Noble Rot - Dogfish Head Brewery

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

3.84/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A-Pours a clear yellow hue. Good head. Moderate lacing.

S-Musty and rather intense in its mustiness. Having a mild wine background, I can smell the botrytis here and it really does remind me of a dessert wine or Viognier with a bit too much age on it.

T-It really tastes white wine-like. Dessert wine but less sweet. Definitely getting similar flavors to an off-dry Viognier.

M-If the flavor is appealing to you it drinks quite well. The 9% is hidden extremely well...like wine!

O/D-One of the only DFH's wacky beers I have like. Actually I think its the only large format DFH beer I haven't been pissed about after buying it. Its cool, especially if you know about its unique origins.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 00:41:12 | More by VelvetExtract

jibbyvonjibb

California

3/5  rDev -22.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Hay color. Clear. Moderate head.
S: Dupont-like pepperiness and spice. Coriander. Lemons. Don't detect much grape.
T: Slightly tart. Candy like: lemon drops. In the finish, an herbal sweetness that lingers much longer than I would like it to.
O: Feels too artificial for me, probably from excessive use of herbs. Also, I don't know if I'm crazy or everyone else is, but where do you detect wine flavor? I would classify this as a saison/wit, and a bad one at that. Damn you Dogfish head! Stop making "exotic" crappy beers and focus on quality products already.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 22:58:16 | More by jibbyvonjibb

BurgeoningBrewhead

Pennsylvania

4.51/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5

Poured into tulip. Clear yellow with fizzy bubbles, looks like champagne. Fizzy but thick head that doesn't stick around, visible carbonation. Smells like champagne or white wine combined with belgian yeast. Taste is like a champagne, but with the belgian yeast sneaking in at the end to finish. If it weren't for that, you could tell me this was a sparkling white wine and I'd believe you. Incredibly drinkable, alcohol very hidden for 9% (which admittedly would be less than wine, however). This would be an excellent dinner or celebration beer, or a great starter for wine/champagne lovers who want to get into beer but can't.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 03:16:27 | More by BurgeoningBrewhead

clayrock81

Virginia

3.83/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Bought this beer not only to try myself but for my light wine (including pinot gris) loving wife as well, and to wit she and I both enjoyed but since I'm not much of a white wine drinker at all my score reflects that I am not enamored with this project.
Certainly poured more like wine than beer as very light, clearish yellow color and intense carbonation, almost champagne like. Smell is very vinous and "grapey", a touch of funk along with sourness and spice. Light bodied, easy to drink, crisp and dry finish, there's a touch of woodiness in this but mostly I am getting that grape, wine-like taste along with some tartness to match with it. There seems to be a touch of other light fruit like the possibility of sour apple and/or pear flavor, but in general one could say that this beer has a wine-like profile with a touch of saison funk and sourness. Didn't really pick up any malts or yeast prevelant in regular saisons but this beer did seem a little fuller and sweeter than your average white wine so there in there. A hard beer to describe, perhaps a new category, but for now "sorta saison" works. I will say this beer is at least worth a try by anyone and a unique (although in my opinion not overly great) brew.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 18:19:54 | More by clayrock81

magictacosinus

California

3.93/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Before I start this review, I just wanted to point out that wines affected by noble rot are something I became rather enamored with while living in the French countryside years ago near Montbazillac, a village that produces one of the most famous wines within this style. They are very sweet but have a tarty and mineral finish that is delicious when done right. Naturally, given the history, this beer immediately excited me when I found it readily available. Included in the first monthly "Beermageddon Night" with several people. Review is from my notes. Poured from a 750ml bottle into a teku glass. No bottling or freshness date.

Pours uncanny appearance that is pretty much an exact 50-50 mix of a saison/golden ale and a noble rot wine. With every pour, the carbonation would immediately fade away, leave behind a solidly thickened white head, and produce a clear, yellow-gold color that would fool perhaps the largest sweet white wine connoisseur if it weren't for the head. There's strong lacing as well, which definitely tells me right off the bat that this is filled with resins and sugar. There's actually good carbonation that lasts as well, which adds extra beauty to this beer. I can't help but love it as a result, especially when rating to style.

Ah, yes, the aroma definitely triggers some old memories while adding some new things to the table - vinous for sure, with a grape fruitiness, but there's a solid crisp grainy finish that follows as well. Grape must appears at the finish, which is pungent yet refreshing. Definitely quite sweet, but balanced with the inclusion of the golden pale malts, and with a yeasty sensation that is pear or apple-tinged. However, the fact that the grapes have added so much to the aroma tells me that both have worked off each other at this point, and it's hard to tell where any aroma I'm getting comes from. At the same time, it is rather complex, and the sweetness never gets cloying (at least not to me, anyhow).

The flavor is very similar, although undeniably sweeter, but the grape must and golden ale traits are more amplified here. On one end, there's the classic noble rot wine flavor profile, filled with vinous qualities as well as dried fruits and honey, and then at the other end, there's the cracked golden grains, yeasty wetness, and citrus that make this very similar to a farmhouse ale in certain respects. These flavors meld together naturally well and do not conflict with one another, but definitely the noble rot characteristics seem to be winning - it's simply impossible to slice through that level of sugar concentration and mustiness! To me, this makes it interesting, but I can see how this could throw off people who aren't used to it. With all things considered, it's a bit boozy and extra syrupy (almost sticky) and I'm glad I split it with three other people. This simply would be too much to have with one other person. However, I could say this exact thing about noble rot wine as well.

Definitely a unique beer in DFH's lineup, and as good as any great noble rot wine or refreshing saison at the end of the day. It's pretty sweet, but it makes an excellent aperitif and good budget replacement for the actual wines themselves, which can be pretty pricey. It also has a beer-like feel that is more appealing to me, and not as syrupy as a result. Absolutely worth a try for the curious.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 06:19:28 | More by magictacosinus

stumac

Texas

4.3/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Drinkin this with Amanda while watching Tai Chi Zero. Pours up and looks just like champagne. Light murky golden color with solid white head. Decent lacing. Aroma of white grape must, a hint of pale malts in the backdrop. Taste is Saison, green sour apples, white grape, musty, a lil hot, some lemon. Medium body. Smoothe easy carbo. I dig it

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2013 03:47:22 | More by stumac

Pencible

Virginia

4.03/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: This poured a clear pale gold with a bit of white head.
S: It smelled like grassy hops and white grapes, with some fresh wheat and musty oak and bread crust.
T: It tasted like sweet buttery white grapes, with some grassy hops and bready yeast and oak and a bit of unripe apricot. It had a clean and bittersweet aftertaste.
M: It was oily with moderate natural carbonation. Nice smooth body.
D: This was a very nice unique saison, with noticeable white grape must. It had an enjoyable scent and taste and body, and a very smooth finish, so it was easy to drink. Good brew.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 02:07:49 | More by Pencible

drpimento

Wisconsin

4.66/5  rDev +20.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Excellent beer! Poured at a good temperature with fizzy, small, off-white head that quickly settled and a bit of lace. Color is a clear, light yellow with plenty of racing bubble trails. Aroma is yeast, grapes, and beer. Flavor is absolutely outstanding! This is the best grape beer I've ever had!! The grapes add a bit of sweetness but that is perfectly balanced by the fresh tart style of the beer and robust carbonation along with the yeast bitterness and of course, hop. Body is bang on perfect; ditto carbonation. Finish is like flavor, quite long, and extremely drinkable. Wish I had more.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 05:39:12 | More by drpimento

puboflyons

New Hampshire

3.35/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

From the 25 fl. oz. bottle. Sampled on April 5, 2013.

The pour is pale yellow with constant and active carbonation building up to a fluffy, white light head that floats across the top at all times.

Aroma of wheat mainly and not grapes as I expected. Some pale malts and light hops on the nose too.

Medium body.

The taste brings out the grapes that they talk about with a zingy bitterness at the end. A likable enough beer but not one that I would go for regularly.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 00:23:45 | More by puboflyons

ocelot2500

Arizona

3.58/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear straw color with a white head that leaves little chunks of lacing.

Smells of grape notes with some spiciness.

Tastes of bright fruit notes with a little underlying sweetness and spice. White grapes, apples, and pears lead off. A touch of syrupy sweetness, but not much. A slight lemon tartness kicks in the middle. Finishes with a little drying spice and herbal notes.

Mouthfeel is medium with a smooth amount of carbonation.

Overall, this is pretty good, but could use a little more oomph.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 03:18:35 | More by ocelot2500

scruffwhor

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

A clear, somewhat bubbly looking mix between a Riesling and a pilsner. Sunshine yellow and some clear-ish, grape juice colors. Pretty quick, bright white head. Looks like a sub-par saison, but we all know there's something special about this brew.

Grapey, earthy backbone aroma. There's some soft, barely toasted cracker and pilsner malt aromas. Sweet, yet a sharp tartness that makes me think a dry Riesling and a chardonnay had a baby. Different indeed.

For something almost looks like wine and smells like wine, well.... it tastes winey too. Dry and tart from start to finish. Tart white grapes meet dry pils and wheat malts. There's maybe just a touch of spicy yeast that helps cut some of the grape juice's tartness a little. Thiss taste like a tart Saison had a baby with a semi-sweet white wine. The wine carries the dominant traits in my opinion.

This has a tart, winey palate, and the carbonation of a Saison. Good sipping beer that I will buy again and share with friends and loved ones.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 00:32:02 | More by scruffwhor

rainydays2020

New York

3.63/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a .33L Cas'telain teardrop goblet.

Appearance- Very clear light golden color with one finger of thick white head.

Smell- white grapes, white wine. Very mild smell compared to the complex taste. This was that only part of the experience I was (somewhat) let down by.

Taste- Crisp, the tart fruity smell is in there, white grapes up front with some other complex flavors that I can't really name. Then honey, vanilla-almond biscotti, with a crisp lingering tart finish. Very little hop character which fits the style.

Mouthfeel- sweet and slick. Very bubbly

This is a great beer! The one thing I feel is missing is the smell. All that you really get is the white grape must and even that is somewhat light. However the lack of smell is compensated by the interesting character the must and botrytis infection adds to the flavor. Overall an incredibly unique wine-like character to this beer. I'd highly recommend this one to wine lovers. I've got one aging in my basement for future drinking!

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 23:17:03 | More by rainydays2020

Sludgeman

District of Columbia

3.13/5  rDev -19.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Purchased for $13.99. Bottled on 5/22/12. Poured into a DFH glass.

A - Pours a clear, very light straw colored, almost white wine in color. Rocky one-finger head, which quickly disappates. Nice lacing. Well carbonated.

A - Some farmyard funk at first and then a white wine.

T - Apple and grape. Zero bitterness. Sweetness in the middle and the finish. Hides its 9% ABV well.

MF - Fizzy.

O - I've had a number of saisons and this beer is very similar but very different. A saision with white wine like qualities. It is no where near the top of my saison list. Drink like a wine (slow, sips) and maybe you will enjoy it.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 00:49:48 | More by Sludgeman

VaRy

California

4.59/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is a tricky one. I do not see where exactly the "Noble Rot" can be placed on the beer map, and I therefore can not judge its conformity to any particular style. It certainly not brewed in Belgian tradition, so I would not label it as "saison". This beer is not aged in wine casks or what not, it is actually brewed with viognier must.

The result is stunning. The look is classic straw-colored pale pilsner (or should I say sauvignon blanc?) with very little head. Smell is certainly fermented grape and light hops. Taste... Well, it gets weird here. A mixture of pilsner and white wine does not sound appealing, but this one is absolutely superb. Bone dry, delicate, floral, fruity, ever so slightly spicy. Amazing!

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 13:32:50 | More by VaRy

damngoode

Indiana

3.68/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A nice surprise. I didn't bother to read the label or the ba listing but at first taste I immediately thought, wow, that's a weird pils! I generally don't enjoy saisons, so this was an experience for me. Much hyped, I first heard of Noble Rot while I was working with Napa Smith Brewery. I like that this beer is light, bold, fruity, crisp, funky, and boozy! A whole lot packaged into one beer. I think the grape additions give a nice companion for the pilsner flavor. Light and slightly tart, this is an excellent beer to break up a summer afternoon marathon. Would love to pair this with some funky or sharp white cheeses. It grows on you!

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 20:09:53 | More by damngoode

M_C_Hampton

Georgia

3.99/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A: poured from a 750 mL bottle into a pint glass, light golden colored with a short white head that dissipates quickly leaving little lacing, clear

S: yeasty and sour, slight grape, grain, saisson smells

T: yeasty and sour, grape, sour cherries, lemon

M: light to medium bodied, alcohol well hidden

O: imagine a saisson mixed with a sour, interesing and unique

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 01:38:52 | More by M_C_Hampton

Drunk_And_Sarcastic

California

3.96/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750 ml into a tulip.

A - Light clear champagne colored. 3

S - Has the nose of a saison. Lots of yeast. There is also some light golden fruits, most notably pear and apples. Much like a white wine. Also has a hard cider-like nose. 3.25

T - Starts with traditional saison yeast. This then shifts to a more white wine like the nose. This consists of some pears and apples followed by some tartness. It finishes with more yeast and clove notes. 4

M - Lots of carbonation and a tad thin but strangely still sort of creamy. Interesting mouthfeel. Much like a sparkling wine. 4

Overall: This drinks more like a sparkling wine or hard cider. I think it's a great hybrid between beer and wine. It's a crisp, clean and easy to drink. It has a nice tartness and is a great option for white wine drinkers. That being said, I'm glad I tried but don't think it will be a repeat purchase, especially for $14. 4

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 04:08:24 | More by Drunk_And_Sarcastic

facundoCNB

New Jersey

4.31/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

a beautiful clean light yellow pour, 2 fingers of fluffy/foamy bright white head which dissipated slowly, tons of visible carbonation, excellent head retention, great lacing. smells of bready pilsner malt, lemongrass, white wine, coriander. slightly tart/sour on the palate, a spicy black pepper feel up front which i'm guessing is from the belgian yeast strain, definitely tasting a lot of white wine grape flavors, nice and funky farmhouse flavors. this is a wonderful saison with a slightly tart/sour feel to it, medium in body with high carbonation it is both refreshing, and sweet.

as far as the weird one offs that DFH releases, this is one of the best i've had. a very delicious, very refreshingly perfect for this 60 degree day, slightly sour which is exactly what i was hoping for. love it.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 00:32:37 | More by facundoCNB

circus_cat

Virginia

4.1/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A: Pale straw with fizzy short-lived head and quickly rising bubbles. If this were in a flute, I might think it to be sparkling wine or champagne.

S: Green grapes, green apples, some funky earthiness that reminds me it's beer

T: Mirrors the nose. Fresh citrus and tropical fruitiness--mango, passion fruit. Some earthiness through the middle. Ends with a not-quite cloying sweetness that hangs around.

M: Light and active. The bubbles really dance around like champagne. Some alcohol burn as it goes down.

This is a lot like drinking vino verde or prosecco until the malty earthiness reminds you it's a beer. The intentionally infected grapes add this sweetness that really pushes the limits but stays within reason. I wouldn't drink this all the time but it is a nice departure from the norm. It tastes a little like Delirium Tremens.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 14:30:01 | More by circus_cat

flayedandskinned

California

4.36/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottled in 2012
Poured into a Duvel tulip.

Appearance: Pours a translucent pale gold with a very slight greenish hue. As soon as the beer hits the glass, a 2 finger pure white head rises and almost immediately dissipates. This brew honestly looks like a blend of a pilsner and a glass of a pinot grigio.

Aroma: Traditional, spicy saison yeast notes leap right out of the glass at you immediately; ground pepper, musty hay, suggestions of pear. Underneath the yeast however, is freshly squeezed white grape juice. If you dig deep enough, you can detect sweet bready malt.

Taste: Similar to the the nose, big spicy yeast hits your tongue right away with a mere whisper of light, grassy hops letting you know that this is still a saison. Almost as soon as the hops hit your palate, the white wine aspects come into play; grape juice coats your tongue and causes the light, prickly carbonation to desist. The grape must is slightly sweet and definitely has some acidic, lemony attributes. The must really interacts and plays off the herbal, spicy yeast quite well. The 'beer' finishes tart and off dry. Lingering notes of yeast, grapes and and an overt, buttery coating of biscuit-y malt is left naked on your tonque.

Mouthfeel: This is where the wine/beer hybrid becomes super apparent. Thin, yet creamy mouth feel with light, prickly carbonation until about half way through the taste when the grape juice makes the carbonation stop dead in it's tracks. The 'beer' starts off feeling like a beer and half through it finishes naked and clean like a wine.

Overall: Yet another utterly unique ale(?) from Dogfish Head. I really enjoyed this beer and it is a A very successful marriage of both the wine and beer worlds. Would recommend it to any beer and wine lover equally. This is going to be in my refrigerator quite often.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 20:24:55 | More by flayedandskinned

Roose13

New Jersey

3.71/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

Poured into a pint glass

A: Fizzy clear yellow with rising bubbles. Two finger paper white head.

S: sour grapes, citrus

T: Sour grapes, pale like a lager, very bready. It's got a real strong sour kick right away.

M: Carbonated like a sparkling wine.

Overall: My first real saison. Something different, not really my thing though. I think it's a good beer that's better shared with friends.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 05:14:11 | More by Roose13

kojevergas

California

3.29/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 2 | smell: 1.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Cost was $14 at my local SoCal beer store. 1 pint 9.4 fl oz brown glass bottle with branded pressure cap served into a conical Samuel Smith's pint glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are above average; I'm not big on Dogfish Head, but I have strangely high hopes for this one based on the marketing. Say what you like about Dogfish Head (and I frequently take jabs meself) - their label art is great and they know how to intrigue you with the descriptions of their beers. It's too bad the brewing is so often less appealing than the marketing, but I digress. 9% ABV confirmed.

Served straight from the fride and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

Not paired with food.

A: Pours a fizzy thin white head that quickly dissipates within about 5 seconds. We're left with a clear pale yellow coloured body. Translucent. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. It's looking pretty downright awful for a saison, but I'm not going to judge it as a saison because Dogfish Head doesn't identify it as such per se (I always prefer to go with what the brewer considers a beer over what beeradvocate's imperfect categories consider it). Regardless of style, it doesn't look that great, though I guess it's somewhat vibrant. Meh.

Sm: Clear pale malts. Actually, I get some corn adjunct. Some white wine notes. Crystal malt. Honestly, if you poured this and had me smell it and told me it was an adjunct lager, I'd believe you. Maybe that's my broken nose, but I don't find this impressive at all. Clean and weak. A mild strength aroma. Unimpressive.

T: White wine notes. Clean pale malts. Pear-like sweetness. Lightly cider-esque. Clean barley. A bit acidic. Not very musty at all, actually. Clove from the yeast. Clean apple. Balanced - the best thing going for it. And it needs that, because it's awfully simple. I wouldn't say it lacks subtlety, but it's unimpressive.

Mf: Remarkably fizzy, with a pleasant underlying coarseness. Refreshingly wet. The mouthfeel here is a highlight, actually. Clean and enjoyable. It does dry a bit towards the climax. Carbonation is just a bit low.

Dr: Drinkable and enjoyable, but lacking anything interesting enough to warrant another purchase. In fact, it certainly seems overpriced for the lack of quality. Hides its ABV well. I think it's fair to call it wine-like. To its credit, it'd make a fantastic table beer for pairing with food. I like the cidre-like and wine-like qualities, but at some point, it seems to depart from being a beer. It's tough to settle on an opinion of this one as a result. This is definitely one to get again (hopefully at a better price) if you're looking to convert wine people to beer over dinner.

B-

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 04:47:35 | More by kojevergas

mactrail

California

4.08/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Quite attractive with a clear lemon color and a fine-grained foam. Interesting winey fragrance full of flowers, wine barrels, and fresh grapes.

Quite sharp, with a flavor more like an acidic young white wine than a beer, but I like it. Tastes like a Saison, but with that grapey flavor. Nice yeasty flavors but not as dry as many beers using the Belgian yeast. Tangy and bright. Malt I don't taste much of.

From the 750 ml bottle bought at Liticker's Liquor & Deli in San Diego. I don't want to say how much, but I won't be buying another for that price. Still, it's an adventure in flavor, and much easier drinking than most of Dogfish Head's experiments.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 04:28:08 | More by mactrail

mattkoon

South Carolina

4.56/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

i read an article about this beer a few months ago and i was really interested in trying it. then this past weekend i was at a beer tasting in charleston sc and there it was. my wife was with me and she is a wine drinker. she fell in love with this, and i really liked it so it was kind of the perfect drink for my house.
the color is a light yellow- like chardonnay. it smells like an earthy sassion and white wine mixture. which also sums up the taste- a great earthy light sassion paired with a sweet-dry white wine.
if you have wino friends and you want to drag them into the beer world this is a good start. this one will be a staple at my house whenever i can get it.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 23:57:06 | More by mattkoon

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.88/5  rDev 0%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

750ml bottle - $10.99 at Sprayberry Bottle Shop in Marietta, Georgia.

Appearance: Pours a hazy, pale yellow body, though, with a little tinge of green to it. Fluffy, white heads that cashes out quickly leaving on appreciable lacing as it goes.

Smell: Initial scents of lemon verbena, winey grapes, apples, and pears. Then, the soft wheat and pils malts. Characterful saison yeast throughout. Also, some alcohol definitely catching the nose.

Taste: Pils, wheat malts, a little grainy, a little doughy with some ground spice notes and moderate, initial sweetness. White grape, apple, even some tart pears interwoven with a lemony, herbal kick, but, mainly it's the taste of white wine. Lightly musty. The underlying spiciness ramps up a bit as the alcohol quickly takes hold, heading towards the warming, tart, relatively dry finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium-plus carbonation.

Overall: It's solid. While not loved, I did like it fairly well for an interesting, wine-like, fusion-type beverage.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 19:58:24 | More by ChainGangGuy