Green Flash / St. Feuillien Friendship Brew - Green Flash Brewing Co.

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

2.54/5  rDev -22.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A-Did not know it was a black Saison. Pours very dark with a light white head. Light struggles to get through.

S-Oh no. Burnt rosemary? Anise. Spicy and herbal. Cooking spices. Yeasty and toasty.

T-A burnt arrangement of cooking spices. Menthol. Not even close to appetizing.

M-Dreaded each sip.

O/D-Bad.

Serving type: on-tap

03-21-2013 01:05:21 | More by VelvetExtract

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.49/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Served on tap in a 10 oz chalice glass

Appearance –Served a black colored brew with a small tan head. The head faded quite fast, leaving a nice amount of lacing on the sides of the glass.

Smell – The aroma is heaviest of a roasted malt mixed with spices of coriander and clove. Some pepper aromas as well as some funky aroma are mixed in as well giving it a odd roasted and funked saison kind of smell.

Taste – The flavor begins with a strong dose of roasted malt mixed with a small amount of a citrus taste. Spices of pepper and clove are rather heavy up front. While the spices dwindle toward the end they remain ever present in the taste. A herbal and grassy flavor comes to the tongue at the middle to the end. These flavors take the taste to its end where a roasted and lightly bittered grass/herb flavor is left to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel- The body of the beer was on the medium side in terms of its creaminess with a carbonation level that was average as well. Both were a good compromise for the roasted body of the beer and the more funky and spicy flavors.

Overall – A fairly interesting beer in my opinion. While the flavors don’t meld perfectly at all times they make for an interesting combination and style. While it isn’t one I would go to on any real occasion, it is a good one to try.

Serving type: on-tap

01-27-2013 00:14:37 | More by Darkmagus82

KVota

4.95/5  rDev +50.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On tap, this beer began by tasting like the St. Feuillien Saison, then it changed to having lemony notes, then it finished with the light chocolate and mouth feel of a porter. I went back to have it 3 or 4 times while the bar near my house had it on tap and I never regreted it. They served it out of a porter glass, which may have enhanced the porter finish...

Had it out of a bottle the other day, after searching for months for somewhere that carried it, and it was bitter. The lemon was over powering, the traditional Belgian saison flavor non-existent, and it had none of the appearance the one on tap had. Looked and tasted like a completely different beer. While I give it a 5 on tap, I'd give it a 1 from the bottle....

Serving type: on-tap

12-28-2012 03:37:18 | More by KVota

merc7186

New York

3.55/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Mr Goodbar in Buffalo NY, poured into pint glass.

A: Dark Black Hue, Passes No Light, Thick Brown Head, Great Lacing

S: Floral, Sweet Tarts

T: Floral, Sweet Tarts, Mild Dark Wheat

M: Great carbonation, Medium Bodied, Mildly Spicy

Overall, its was a little weird and wouldn't recommend.

Serving type: on-tap

12-27-2012 03:11:59 | More by merc7186

Tombomb

Pennsylvania

2/5  rDev -39%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Started out looking like a winner. Nice color and an interesting aroma. The nose was almost medicinal? Then the taste...had a hard time even getting it down. The face I made had the whole group laughing. So much so that they had to "see how bad it was" we all had the same reaction. I think it may have been infected or something. It had a distinct band-aid taste that was very unpleasent. One guy at the bar who was sipping his Sam Adams Winter lager had to ask what was so funny and decided to see how bad it was. We protested that the bartender should warn people before pouring that it was not for everyone. Very disapointed since I usually enjoy the offerings from Green Flash and normally like a saison...

Serving type: on-tap

12-24-2012 22:41:30 | More by Tombomb

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

2.73/5  rDev -16.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

11 ounce pour - $6.50 at Taco Mac in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Appearance: Brought to my dark, dank corner of the bar a very dark brown body with infinitesimally small bubbles arising from the sides of the glass. Smallish, khaki-colored head depositing a fair amount of lace on the way down.

Smell: Florals that crank the scent dial towards heavily herbal atop astringent burnt, blackened malts and licorice root. Smells like Ricola cough drops.

Taste: Roasted maltiness leaning towards touches of burnt black malt. Near nil sweetness. Then, that rather curious St. Feuillien spice mix that again just screams Ricola (though I guess honking Ricola through one of those long-ass alphorns is more appropriate). Charred prune skins. It's warming, heavily spiced, with coarse burnt malts.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium-plus carbonation.

Overall: It's all well and good to have a collaboration but one best ens--hey, hold up a sec, my cough... it's gone! Thanks, Green Flash/St. Feuillien!

Serving type: on-tap

11-11-2012 15:55:57 | More by ChainGangGuy

searsclone

Arizona

2.35/5  rDev -28.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Had on tap as 1/3 of a flight. Looks like a small pint glass, maybe 4 oz

Solid thick black with a super sticky beige head.

Smell is like a horse barn, alfalfa and hay and earth

Taste is more of the horse barn. Maybe some mint or spice with a bitter coffee finish.

Mouth feel is balanced with carbonation and smoothness.

Overall, I'm glad that I didn't have a full glass of this. The small glass was plenty, if not too much.

Serving type: on-tap

11-09-2012 02:45:53 | More by searsclone

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +19.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Greenflash
Friendship Brew
Style: Dark Saison

LOOK: Dark brown in color with a mocha cream head and active carbonation rising to the surface. Leaves plenty of lace, looking like a well hopped brew.

SMELL: Herbs, roasted malts, hops, musty basement and band aid.

TASTE: Very earthy and spicy with a roasted malt base. Notes of peppercorns, sage, anise, lemongrass and grapefruit rind are strong in the taste. Has a small earthy tartness and a good dose of hops. Fairly bitter, which works well with the other strong flavors.

FEEL: Medium bodied, very smooth and only slightly dry for the style.

OVERALL: An interesting take on the Saison style. Earthy, herbal, and pretty nice all in all.

Serving type: on-tap

11-04-2012 17:19:31 | More by Stinkypuss

mactrail

California

3.7/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Dark spiced ale that I would call a Belgian Dark rather than a Saison, but I suppose it's all in the yeast. Really interesting spicy flavor with a lot of the meaty, savory umami taste. Seems like there are three kinds of bitterness-- hops, herbs, and Belgian yeast. Barnyard funk in the nose, hay and hoppy resins on the tongue. The herbs are hard to place. Perhaps anise, hibuscus, licorice root, cigar wrappers, sage, and coriander.

Dark brown and near opaque in the pint glass . Modest foam and appropriate carbonation. Ends with a bite of bitter bark. On tap at Local Habit in San Diego. 5.7% seems to be the accepted abv. I had a couple of different St. Feuillien brews in Belgium last week, and it was one of my favorite breweries. Green Flash ought to just borrow a couple of their recipes for the classics and brew them here.

Serving type: on-tap

10-23-2012 04:29:37 | More by mactrail

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Beer is black with a moderately-sized tan head. Head fades fairly quickly. Some lace.

Smell contains spices, along with roasted malt and ginger. Fairly weak smell.

Lots of spice in the taste. Cardamom sticks out for me, also white pepper and ginger. A malty base, somewhat roasted, with some Belgian yeast.

Medium bodied, strongly carbonated. Irritating.

Overall, meh. Pretty average.

Serving type: on-tap

10-11-2012 20:46:56 | More by jrenihan

barczar

Kentucky

3.18/5  rDev -3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours an opaque black color with a solid half inch mocha head that lingers.

Sweet tarts, hay, and barnyard funk lead the aroma, with floral and perfumey/medicinal notes adding complexity. There's a subtle sweet roast malt character underneath.

Flavor is very phenolic, with medicinal and rubbery notes overtaking the flavor, carrying into a bitter, very dry finish. Tastes like robitussin with enough barnyard flavor to almost make it drinkable...almost. There's a little sourness, a bit fruity, if you can get past the phenols. Spicy notes surface as it warms, with chamomile, cardamom, and clove providing respite. The roast, burnt character of the malt comes out more, as well, and the medicinal tones subside somewhat.

Body is on the light side, with high carbonation and a bit of roast astringency.

Overall, as with the rayon vert, the medicinal and plastic phenols detract from the experience. The spice phenols are not strong enough to dominate. I'm apparently sensitive to 'bad' phenols, though, so some people may enjoy this more than I. It improves as it warms...so much so that I'd recommend ordering one and leaving it sit 20 minutes or so.

Serving type: on-tap

10-05-2012 21:21:09 | More by barczar

KTCamm

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev +18.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap in a pint glass at Little Pub in Ridgefield, CT.

Pours very dark brown, good thick lasting head of foam. Lacing abound. Roasted smell, some pine. A touch funky. Taste is all at once an oaty fruity coffee. Fascinating blend. Some bitterness holds. Like a porter with an alter ego. Firm mouthfeel. Really good.

Serving type: on-tap

09-30-2012 11:28:39 | More by KTCamm

notchucknorris

California

3.65/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Green Flash

A: Pours black with a gorgeous fluffy khaki colored head. Really great retention.

S: A gpod amount of spiciniess in here. Cracked black pepper, cayenne, some roasted malt and some faint dark fruit.

T: A lot lighter than I expected. Roasted malt, some peppery hops and a lot of black pepper on the finish.

Serving type: on-tap

08-29-2012 22:53:43 | More by notchucknorris

Hopswagger

Oklahoma

3.41/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

P: Black slightly transparent body with mahogany tint. A massive mountain if rocky brown ice cream float head. Great retention that settles to a creamy crown. 3 rings of lacing cling to the sides.

S: Roasted malt, cocoa nibs, dark fruits, cumin, cardamom, black pepper, clove and faint licorice. Earthy farmhouse yeast and roasted grains. Aroma is similar to the spring time gain laundry detergent.

T/M: Lots of char in the taste with a bouquet of floral hops, dark cocoa, chalky yeast and a bite of cayenne pepper midway through the swish. Sweetness from burnt molasses, brown sugar and dark fruits. Medium-full body boasting zesty carbonation. Finish is semi dry with lingering spice, wild onions and leaves a dirty grainy feel behind.

O: Super complex nose with a great a roasted earthy spiced profile that delivers sugary sweetness to bring balance. The aroma is the main attraction. Im not a huge fan of dark saisons but this one is pretty decent.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 18:09:33 | More by Hopswagger

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.2/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75

Served in a Lagunitas mason jar.

Sure, they call themselves friends, but do they go bowling together? Anyway, this stuff pours a midnight russet-garnet topped by a finger of khaki foam. The nose comprises pumpernickel, light perfume, black pepper, clove, light ginger, brown sugar, cardamom, light candied orange peel, light toast, and a bit of licorice. Man, there's all sorts o' things goin' on here, I almost don't know what to do with it all. The taste generally brings in more of the same, though the toast is stronger and there pervades a strange bitterness and spiciness throughout, one that puts me off more than it intrigues me. The body is a light medium, with a moderate carbonation and a dry-ish finish. Overall, this is an odd duck, indeed. It's aroma is more than complex and intriguing, but the corresponding flavors just don't meld well together at all, leaving me wondering why they lied to me in the first place. Not the basis of a strong and prosperous friendship, if you ask me...

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 07:17:04 | More by TMoney2591

dbossman

Nebraska

3.9/5  rDev +18.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Quite black with a cocoa-colored, bubbly, froth head; lacing is really nice

S: Spicy and fruity: bananas, cloves, apples, pepper, rosemary, anise; also bready and a touch of chocolatey; a strange but strangely appetizing blend of aromas

T: Grassy herbal flavors mingle with spicy fruity flavors: subtle anise, mint, grass, banana, cloves; this is weird but unlike most of the review, I like this

F: Sticky, medium body; good mouth feel

O: Strange. But a really interesting beer nonetheless: roasty, spicy, grassy, herbaly; frankly, though, I like it

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 13:08:23 | More by dbossman

laituegonflable

Australia

3.45/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

The beer pours a dark brown colour. Head is over-generous but beautiful, sinking slowly to form a marshmallowy lump on the top - lacing left behind is gorgeous, beige and sticky. Looks fantastic.

Smells strongly funky, with a rich, comforting dark roastiness. Strong star anise notes as well, a touch of nutmeg and maybe some fennel. Spice has a slight sour note to it, and could use maybe some more sweetness on the nose. Just a tad overdone on the spice to make it keel off-balance.

Taste is slightly more in balance. Roastiness underlies it all, slight char note with light coffee grounds. Spice is there too - anise, clove and some pepper. Still has that slight sour, raw spice kind of flavour, unbridled, but the roast malt makes a decent complement.

Thinnish feel; no real presence in the mouth. A little bland, but OK for the palate that goes along with it.

If it were stronger it might make a more interesting blend, or if there were more Belgian yeast notes, too. The spice is the dominant figure throughout, and the beer seems a bit uninteresting in what it does with it.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 10:26:26 | More by laituegonflable

MalterMatthau

Nebraska

3.48/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This is an interesting brew, and in my lifelong quaffing continuum up to this point it stands out, so it james garners a mention here.

Appearance: held up to the early spring sunshine it allows no light to penetrate its obscurity. 3.5 for standing tough like onyx to the rays of the sun.

The smell is less than stellar, perhaps like forgotten licorice discovered stuck at the bottom of a jar. 2.5 for reminding me of a grandfather I never knew.

The taste of this Friendship Brew is its most remarkable aspect, a combination of anise and mint and nutmeg that my palette takes notice of continuously throughout imbibing. Four.

Overall, I'm happy to taste a new taste in beer but I'm not going to aggressively pursue buying another bottle. It should be noted that I finally tried this because of a three dollars price reduction.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 19:30:48 | More by MalterMatthau

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

2.88/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

Even though I paid $1.75 for this I still feel cheated. Color is that of a stout with no inescapable light and a 1/4 inch of deep mocha head. For some reason I wanted this to smell like a Black IPA but alas little to no hops in the nose just mint, anise, and a touch of coriander. Taste is only mildly palatable and makes me wonder why they even bottled this monstrosity. Burn rosemary, deep black anise (which isn't terrible but not great) and a mildly fruity yeast in the finish. Mouthfeel isn't that terrible giving me a medium chewy body much bigger than I would expect for such a low ABV Saison.

Overall this beer is pretty much a fail in the sense of friendship. It made me hate green Flash all over again (still can't drink west coast IPA it taste like soap)

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 00:44:28 | More by DrDemento456

Lawl3ss

Texas

1.95/5  rDev -40.5%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 1.75 | overall: 1.5

Chilled 22 oz. bomber into a 12-oz tulip. Bottled 7.31.12.

Look- Deep ruby brown, started with a glass full of foam, needed four pours to get it into the two tulips. Head is loose, pearlescent off-white, falls quickly. Sparse lacing.

Smell- Funky, lighter than expected. Spicy, minty, floral. No trace of darker malts. Dominated by the yeast.

Taste- Similar to the nose, light citrus, mint, funky, touches of roast and black malt here and there, but pretty vague- more like cola than anything. There are a number of things going on here but they don't add up to anything good- spices come across as medicinal. Finishes ashy and metallic, borderline unpleasant.

Mouthfeel- Prickly, dry-ish, medium heft. Coating, lingering listerine feel. 5.7%? I would have guessed at least 8% with how harsh it is.

Overall- It's got a feel that I generally associate with an infected homebrew- slick, overcarbonated, harsh, metallic finish. Vaguely reminiscent of a few of Jester King's wild yeast-spiked offerings, but theirs are actually good, whereas this one was pretty difficult to choke down. Feels sort of half-done, like they were shooting for something and fell short. I wouldn't buy it again and would probably pass if it was offered for free. A pity, as I generally like Green Flash.

I'm going to knock another half-point off of my overall score because the brewers chose to A) bottle the stuff and B) charge so much for it.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 01:11:54 | More by Lawl3ss

beagle75

Iowa

3.49/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a tulip glass.

A: Opaque black color with dense and lofty mocha-tinted foam that collapses to one finger of stable head. Heavy lacing remains on the glass.

S: Fragrant mint and sage are potent, immediately evoking memories of Stone's Saison du Buff. Fine threads of moist earth and body odor represent the combined, tangled influences of Belgian yeast and roasted barley.

T: Begins dry, with smooth roast, cooling mint, and buttermilk that is unctuous and tangy. Early flavors are all delivered simultaneously, much to the confusion of the taster's palate. Herbaceous aromatics and dark dairy qualities provide a bridge into the finish where resurgent roast leaves the palate very dry. Brisk mint aromatics linger after other flavors have faded.

M: Medium viscosity, aggressively cooling on the palate, with moderate carbonation.

D/O: Unique but a little too experimental for its own good, this beer threatens to cross the line between interesting and unappealing flavor combinations. Aromatic herbs are unfettered, providing surprising tactile attributes and bright contrast to the reliably dark but otherwise muddled qualities of yeast and malt. Not highly desirable in the final tally, but worth experiencing once.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 01:18:10 | More by beagle75

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.6/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

12oz Bottle from Party Source Syracuse NY for $3.50

Appearance - Dark brown colour with a large size fizzy light brown head. I can't make out the amount of carbonation showing and there is some good lacing. The head lasted for 2-3 minutes before it was gone.

Smell - Malts, chocolate, grains, anise, lemons, smokey/burnt notes

Taste & Mouth - There is an above average amount of carbonation and I can taste malts, chocolate, and coffee. There are also some smokey/burnt notes, anise, and a bit of a graininess and some sour citric flavours. It ends with a tart yet smokey aftertaste.

Overall - Can't say I've ever had a beer quite like this one. It's like a kitchen sink type of beer - everything has been thrown in. I can see how some would say this is a mess, but I can appreciate the uniqueness. Not something I'd rush out to get more of, but well worth a try to see how far the limits of beer can be stretched.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 23:51:30 | More by spinrsx

kojevergas

California

2.5/5  rDev -23.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.5

1 pint 6 fl oz brown glass bottle with branded pressure cap acquired for $8.99 at the Cap N Cork in Los Feliz. 5.7% ABV according to my bottle. Label is blue and clearly identifies it as a collaboration with St Feuillien. Reviewed live. Expections are low given the current ratings and the brewery in combination with the style (is Green Flash capable of executing a black saison? I highly doubt it.) Brewed and bottled by Green Flash.

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.

Not paired with food.

A: Shocked at the seeming overcarbonation as I poured. Pours a seven finger head of surprisingly appealing tan colour, great smooth cream, fantastic thickness, and excellent (~10+ minute) retention. The head just sits there; it's not receding at all. Body colour is a solid nontransparent black. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Opaque. Fair lacing as the head slowly slowly recedes. Quite foamy. It certainly looks overcarbonated. In any case, I'm excited to try it.

Sm: Peppermint/spearmint, biscuity yeast, and generic malts. Mint is dominant. Some blood-orange. Pumpkin gourd. Medicinal aspirin. Light timid leather. Maybe light brett yeast. Earthy notes. Fennel/anise/light licorice. Light soapy hops. Those are the only notes me broken nose can detect; all apologies, lads. A moderate strength aroma, and dareisay a unique one. I'm excited to try it.

T: Okay. Hm. Dominant mint, light fennel/anise/licorice. Light pumpkin gourd. Crappy cola notes. A bit medicinal, but in the best way possible - if that makes any sense. No bretts or yeast come through. No leather either. Lightly soapy hops. I expected this to be awful given current ratings; that isn't the case. Though it's not good. It's certainly not balanced well; this is a real mess. Buried roasted barley. Dark malts. Earthy character - which isn't doing it any favors. Lacks subtlety and balance. Underwhelmingly executed, but I don't know that it's bad. Certainly unfocused, but I like the ambition and experimentation. There are many beers that fail because they simply don't try; this one really goes for it - and fails spectacularly. I think there's respectability in that. I wouldn't say that I like it, per se, but it's not the crapfest current ratings (76) suggest.

Mf: Smooth and wet. Okay thickness. Light creamy quality. Carbonation is a bit overdone, but it works here. Palate presence is okay. It suits the flavour profile okay. Doesn't lack body.

Dr: Drinkable. Not stellar, not awful, but drinkable. People are being a bit harsh on it, methinks. It's not a great Black Saison - or even a good one. But it's not awful, either. I always applaud experimentation. This is one effort that seems to suffer from its nature as a collaboration beer; I can't help but think that it'd have turned out far better if St Feuillien had brewed it alone. In any case, I won't be buying it again - especially at its high price point. As a saison fan, I don't think much of this offering - but I appreciate what they were going for. The elements here just really don't mesh. Also, why is the ABV so low?

High D+

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 06:19:25 | More by kojevergas

elNopalero

Texas

4.43/5  rDev +35.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Bottled on 8/7/12. Purchased 3/3/13 from a fine bottle shop. Assumed fresh (first time seeing this brew on the shelves) otherwise I would have checked. Enjoyed 3/5/13.

First impressions came from removing the cap and hearing a nice pfffssst! from the escaping carbon dioxide. Not that I’d expect a 7 month old beer to have gone flat but knowing that it still had this much life in it was encouraging.

I took the pour in stages as the brew had this wonderful tendency to foam, foam, foam, a rich, cocoa-colored creamy topping which lingered for some time and was quite a joy to watch. It definitely fits the description of a black saison, cocoa-tinged foam atop a black ale.
The aroma confronts you with a mix of chocolate roast and smoked cardamom (seriously) followed by an undertone which to me is unmistakably blood orange citrusy. It’s such a curious mix but tantalizing, and the more time I spend with it, the more it opens, the more I enjoy it.

The flavor starts off flatly bitter—the bitterness doesn’t peak, nor does it die off at the finish—with the roast notes and a blood orange zest coming across. There’s a touch of smoke with that smoked cardamom nuance, with enough of a body to support the flavors without becoming overwhelmed or too heavy.

At this point I’ve tried a handful of black saisons and this was one of the better ones. Hoping I see it again—fresh—so I can revisit it sometime.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 08:01:16 | More by elNopalero

Pencible

Virginia

4/5  rDev +22%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: This poured an opaque black with fluffy tan head.
S: It smelled like allspice and clove, with some pumpkin bread and grassy hops and horse blanket.
T: It tasted like grassy hops and allspice and pumpkin bread, with some clove and copper and horse blanket. It had a clean and funky and earthy aftertaste.
M: It was fairly thick with lots of carbonation. Nice full body.
D: This was a nice spicy beer, perfect for the holidays. The scent and taste were complex and enjoyable, and the body was fitting. The finish was smooth too, so it was easy to drink. Nice unique brew (surprisingly better than the black saison collaboration with Stone, Evil Twin, and Stillwater).

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 21:21:58 | More by Pencible