) which are soft but pleasing… Citric touches with a small grassy sense.

M - Medium to medium-light body and carbonation with a nice crisp sense in the finish and a light dryness.

O - Pleasing and with a nice flow...

Notes: …but nothing that will dent the memory. All kinds of decent for a brett barrel-aged ale and in line with what is expected of that range.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2012 15:48:43 | More by Daniellobo

oberon

North Carolina

3.65/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a large tulip glass a somewhat hazed lighter golden with a thinner than expected white head atop.Alot of tart green apple in the nose,a tinge spice with funk induced brett somewhat subdued wich didn't bother me.Again tart green apples play a big role on the palate with the funkiness being a little more assertive,a decent breadiness holds well thru the finish,the alcohol lends just a little sweet zip.Not bad,it's not as funky as many of the farmhouse brett in fused styles, but it's not overly complex either.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2012 13:51:39 | More by oberon

yamar68

Minnesota

3.66/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I have a huge amount of respect for Crooked Stave, so I just had to give this one a shot. 2012 vintage:

Bright, clear straw gold with loads of quick consistent beading. A finger of stubborn paper white carbonation retains well, leaving a good amount of lacing behind.

Smells as bright as it looks... sour apples, sweet grains, not quite as pungent as I hoped.

Pale fruit skins and white grapes on the palate. Very light, very approachable... not what I would expect from Crooked Stave but it certainly is palatable. A subtle abstract funk surfaces at the finish, along with a rather wet mouthfeel. I'm excited to see what the brett does with some age on it.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 01:34:00 | More by yamar68

cocojoe

Oregon

3.75/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

This bottle is release #2, which clocks in at 9.5% ABV

A: Very clear, light golden color. Very little head.

S: Definite white wine character, green grapes, lemon citrus, bananas, a little funk and tart.

T: The front is very smoothe and sweet, the middle brings in the tart funk with zesty lemons and chardonnay, finishes, semi dry with some grainy notes. Alcohol is fairly well covered, but you can clearly feel its warmth.

M: Light, and clean

O: Not as tart as I was expecting it to be. The aroma gives notes of that tart quality, but the flavor is much more smoothe and cider like. I enjoyed this beer, just not what I thought it was going to be.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 23:42:03 | More by cocojoe

timtim

District of Columbia

3.78/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

hazy burnt gold with a white head that fades quickly and doesn't leave lace. nose is chardonnay, brett, sweat, lemons, pears, melons and a hint of mineral. taste follows suit with a nice white peppery brett character and an almost salty mineral character mingling with citrus, white wine notes and melon. tasty, but lacking a bit in the middle. dries out in the end nicely. medium body with a hint of prickle, and no alcohol presence. the competition is getting thick in the wild, wine-barrel aged world. this one is fine and tasty, yet doesn't quite stand up to some of the truly epic brews out there. i'm not complaining though. love to see more breweries try this kind of stuff.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2012 23:25:30 | More by timtim

wrycon

Minnesota

3.8/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A pretty golden pale straw. Smells deeply of fruit - golden apple and pear. A lot of funk and some hints of Chardonnay. Crisp to start with an acidic tang. The mid is a plump socket of sweet pear. The golden ale makes itself known in the back third, rounding the brew into a highly drinkable package. Mouthfeel is a bit thicker than expected, though not overly so. Good collab.

Like It? Yes, Indeed

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 03:22:05 | More by wrycon

cvm4

Mississippi

3.8/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Light golden in color, there are a few particles floating around in it. Billowing eggshell head.

S - Some tartness, brett funk and belgian IPA notes.

T - Sweet malt at first with some saison spice qualities and ending with a lemon tartness.

M - Light body, effervescent. Finishes wet.

O - It's a unique beer. It straddles the line between a saison and brett beer, obviously. Nothing just stuck out as mind blowing or awesome though. It's in line with what is expected from the style.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2012 19:45:58 | More by cvm4

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.8/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Big brett aroma, saison brett. Odd spider lacing. Funk aroma, a sour edge. Yellow bodied. Boozy smell in the finish, bigger than the listed abv. A pleasant drinkable sourness.
Bottle from recent US trip.A recommended try for funk and saison fans. A good and unique Brett.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 22:19:25 | More by northyorksammy

FosterJM

California

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

1470th Review on BA
Bottle to Wine Glass
22oz

Batch 1
Purchased for 12.99 at Lone Hill Liquor

App- Its a golden color with a deeper orangy/yellow center. On both 1st pour and second pour the head was slightly off white with only about 1". Semi dotted cling.

Smell- The beer opens with a small Brett aroma and ive only had 1 from each Epic and Crooked Stave but smelled like both their in house strains with a soft funk, hay, grassy aroma.

Taste- I wasnt expecting the base beer to come in so heavily. The base reminds me a lot of Pranqster and just touches of Brett come in with soft flavors and only snippets of funk and grassy hay. A bit of what I will call Pear and Green Apple mixed come in last.

Mouth- A fuller medium body and a medium-low carbonation. A certain fullness all around. Residual Brett, funk and slight pear/apples.

Drink- I felt it was a good beer. Nice collaboration but certainly not a $12.99 beer. A straightforward golden w/o a lot of nuances.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 20:16:56 | More by FosterJM

Sludgeman

District of Columbia

3.88/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a fluted beer glass at Papago in Scottsdale.

A - Clear light golden color, minimal white head that dissapates quickly, minimal lacing.

A - Sweet funk.

T - Some faint bitterness, too sweet.

O - Hides its ABV well. A wine of beers. Not enough funk.

Serving type: on-tap

03-05-2013 14:57:37 | More by Sludgeman

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Thanks to Francois for sharing at his bottle share.

Nice fizzy head, hazy golden peach colored.

Nose nice fruit funk, light tangerine guava like fruit, some Brett funk, light sweet blond malts,

Taste nice Brett barnyard funk to start, grassy hay, grainy, then guava fruit and some stone fruit skin must, little juicy citrus fruit as well and touch of lemon zest, sweet blond malts. Pretty tasty, but not much for saison flavors, more of a blond ale with Brett.

Mouth is med to lighter bodied, nice effervescent carb.

Overall not bad, some nice barnyard funk but a bit too light, I do like the idea of blond ale instead of real saison characters, but I love my saisons more so I would have preferred that, and nice fruit flavors, but a bit too malty sweet.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 14:07:58 | More by jlindros

billab914

Virginia

3.98/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22oz bottle poured into my Southern Tier tulip. It poured a lighter, golden yellow color with a thin, sticky, bright white head covering the beer and clinging to the glass.

The aroma shows a lot of funky, musty qualities to it with the earthy Brett coming out along with a slight sourness. I get a bit of citrus to it mixing in and giving it a little bit of a sour lemon like quality. I get a little bit of oak to it as well.

The taste has a little more citrusy, juicy qualities to it with some notes of orange and lemon. There is a little funky, sourness but it's pretty reserved compared to the aroma suggested. I do get a good dose of the earthy Brett to it though.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with carbonation being moderate for the style. Overall it was a pretty nice beer. It was very flavorful and easy drinking and the wild yeasts added some nice complexity to it. Very solid overall.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2012 21:39:03 | More by billab914

b3shine

Ohio

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Deuce to pint glass. Looks good; murky-orange and carbonated. Smells good too; tart and fruity with Belgian undertones. Tastes just like it looks; a refreshing delight. Mouthfeel is good too. Overall, a good beer, especially for the style and price tag.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 22:14:04 | More by b3shine

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to bu11zeye for sharing this bottle.

The beer pours a yellow color with a white head. The aroma has a good bit of brett in it, as well as some lacto notes, which are complimented by the wheat and lemon characteristics. The flavor has quite a bit of brett and leathery funk it in, with some wheat and a little bit of green pepper and Belgian yeast. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. A very odd beer, but one I found pretty enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 19:10:47 | More by Mora2000

drabmuh

Maryland

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle from a tasting, thanks. Beer is yellow and mostly clear with a white head, moderate carbonation, a nice set of lacing.

Aroma is brett and there is a nice spicy floral notes.

Beer is decent, a nice brett funkiness and very floral in the palate. It doesn't seem like something i would like but it turns out to work together. I do like this beer, a lot. I'd have it again.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 02:48:07 | More by drabmuh

DaveAnderson

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Release #2. The bottle says 9.5%, but the website says 9.6%.

I love the concept of this beer. I like Saisons, I like Brett beers, I have been hearing great things about Crooked Stave, I dig the whole Mormon reference, and so on. But Epic missed a HUGE opportunity with this beer by not using Elder flowers, which I found intoxicating in Mamouche. I'm just saying.

To the beer!

It has a little chill haze, and a thin head that disappears post-haste, leaving little to no lacing. Smells good, though. It's a little funky, and promises to be sour. And sure enough, it IS sour. It's not mouth-puckering, though. It's like a liquid SweeTart, if one of the flavors were "funk".

This is a fun beer. It's fairly easy drinking. It never really develops beyond the initial impressions, however. I was hoping it would keep revealing itself to me over time.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 06:04:23 | More by DaveAnderson

scottfrie

California

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Snifter, reviewed from notes. Thanks for sharing Dan!

A: Pour a very pale yellow, lighter than apple juice, with almost no head that faded into a thin collar leaving spotty lace.
S: Super brett on the nose, very earthy and dry. I get hints of green apple and vinous notes of white wine.
T: Buttery taste full of brett, smooth buttery oak, golden fruits, and white wine. I’m getting some sugary honey in the aftertaste. Spicy and dry.
M: Light clean and smooth mouthfeel with fine carbonation.
O: Very good, fairly complex, with a great brett-white wine profile. I enjoyed this one, thank again Dan.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 16:37:04 | More by scottfrie

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First had: bottle share; thanks Dan!

Poured a slighly hazy golden-yellow color with a small cap of white bubbly head. Classic Brett profile in the nose, floral with light notes of citrus and spice. Taste was mildly tart, call me crazy but I got a very distinct cinnamon flavor in there, like Big Red gum, overlaid on secondary flavors of pear, lemon, white wine, pale malts; floral elements in there too. Light-medium body, with a moderate carbonation, crisp and easily drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 17:32:32 | More by Rifugium

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Bottle shared by Americo via Sammy, 650ml into a tulip. Release #2 as stated on the bottle.

Translucent golden yellow, with a light white head. Light retention and lacing. Nose of brett, oak, pear, vanilla and a touch of booze-y sweetness. Taste has more oak, vanilla, pale fleshed fruits, pear and a delicate barrel notes. Medium full body, sweet finish with a touch of alcohol. Well done, only improves as it warms and I move through the glass.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 18:35:50 | More by liamt07