Farmhouse Pale Ale - Oxbow Brewing Company

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First had: on tap at Monk's, Philly, PA

Pale golden-yellow color, hazy, with a small but solid cap of white head; some retention and lacing. Fruity esters in the nose, spicy yeast. Good saison qualities in the taste, grassy, herbal, light funk, sweet stone fruits, and a light peppery yeastiness. Crisp, light-medium mouthfeel, soft carbonation, easily drinkable. All of the three beers I sampled from Oxbow were pretty similar, but they were all definitely good. I'd like to see them more often.

Serving type: on-tap

04-12-2013 02:50:51 | More by Rifugium

BeardedBoffin

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

I enjoyed this brew on tap at Alewife in Baltimore. It arrived a dark golden tinged with brown. The white cap of foam was a nice touch. The aroma has a freshness about it: green apple, pear, citrus, and a touch of honey. The grain comes through as well. Light, clean, and nimble on the palate. More fresh fruit, some sweetness, as it finishes with a bit of bitterness. I would like to see a more acidic bite to this, and perhaps a little more funk. The hop presence make up for that to produce a clean crisp brew.

Serving type: on-tap

03-24-2013 00:10:25 | More by BeardedBoffin

MeneerBeerSnob

District of Columbia

4.3/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Growler poured into a tulip.

a-It pours a hazy dark straw color with one finger of white head.

s-A strong herbal hoppy smell dominates with a background of saison yeast and citrus fruits.

t-Very refreshing hoppy bitterness hits the palate followed by citrus and yeast then ending in a spicy herbal dry finish.

m-Smooth body with lively carbonation to accentuate the refreshing taste.

o-One of the best saison's I've ever had. I like that the hoppy bitter taste doesn't overwhelm the other lighter flavors and stays refreshing. I see myself drinking this as a farmer in the Low Countries after a long day of work.

Serving type: growler

03-23-2013 19:35:16 | More by MeneerBeerSnob

cbutova

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Glad to see Oxbow ontap at Armsby Abbey.

A- Tulip pour from the tap with a golden body. Fluffy white head forms to about a finger in size. Cap retention is good but only spotty lace remains from a creamy ring.

S- As described, a good mix of American hops and Saison yeast. Citrus peel, some fruits, grass, herbal and yeast spice notes. Not the most strength for this style but still nice.

T- Shines here. For a flagship or year round, this really hits the nail. Hard to determine where everything comes from but its nice and balanced. Bitter orange peel, herbal things like thyme (mildly) almost, raisin, coriander, grassy and lemon zest notes are pleasant. Really good use of the yeast, encompasses a lot.

MF- Silky body with a bubbly feel which is very smooth. Herbal and zesty bitter finish.

Very good for what I think is their standard beer. Great balance with a melding of hops and awesome Saison yeast.

Serving type: on-tap

02-15-2013 22:39:24 | More by cbutova

kangarooAdam59

Maine

4.4/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

On-tap at Buck's Naked BBQ, Freeport ME:

In a pint glass:

A: hazy golden yellow colored body with a film of a white head. Some spider web lacing trickled down the sides of the pint glass.

S: hops, spice, apple, pear, light honey and lemon at the very end.

T: balanced between sweet and spicy. It got sweeter as the beer warmed.

M: light, sessionable, acceptable harshness on the tongue, leaving a dry aftertaste

O: I really like this but am trying to figure out how its a saison, I thought it was more of an American Pale Ale.

Serving type: on-tap

02-06-2013 00:26:30 | More by kangarooAdam59

ThePorterSorter

New York

4.3/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

On tap at Of Love & Regret

The beer pours a hazy honey yellow with 1/2 an inch of sticky white head. The nose is lemony yeast, with a touch of white grape and subtle pez. In the taste there is definitely a touch of yeast and citrus with a balanced lavender/white grape-y bitter finish. The mouthfeel is of a classic saison's yeasty sweetness with a semi-dry bitter finish.This is definitely a delicious farmhouse with pale ale influences.

Serving type: on-tap

02-04-2013 03:04:56 | More by ThePorterSorter

WillCarrera

Illinois

4.23/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Churchkey in DC, poured into a tulip glass.

A- Pours a very hazy golden yellow color, topped with two fingers of fluffy white head, very good retention and a nice sheet of lacing.

S- Very impressive aroma, lots of yeast and floral hops, as well as some crispy fruit and spice, maybe some honey also. It has a lot going on.

T- Also very nice, lots of yeast, spice and crispy apple, both of which work well with a mineral quality that lingers in the background. There's also some nice floral hops and a bit of honey-like sweetness.

M- Medium-bodied, smooth, dry feel.

O- A really nice saison, very complex and interesting, there's something about this beer that I can't quite put my finger on, it reminds me of Seizoen Bretta in a weird way. Anyway it's great stuff, definitely worth seeking out.

Serving type: on-tap

09-16-2012 04:49:25 | More by WillCarrera

WanderingFool

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Oxbow Farmhouse Pale Ale pours a hazy, hay yellow with a big, frothy white head. The foam fades away slowly coating the glass in netted lace.

The aroma is tart with notes of green apple, hay and some orange citrus. There's a touch of bready yeast also present.

Each sip of this light bodied beer is soft on the palate with mild carbonation. The flavor is light fruit and tartness. It starts with lemon citrus. In the middle is some toasted malt and sweet apple fruit notes. It finishes with a Belgian yeast flavor of clove and pepper. Once gone the clove and fruity tartness linger on the palate.

This beer is nicely balanced between sweet fruit and spice. It's easy to drink with lots of flavor.

Serving type: growler

07-23-2012 22:58:00 | More by WanderingFool

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.2/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at the Lion's Pride into a tulip.

A: Clear gold body under a sticky, fine white head. Nice spotty lace.

S: Very fresh, vibrant aroma of intensely floral hops backed by some assertively spicy yeast. A bit of citrus and breadiness as well. Fantastic hoppy saison nose.

T: Spicier and yeastier here, with some solid minerality and phenols ahead of some hay, grass, and floral hops. A bit of malt sweetness peeks in before the dry, bitter, spicy finish. Tasty.

M: Soft, well-carbonated, light-to-medium body. Good.

O: I wrote the above review off of a small pour at the bar, but then got to enjoy more of this terrific beer later that day at the brewery. Fresh from the tank it was even better, and I highly recommend it: it's a wonderful, distintive interpretation of a great style.

Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

06-25-2012 01:49:17 | More by woosterbill

benbazi

California

5/5  rDev +18.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A: Light yellow colored, nice lacing on the glass, minimal head

S: Slight funk, some barnyard

T; Dry with very slight hint of sourness.

M: Perfect mouthful overall, appropriate carbonation, medium bodied.

O: very good, Highley recommend, very refreshing pale ale with a hint of sour-style...

Serving type: on-tap

06-05-2012 03:12:30 | More by benbazi

Durge

Connecticut

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

Found at Nosh in Portland, Maine, this is a clear, golden amber with decent white head and great thin lacing. The aroma is rhubarb wheat citrus, a bit floral. Very polite and likeable. The flavor brings mild bubblegum sweetness and peppery wheat citrus. Body is medium light with fine carbonation for easy tingly feel that goes down easily. Hops linger with an accent on the bubblegum theme. Very drinkable and a fairly unique farmhouse with this Bazooka Joe component.

Serving type: on-tap

05-11-2012 04:55:50 | More by Durge

Bendurgin

Maine

4.18/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint at When Pigs Fly. This pours a hazy golden straw with no head.

The aroma has a nice funky profile with some oranges notes in the background. A little yeasty on the nose with notable funk. The pallet is a lot like the aroma. Hints of oranges with some yeasty notes of barnyard funk. A little bit of floral hops linger on the pallet.

Nice and light with good carbonation on this one. Overall this one is real solid. I feel like it shows promise for these guys.

Serving type: on-tap

04-16-2012 21:42:03 | More by Bendurgin

smakawhat

Maryland

3.9/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from the cask into a tulip glass at Churchkey DC.

Soapy white head with lots of staying power, classic white and maybe 2-3 mm tall. Body color is a slightly cloudy brass yellow to gold, but also while drinking this leaves some long leg lacing which is real nice.

Nose is fairly basic, but nothing too exciting. Soft chewy grain and malt, just a hint of barynard sense nothing much.

Taste is a real nice mix of soft orange, hinting at faint sour, quite juicy with the cask like texture and some real solid tangyness. Yeast faint spiciness on the finish, buttery and torula yeast tasting coming out like with some nice muted black pepper.

Overall quite interesting, and certainly fascinating to have a saison out of a cask.

Serving type: cask

04-09-2012 23:38:29 | More by smakawhat

drabmuh

Maryland

4.05/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at the Meridian Pint in DC. Beer is yellow and hazy with a wispy white head, small bubbles, some lacing, moderate carbonation.

Aroma is sweet, yeasty, a little odd, almost spicy.

Beer is light in body, nice yeast character, very unique tasting but I can't really describe this uniqueness. It has a nice finish, no aftertaste, not too bitter or dry, I'd have this again and others from the same brewery.

Serving type: on-tap

03-08-2012 18:27:49 | More by drabmuh

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.19/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

On tap at Meridian Pint. Served in a tulip.

Pours a nice golden color with a good white head and a bit of lacing. The nose carries a nice bit of earth and spice and light citrus character. More toward a Belgian IPA than a hoppy saison. Flavor is similar with earth and slight floral character taking over. Light body with good carbonation and a dry finish. Quite good.

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2012 23:58:17 | More by Thorpe429

yourefragile

District of Columbia

4.36/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Served in a tulip at Meridian Pint, DC.

Pours a hazed light golden copper with a pillowy white head. Fades to a thin collar and some thin webs of lacing. Earthy aroma, strong yeast and mild fruit esters. Medium thick body with soft carbonation and a dry, hoppy finish. Flavor is earthy, grassy and musty with a floral and resiny hop finish. Slight alcohol presence but otherwise this a lovely hoppy farmhouse ale.

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2012 17:45:01 | More by yourefragile

TonyReaves

Maine

4.13/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a growler I bought last weekend into a Duvel tulip. Poured hard and got a 1 1/2-inch head. Cloudy and blonde.

Smell is citrusy, with some straw and light breadiness.

This is a dry, dry ale with a strong Saison yeast flavor and a big hoppy finish. This is on the hoppy end for saisons.

Dry ale with high carbonation.

My wife and I shared a growler, and most of the way through I'm not remotely bored with this beer. An excellent saison.

I'd recommend making a trip to the brewery for growler fills if you're in Maine. They're really friendly.

Serving type: growler

01-07-2012 21:10:35 | More by TonyReaves

ggilman

Maine

4.03/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Novare Res, served ice cold in a tulip glass.

Hazy golden straw with tight bubbled finger of head. Sticky lace. Light fruit and yeast in the nose. Huge wave of bitterness washes over the palate, herbal rootsy bitterness with a slight wheaty funk. Sharp carbonation encourages small sips. Bitterness eases up as the ABV starts to show. Refreshing and dry, great example of the style, and full of promise!

Serving type: on-tap

12-28-2011 00:58:47 | More by ggilman

beerbiatchMD

Maine

4.1/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap into pint glass at Sonny's in Portland, ME.

A: light yellow/hay colored, minimal bright white head.

S: slightly sour, some funk but very minimal compared to a Fou' Foune or something.

T; bitter, wheaty, very slight hint of sourness.

M: good overall, appropriate carbonation, medium bodied.

O: very good, would definitely recommend, is a refreshing pale ale with a hint of sour-style.

Serving type: on-tap

12-17-2011 04:46:35 | More by beerbiatchMD

andrewinski1

Maine

3.98/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Pigs Fly. The color is hazy orange with just a few bubbles.

The aroma is full of sweet orange zest and malt.

The taste is malty in the front but finishes dry and slightly bitter. Lemongrass is noted throughout as this is very good.

The body is light and this is crisp and refreshing.

This is fantastic. Simple and enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

12-04-2011 17:33:47 | More by andrewinski1

Cadebro

Maine

3.73/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours a golden color with a half a finger of head.

S - Hoppy with a hint of funk and belgian yeast.

T - Hops and farmhouse funk with some grassy tones.

M - Medium bodies with a crisp carbonation and dry finish.

O - I enjoy Oxbow quite a bit. This is a solid beer, but I have enjoyed their freestlyes more than their regular beers.

Serving type: on-tap

11-10-2011 03:04:29 | More by Cadebro

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed this ontap while at the Lion's Pride. Poured into a tulip.

A - Pours a clear golden straw with a one finger head that leaves very nice side lacing down the tulip.

S - Very nice clean, fresh, wet hops in this aroma. Just a slight hint of beglgian spices on the nose.

T - More of the same with sharp, fresh hops being first and foremost. In the middle there are more dry, saison qualities from the belgian yeasts with a nice grassy hop finish.

M - Very nice carbonation for this one. Keeps it light with a good dry crisp finish.

O - Really enjoyed this offering from Oxbow. I've tried all their beers and these guys are no joke. Solid offerings all around.

Serving type: on-tap

11-07-2011 17:46:50 | More by rudzud

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to rudzud for bringing this back from his ME excursion.

Light fizzy head, hazy pale golden color.

Nose light floral hops, touch fruit, touch golden malts, slight hint of spices from the yeast with a dry bready like aroma.

Taste starts with earthy slight herbal hops, decent hop bite, juicy fruit, spicy hop, creamy malts, hints of an interesting dry spicy like saison taste, which must be from the yeast. Long bitter grassy hop finish.

Mouth is lighter bodied, decent carb.

Overall nice, decent bitterness, floral almost grassy hops, very drinkable. Unique and tasty.

Serving type: growler

11-01-2011 14:02:53 | More by jlindros

lordofthewiens

Maine

4.13/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Lilee's in Brunswick. This was a really beautiful-appering beer. In a pint glass it was a hazy apricot color with a medium-sized white head. There was quite a bit of lace.

It had a citrus, peppery aroma that was very pleasant. There was a nice malt background.

Lemon and pepper taste. Nicely hopped. Sweet malt.

Dry and crisp. A really fun beer to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

10-25-2011 21:31:08 | More by lordofthewiens

timtim

District of Columbia

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

gorgeous dark gold color with just a touch of haze. white head that leaves proper lace. nose is... yum! beautiful. like sniffing the air on a perfect, breezy day in the country. fresh lemons on the tree, lemongrass, grass, pepper, fruit, preserved lemon, spice and the scent of outdoorsish purity with mild hints of citrus and pine in the background. this beer smells like life. taste is clean, crisp and pure. nothing is overstated. belgian-style fruit and yeasty/spiciness hits first, but in a very subtle, elegant fashion. hops come out next as they mingle with just the slightest hint of pepper/farm/funk(?) and create a pleasant, citrusy, tingling bitterness that is just barely there in the finish. excellent. near-perfect balance. everything rings out with it's own voices in harmony just as they should. crisp, smooth and flavorful enough to return to all night long (which is what i did by the way, and I rarely order the same beer twice when i am at a craft-centric bar with tons of draft offerings - it was that good). medium body that melts in my mouth. clean finish. no aftertaste. wow. very impressive first offering from these country boys. the real sh*t, s&*t to make 'em feel s$%t!

Serving type: on-tap

09-11-2011 14:28:50 | More by timtim