New Holland Farmhouse Hatter Belgian IPA - New Holland Brewing Company

elNopalero

Texas

4.36/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

2102 Vintage.

This bottle had about half a year’s time on it. At first crack of the cap it started foaming over. Clearly nice carbonation with a lot of life—very bubbly! Appropriate for the holiday celebration where I brought it.

This poured a golden tan color topped by some nice foam. There’s an estery aroma with a nice hoppy spice kick to it. I get an estery orange blossom scene. The flavor is clearly ‘saison’—estery and lively—with a crisp bitterness and some orange peel on the finish. It’s enjoyable even if (I presume) the hops have faded. I get a combination of orange peel and some stinky cheese characteristics as it opens.

The Farmhouse hatter has a definite rustic edge and a mild funk to it which is welcome in this day and age of mass-produced play-it-safe saisons.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 07:15:53 | More by elNopalero

CloudStrife

New York

3.9/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle poured into a tulip. Bottled May 8th 2012.

A: Pours an opaque bright orange gold with a 2 finger puffy white head. Tons of visible carbonation in the glass. Head takes a few minutes to dissipate and leaves some splotchy lacing.

S: Has a nice yeasty and hop blend. Spicy attributes to it, sort of a soapiness but also earthiness.

T: Yeasty and malty but balanced out by some nice bittering hops. You can taste all of the aspects of the beer and they are quite pleasant, but doesn't lean any one direction except perhaps belgian in general.

M: Medium bodied with ample carbonation. Very easy drinking, just a tad sticky from the hops but thats not bad.

Overall glad I could give this one a go, could be a little better fresher and on tap but still tasty nonetheless. Good for those who like things a little funky.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 02:03:13 | More by CloudStrife

AmitC

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +19.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Farmhouse hatter farmhouse IPA poured from a 22oz bomber into my large snifter.

Vintage 2012.

Amber color. Over one and half finger thick white bubbly-creamy head that persists very well. Slight haze that makes it translucent. Good bubbles. Excellent lacing.

Aroma : Awesome is the word that come to mind. Good mix of belgian ale flavors and IPA hops. Peppercorn and grassy floral hops. Slight fruity tones as well. Strong aroma. Smell rises as soon as the cap is half open. Quite complex. Nose has some pepper mint flavor as well.

Taste: Flavor is almost as complex as nose. Slight malt upfront with hop backbone. Spices and fruity taste as well. Bitter dry finish. Overall bitterness is quite less compared to a regular English or American IPA. Slight after taste of pepper mint that follows the nose.

Mouth feel : Very excellent medium bodied finish. Smooth. No astringency. Carbonation is a tad on the higher side though but does not take anything away from drinkability.

Style Rate: 4.5
Personal Rate: 4.5

Only drawback is low alcohol content. Otherwise top draw stuff.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 00:37:08 | More by AmitC

brewandbbq

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle.

Pours hazy copper with an inch-plus head of white. Stringy lacing and a mostly solid skim coat on the surface for the duration.

Aromatics lead off with candied fruit and citrusy hops. Candied apples, pears, mango, and sugar-dusted grapefruit with a hint of grape jam.

Light to medium bodied with a crisp mouthfeel.

Cut grass with citrus and wet hay starts the palate. Spicy hops with earthy undertones and a tropical fruit background.

Finishes with grass-rubbed citrus fruit, pine dew, and a hint of pineapple skins.

Very nice beer. The nose is a bit subdued for the style but it has plenty of complexity and a decent hop bite.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2012 00:59:46 | More by brewandbbq

TrentFox

3.6/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I poured some of a 22oz bottle into a belgian glass.

A- A slow but hearty-at-the-end pour gave two fingers of light tan head, which dissipated over the course of a few minutes to leave a thin layer of foam and medium lacing. The color is a bright light amber. Moderate carbonation bubbles are visible.

S- The smell is very yeasty with clear citrus notes. There is something almost nutty as well. It has that nice funky smell you get with some farmhouse ales.

T- The taste was interesting, and not quite what I was expecting. It drinks like a belgian IPA, but one that has a more serious yeast presence. It is somewhat sweet and has a light malt backbone. It finishes on the definite sour side, with flavors of lemon and a tart grassy/piny taste.

M- It is medium bodied, with light to medium carbonation. It isn't sticky, like some belgians with high sugar can be. It is pretty smooth, though the sourness drags a little.

O- I like this beer, and especially enjoy the prominent yeast, though the finish is a bit on the sour side. The 5% ABV makes it pretty easy drinking. And the lemon and grass/pine notes are enjoyable. Still, it doesn't establish itself as a real competitor to other heavy hitter Belgian IPAs. It would pair well with savory and rich soups or stews, where the lemon and hops could provide good contrast. This beer was a surprise from my girlfriend, and certainly enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 03:52:51 | More by TrentFox

BarryMFBurton

Indiana

3.68/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I probably wouldn’t have tried this, but every Hatter variation was only $5 at the bottle shop; couldn’t pass up a Belgian-style IPA at that price.

Brewed sometime this year (“Vintage 2012” on the back of the bottle).

A: Pale yellow-orange body, slow-moving head of thick white foam. Quite a bit of chunky retention, with layers of lacing coating the inside of the glass.

S: All the sweet, luscious aromas of juicy hops, emphasized by herbal Belgian scents: lemon zest, grapefruit, spicy herbs, and citrus. Slight esters and yeasty banana in the back, followed up with some notes of clove and pepper (like your typical saison). Good balance between spice and hops, but it never takes any big chances.

T: Same as the nose: nice hop and herb back-and-forth, but pretty timid overall. Flowery, soapy hops with notes of pine, berries, and citrus, with characteristic Belgian notes of spice (Noble hop-like). Chewy saison maltiness, showing traces of biscuit, peach, and only slightly apparent cherry-vanilla tastes. A bit of grass and coriander blends it together; it’s not too layered, adding to its not-too-complex character. Finishes mildly tart and dry; very midly.

M: Feels just like a saison: chewy, frothy yet smooth overall. Satisfying, but a little more carbonation would put it more to style.

O: An enjoyable beer – I could see myself buying this at a bar and being very happy.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2012 04:42:39 | More by BarryMFBurton

vette2006c5r

Wisconsin

4.28/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Farmhouse Hatter Belgian IPA pours a slightly dark golden color, with a nice size white head. There is a nice strong floral hoppy aroma. There is a nice strong floral hoppy taste, but then it blends with bits of a sweet candy like taste. Nice strong flavor, and a nice little kick of bitterness form the hops. Overall I found this fantastic. It has a typical floral bitter IPA, that mixes with sweet Belgian candy flavors, I found it unique and enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2012 02:02:22 | More by vette2006c5r

JackieTH

Minnesota

3.35/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

From Notes.

Poured a dark orange with a thin head that leaves fits of lace. Smell is malt, and lightly citric hop. Taste has citric elements along with fruit tartness, cherry and green grapes, gooseberries. Medium-light bitterness level. With all these flavors it would seem surprising that there isn't much depth and complexity. Mouthfeel is too light and it falls apart across the tongue. The aftertaste has late-appearing sour notes that linger.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2012 16:56:25 | More by JackieTH

match1112

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

bright clear amber body with a towering whith frothy head that stands four fingers tall. smell is real floral with hints of bread, citrus and yeast. taste is a crisp hop presence with yeasty bread and malt. mouthfeel is light and crisp yet oily with a dry finish. overall i really like this beer, easy drinkin, good taste, getcha some while you can.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2012 00:52:41 | More by match1112

beerthulhu

New Jersey

3.73/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: A feverish macro-bubbly effervesce rages within a bengal-tiger orange colored body. A frumpy, bready, oatmeal tinted head is a bout a finger high, but sticks around nicely. Lacing is kinda weak, sparse, yet the head somehow manages to maintain a coverage thoughout the course of the drink.

S: Light smoky pine, old barn wood, musky cobwebs and grapefruit. A bit of lightly kilned orange peel, herbaceous scent of parsely and celery. Moderate level of awareness, good complexity.

T: Spicy bright and tart flavor of oranges, dry pineapple with a peppery flair. Herbaceous musky scent of hops, pine, grapefruit, tart lemon with a dry woodsy-grassy finish. Bright oranges sneak out once in awhile with a manageable funk.

M: Tightly bubbly sensattion on the tip of the tongue for mouthful. Medium body with a peppery wood finish off the tongue.Small alcohol warmth.

O: a decent farmhouse ipa, managebale funk for those who don't like it overdone. Toasted peppery flair with a decent level of hops. End of day a solid mid level B range style.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2012 22:54:16 | More by beerthulhu

Darkmagus82

Montana

4/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap in a 10 oz chalice glass

Appearance – Served a hazy orange color with a white head. The head faded over a moderate amount of time to leave a lighter level of lacing.

Smell – Standard Belgian style IPA with a good dose of biscuit, banana, and yeast. Mixed with these aromas are lighter aromas of pepper and a grassy like smell.

Taste – The flavor starts out more heavily of citrus and tropical fruit. A somewhat bitter orange and lemon hoppiness are mixed with banana, pineapple and mango. Along with these at the start, is a yeasty taste. As the flavor advances some of the spicy and peppery notes that were detected in the nose come to the tongue. A grassy and pine hop flavor then enter the taste along with a upsergance of the yeasty flavors to in the end leave a bitter yeast cake flavor left on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is on the light to medium side with the carbonation level being on the higher side. The carbonation is very fitting for the style and very nicely excites the tongue in light of all the bitter flavors.

Overall – Very enjoyable overall with some nice flavor transitions and a good feel.

Serving type: on-tap

08-13-2012 23:09:20 | More by Darkmagus82

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

3.8/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bomber poured into a pint glass

This beer pours hazy orange with a one finger white head. The beer has a lightly hopped nose and the belgian yeast really comes through. This beer has a moderate bitterness and a very piney, citrusy hop profile that is on par with the other hatters. The belgian yeast really gives this beer a unique spiciness. There is flavors of clove and wheat but a spicy note only the yeast could add. It has a good deal of feel for a beer this size and its not super quick to drink but makes for a nice paced beer. Overall, its not my favorite of the hatter line up but its a pretty decent farmhouse IPA.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2012 15:47:09 | More by TwelveOunces

FosterJM

California

3.9/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

1436th Review on BA
Bottle to Piraat Tulip
22oz

Vintage 2012
Purchased at Binnys Naperville,IL for $4.99

App- Its a glowing amber orange with some lighter edges. A nice two finger head with some good cling. A good density and a good looking beer.

Smell- Well its a Belgian IPA, but not much aromatically. Had a good hoppy nose with a touch of yeast and a bit dry and floral. Just wasnt alot there really.

Taste- A nice beer but not great. The Belgian yeast was a bit small but the overall flavors prop this one up. A lot like the description. Dry, hoppy, floral and dry. Needs a bit more funk but was good with the pork chops I paired it with.

Mouth- A solid medium body with a lower medium carbonation. A bit right down the middle with bubbles. Residual floral, grassy flavors.

Drink- I liked this one a tad more than the oak. Really hoping the Rye will be better.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2012 02:15:33 | More by FosterJM

daledeee

Iowa

3.68/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A 22 oz bottle.

Poured a volumunous head with a bubbly dark orange body.

Nose: I am not sure if the head covered the nose or if it just doesn't have any.

Taste: So many of these Belgian IPAs taste like there are American Hops in them. This one is the same. OK but a little too citrus rind for a true Belgian angle.

Mouth feel is pretty good. The beer is drinkable, but there is some tough competition.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 23:29:00 | More by daledeee

Brenden

Ohio

3.78/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A pretty two-finger cap of head, somewhere between off-white and tan, sits creamy and dense on top of this clear copper-colored brew. The head stays at just under a finger in height the rest of the way and leaves a mix of spotty and patchy lacing.
The smell is nice. This beer is more what I expect from the series in terms of hoppiness, a bit more hop-forward than Black Hatter. It's a nice leafy, herbal, soft sort of bitterness. The yeast offers more of the dry, almost lightly chalky quality and a touch of earthiness with a very gently peppery nip to it and a bit of grassiness is underlying.
The taste just about follows suit, but a touch of saltiness rises out right up front. The chalkiness comes out even more and into the super dry finish.
The body is medium, moderately carbonated with a brisk, consistent crispness. It's smooth enough to keep the flow moving, even creamy to a point right up to the bone-dry finish.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2012 00:07:21 | More by Brenden

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A-golden amber color with a generous white head and good lacing

S-malt, yeast, bananas, spices

T-bananas, biscuit, slight yeasty funk, some citrus, cloves and some grassy notes, bitter finish

F-medium body with moderate carbonation, slight crispness

O-an interesting Belgian IPA with a unusual mix of flavors

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2012 23:37:41 | More by MDDMD

JoEBoBpr

Missouri

3.05/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

New Holland Farmhouse Hatter

Poured into a Schlafly tulip glass from a 22oz bottle.

Pours a very nice bright golden copper color with a nice thin head that recedes quickly leaving some nice lacing stuck to the sides for the glass. NIce and bright with some very slight haze. (4.0)

Aroma is of piney and citrus hop notes that have a slight spicy and yeasty backed aroma. Notes of grain and bread are present. (3.0)

Flavor starts off with some citrus hop notes followed by some slight pine. Then there is a slight funk that overtakes the hop notes with some nice yeasty esters and some nice spice notes. There is a bit of a metallic note on the flavor but it kind of smooths out after a bit. There is some more funk on the back end with some crisp dryness on the backend. (3.0) (3.0)

Overall. This is not my favorite. Its a bit mild on both ends the Belgian and the IPA side. Middle of the road for me. (3.0)

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2012 01:07:04 | More by JoEBoBpr

fmccormi

New York

3.8/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Straight pour from pry-off 22oz bomber with silver foil over the cap and neck to a large wineglass. The only dating information available is “Vintage 2012” printed clearly on the back label.

Appearance (4.5): Seriously attractive pour on this, the head isn’t out of control but it’s tight and leaves a ton of lace on the way down, as it recedes. What is there is off-white, kind of cream-colored. The body, meanwhile, is a rich amber color and just slightly hazy. Many, many streams of bubbles rise to the surface, and this beer looks great.

Smell (4.5): The Belgian side of this beer actually smells more BSPA than “farmhouse” to me, but it definitely smells nice. Pretty good biscuit and clove notes in the nose, plus some banana and pear fruitiness. The hops also are evident here, citrus fruit and somewhat tropical in character, and slightly dank—bright citrus becomes more prominent as it warms.

Taste (3.5): This is definitely bitter. The first thing you get is a medicinal, yeasty character, somewhat chalky, but it quickly transitions into an herbal, astringently citric bitterness, like chewing on fresh lime peels. There’s a solid Juicy Fruit kind of sweetness that must be coming from the yeast underneath, which comes NOWHERE close to dominating the mix of flavors but just kind of floats along underneath. The body develops a definitely earthy character as it warms. The finish is good, solidly bitter, not overpowering, but slow to dissipate, and it finishes dry. There are some very good elements here, but it doesn’t totally mesh—definitely smoothes out and gets more even-handed as it warms, too.

Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, it’s got an even, smooth, but somewhat one-dimensional carbonation that tingles slightly going down. Dry in the finish, not too heavy or oily by any means. Does a good job, nothing spectacular.

Overall (3.5): To me, this beer is like a classic saison, done relatively well, with a ton of bittering hops thrown in. It’s not FANTASTIC as a Belgian style, and the IPA side of it could use a little more malt depth / grain richness, some solid dry-hopping, and more flavoring hops, in my opinion. This would POP with a richer grain body and some serious tropical hop flavor. It’s pretty good, for sure, but not excellent in any way, outside of the appearance (which is damn good) and the smell (not quite as good, but very good in its own right).

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2012 21:52:53 | More by fmccormi

Etan

Illinois

3.7/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a tulip.

A: Pours a dark orange with a huge spongy white head. Nice lacing as well.

S: Bright citric hops, pale malt, banana and pepper esters, slight pleasing touch of dry hay funk on the end.

T: Weak, slightly fruity hops, cakey malt, banana, cloves, bright grain - and indeed a palpable tart note, mildly acidic and nice. More esters in the finish.

M: Frothy, medium-bodied.

O: Looks and smells nice, and I like the tartness, but the hops were way too weak in the taste.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2012 01:34:09 | More by Etan

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.15/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Cool label on this one... 2012 vintage pours honey colored with 2 fingers of cream colored head. Murks up a touch as I finish this, good head retention & lacing

S: White pepper, pineapple, & slight wheat tartness

T: Pineapple, lemons, coriander & wheat tartness up front, & just a little red grapefruit. White pepper
& corriander as this warms with some orange peel.

MF: Light/medium bodied, lively carbonation, nice balance

A nice American-twisted Belgian IPA, very drinkable indeed

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2012 02:56:33 | More by russpowell

Humulus85

Minnesota

3.88/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

My second of the modified Hatter series. From a 22oz bottle into my Darkness snifter. 2012 Vintage

Pours a clear, dark copper. A stiff pour produced a modest one-finger cream head. Moderate retention left behind some decent lacing. Was expecting a more pronounced Belgian-style head. NOTE: with the second glass I used and very aggressive pour that did yield a very nice, three-finger head that lasted forever and had some serious lacing.

A nice blend of spicy/fruity Belgian yeast, and classic piney, slightly astringent American hops upfront. An apparent, but not prominent malt backbone. Very interesting nose.

Starts like an American IPA, finishes like a Belgian Saison. Bright, piney American hops upfront quickly segue to toffee malts. Then the Belgian comes to the front with bananas and cloves, and a slightly funky finish.

Body is light to medium. Crisp, Belgian-style carbonation lifts it off the tongue nicely. Dry like a good Saison. A bit thin, but highly drinkable.

Overall this is a tasty and interesting take on the IPA. It struck me as a good American IPA that just happened to be fermented with Belgian Farmhouse yeast. Criticism: the overall beer was a bit thin in both flavor and ABV. While a fun, and intricate little brew, they could have amped it up a couple notches. Recommended if your a fan of the style or are looking for a cheap and different bomber for the night. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2012 19:52:46 | More by Humulus85

schoolboy

Ohio

3.48/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This would be a major disappointment if I were expecting a Belgian IPA, but I was expecting a farmhouse (saison) with an IPA and Belgian taste. So it is still a big disappointment, because it is almost all farmhouse (saison), then slightly belgian, and lastly a little IPA.

It's a flavorful brew that you should not refuse. Don't expect a big beer because it is understated. The alcohol is pretty low for anything that says IPA on the label. T he aroma is first rate and almost a redemming quality.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2012 18:08:38 | More by schoolboy

beagle75

Iowa

3.13/5  rDev -17%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured from a bomber into a tulip glass.

A: Slightly hazy brassy golden color with over two fingers of off-white foam head. Moderate lacing remains on the glass.

S: Alternately spicy and fruity; freshly ground pepper and bright stone fruit are both abundant. Not much indication of hops, at least at first, except for a fine thread of fresh herbaceousness. The smell turns floral and more purely phenolic as it warms.

T: Begins dry, with early acidic pine that reveals some toasted grain after acidity fades. The middle bears the most yeast influence, with esters and phenolics from the smell; balanced but still weak. The finish features a monotonous pure bitterness that is overpowering compared to the more nuanced saison qualities encountered earlier.

M: Thin to medium viscosity, slightly acidic yet smooth on the palate, with low carbonation.

D/O: While yeast qualities are true to the farmhouse label, this beer's hop flavors unfortunately distract and bore the palate. Columbus cultivar qualities stand out, going from simple pine, passing through dilute chemical plastic, and finishing with harsh unmodified bitterness. As a straight saison, or even with a more judicious handling of the hops, this ale could have been much more enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2012 23:44:43 | More by beagle75

SickGnar

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Very hazy and orangey very dark golden just leaning copper/amber. Lots of active bubbles zing up through the haze. Gigantic bone white / light khaki head of huge bubbles towers up out of the glass. It turns rocky as it settles to a clump in the middle and then a skim that retains very well. It leaves gobs and curtains of lace all over. Superb appearance.

S: Citrus (more fruit than hops) & some estery tropical fruits. Peppery yeast with good funky and earthy notes. Malts are crackery & doughy biscuit with a bit of juicy caramel sweetness. Smells very interesting & inviting with fair strength. Way more forward on the Belgian/saison character than on the hops (which is okay by me – I like saisons). Some medicinal, herbal & citrus hops are there, but not at all forward and blended nicely with yeast character.

T: Malts up front briefly with biscuit & crackery notes, a touch of caramel, and sweetness that is reduced from the nose but still there & with a candy aspect. Comgination of yeast notes & hops quickly overwhelms and pushes malts to a supporting role. Close on the tails of initial malts & sweetness is a troika of citrus (fruity & lemon), spicy/perppery yeast, herbal hops that forcefully dominates the middle. After bursting on the scene it grows more complex. A firm bit of rind joins the citrus. The peppery & spicy notes are joined by yeasty earth and funk. The herbal hops get both woody and more citrus. Overall, the palate is far more bitter & hoppy than the nose. Earthy funk, citrus rind, & woody herbal linger long in the finish. Soft bit of tartness throughout.

M: Medium-light body with carbonation a bit over-matched. Very much more would be too much. As is, it is brisk and quenching. Mosty dry with an under lying tartness, but there are some sticky lip-coating sugars. Finish has more tartness and is quite drying from both attenuation & hops, and probably from the earthy/funky yeast notes as well. Very saison feel.

D: Far more a saison than a Belgian style IPA or Pale. Earthy & funky & a bit tart rather than fruity and phenolic and hoppy. Hops, while substantial, are not in IPA territory. Marketing, names, and pigeon hole aside – this is a damn fine beer. A fine saison too. Very tasty – the drinking leand more to intereting than to easy – and quite refreshing too.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 23:55:47 | More by SickGnar

Florida9

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: A bit of a gusher. Dull yellow in color. Forms a huge off-white head that has surprisingly good retention leaving a large merengue floating on the surface for several minutes after I poured the beer. Plenty of lacing.

S: Aroma is fairly light. Lemon, grass, sugar cookie, some light citrus and just a hint of vanilla.

T: Starts with a mild sweetness. Some pale malts, white bread, a light peppery spice and a little grassiness.

M: On the lighter side of medium with appreciable carbonation, a dry finish, and a mild bitterness.

O: A decent beer with an easy drinkability. Belgian qualities are present, but are not overpowering.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 23:09:48 | More by Florida9