Saison Vieille Artisanal - Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project

kojevergas

California

3.43/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

375ml brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap acquired for $4.99 and served into a generic non-pint nonic glass in me gaff in high altitude Castle Rock, Colorado. Reviewed live. Expectations are above average; Crooked Stave is growing on me.

Served straight from the fridge. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

Paired with fritos in classic american fashion.

A: Pours a one finger beige colour head - disappointingly thin - of fair cream and above average retention. Body colour is a clear pale copper-gold. Translucent. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show.

Sm: A bit of pleasant tartness/sourness. Pale malts. Delightful funk. A bit too assertive for a saison. Lacks peppery character. No real yeast character. No alcohol is detectable. Pleasant, but clinical for a saison. Not the rural farmhouse wood-fired saison character you'd expect from a quality brewer like Fantome, for example. A moderate strength aroma.

T: Nicely tart and funky. Lacks peppery character or the subtlety of a good saison. Still, I like the light sourness. Pale malts form the foundation. Not as complex or subtle as I'd like.

Mf: Smooth and wet, but a bit thin and lackluster. Approaches luscious but never quite gets there. Decent palate presence. Complements the flavour profile decently.

Dr: Drinkable and enjoyable. I do like it for a domestic saison, but it's amateur when compared to saisons like those of Dupont or Fantome. Hides its modest ABV as well as you'd expect. I like it, but I doubt I'd pick it up again. A pretty good offering from Crooked Stave.

B-

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 02:53:51 | More by kojevergas

InspectorBob

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%

05-17-2013 12:40:44 | More by InspectorBob

stealth

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%

05-15-2013 07:36:05 | More by stealth

ScottO

California

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%

05-14-2013 14:29:55 | More by ScottO

mjw1200

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%

05-14-2013 02:40:16 | More by mjw1200

Bonko_the_sane

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%

05-12-2013 18:41:39 | More by Bonko_the_sane

bahnfire

Vermont

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%

05-10-2013 14:17:14 | More by bahnfire

drlovemd87

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -7.2%

05-10-2013 03:25:08 | More by drlovemd87

zrab11

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%

05-10-2013 02:35:41 | More by zrab11

bstyle

Indiana

3.5/5  rDev -13.4%

05-09-2013 06:56:41 | More by bstyle

UCLABrewN84

California

3.79/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Bottle shared at GRG1313’s tasting.

Pours a murky orange with a foamy off-white head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, grain, fruit, wood, and a distinct buttery aromas. Taste is much the same with sour fruit flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of woody bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer that smells slightly better than it tastes in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 01:35:14 | More by UCLABrewN84

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

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

Shared with my wife while watching old school Star Trek.

Served in my Crooked Stave glass. Thanks Josh!

The beer is golden with a half inch of white head. The aroma brings funk, grass, yeast, earthy grains, sweet fruits, light spice, citrus. Lovely. The flavor follows suit, with a nice, lip smacking pucker in the finish. Earthy and bready. Pretty light in body and a pleasure to sip.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 20:36:11 | More by Huhzubendah

Beaver13

Colorado

3.35/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

375 ml bottle. Pours hazy straw yellow with a medium creamy white head that goes to a thin film that laces the glass.

The aroma is funky bitter piney sourness with a little bile.

The flavor is light straw like malts and a little fruit with some brett and a dry medium bitter finish. The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied with low but prickly carbonation.

Overall, a nice lighter beer. I like the saison, brett and hop interaction.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 01:40:46 | More by Beaver13

boogercrack

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%

04-30-2013 02:39:33 | More by boogercrack

hiphopj5

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -7.2%

04-19-2013 16:36:05 | More by hiphopj5

huskermike12

Iowa

4/5  rDev -1%

04-19-2013 15:53:33 | More by huskermike12

match1112

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -7.2%

04-16-2013 00:17:34 | More by match1112

TychoNDC

New York

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%

04-15-2013 17:43:29 | More by TychoNDC

Caleb

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -7.2%

04-13-2013 03:47:37 | More by Caleb

ShemRahBoo

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%

04-08-2013 16:33:06 | More by ShemRahBoo

RoninTK3

Rhode Island

4.43/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Gold/orange with a bit of white head that quickly dissipates.

S - Apples, kiwi, sweet fruit, a bit of funk. A bit grassy.

T - Lots of peach, apple, and kiwi. Very fruity and quite a bit of tartness. Not much of the typical saison characteristics other than a bit of funk. A sour/resiny aftertaste.

M - Light, lot of carbonation, very refreshing. Resiny.

This is a nice, refreshing beer with lots of fruit and tartness and a touch of funk. If it was easier for me to get I'd imagine it could be a go to summer beer for me.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 01:21:28 | More by RoninTK3

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.96/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

This poured out as a hazy orange color with a soapy white head on top. The retention is minimal, leaving some suds around the edge of the glass. The lacing is spotted along the glass. The smell has a very funky sour aroma, but I also pick up some elements of fresh earthy pine and oak in there. There is also some black pepper on the nose as well. The taste is actually much easier going than I expected. It's flavors are soft, there is a subtle amount of wheat that shows up, there is a decent amount of acidic lemon in there as well. It's not too spicy either. The mouthfeel is very light, almost watery. The carbonation is good, it's very drinkable and each going. Not bad.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 21:51:40 | More by Knapp85

cfrances33

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%

04-05-2013 13:27:52 | More by cfrances33

SkeeterBoganski

Colorado

4/5  rDev -1%

04-04-2013 19:15:23 | More by SkeeterBoganski

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%

03-30-2013 12:41:24 | More by Thorpe429