Saison-Brett - Boulevard Brewing Co.

Beericjb

Connecticut

4.98/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

2012 bottle.

A: nice light golden color. Couple of fingers head with little retention. The amount of yeast makes up for the lack of head retention/lacing. Soooo much yeast, it is beautiful.
S: Super funky smell. Smells kind of like a dank basement in a good way.
T: taste is everthing I could hope for. Nice citusy taste with lots of musky funkiness. A bit of bitterness too.
M: nice and crisp like as a saison will be. A bit dry with some creaminess from the yeast
O: Pretty much what I was ecpecting. Just funky saison heaven.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 02:29:42 | More by Beericjb

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.97/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

(Served in a tulip glass) #07072 2009 batch
A- This beer has a clear apricot body with a creamy soft peak head of antique white that last for the full beer turning into cobwebs as the glass empties. There is a sea of carbonation supporting the head.
S- This has a beautiful fresh floral apricot aroma from the second the cork pops and some tulip and natural bubblegum notes for days. The aroma turns into a very pleasant Windex aroma with a soft pine finish and I would give this 5++ on the aroma. I could not stop huffing this elixir.
T- The nice grapefruit flavor has a soft earthy note and that wonderful musty brett quality with some dried apricot notes to follow. There is a soft green bite at the finish to this beer.
M- There is a medium-light mouthfeel with no alcohol heat and a tight cleaning fizz under the flavor.
D- This is a beautiful beer. The full fragrant flavor has a nice complexity with some bright fruity flavors and crispness. This is a great beer now and I will have to try this aged to see how the brett flavors come out.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2009 22:18:05 | More by rhoadsrage

Mistofminn

Minnesota

4.93/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Review #300. Finally! One of my most sought after beers since it eluded me the first time it came around. Here's hoping the second batch is as good as the first.

Bottle #07520 of 13400. Batch 2009-2.

Poured into my Surly tulip. This pours a hazy golden orange color. I can't see many floaties in my glass, but I can see them in the bottle. As typical with brett-brewed beers (at least my experience) the head is overwhelmingly big and hard to control. Large chunky white head produced with every pour, took me three of four pours to get a full glass, and still had a two finger head. Lively carbonation. Leaves tons of lacing.

The nose lets you know right away there is no doubt this has brett in it. Smells like a christmas potpourri mixed with brett funkyness. This is amazing, I've never smelled anything like it. So juicy and floral, so mezmorizing...this is fantastic. I wouldn't even label it as "barnyard-like," I think holiday potpourri is a better discriptive word.

As this golden nectar finally hits my lips, I understand what all the hype is about. Spices and funkyness galore, potpourri and hay, horse barn and pine wreaths. Lingonberries! Yes! Lingonberries! I'm sure they aren't in there, but I honestly feel as if my bottle tastes like they are. Earthy yet fruity, spicey yet mellow, this is incredible.

The mouthfeel is spot on. As typical with wild yeast brewed beers, the body is lighter and the carbonation, while high, is very smooth and mellow. I love the contrast between the room temperature head and the cold liquid below it.

Drinkability is amazing. If this wasn't north of 8 percent alcohol, I would drink this all night. I will definitely be opening a bottle of this for christmas dinner (or dessert).

Finally! My first white whale, so to speak. I haven't been in the beer game terribly long (long enough to review 300 beers) but this is the first beer that eluded me for over a year. As the second batch finally made it to Minnesota, I bought a couple bottles, one to drink one to cellar. I now see I'm going to need much much more. I thank Boulevard for making such a fantastic beer, and for distributing it to Minnesota. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2009 23:54:29 | More by Mistofminn

dougofthefuture

Minnesota

4.93/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This was to be my last attempt for funk. I'm not sure where this fits on the spectrum, but if this is what brett tastes like, I'm going to have to find more funky beers.

A - My bottle had less head than some of the reviews, but still a good two fingers in my tulip glass. Typical bright saison color - cloudy.

S - Horse blanket, barn yard, hay field - all the typical adjectives apply, but it smells good!

T & M - I'm not a brett expert, but I like Belgian yeasty beers because the yeast adds an interesting dynamic. This seems similar. This is a creamy beer, but the spices and funky brett blend well.

D - I want more.. It feels like less ABV than it is - light taste and highly drinkable.

Update - as I've gotten more in to funky beers, I've really started to see that this one is world class. I've updated my ratings accordingly.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2009 00:48:20 | More by dougofthefuture

acelin

Kansas

4.93/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured from the gorgeous brown smokestack series bottle into a pint glass ( or 3... ). Poured a beautiful honey gold with straw tinges around the edges.

This beer had a humungous head on it that settled to 3-4 fingers thick. Gorgeous amounts of lacing all around the glass.

Smelled like straw, apples, pears, and Belgian candi sugar.

It tasted so much like a witbier mixed with apples, sugar, and lemongrass. Very thick for a belgian, and quite carbonated. Perhaps too carbonated. This beer is a year old, and could easily be aged for another year or 2 to mellow out. It packs a punch and is almost soda like in its carbonation.

Drinkability is still superb for all that carbonation - truly a testament to how amazing this brew is.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2010 18:23:17 | More by acelin

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

4.93/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours a hazy orange-ish to yellow color with a big, rocky off white head. In the aroma, small tartness, white grape like and a small earthiness. In the taste, dry earthiness, small white grape tartness, and somewhat spicy, mostly a blend of cinnamon and black pepper. A spicy bite and medium bodied mouthfeel, with a light dry yeasty and spice aftertaste. It hides the alcohol, somewhat Fantome like, and fantastic!

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2010 21:21:20 | More by OWSLEY069

aorloski

Massachusetts

4.93/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I am going to start this review by saying this is easily the best saison I've ever had and one of the best beers I've ever drank.

Appearance - Pours a beautiful golden yellow with a huge fluffy white head. Beautiful lacing.

Smell - Wow, amazingly sweet, spicy, funky and lemony.

Taste - Lemon zest, black pepper, barnyard funk, sweet sweet fruits, HIGHLY complex

Mouthfeel - Perfectly crisp and carbonated.

Overall - As i said, one of the best beers I've EVER drank, period.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2012 22:36:32 | More by aorloski

jjayjaye

New York

4.9/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Batch 2009-01; Bottle 2508 of 11925...in a Smokestack Series Chalice.

Pours a cloudy golden peach color, visibly effervescent, with suspended particulate and a foamy white two finger head that resists fading, leaving sheets of Belgian lacing behind. The smell is complex and nothing short of amazing! Sweet, fruity, apple, pear, and earthy yeast. The mouth feel is equally unique and rewarding. Bright yet creamy with effervescent texture, medium bodied. Full flavored, the fruity harvest celebration mixed with a well balanced tartness kicks up "Saison" to levels only imagined by Emeril Lagasse yet the earthen fruity sweetness l"coats" and lingers really well. Seriously, 'Farmhouse Ales' haven't been my Fav...but this has to be one of the best beers that i've ever had..."period". The total package is amazing..nose. texture, flavor and drinkability. Cheers to Team Boulevard! This one is outta here...i'm talk'in WOW, different planet good. This one is beyond a doubt one of the best beers that I've ever experienced!!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2009 04:03:13 | More by jjayjaye

twiggamortis420

Texas

4.9/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

750 mL bottle with a batch number 2008-1, so this one has been sitting in my cellar for quite some time, maybe the brett has developed more than some of the fresher bottles I have had. Pours with a huge white head that is at least twice as tall as the amount of gold nectar collecting in the bottom portion of my glass. Retention is ridiculous, static almost and lacing is noteworthy as well.

Does not smell a whole lot different than a fresh bottle...still plenty of lemony saison yeast with a bright, floral hop presence. Honeyed, grainy malt background with all of this steeping below a nice, woody brettomyces aroma. Absolutely wonderful smelling brew.

Leathery brett is becoming more dominant as this one ages, but there is still plenty of complexity and brightness to the beer. You can tell this brew had a pretty heavy hand of bittering hops to begin with and some of the lemony fruitiness helps that linger on awhile. Dry, effervescent finish, carbonation is high and I like that in a saison. Malts are a little less neutral than some of the classic Belgian examples - still light, but contributes some sweetness and even some biscuity flavors. This beer is so easy to write about, so much going on. I think I like this beer at about the 1-1.5 year mark the best. I like a heavy brettomyces impact, but I dont want to lose all the other nuances either. Wonderful beer that I have no problem forking out the 12 buck for, one of the best beers I have ever had.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2010 19:48:05 | More by twiggamortis420

nkruback

Massachusetts

4.88/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Wow, just wow. Traded thanks to hooliganlife

Great bottle pressure upon opening. Pours clear golden, with outstanding foamy head, varying bubble size, and unprecedented head retention. Lacing is akin to a bubbling pot of rice krispie treats.

The aroma immediately reminds me of Orval. Low and behold, so does the taste! Orval being one of my favorites ever, I may be somewhat biased. What a masterfully brewed Craft Beer. Truly artisanal. Exceptional balance between mild Saison sweetness, earthy brett and solvent alcohol. However, the 8.5% is more than hidden, it is nearly nonexistent. Smooth and creamy mouthfeel, with a sharp and biting carbonation. This may just be the finest crafted American beer I have had. Hats off to Boulevard, this is a truly exceptional beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2009 00:48:12 | More by nkruback

jnewman83

Kansas

4.88/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This, very simply is one of the best beers I've ever had. The aroma is unique, at lease compared to any beer I've had before, and reminded me of a field after a heavy rain....if that makes any sense. I'm currently cellaring a bottle that I plan on opening in celebration of graduating with my master's in December.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2011 02:51:42 | More by jnewman83

klewis

Ohio

4.85/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A: Hazy golden with a big, thick, foamy head. A long sustain with at least 1/2" of foam throughout the duration of the drink. Heavy lacing.

S: A pleasantly funky brett smell with earthy hop aromas.

T: Funky with, as my wife puts it, "buttery goodness." A light sweetness on the front of the tongue followed by a moderate hop bitterness and flavors of lemon zest and citrus. Light notes of black pepper round out the taste.

M: Full-bodied with lots of carbonation. A lingering of funk and mild bitterness on the palate.

D: Truly deserving of its current title of best saison. Do whatever it takes to get some of this.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2009 02:16:38 | More by klewis

Cresant

Kentucky

4.85/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured this 750 mL brown bottle into a Tripel Karmeliet glass. Numbered 5965 of 13400. The body was a bright golden and clear of sediment. The head was white, large, irregular and creamy. Clumps remained throughout.

Smell was wonderfully funky, earthy, and spicy. Cloves and nutmeg? Not too spicy, just right. Powdery. Rich.

Taste was Belgian yeast. Dirt floor cellar. Apples. Black pepper. Bright fruitiness. Wet stones. There was a nice bitter linger. This is one of the best American saisons I've had.

Mouthfeel was medium in body and had moderate carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2009 18:50:50 | More by Cresant

afausser

Virginia

4.85/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance: Pours a hazy amber wheat and peach toned straw. This one's a gusher and got everywhere, and after a brief intermission to clean the mattress it spilled all over, took an extremely slow pour to get in the glass. The head is a few inches big and is not gonna die down anytime soon. The carbonation is in swirls, streams, and clouds, and dare I say it, clouds that remind me of a smokestack, with thick plumes coming out fairly consistently. The carbonation moves so much, but the head stays extremely still and no movement is evident. This brew is absolutely amazing looking, with an entirely ridiculous head and carbonation. Webby and sticky, uneven patches of lacing.

Smell: Smells deliciously sour, and mouthwatering at that, with tones ranging from green apples to sour powder. Some grapefruit and pretty obvious brett, as well as just the slight amount of funk. Smells simple, light, and nice.

Taste: Taste is a slightly sour barnyard funk with heavy brett, and is combined rather nicely with fruit notes (particularly granny smith apples. The sourness is pleasantly present, and doesn't overwhelm, yet for someone who absolutely loves sours the way I do is amazing for being toned down a bit but managing to be full bodied. The funk isn't too overwhelming either--there are grass, hay, leather, and tobacco notes, but nothing that smells too much of horse. Increasing banana and some clove spice as it warms.

Mouthfeel: Mouthfeel is excellent, I was almost terrified that this one would be overcarbonated, but it is very nice and well done, and easily drinkable, and actually fairly calm. It is a little on the foamy side...

Drinkability: This is an amazingly crafted and easily drinkable brew. It was an absolute pleasure to consume and as a whole, I really have few complaints. Its different elements blend together fairly amazingly. This is absolutely one of the best Boulevards that I have had to date, and is quite impressive--I would never guess the ABV.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2010 02:51:33 | More by afausser

JamnesCameron

Illinois

4.85/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Gift from AleWatcher as an invitational to the Blind Beer BIF #4. Thanks Jeff for filling a want!

Poured into a Duvel tulip glass.

Pours a hazy orangey gold, with a huge frothy offwhite head of about three fingers. Head is very slow to drop.

Aromas of spicey yeast, lemon zest, sweet malt. Some funk. Screams "belgian!"

Flavors of orange and lemon zest, background bitterness, alcohol bite, hints of sweet malt. A little pepper. Something else lingering in there. The funk is brett, a little barnyardy. Finish lingers on a citrusy bitterness.

Mouthfeel is medium, light mouthcoating bitterness. Not as dry as I'm used to for a saison.

Highly drinkable saison. Now one of my favorites.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2011 02:39:03 | More by JamnesCameron

sweetwillyrolbar

North Dakota

4.85/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

From my Libbey Embassy Royale Poco Grande tulip.

Appearance: Pale straw/golden in color. Expected more haziness, but the first pour has excellent clarity. Subsequent pours get progressively hazier, and the last I couldn't see my hand through the glass. Soft, pillowy white head which takes its time settling. As the beer clears its way farther down the cup, the white foam utterly clings to the cup; excellent retention.

Smell: Slight white pepper, but very apparent funk of straw/dirt. (The earthy character I expected.) If you scraped a horses hoof of dirt on the underside and then smelled it.... divided by two. Some citrus, rather musty.

Taste: WOW. What a pick for my first brett beer. This pleasant, but unmistakably sharp bite of this beer just kicks you in the mouth. The phrase I've heard, "barnyard funk", is extremely appropriate. This flavor is, however, difficult to understand until you experience it. Wonderfully complex, with an array of flavors beginning to end. As for ABV... what ABV? Highly drinkable. Bit yeasty, and slight apple tartness. The funk dominates waaay more than the faint tart qualities.

Mouthfeel: Fuller than I had expected, but still light and appropriate for the style. Very appropriate carbonation, so refreshing yet flavorful.

Overall: I expected a lot from this beer and it lived up to expectation 100%. Simply one of the best examples for the style, in my experience. Elegantly & unapologetically funky.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2011 17:13:05 | More by sweetwillyrolbar

Mississipping

Mississippi

4.85/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

2011 vintage poured into a fantome tulip and paired with locally made Mississippi herb goat cheese ... absolutely perfect!

A: pours a completely clear golden color with a massive foamy, off-white head that fills 2/3 of the glass.  It takes forever for the head to subside so I can get a little more liquid in the glass.  Extremely impressive sea foam lacing left behind on the glass.  The head never settles completely, leaving a moderate film covering the surface.

S: Holy funk, Boulevard!  Really nice Bretty barnyard qualities are dominant.  Musty hay, horse blanket, and grass, accompanied by lemon zest and cracked pepper and a slightly spicy hoppiness.  There is also a touch of damp wood, gym socks, and mushrooms that really adds some complexity to the aroma.  Really an exceptional smelling farmhouse ale. 

T: The taste is funky as hell, too, but there is a significant amount of lemon zest that balances things out.  It starts out with a wonderful earthy taste, comprised of damp hay, grass, and something resembling celery and mushrooms, along with a nice, but subtle, hop profile.  Transitions slowly to a fresh lemon zestiness with some cracked pepper, both of which linger long after you swallow.  The Brett funkiness lingers as well, mainly in the sinuses, as if you were truly in a barn.

M: Medium-bodied with an excellent level of carbonation, that is slightly high, but very, very pleasant.  The higher carbonation makes it spritzy and accentuates the flavors.  As you roll it around in your mouth, foam forms just like when it was originally poured into the glass.  Slightly drying at the finish, but only on the back of the tongue.  The lingering flavors keep the mouth slightly wet between sips as it waters in anticipation.  

D: Absolutely exceptional example of the style.  This is hands down the best American made farmhouse ale, if not the best of its kind.  Wildly funky, yet not over the top.  Earthy, citrusy, herbal, and slightly vegetal.  Amazing complex yet perfectly balanced.  Try it if you can!

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2011 03:19:51 | More by Mississipping

kbnooshay

New York

4.85/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I've been wanting to get ahold of this one for awhile. Now i gotta get some Boulevard BBQ!!!

A - Poured a golden straw colored with lots haze. The white frothy-foamy shapeshifting head was pretty big resulting in a nice glass coating lace.

S - Smells sour and i detect hints of apple, orange of lemon.

T - Tastes just like it did at the Belgian Beer fest in september with the slightest but pleasant funky band-aid flavor. This is less sour than i expected though but its very tasty. Has a great earthy taste to it but at the same time its very fresh due to the hops! PERFECT contrast! Later on i sniffed it again and inhaled some of the beer up my nose and after that the beer tasted like brown sugar. WEIRD. Yeasty-tasty.

M - medium(almost milky mixed with soda)body. Slick with an attack of the tingles. Ever so slightly dry. I will try to buy a few bottles of this every year or so. SO GOOD.

2 more in the basement)WOO-HOO!!!

I'm drunk. I had other beers earlier. good night...beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2011 04:54:27 | More by kbnooshay

alex_hart

Massachusetts

4.84/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

bomber served in the smokestack series glass

this beer is incredible..from the impressive head retention, to the smooth carbonation, to the light effervesent feel of it, it is top notch 100%...it starts delicious and keeps on getting better and better..even the left over "floaters" in the brew give it an extra boost of flavor...great find

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 04:05:22 | More by alex_hart

bgebhards

Ohio

4.83/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured from a bottle into a Chalice

A-Light yellow with a very nice head atop.

S- Floral accents, hops, and some fruits covering through.

T-So smooth and satisfying, very complex

M-when removed the cork it popped nicely and kept carbonation well

D-probably one of my favorite beers, loved the hop nature along with the sweetness and smooth flavor.

Serving type: bottle

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2008 17:16:07 | More by bgebhards

lackenhauser

Maryland

4.83/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Gorgeous straw golden color to this one. Very clean looking. Three fingers of foam on top-looks like an ice cream soda. Fantastic aroma-it just poured out of the bottle once the cork was "popped". Sweaty/bready/yeasty all rolled into one. Deep black peppery bite to it. Just a great flavor-a perfect balance between sweet and sour. Very smooth and subtle maltiness. The sweaty aroma runs right into the flavor. Very pleasing spicy bite to it. No real hop bite but the spiciness makes up for it and accentuates the whole thing. Good mouthfeel-the lingering dryness is never out done as there is still a decent sweetness behind it all. Wow what a beer! I think this might be the first brett beer I have ever had KNOWING it had brett in it. Wild, weird and wonderfully funky. I need to try and homebrew a bunch of this. Simply great. Big thanks to jtrockchalk for the Secret Santa super treat!

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2008 03:52:08 | More by lackenhauser

Bitterbill

Wyoming

4.83/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I picked this up on my latest trip to CO.

750ml caged and corked bottle no. 4561 batch no. 2009-1

Huge pop when I opened it and I did lose an ounce or 2, dammit.

It pours a hazy golden yellow colour with a huge head of foam. I guess I didn't leave it in the fridge long enough(~1 hour) but I'm expecting big things since BA has rated it so highly. The foam is very billowy and looks to be long lasting. The lacing? There's plenty of it sticking to the side of my New Belgium goblet.

The amell is yeasty and full of the Brett presence...a very nice funky smell. Something I would *expect* from a brew that had Brett in its name. ;^) There's also a good note of some lemon zest that I enjoy when it comes to a good Saison.

The taste..ok....this is tasting mighty fine. Spicy, funky, yeasty, lemon zesty. My oh my. The taste is hitting my palate on all the right notes. I love the flavours I'm tasting and there's a nice fairly light sprinkling of some pepper to make things even more ineresting. The Brett isn't subtley done at all here and I literally want to jump up and say..Yes! Malt wise, I get a bit of an earthy flavour and that doesn't hurt one bit. To tell you the truth, if I was given this in a blind tasting, I'd swear it was brewed in Belgium. Isn't that the goal of every brewer in the US that brews a Belgian Style Ale? Boulevard did that in spades!

Medium mouthfeel with a spritzy level of carbonation, it finishes funky and pretty darned dry. That makes me want to take quicker sips than I want to and damn, it's *only* a 750ml bottle. Oh and head retention is superb.

Drinkability? Can you guess? Full flavoured, wonderfully flavoured, not inhibited by its 8.5% abv at all, this is another dangerously drinkable brew and a sheer joy to drink. A top notch Saison in my book and not even close to being an overrated brew. See some, get some!

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2009 00:47:36 | More by Bitterbill

jar2574

Missouri

4.83/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Had on tap, a test batch for the 2011 edition. Can't wait for it to be introduced.

Great smell - peaches and barnyardy goodness. Good white head & retention. Moderate cloudiness. The lacing with this one was only OK, which is probably the only clear weakness I saw with this beer.

The taste is very nice. Crisp, with a slightly sour finish. Smooth, a good balance of malts and hops. Peaches and barnyard flavors dominate, as with the smell. On first impression the sourness in the aftertaste was a little surprising, but I got used to it 1/3 of the way into the beer. The smell could have been a touch more powerful - but that's because I enjoyed it so much.

So I'm really nitpicking here. It's a great beer and I'll grab many if I can find it when it's released.

Serving type: on-tap

06-05-2011 14:40:54 | More by jar2574

jrenn

Kansas

4.83/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured from the 750ml into a pint glass

Look: Really awesome Belgian type head. It's cloudy. Which is sort of refreshing to see in this style. Straw yellow.

Smell: Herbal, floral- jasmine maybe. Apricot, and dammit, maybe a little pineapple. Sweet and pleasant. Clear as a bell. Bright.

Taste: Pleasant belgian yeast upfront and a little fruit and flower underneath. Similar to what was described in the scent. Very clear citrus fruits. Apricot.

Mouth: Drinkable. Thicker than most saisons, but don't let that scare you. No more filling than an IPA. Still a perfect summer brew.

Overall: It is so encouraging to see this beer come back again. Boulevard is on a roll lately. As a Kansas Citian I'm embarrassed to admit I probably talk more shit on my hometown brewery than needed, but this shows where Bully's true heart is at. It is beers like this, the Rye on Rye and the Double Wide IPA that make me want to boast of KC's beer scene. It is an exceptional take on the trending, but nonetheless classic, saison style. The Brett, in my opinion, should respect the taste buds of regular fans of the Saisons (such as the DuPont), but I also found it pleased the palates of my APA drinking buds.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2012 17:28:07 | More by jrenn

Chirpie

Kansas

4.83/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2012 Bottle - Bought at Brown Bag in Olathe, KS - Bottle #9312

I had 4 bottles of the 2011 version and my memory was painting some rather lofty memories of it. More than a few said they'd nailed the 2012 and drinking it fresh instead of aging it was a perfectly reasonable thing to do.

So I cracked one open after having the willpower to leave the bottles I bought alone for a couple months.

The biggest difference out of the whole experience that I noted vs the 2011 version was the aroma. 2012 has an even more pronounced bready/funky smell. Had to be one of the better smelling beers I can recall. (If you like funk) I had just come off a disappointment with Love Child No 2 so this was a return to form in my mind.

The head dissipates quickly with medium sized bubbles. It doesn't hang around as long or lace as much as the Tank 7 it's loosly based on. The appearance is perfect pale yellow. The bubbles will come up from dead center at the bottom for an infinite period of time. Mouthfeel is baby bottom smooth.

The taste? Oh man! ^_^ Thank goodness Tank 7 is year round as a stand in, but this is just a great funky rendition that I still hate having only 3 more bottles to look forward to until next year. Very strong funky medicinal notes. Prickly near the end. Finishes smooth. No burn whatsoever.

If you like a good farmhouse ale, and want to know what a Brett(funked up) version will taste like, you can't beat this mana in a glass.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2012 20:41:39 | More by Chirpie