Farmhouse Summer Ale - Flying Fish Brewing Company

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear golden color. White foam forms with good staying power. Aroma of earthy herbs, honey bread and spicy house proprietary yeast. In the taste, more of the same with some lemongrass, peppercorn and bread. Lightly tangy, well balanced, and somewhat light. Had good flavor on a light to medium bodied ale. Well carbonated. Overall, this is a nice session ale.

Serving type: on-tap

04-21-2013 19:55:22 | More by Stinkypuss

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

2.9/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle into a pint glass.

A: Pours a stunningly clear straw color. The head is a one finger white shade. It doesn't have the best retention, and only leaves a small amount of lacing on the glass. Love the clarity, though.

S: The maltiness doesn't provide much - maybe a touch of crackery malt - and the hops used are very earthy in their tones. There really isn't much of anything on the nose, good or bad.

T: Again, there isn't too much here. A touch of wheat and cracker opens things up - and I mean a touch. The feeble malt base allows the hops to shine through, providing some finishing earthy, mildly sour notes. I was skeptical of the farmhouse label (and doubly skeptical when taking its clarity into consideration), but at the end of the day, I do notice a touch of funkiness, if only because it's hop-derived.

M: Certainly, it's a crisp, dry brew, one that's vibrantly carbonated and refreshing. I feel it's not really interesting enough to inspire great drinkability, but it goes down easily enough.

O: I'm not sure where the 'farmhouse' term comes from here - the yeast is way too clean/subdued. As a simple blond ale, though, it's okay. I wouldn't pick it up again, though.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 22:28:25 | More by ThisWangsChung

metter98

New York

3.4/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is crystal clear yellow in color and has a moderate amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a finger high white head that died down but consistently left a thin head covering the surface and a coating of bubbles running down the sides of the glass.
S: There are very light aromas of wheat and lemon citrus in the nose.
T: The taste has a bit of sweetness along with notes of lemons and hints of bready malts. No hops are detectable.
M: It feels light-bodied and slightly smooth on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is very easy to drink and has some thirst-quenching properties. It's definitely sessionable and I would have no problem knocking back a few of these on a summer day. The overall taste is pretty good when compared to other beers in this style.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 01:18:20 | More by metter98

thedoubler55

New Jersey

3.25/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A : Hazy yellow in color, a two finger head at the top that left no lacing around the glass.

S : A lemon aroma that is very strong, almost nothing else. A slight note of spices and grassyness.

T: Nothing special, very watery and easy to drink. Lots of citrus and spice on this one.

M - Light bodied, medium carbonation, easy drinker.

D : Nothing crazy about this brew, just an easy drinker and very simple.

Serving type: on-tap

09-10-2012 20:52:58 | More by thedoubler55

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.5/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a light gold color, with a large off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick but spotty lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains light caramelized malts, some fruit and some hops.

T: The taste starts out very bready with a hearty but not too heavy malt character. Then some mildly sweet flavors of citrus and caramel come in. The hops presence is mild but complementary and brings some balance. The after-taste is slightly bready.

M: Crisp and a little smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is clean.

O: A little tasty, goes down ok, not too filling, mild kick, decent representation of style, it’s a solid beer but there are better choices within the style.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2012 01:00:31 | More by TheManiacalOne

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.65/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

a very clean golden yellow pour with a very minimal amount of head. smells fruity (strawberry), bready, and citrusy (orange/lemon peels). there is a taste of fresh apples up front followed by a slight funky bitterness (from the yeast i assume). light body with high carbonation, still has a creamy feel to it and is very crisp and refreshing. there isn't much in the taste department aside from sweet and fruity, but it's a simple beer like this that i can find myself going back to next year and making it my summer go-to beer (especially with this price tag.. )

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2012 05:17:22 | More by facundoCNB

UCLABrewN84

California

3.18/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a murky light orange with a 1/2 inch foamy khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of grain, wheat, yeast, and some spice aromas. Taste is much the same but the flavors are pretty mild overall. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty average beer that is drinkable but not something I would seek out again.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2012 01:53:32 | More by UCLABrewN84

FosterJM

California

3.05/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

1384th Review on BA
Bottle to Small Tulip
12oz

No bottle date

Purchased from Total Wine, Las Vegas for $1.79

App- A more golden orange with a nice one finger head, small retention and lace. Had a nice look to it.

Smell- Weird mix on this. Small blonde ale malty notes with a unique take on trying to be a saison. Thicker grass and earthiness.

Taste- Grassy for days with a grainular citrus and malty combo. Just didnt take well to the flavor profile being mixed. Pretty average beer.

Mouth- A bit thicker with a medium body and a medium full carbonation. Had residual earthy, lemony malts. Needs to be more crisp.

Drink- It was less than $2, wont be back to this one, but wasnt the worst beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2012 04:21:44 | More by FosterJM

soulfly1492

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Aroma: Not so fresh or pleasant. Pilsner and Vienna malt, bitter lemon.

Appearance: Yellow-ish gold. High clarity. Tons of rising bubbles. Heads pours thick, pale which, very creamy. Good retention and lacing.

Taste: Loads of bitter pilsner malt. Some spicy black pepper. Mild to medium sulfur.

Mouthfeel: Light body. Chalky. Finishes very dry. Low carbonation.

Overall: Tastes better than it smells. Too bitter. A freshness date would have helped here.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2012 00:45:26 | More by soulfly1492

mactrail

California

3.4/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A wisp of a beer with a bitterish twang. Golden clear color with a modest head. A light resiny scent.

For a light beer, I like these Belgian-tinged blonde ales. It seems like the very pale brews could use a little yeast and a hint of the bitters. This one is a little anemic, but quite a pleasant quaff. A little hoppiness. Dry and tangy.

From the 12 oz bottle bought at the Foodery in Philadelphia.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2012 02:14:24 | More by mactrail

Halcyondays

California

3.25/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

12 oz. bottle from the Total Wine,

A: Pours a deep goldenrod with a medium white head, solid retention.

S: Grass and some herbs, hint of farmhouse.

T: Grassy flavours with some citrus. Light malt character. Not particularly robust.

M: Light-bodied, crisp, clean, a refreshing beverage.

O: An easy drinking summer beer, not really much to it, but it'll get the job done, enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2012 19:38:10 | More by Halcyondays

mdaschaf

Washington

3.3/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Had on tap at the Pickled Pig. Review from notes.

A: Pours a golden orange color with a small white fizzy head on top. Not much retention or lacing.

S: Faint citrus, mostly lemon, with a little bit of banana. A little grainy malt as well.

T: More light citrus fruit, some grass, and a little bit of bready malt.

M: Light to medium bodied wit medium carbonation. Pretty smooth and crisp.

O: A decent beer, probably not one I would be inclined to grab again though.

Serving type: on-tap

05-14-2012 12:05:30 | More by mdaschaf

Immortale25

Florida

3.61/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a snifter. No freshness date.

A- Pours a medium copper color with a 1/4 inch head that bears little retention time before becoming a thin ring around the edge of the glass and a patch of bubbles in the middle of the surface surrounded by wispy foam. Sudsy, jagged ring of lacing.

S- Crisp with sweet, buttery malts which is uncommon for a saison. A touch of yeast.

T- Slightly fruity and the saison yeast comes through a bit more in the flavor, but the malt is the key player in this bringing more sweetness and overall body to the flavor. Barely any alcohol detected, as expected. A hint of sulfur.

M- Slightly tangy and very light. Medium carbonation.

O- As far as "summer ales" go, it's not bad. But, as far as farmhouse ales go, it's not very good. One of Flying Fish's less-than-interesting brews.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2012 01:09:41 | More by Immortale25

MrOH

Pennsylvania

3.08/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Brilliant light gold with a thin white head, very little retention. No lace.

Light malty aroma with a bit of citrus hop.

A little bit of lemon and orange citrus over a nice broad maltiness.

Light bodied and refreshing.

When I see farmhouse on a label, I tend to think saison. This is just a drinkable american ale. It works as a lawnmower beer for sure, and is quite nice in that respect, but the name is misleading.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2012 18:06:06 | More by MrOH

mikeg67

New Jersey

3.2/5  rDev -8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle. Pours golden with a foamy, long lasting white head and lively carbonation. Aroma is of pale malt and grassy hops. Body is medium and crisp. Light, grassy, earthy hops and biscuit malt fill the mouth. Sweet malt gives way to drying hops in the finish. Nice brew for a hot summer day.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2012 21:54:59 | More by mikeg67

microbrewlover

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +23%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This brew pours a cloudy orange/brown color with a two finger head, good lacing and fairly heavy carbonation.

The smell is of straw/yeast, sweet malts, orange lemon and pepper.

The taste follows the nose with first the malts then a yeast taste followed by orange, lemon, pears? then spicy peppery hops.

The mouthfeel is crisp and spicy a little bready and chewy, probably due to the heavy presence of yeast and malts.

Overall I would call this a winner. This is a good balance of malts, yeast, fruits and hops. I can see myself drinking more of this when the summer arrives and the weather turns hot.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2012 21:40:45 | More by microbrewlover

KajII

North Carolina

3.23/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

[Best served in a Shaker glass]

The pour was a murky medium yellow with some light brown highlights and a small creamy white head that reduced down to just a few small puddles that clung to the glass leaving behind some fair lacing.

The aroma had a slight funkiness to it along with a mild grain malt, a floral hop and an earthy yeast with notes of caramel, citrus and a mild peppery spice.

The taste was refreshingly yeasty and a bit funky with notes of citrus and caramel in the beginning and then became a bit malty and slightly bitter with a hint of spice at the end. The flavor lasted an average time after the swallow with a strong yeasty, citrus flavor that faded slowly leaving behind remnants of a peppery spice.

Mouthfeel was light in body with a dry watery texture and an almost fizzy carbonation.

Overall a nice mildly bold yeasty brew with a good mix of flavors creating this yeasty, spicy, citrusy beer that is rather tasty...

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2012 23:00:46 | More by KajII

mvanaskie13

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a fluted glass, nice big 1-2inch head that clings very nicely, color is gold, no carbonation.

Smell is grains and malt, sweetly based, hint of hop bitterness.

Taste is smooth, easy drinking, nice solid malt sweetness, not to thin, hints of graininess, backed up by a nice hop bitterness but not overpowering.

Mouthfeel is great, hints at the crispness of a pilsner but the sweetness takes over, which is good and solid summer beer taste.

Overall, a great brew that I have not had in a while and finally got around to tasting. To grainy and sweet for pils crispness, but probably one of the better 'summer' ales.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2011 01:20:28 | More by mvanaskie13

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.13/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle: Poured a bright golden color ale with a medium size foamy head with OK retention. Aroma consists of lightly sweet malt base with light dry hoppy notes. Taste is also an OK mix between some light dry hoppy notes with a sweet malt base and some very subtle fruity ester. Body is average with good carbonation. Drinks easily though lacks character overall.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2011 17:29:11 | More by Phyl21ca

bpw28

New Jersey

4.3/5  rDev +23.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

(With the amount of floaties in this brew, I might have a bad bottle but it is a farmhouse. I looked back and no one mentioned the floaties. No best by date, but I got it from a place that opened this summer so it cant be totally old. I'm only saying this because its a ton, not a little. Anyway, moving on.)

Look: Three finger bleach white head that died pretty fast, Copper (about an 8 SRM), ok lacing, lots of carb, tons of "floaties".

Smell: Big malty, pleasant grassy, nice earthy, mild fruity (strawberry/orange type), light floral, slight woods, yeasty.

Taste: Very nice yeasty, nice malt, good fruitiness, earthy/grassy/woody/good funk. good carb, nice body, crisp and clean, semi-dry.

Final Thoughts: Even with the lacking appearance, I would buy this beer anytime. It's perfectly summer to me. It's a sit on the back porch and sip in the summer evening, taking in the smell of sun baked grass and fresh air. Great beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2011 20:01:51 | More by bpw28

Georgiabeer

Georgia

4/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a somewhat hazy golden color with a very white, very foamy head that fades to a cap. Lightly sweet, and lightly funky in the nose. Pleasant. The taste is similar- some nice fruitiness, with notes of red apple and pear as well as some breadiness, a hint of bitterness, and a little bit of funk. Restrained, and very refreshing, but enough interesting flavors to hold your attention. This is in no way an American Blonde Ale, and those looking for such will be disappointed. This, as the label attests, is a classic Belgian farmhouse style ale. Call it a Saison if you will, but not a blonde. I enjoyed it, and suspect that many that didn't are looking for something more mundane.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2011 20:35:14 | More by Georgiabeer

bigfnjoe

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served on tap into a pint glass

A- pours a very pale shade of yellow with a quick fading, one finger white head. Would have liked to have seen more of a head

S- aroma gives me a lot of lemons....smells pretty good

T- very crisp flavor of lemons and some grassy hops as well. Almost like a saison

M- body is very, very thin...about appropriate for a summer beer

O- very easy drinking summer beer, real sessionable too

Serving type: on-tap

08-04-2011 20:34:28 | More by bigfnjoe

Antikythera

New York

3.85/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Got this at Jack Duggan's in Philadelphia International Airport, terminal A East, along with buffalo shrimp and fries. Saw it on the tap and just had to have it.

Appearance: dull gold, a little foggy, a little creamy head.

Smell: you know, I don't really remember. A little yeasty. Nothing special.

Taste: nice, a little spicier and more complex than most summer ales.

Mouthfeel: creamy. Again, pleasantly odd for a summer ale.

Overall: I'd get this again if I saw it on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

07-27-2011 03:31:54 | More by Antikythera

WEBBEER

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The beer is a golden sunshine yellow, crystal clear with no haze. Pours a half inch frothy head that goes to lace. Smells of hops and not much else. Taste follows smell with hint of fruit like pear and mild citrus. Very drinkable, flavorful and extra refreshing during a heat wave.
The name suggests a saison but in my opinion it is far from anything Belgium. That said I would recommend this ale and will serve it to friends as a session beer with seafood or as breakfast at the Jersey shore and along the Chesapeake waterways

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2011 22:12:11 | More by WEBBEER

KAP1356

Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

On tap at Barnaby's. Presented in a pint glass...

A - Light blonde color with a nice 1 finger white head that slowly fades to a cap.

S - Hops and malt. Nothing special going on here.

T - Taste is nice and refreshing. Spicy with some clove and hop being the most pronounced flavors.

M - Nice effervesence and crispness. Lighter bodied.

O - Nice beer for the summer, but other than that, nothing else going on here. I can see why it was the special for the night at $2.50 a pint.

Serving type: on-tap

07-15-2011 16:24:41 | More by KAP1356