Posca Rustica - Brasserie Dupont sprl

draheim

Washington

4.18/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

My first-ever Scottish gruit/ancient herbed ale... not sure what to expect, looking forward to trying this.

750mL bottle into a saison glass. Pours crystal clear gold w/ a thick white head, lively carbonation.

Aroma is that strong wet hay smell typical of many Dupont beers, which quickly gives way to milder Belgian yeast and pale malt aromas. Some vague spices I can't ID.

Taste is spicy, fruity, but overall balanced and smooth. Apples, pears, and some nice floral notes. The more I sip on this, the more I like it.

Mouthfeel is light, crisp, with a dry finish. Cross between a saison and a white wine.

Overall, pleasantly surprised. For some reason I expected this to be a heavy-handed herbal spice bomb. Instead it's a tasty, well-crafted Belgian beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2012 04:08:02 | More by draheim

Jimmys

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

750mL into snifter. split 3-ways.

A: pretty clear blond body. bright white head. retention is good, lacing not so much.

S: earthy hoppy aroma. even smells dry. fruity cantaloupe.

T: rosemary? definitely some juniper berries. definitely fruity. sweet and sugary. finish is a tang sweet and then gets a bit dry.

M: carbonation is full and vibrant.

D: definitely reminiscent of their saison, tasty and refreshing. worth picking up if you can find it.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2012 01:27:19 | More by Jimmys

eclipse54

Idaho

4.38/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A corked and caged 750 mL bottle that I picked up at the Co-op after a glowing recommendation from the resident beer guy. The cork was stamped "2.011" and this was split into tulips.

Pours a lively golden straw color with pastel wheat hues. The body glows uniformly in the light, and is hazy enough that no fine details or real shadows penetrate from side of the glass to the other. About two inches of pure white, foamy, rocky head develops and lingers for a suitable amount of time. Scarce strands of sticky bubbles cling to the glass as lacing.

The aroma is of generous funk, some wheat and straw, belgian yeast, various muddled green herbs, and even more delicate spices. More subtle notes are difficult to individualize, as they seem both well-integrated and a bit overpowered by the funk. The nose is, however, strongly reminiscent of a saison, though with an extra dose of funk and a subtle herbal, almost fruity backing.

It tastes of straw and wheat up front, before a bit of tart peach, orange, and pear push through. A subtle yeasty funk flows throughout the sip, and a gentle stream of integrated herbs mounts towards the rear; perhaps some clove, banana peel, what resemples a slightly bitter, primarily floral hop, a touch of mango, and fresh grass. Some spices finish it off, with some white pepper and maybe some faint coriander being faintly noticeable. The flavors are all exceptionally balanced, however, and while the herbs and spices make a stoic appearance, I'm having a difficult time picking out any individual one.

The mouthfeel is superb; crisp, light bodied to the extent that the herbs and spices will allow, and a nice, refreshingly clean finish. Ample carbonation and a slightly acidic body give it a lively sensation on the tongue.

Overall, this is a very, very good beer. The fact that the flavors are so well integrated really put this one over the top for me. I'm very happy it was pointed out to me, and I won't hesitate to grab it again in the future.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2012 23:12:09 | More by eclipse54

wisrarebeer

Wisconsin

4.15/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

To my taste this was definitely more of a saison than a gruit.

A: cloudy, off-white/amber color, dense creamy head
S: full nose, earthy, spicy, yeasty, traditional saison
T; saison style with strong malt backbone and noticeable EtOH, heavier, richer saison with touch of cloyingness in finish
M: good and highly drinkable, but not as balanced and thirst quenching as other Dupont Saisons

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2012 15:33:54 | More by wisrarebeer

DefenCorps

Oregon

4.18/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle from Chevy Chase, $11.99. I was initially going to pass on this after I'd heard mixed things about it, but after trying a sample the rep poured me yesterday, I knew I had to do this justice. By far the best gruit I've had, and I hope my review convinces you of that

A moderately hazy light orange with a dense, off-white head with excellent retention and lacing, this looks great. The nose is rather marvelous. This might be classified a gruit for rather pedantic reasons, but IMO, this is in the vein of a saison. Big, spicy and herbaceous nose with a blend of white pepper, bitter, bolted basil, heather and more generally, like a meadow in springtime. For a beer that is unhopped, this does have a surprising skunky character, faint but noticeable. Honey is noticeable as well, as is a lot of straw and dough-like malt character. The alcohol is pretty well hidden IMO.

The palate is a rather beautiful blend of a yeasty phenols, yeasty spices and bouquet garni. The mid-palate brings out all the fruitiness, with a blend of ripe peaches, mango and papaya with a little bit of melon too. The spice and herb character is rather excellent. Beautifully balanced white pepper, dried flowers, flavors of bay leaf and some herbaceous bitterness. The blend of herbs coupled with the yeast does simulate a mild to medium hop character, but the single biggest aspect that gives away the fact that no hops were used is the absolute absence of hop oils and resins on the finish. Yes, there's a little bitterness to go with the yeast and the honey drizzled fruit, but the lack of the definition that hops add to the finish does slightly detract from the enjoyment. That said, when evaluated for the style, this is simply nonpareil. Medium-light in body with a rather high level of carbonation, this beer is rather excellent. Highly recommended. Not quite as good as Saison Dupont, but definitely better than Avec Les Bons Voeux IMO.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2012 03:06:01 | More by DefenCorps

smakawhat

Maryland

3.43/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the bottle into a tulip glass. Cork hits with a loud pop written with 2011 on it.

A real nice fluffy cloudy white head, large on pour, some good retention looks like whipped merringue. Body is a nice orange amber with yellow hues, a bit opaque. Love this retention and head, and slightly glowing body.

Nose hits with dry malty grains, sweet Belgian candy sugar, a little honey and a faint floral sense as well. Real nice.

Taste on the palate really seems to lack. Extremely light bodied, very dry and arid grains not bringing much of the sweet senses out hinted from the nose. Even for a gruit really lacking some flavor. Carbonation level seems a little high, and gets into spritzy territory which doesn't make it that more appealing.

I wish I could say more, and the sense of what was on the nose seemed to hint at that, but there's not too much going on. Overall it's not that bad, but I'd have something else with a little more noticeable palate profile.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2012 23:59:49 | More by smakawhat

51mmz0rz

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750mL bottle into a Tripel Karmeliet tulip. Corked marked 2.011

A: Translucent dark straw color with a large beige head. Carbonation is prevalent streaming up the sides of the glass.

S: Light skunkyness combined with fruity Belgian yeast characteristics.

T: Tastes mostly light a light belgian ale. Nothing wrong with that, but I am having a hard time detecting the additional spices. A slight bit of acidity in the finish.

M: Highly carbonated, seems to go well with the style.

O: A highly drinkable Belgian golden style ale

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2012 04:31:49 | More by 51mmz0rz

Docer

Washington

4.48/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: (5.0)
- Wonderful cloudy yellow brew with a hint of zesty orange. Big fluffy fingers of white head which slowly settled to a light thin layer over the brew with a thick half-inch ring of lace which is hanging on to the glass.

Smell: (4.5)
- Oh damn this smells good. Herbal grassy floral and zesty hops.. lovely herbal quality, a light skunky hop which is a good skunky, lemon zest, light citrus fruits, sugars, bready grain, biscuit. Right when I cracked the bottle I was in bliss.

Taste: (4.5)
- Bready sweet malt backing, light brown sugars, Belgian candy sugars melded with a great zingy citrus flare while noticeably playing well with great herbs, grassy and zesty peppery hops... light clove and banana from the yeast, and just an overall zesty fruity touch. Solid and fantastic.

Mouth Feel: (4.0)
- Little syrupy, drying, and cloying... also chewy to a point. This is a well carbonated if not over-carbonated brew which is medium bodied. Overall a nice zingy tingle which makes the mouth water.

Overall: (4.5)
- This is one hell of a solid beer. Fantastic really. Everything seems to be balanced so well, and the 8% ABV is dangerously well hidden. One could crack this on a summer day and want it as a session brew, one with full flavor. One of my new found favorites from this brewery.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2012 06:31:37 | More by Docer

DavoleBomb

Ohio

3.95/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I figured this was a saison since Dupont made it, but Ancient Herbed Ale sounds nice too. Poured into a tulip.

4.0 A: Deeply hazed brown-tinted orange color. Three fingers of foamy white head. Retention is very good and a good sized ring of lacing is left.

4.0 S: Herbalness abounds in the earthiest of ways. Hay and something like honey. The herbal assault is lead by jasmine and lemongrass, which may or may not even be in here. Wild apple and rotting wood funkiness. Some peppery spiciness from the yeast and maybe a touch of banana fruitiness.

4.0 T: Banana comes to the forefront in the taste. Herbal and funky. Apple orchard, light woodiness, wet hay and grass, lemongrass, jasmine, sage. Moderate bitterness that has to come partially from the herbs. Peppery yeastiness. Bits of honey, some breadiness, lightly phenolic.

3.5 M: Light to ligher medium body. Carbonation is moderately spritzy to the point of almost being biting. Moderately creamy for the body.

4.0 D: Overall, quite enjoyable. I haven't had a lot of this style, so it's tough to judge how it compares to competitors, but I'll have no problem finishing off this 750.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2012 01:46:35 | More by DavoleBomb

ppoitras

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle received via Growling at the Moon from jmarsh123. Corked and caged. Thanks Jeremy!

Beer tried to follow the cork out, but I was too quick for it, haha! Poured into a DFH snifter with a 2" eggshell head, over the completely cloudy golden amber brew. Frothy head lasts forever, with plentiful chunky lace. Aroma is tart and yeasty.

Taste begins lightly sweet, with spices and tart interplay in the center, and a lightly earthy but crisp and clean close. A bit of honey sweetness in the aftertaste. Mouthfeel is soft but lightly prickly over the tongue, and drinkability is good. Easily the best gruit I've had.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2012 23:30:27 | More by ppoitras

ONUMello

Ohio

3.48/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle poured into a pint glass
A: On the orange side of yellow. Reminds me of a dark pilsner. Slightly hazy. Tons of little bubbles streaming to the top, creating a one-finger coarse head that lingers.
S: Wheat, honey, spice, a hint of light hops.
T: Heavily spiced, especially cardamom. A bit of grain and honey. Then it turns bitter, but not in a good hops way, more of a I just ate pure cocoa powder way.
M: Medium-bodied and smooth.
O: I tried to be objective & I'm sure there are many who would like this, but it was not for me & I could only finish half a glass.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2012 22:56:25 | More by ONUMello

dansmcd

Australia

4.18/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Labeled 'Cervesia'

A - A slightly cloudy straw coloured brew, effervescent with a thick creamy pure white head that calms to a film that remains to the finish. Sticky drools of lacing smatter the glass.

S - Very belgian aroma of wild yeast, bread, spices and grains.

T - Follows the nose entirely. Delicious and the 8% abv is hidden excellently.

M - Creamy full body yet with a medium level of carbonation and zing.

O - Really nice beer this. Interesting and sessionable, a rare double.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2012 13:52:11 | More by dansmcd

TheCorkStopsHere

Connecticut

4.35/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Every year we get a list of "Holiday Beer Offerings" and I peruse through them like a kid picking out his Christmas list. One that really caught my eye this year was the Posca Rustica, brewed at Brasserie Dupont. The Saison Dupont has been one of my favorite brews for a couple years now, and I'm very curious about this brew I've never heard of.

Described as a Herbed/Spiced Beer on beerAdvocate, I'm not really sure what to expect. But of all the beers on the Holiday offering list, this is one of the few with a very good review/score on Advocate. So, we bought a case, and we'll just have to crack a bottle to see what we've got.

First off, the backside of the label tells this lengthy story about how the Posca Rustica came to be. I tried to read it all it one sitting, but had to come back to it in the morning. In any case, they weave a tale of a spiced version of a saison ale that was fed to the Roman soldiers while stationed in modern-day Belgium.

Posca Rustica pours out a darker amber color than the standard Saison. There's a significant rusty shade to the amber color, with a nice white fluffy foam on top. The foam is thick and long-lasting, leaving a nice amount of lacing behind. The aromas are a beautiful melting pot of bready, yeasty-ness, but much less funky than a typical saison. The herbal components are evident, but not intense.

The herbal aromas follow through on the palate, which is really cool. In body, it's fairly light like the saison, but it's got a much creamier, velvety mouth-feel. It's got this added layer of complexity that is as much about texture as it is flavor. Right about now, I'm wishing I had ordered more than just this one case.

This is a really cool little beer, and I'm already a big fan.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 16:29:09 | More by TheCorkStopsHere

Jwale73

Rhode Island

4.13/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750ml corked and caged bottle served at 48 degrees in my ST tulip. Pours a translucent orange-gold with a rocky, three inch bright white head. Head gradually recedes into a solid quarter inch cap leaving textured clumps of lacing in its wake. Copious tiny bubbles are present effervescing in solution. Nose is earthy/herbal with a trace of skunk, followed by a light floral character and a suggestion of spice towards the finish. Taste is bright and citrusy at the start. The middle expresses a pleasant, light, toasted malt character that quick yields to a light, spicy character that ties the flavor profile together - coriander, citrus rind and perhaps a trace of candi sugar. Mouthfeel is light-medium with a carbonation that is quite prickly without being overly gassy. There's a residual tingle and a slight astringency that lingers across the palette between quaffs. Another exceptional beer from Brasserie Dupont. Definitely a bit cleaner than a traditional farmhouse; however, not at all what I tend to expect from an Herbed/Spiced beer. A bright and complex beer that is pleasantly quaffable with a well-hidden abv. Well worth your time if the opportunity presents.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2011 01:02:15 | More by Jwale73

hippityhops85

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

OK. I'll admit it. I bought this beer based on the label alone. What can I say, I'm a sucker for good graphic design. "Belgian Ale Brewed with Herbs and Spices" on the label.

Poured into my Allagash footed cervois glass. Pours a clear, bright, tangerine with a huge, rocky white head that sticks around for the whole ride. Active carbonation observed.

Um, honestly the first thing I get off the nose is marijuana. There's a wine like character to the nose as well, almost like a pinot grigio.

The taste has a lot of spiciness, Belgian yeast, preserved hops? Really nice flavor and pretty unique taste. The spice dominates but not in a bad way. Really, really enjoyable.

Mouthfeel is very active and just pulls the spices off the tongue and sends it through your nose. Really, really cool.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2011 23:38:58 | More by hippityhops85

TheBeerAlmanac

Kentucky

3.33/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle poured into a tulip

A: Pours a light peach, yellow tint with a very full white sponge head.

S: Smells spicy with nutmeg, cumin, white pepper, clove and some faint fruity apricot, citrus and fig.

T/M: Has a high amount of carbonation and feels very thin and metallic on the tongue. Belgian yeast is prominent up front along with some plum, apricot, fig, cinnamon, clove, and banana. It feels extremely dry and very champagne like.

A good, fizzy Belgian, but there are definitely better options out there.

TheBeerAlmanac.com

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2011 03:50:09 | More by TheBeerAlmanac

rfgetz

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a hazed, dulled orange gold, good cap of white soapy froth, decent retention. Scent contains good floral and sweet honey notes, a splash of tangy yogurt, musty grain, light presence of pear and melon. Taste follows scent, quite complex and hard to pick out so many of the unique flavors. Medium bodied, lightly creamy but grainy, dry finish. Unique brew which falls squarely between subtle and aggressive in most of its flavor components, very nice blend.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2011 14:30:59 | More by rfgetz

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle picked up at Whole Foods P Street in DC a few months back. Served in a Mikasa tulip.

Pours a semi-hazed very light golden color with a nice white head that fades somewhat quickly into a thin cap throughout. The nose brings forward some wheat and a bit of light spice. Slight clove character. Flavor has a good dosing of wheat and grain plus moderate spice. Smooth and slightly chewy with moderate carbonation. Dry, fairly-bitter finish. Quite nice.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 21:35:01 | More by Thorpe429

mrand01

New Jersey

4.28/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750mL bottle split with nicoco. Poured into Weyerbacher tulips.

A: Poured with about 1/4" of white head. Nicoco says it's "look kinda like dehydrated piss yellow." Fair enough, I can agree with that. It's hazy. Head doesn't have too much retention, lacing fades quickly.

S: Banana, clove, lemongrass, maybe some pilsner malt and a hint of thyme.

T: Grainy, almost like a saison, but with some banana and honey overtones.

M: Very effervescent. The carbonation almost mimics a cold kombucha tea or champange. Light bodied, yet sticky. Very enjoyable.

O: Hard to compare this to anything as it's in a pretty unique style. Overall, I probably wouldn't seek out more gruits, however, this seems like it's most likely a fine example of one.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2011 21:55:17 | More by mrand01

Dope

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: A cloudy golden pour with a nice bubbly white head. Lacing is good and so is the retention.

S: Pepper, herbs and orange. Honey. A little grass. Sometimes get an odd little whiff of something funky.

T: Very interesting. Honey and oranges for sure. Lots of peppery spices that I can't quite identify accurately. Some herbal notes (including grass) but doesn't seem to be from herbal hops. Very interesting, wish I knew what was in this so I could identify the tastes better.

M: Surprisingly light despite the ABV, otherwise quite smooth with just a tingle from the spices. Almost no bitterness at all.

O: Very unusual beer, I'm honestly still not sure what to think. It tastes kinda like a saison with an overload of herbs and spices but minimal hops. It's quite delicious though, that's all I know!

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2011 04:53:48 | More by Dope

Beer4Baltimore

Maryland

4.72/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - hazy shimmering gold full of tiny streaming bubble topped with a four finger head of fine foam.
S - grassy, tart, and yeasty like a Saison but with some undefined(to me) spice character.
T - heavy sweet grass notes up front with a distinct citrus tart and bitter middle. Leaves a long lasting residual mild peppery light sweet tart bitter combination that is quite enjoyable.
M - ticklish crispy carbonation with a medium body and slightly dry finish.
D - fantastically drinkable if you like Saisons or derivatives of Saisons.
It goes pretty quick and if your not careful you'll certainly miss something. Very interesting, thirst quenching, and just all around plain good.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2011 02:17:09 | More by Beer4Baltimore

Daniellobo

District of Columbia

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

A nice historic take on the saison style

Presentation: 750 ml corked and caged green glass bottle. Brown and burgundy label resembling embroidery with golden touches, name and Roman looking coin symbol in the front seem to have been introduced for the US import (Cervesia turns into Posca Rustica on this side of the Atlantic), back label offers a good paragraph on the general characteristics of the brew, and in particular the historic background. Displays date of bottling (2011) on the trunk of the cork, and 8% Alc. by Vol. Poured into a tulip glass.

A - Hazy pale gold color with a nice frothy head, medium retention and some lacing.

S - Spicy nose, light yeast with a sweet touch.

T - Yeasty, nice touch of spices, a bit grassy with a touch of citrus.

M - Medium-light body, medium carbonation, and a fairly smooth flow...

O - Nice quaff without much to make it too memorable.

Notes: Nicer on my palate than the standard Dupont (Sure, nothing to do with it) but while pleasing not too memorable. The spicy character is not prominent or particular (yet?) and maybe the historic touch would be a nice incentive to share with someone keen on that topic.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2011 02:30:03 | More by Daniellobo

rdickey

New Jersey

4.22/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: It pours a very pale gold into a goblet, with a big, dense two-finger head on top. The head leaves behind nice lacing as I work my way through the glass.

Smell: An interesting mix of honey and herbs seems to be the foundation, although there are also some grainy and grassy notes that are appealing. Belgian yeasts are also present. Not invited to the party are any hops I can recognize, although there are certainly hop-like notes.

Taste: This is another interesting one. The honey flavors from the nose continue in the mouth, accompanied here by citrus (more lemons than oranges) and an almost wit-like wheatiness. There is a hint of funk, although it’s only lurking around the edges. As it warms, tart cherries sneak in. With all of this going on, it seems sort of crazy, but it all works together.

Mouthfeel: Very light and zippy in the mouth – quite refreshing.

Drinkability: High, particularly because the ABV is well-hidden. However, you’ll want to take your time with this one, because there’s a lot going on.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2011 23:25:50 | More by rdickey

mwilbur

Minnesota

4.38/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 750 mL bottle into cervoise.
A: Pours a slightly hazy, dirty lemon with high carbonation producing a prodigous 3+ inch bubbly white head. Good retention. Not much lacing to speak of.
S: Herbal spice, pungent hops, floral aromatics (orange blossom?), pepper, and honey.
T: Interesting amalgam of herbal spice (quite spicy!), sweet floral and citrus notes, dry and biting hops (but well balanced by the sweetness), grainy yeast, and a lemon-honey note as well. Quite interesting and complex.
M: Light and effervescent. Pleasantly dry, sweet, and spicy with a hint of bitterness (not as much as one would expect given the hop notes in the aroma and taste...the gruit is responsible for this).
D: I always like it when you can learn something from the label on a beer (in this case the origin of Proost!). The gruit seems to lend an interesting twist to the complexity. Pleasantly refreshing and very drinkable. A wonderful saison-gruit.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2011 05:23:09 | More by mwilbur

powellchristoph

California

4.45/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I received this beer in my monthly Rare Beer of the Month Club. The bottle looks great with a natural cork and wire cage. The label has a nice historical anecdote.

This is a hot beer! I thought I was uncorking a bottle of champagne for a second. The pour is large head of wispy foam that hangs out for a few minutes and dissipates nicely. The nose is very floral with a slight twang that is not apparent in the taste. Lots of clove, honey and spices. The beer is very nearly sweet, leaning closely towards mead territory but with a more mature taste. It is not like anything I have had before. I greatly enjoyed it, but not sure how often I would drink it due to the sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2011 02:42:29 | More by powellchristoph