Grassroots Convivial Suaréz - Grassroots Brewing

standardcherry

Massachusetts

4.49/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Hazy golden beer with a touch of red accent. A nice small white head.
S: Smells of hibiscus. Very floral, peppery and citrus (orange/lemon) followed by the classic earthy saison yeast. Lots of citrus actually, smells a bit lactic.
T: Sweet malts and hibiscus tea flavors at first. Has a bit of lemon acidity that blends well with the sweetness. Has a sweet, almost honey-like flavor blended with some fruitiness that is imparted by the hibiscus. Bright floral flavors follow until it ends with a dry and crisp lemony tartness.
M: Light bodied with low carbonation. Very drinkable.
O: This is another excellent saison from HF/Grassroots. Very nice beer, hope they make it again soon.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 07:19:18 | More by standardcherry

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

4.21/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750mL bottle poured into FFF teku - thanks alex

Pours a hazed golden orange color with a one-finger crop of white head resting on top. Fluffy retention slowly fades out into some spotty lacing streaked around the glass.

Floral and spicy notes in the nose with peppery spice and hints of citrus. Lemon peel, Belgian yeast and fruity esters. Invigorating and inviting with a nice balance of scents.

Soft hoppy kiss up front with lemon peel and citrusy juiciness. Floral hints from the hibiscus, zesty tartness, Belgian yeast and soft funkiness. Straw, grain and a bit of honey sweetness. Light fruity esters and spice, finishing with some dryness.

Medium body, slightly higher carbonation, bubbly, dry and lively on the tongue. The label might say Grassroots, but this definitely reads like a HF saison to me, which means it's an easy winner. Nice balance, delicate, yet expressive profile and pleasant balance.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 12:20:19 | More by xnicknj

yamar68

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Huge thanks to franklinn for this one!

This one's alive... a beautiful honey gold body is stuffed with beading and capped with a swelling dose of white head that fills the glass before leaving behind all sorts of lace.

The hibiscus addition translates perfectly on the nose. The lemon character is buried in the floral aromas but still evident. There's a bit of white pepper, lemongrass, ginger ale... smells refreshing.

I haven't encountered many saisons like this one. Thirst quenching but quite dry. It seems contradictory but it's true... it finishes with a citric tart flavor before drying out completely. Up front it leans more towards the astringent fruit flavors, but the hibiscus continues to provide a subtle sense of diversity. Simple, yet challenging.

This is delicious.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 16:50:48 | More by yamar68

KingdomBobcat

Vermont

4.66/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Convivial Suarez
A-light, opaque gold that continues to bubble, creating very thick white head that lasts at least a few sips. Poured in tulip pint glass
S-very floral and fruity, lemon and hibiscus are very pronounced
T-very malty, barely any hop taste. the lemon balances the sweetness of a saison with a refreshingly crisp finish and lingering aftertaste
M-almost crisp like a champagne, but with the smoothness you would expect from a beer
O-hands down the best saison I’ve ever had

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 12:31:48 | More by KingdomBobcat

UCLABrewN84

California

3.96/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Wowcoolman for sharing this one at his tasting.

Bottled 1/2013.

Pours a murky orange with a foamy bone head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace slowly drip into the remaining beer on the drink down. Smell is slightly sour and tart with malt and grain aromas. Taste is much the same with mildly sour flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of acidity on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that is tasty and easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 02:19:41 | More by UCLABrewN84

WillCarrera

Illinois

4.04/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

750 ml bottle, thanks Jonathan!

A- Pours a clear orange/copper color, produces a thin white head that recedes to a collar.

S- Really nice aroma, lots of grassy funk, earthy notes, lemon and a ton of great hibiscus.

T- Has some malt sweetness, a bit of lemon and herbal spiciness, it's nice, but the big herbal flavors that made the aroma so awesome are pretty toned down here.

M- Medium-bodied, smooth feel, slightly dry finish.

O- A solid saison, it smells great, but it would have been much improved if some of that great hibiscus and herbal aroma had come across more in the flavor.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 04:39:17 | More by WillCarrera

Dreadnaught33

District of Columbia

3.69/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A nice beer, but maybe not up my alley as much as it seems to be for others.

Not a fan of the look, it looks like a nearly still ipa, not hazy at all and the color is close to an orange gold look rather than the normal straw color.

The smell has a nice earthy and herbal tone to it, the additions make sense as it has a nice citrus rind smell as well. Some sweetness and slight funk enclosed in the additions, a nice solid good smell. Potpourri like when it warms but not bad.

The taste follows suit, but the feel is a little thin and overly bubbly for my palate. Taste doesn't really pop with what I would have guessed from the smell, just decent not overly tasty. I get the herbal notes and some lemon bitterness at the back, some lighter malts in the base.

This is only ok, overrated in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 21:47:02 | More by Dreadnaught33

HuskyinPDX

Washington

4.34/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Bottle opened on 3.29.13
Bottled Jan 2013

A - Slow gusher. Pours a super bright hazy orange with a fizzy off-white head that fades pretty quickly.

S - Lemon, floral and spice, I guess it is hibicus.

T - Tart lemon, light floral-buttery-spice.

D - Good carbonation with a light body.

O - Light spices and dry. This is a solid night-cap.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 03:26:51 | More by HuskyinPDX

MRsojourner

Massachusetts

4.31/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

very tart in the nose with a pilsner aroma with hints of brett and a touch of barnyard as it warms up.
golden hazy appearance with small white bubble that formed a thick head and hung around for some time throughout the glass.
The taste follows the aroma perfectly with a sharp tartness and acidity that borders on sour. you get a lemon aftertaste after the tartness. its very thin with heavy carbonation that makes it a little prickly on the tongue but remains very enjoyable.
a very inspiring, unique and enjoyable saison to say the least. could drink this everyday

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 22:39:24 | More by MRsojourner

merc7186

New York

4.29/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Big bottle into tulip glass.

A: Hazy Golden Straw Hue, Passes Some Light, White Head, Mild Lacing

S: Yeast, Hibiscus, Mild White Pepper, Mild Green Apple

T: Belgian Yeast, Green Apple, Mild Pear, Mild Apricot

M: Decent Carbonation, Light to Medium Bodied, Mildly Yeasty, Very Mildly Bitter

Overall, a really good saison that was very balanced and easy drinking.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 22:27:37 | More by merc7186

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Golden-yellow pour, hazy, with a big fluff of white head that settled to a thick ringlet and coated the glass with lacing. Nice floral aroma, citrus and stone fruit essence, peppery spice and a slight earthiness. Floral taste as well, peach and orange blossom, some spicy and funky elements seemingly coming from the yeast, slight tartness on the tongue. Crisp and clean, light-medium body, and very enjoyable overall.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 21:45:07 | More by Rifugium

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.24/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Unexpected share by Lunch. Thanks a lot Paul.

The beer is golden hued with a small head. The aroma offers well water, sweet malt, cotton candy, tropical fruit. Not as sweet as I may have depicted. Mildly tart with delicate floral notes. Earth tones with a light bitterness and lingering juicy oranges. Light to medium in body with moderate carbonation. Really tasty.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 02:44:45 | More by Huhzubendah

Gosox8787

New Hampshire

4.3/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Presentation: 750 mL bottle chilled and poured into a Russian River tulip glass. Bottle date of January 2013. Picked up at Hill Farmstead a couple weeks ago.

Appearance: Bottle open with a slight hiss but no gushing. Pours a really aggressive two finger, fizzy white head even on my really gentle pour. Light orange in color with plenty of bubbles. Clear throughout.

Aroma: Lemon, some light tartness and some light floral tones from the hibiscus. Really nice light funk character and some green apple. Really nice and light.

Taste: Green apple and lemon tartness upfront. Really nice, light and refreshing. The funk character is definitely there but really feels like its more in hte background. The hibiscus is a bit lighter than the aroma but gives off a nice floral character.

Mouthfeel: Really nice and light bodied. Really strong carbonation. Gives a nice bite.

Overall, a really well done and tasty saison. Incredibly refreshing with a really nice light tartness and balance of funk and floral characters. An incredibly good buy for the price. Wish I has purchased more my last trip. A perfect beer for the summer.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 01:16:54 | More by Gosox8787

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Picked up a bunch of these bottles at Hill Farmstead with JLindros. This sucker didn't look like it was going to gush, and remained still for a few seconds. Then...volcano time!

A - Pours into my Duvel tulip a nice crystal clear dark gold/light copper hue with just a twinge of rose hue to it. Had a one finger fizzy head that faded almost immediately to leave a very, very thin halo and light wisp.

S - Aromas of light hibiscus/floral notes, very light citrus and peppercorns, and finishes with some nice standard earthy saison funk. Get an almost blood orange aroma flirting in and out.

T - Not too bad, more of the floral hibiscus notes. Floral though, not quite medicinal. The orange makes an appearance again though quite faint. There is some faint pepper notes along with funk. Finish is a dry musty funk. Light perfumey flavours too.

M - Mouthfeel isn't bad either. Lightly crisp, very clean. quite drinkable

O - Overall a tasty saison. Wish the appearance was better and that there was more hibiscus. Was told to give this 6 months or so and it will really come around. Will try then.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 19:24:41 | More by rudzud

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.95/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750 mL bottle poured into a taster.

Appearance - Slight red tinge to an otherwise golden body. Decent white head. Thick collar.

Smell - Really floral. Yeasty, floral, and a little bit of grassiness. Almost a wine barrel scent to it.

Taste - Also really floral. Sweet with a touch of acidity. Yeastiness is less intense. Malt flavor comes through behind all of it. Simple but flavorful.

Mouthfeel - Heavier than I expected. Medium carbonation. A little too sweet.

Overall - Impressive floral character. Maybe too sweet. Covers up a lot of the character that might have come out

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 19:04:52 | More by Alieniloquium

Skrip

South Carolina

4.23/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

750ml bottle poured into a Dogfish snifter

A~ hazy copper with minimal head and slight lacing.

S~ very floral with pepper notes, followed by some citrusy saison goodness!

T~ slight lemony tartness followed by lite orange and pepper on the finish. i'm a little disappointed, the hibiscus dosen't come out so much, but its still pretty tasty. i'm a little picky when it comes to floral brews, too much is just right lol.

M~ very carbonated! finishing with the slight tartness.

O~ pretty good saison, definitely not my favorite Grassroots project but definitely worth a shot if you have the opportunity. honestly Wachu Saison has way more hibiscus in the flavor and i don't believe its actually brewed with any flowers. Wachu also seems to be more relatively available, definitely pick up a few bottles of it! even though it always seems to have a pretty hefty price tag. ok... yeah i got off topic lol...

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 01:54:08 | More by Skrip

owend

New Hampshire

4.41/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A- Golden copper with a slight pinkish hue. White head that fades quickly without much lacing left behind

S- Strong hibiscus with notes of lemon and orange, as well as a bit of earthy funk in the background.

T-Lemony acidity blends nicely with the floral sweetness of the hibiscus. Sweeter, more orange citrus flavor lingers with the tart bite of yeast in the aftertaste.

M-Crisp and quite refreshing with a very clean finish

O- Another very nice saison from HF. The hibiscus is well integrated and doesn't overpower in terms of either aroma or flavor.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 00:37:20 | More by owend

EgadBananas

Louisiana

4.16/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Appearance: hazy golden copper, bubbly, bone white head, two fingers, minimal lace, light retention.

Aroma: musky, Brett, lemon rind, yeast, light fruit sweetness, orange zest.

Taste: sweet orange, touch of lemon, Brett funk, dry musk, herbal, tea, fruitiness.

***Light and airy with a crisp, bubbly feel, light body, nice drinkability. Well done and wonderfully refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 01:51:59 | More by EgadBananas

yourefragile

District of Columbia

4.4/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

750 mL bottle, thanks for delivering to my door Thorpes!

So, you know how Fantome makes a grip of beers under random labels, where it isn't always clear what the difference of one from another is? This is a good version of one of those.

Pours a glowing, hazed rust amber with a thick, fluffy off white head. Good retention, fades to a thin layer and clumps of lace. Aroma of the woodlands, tart and lemon, grassy, hibiscus petal, pine, peach, Starburst, and seriously, this smells like a Fantome. Flavor adds a little acidity to the mix and a stronger hibiscus presence (which is well balanced without being distracting like some other unnamed beers), with lemon, peach, sweet yeast, mild acidity, grassy hops and deliciousness. Effervescent carbonation, full bodied, soft and crisp with a dry refreshing finish. Boom, great saison. Don't sleep on this under the Grassroots label.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 03:31:35 | More by yourefragile

davey101

Connecticut

4.51/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle into a tulip glass. Bottled January, 2013. Gushed over immediately after opening but luckily settles down after a quick pour.

A - The body is a dark amber with a faint shade of purple to it. Rather unique color which is only accented by the clarity. Plenty of soapy bone-white head which eventually settles down to a thin calm edge. Great lacing with a low level of retention.

S - Strong hibiscus flowers right off the bat. A bit of clean lemon peel and a great earthy funk. Some wheat and a certain sweetness lingers on the nose.

T - Floral elements lead way to lemons, house yeast and a bit of a sweet strawberry/honey mixture. Lightly tart but this finishes so dry and crisp that its never lasting or tiring. Lingering earthiness, faintly cheesey.

M - Light, crisp, and delicate. Carbonation is low and prickly which combined with the flavor profile and moderate level of tartness makes for an absurdly drinkable saison. The clean finish is just perfect here.

O - This was inspired by a Fantome brew day...and it shows. The flavor and aroma is such a great combination of floral, sweet, tart, and earthy. This is just an excellent saison and the hibiscus seems better integrated than any other floral beers I've tried. Very impressive.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 06:56:50 | More by davey101

cfrances33

Illinois

4.55/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Bottle poured into a Hill Farmstead stem.

Pour: Completely clear orange with some rose accents. A nice two fingers of white head form. Not much lacing. This is probably the most crystal clear beer I've ever had.

Smell: Big floral aspects, but as you hone in on the glass, lots of funk and lemon. A bit of lactic tartness comes through. Almost a honey aspect, but only just.

Taste: Woah. A lactic bite up front, but lots of lemon tartness, and a bright floral aspect. The floral aspect carries into the finish. A touch of doughy sweetness, but rather faint. Dry, and tart.

Mouthfeel: Light, but very refreshing. Crab is smooth and this is incredibly drinkable. Tartness is light but adds to the drinkability.

Overall: Very fantastic saison. This would be perfect on a warm day.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 03:50:24 | More by cfrances33

jaasen64

Massachusetts

4.38/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle poured into HF stemmed glass.

A- Pours a reddish orange with about a finger of head that recedes to a quarter of a finger, has great retention, and leaves nice layered lacing. Tons of tiny carbonation bubbles brilliantly streaming towards the top of the glass with very nice consistency.

S- Floral hibiscus, oranges, acidic lemons, saison yeast. All the aromas meld beautifully together and has a distinct clean, crisp but tart smelling HF aroma from the saison yeast and well water. This actually might be one of my favorite smelling HF beers.

T- Oranges, lemon acidity, tart saison yeast, honey, finishes with hibiscus petals, a light tartness and a lingering fruitiness of oranges, lemons, a bit of hibiscus, and maybe some strawberries. Quite complex for a saison and very tasty.

M- Crisp, refreshing, easy drinking, fairly light, nice lightly tingly carbonation, typical HF saison feel.

O- Wow this beer was fantastic. Right up there with all the other HF saisons, maybe even slightly better. I think this might tie with Anna as being my favorite. I highly recommend checking this out if you like HF saisons, you will not be disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 00:18:20 | More by jaasen64

tehzachatak

Massachusetts

4.4/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.25

750 mL bottle poured into a Pretty Things goblet.

A - strawberry colored, perfectly transparent, thin white head.

S - damn. strawberry, hibiscus, some barnyard funk, lemon, nectarine. glorious. smells like a lambic.

T - slight acidity, honey, lime zest, honeysuckle (this is the primary flavor i get, actually). not really much hibiscus. really, really yummy.

M - really really thin. this weakens this beer a lot for me. medium carb, very drinkable, but waaay too thin. perhaps i'll sit on my other bottle and let it develop.

stil awesome.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 01:56:28 | More by tehzachatak