Ground Break - Ithaca Beer Company

merc7186

New York

3.9/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Gene McCarthys in Buffalo NY, poured into a mug,

A: Hazy Orangish/Golden Straw Hue, Passes Some Light, White Head, Decent Lacing

S: Hay, Oranges, Black Pepper

T: Black Pepper, Yeast, Mild Oranges, Mild Lemons

M: Decent Carbonation, Light to Medium Bodied, Mildly Spicy

Overall, a pretty sessionable saison with nice mild citrus and pepper profile.

Serving type: on-tap

04-23-2013 01:41:59 | More by merc7186

CHickman

New York

3.95/5  rDev +1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beer Notes from 3/12/12, on tap at The Lark in East Northport, NY: pours a hazy yellow gold color with a creamy 1 finger white head that faded and left a creamy layer on top; leaves decent spotty foamy lacing.

Smells of funky yeast, grains, sour grapes, clove, pepper, light floral hops, wet grass, caramel, coriander and light spices; soft and funky, it's a nice mellow nose with all the saison basics.

Tastes of funky yeast, roasted grains/malt, wheat, sour grapes or tart apple, clove, pepper, floral hops, herbs, wet grass, caramel, pine cone or tree bark, coriander, hay and light spices like cinnamon or allspice; flavor is tart, herbal and grainy, yet somehow crisp with a nice funky finish that is on the dry side.

Mouthfeel is light, crisp and zesty, with tight fizzy carbonation, a light to medium body and a funky semi-dry finish that leaves a grainy aftertaste that dries and feels like yeast is coating your tongue.

Overall a good beer that is very drinkable, goes down easy, hides the ABV very well and is a nice American impression of this style.

Serving type: on-tap

11-30-2012 04:38:37 | More by CHickman

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

Draft offering served in a snifter. The brew appears a clear golden color with a finger of white froth. Some patchy lace sticks in thick patterns about the glass. A constant stream of bubbles maintains the froth atop throughout the entire duration. A light swirl effortlessly revives the cap.

The smell is yeasty and herbal with a zesty hop component. It is herbal and Greg smelling with earthy notes reminiscent of sulfur towards the back. It is a bit peppery overall and not bad.

The taste is yeasty with a bit of green herbal character. Some unexpected bitterness initially gives way to a flavor of clove, grass and a zesty spicy aspect. The more I focus on the bitterness, the more the earthy notes of this brew come out.

This is a medium bodied brew with a modest level of carbonation. It is crisp and enjoyable. Nicely done and worth checking out but overall there is no significant appeal to it, just an everyday easy drinking saison without much flaw.

Serving type: on-tap

03-28-2012 17:52:27 | More by stakem

angelogarcia3

New York

3.08/5  rDev -21.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A very good beer with a clear and ivory colored head. An aroma of citrus & grapefruits. Mouthfeel of Carbonation that cleanse the pallette. Preparing it for the flavors of spice and hops. Finishing with a slight bitterness that you would expect from drinking grapefruit juice. Had it at Madeline's in Ithaca, NY with the coconut dream cake. The pairing was very good.

Serving type: on-tap

05-20-2011 23:58:09 | More by angelogarcia3

LittleDon

Texas

3.83/5  rDev -2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A pint at Meadhall, 5/3/11

Not the farmhouse I was expecting. Clear, amber, with a short lived head and no lace. Spice everywhere, aroma and flavor. Sandlewood, floral, and cloves. Light to medium body with bitter back end. Lively mouthfeel. Dry. I was expecting more tartness, maybe brett, but none here.

Serving type: on-tap

05-03-2011 23:50:32 | More by LittleDon

mdfb79

New York

3.85/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

From 04/25/11 notes. Had on tap at Churchkey in Washington, DC.

a - Pours a clear orange color with one finger of white fluffy head and moderate to high carbonation evident.

s - Smells of floral notes, pepper, spices, and cloves. Not bad, but lots of spices, especially pepper.

t - Tastes of pepper, spices, citrus hops, cloves, breay malts, and floral hops. A step up from the nose. It had more going on and less pepper.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation, very smooth body.

o - Overall a good saison but the nose is heavy on pepper and the spices. Great mouthfeel, something I would try again.

Serving type: on-tap

04-28-2011 18:48:36 | More by mdfb79

donkeyrunner

Massachusetts

2.9/5  rDev -25.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

@ The Parrish, Boston MA. The waitress said it's like Jack D'or but not as much That could be said of a lot of beers.

Darker and clearer than most saisons , it's dark gold with not a cloud in the sky. Frothy head disappoints slides to a thin collar. Left one little patch.

Usual saison yeasty spice with candied ginger. Nice. Taste is dry and appropriately spicy but offset by a lumpy body. Like some one tossed saison yeast into an English pale. Not a fan.

Serving type: on-tap

04-03-2011 02:37:07 | More by donkeyrunner

quine

Colorado

3.83/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Poured a hazy golden. Short white head with decent retention. Slight lacing.

S: Smells fantastic. Sweet and malty, with some sort of spicy note in there.

T: Tastes similar to the smell. The malts come through with a sweetness, and the spiciness comes through more. In the middle, though, comes an unexpected and not entirely pleasant hoppy bitterness that doesn't quite seem to fit.

M: Crisp, with medium carbonation. Light bodied. Dry.

D: The hop bitterness is a little out of place, which kills the enjoyment a little. Otherwise a fairly good saison. Drinkable, and with the fairly low ABV, it doesn't hit you so hard.

Serving type: on-tap

03-18-2011 02:38:29 | More by quine

emerge077

Illinois

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hazy glowing orange, a compact finger of white foam on the surface. Surface texture is creamy, and it sticks nicely around the edges. Retention is pretty good, some delicate arcs of lace form in the glass also.

Estery yeast notes of clove and banana resemble a spicy hefeweizen. More earthy notes of coriander, cumin, and/or white peppercorns.

Dry, lightly bitter and spicy. Big notes of pepper and grassy hops. Orange peel, savory spices. Smooth feel, with the spices dominating the flavor, leaving telltale signs of pepper with a numbing tingle on the palate. Dry finish, little to no residual sweetness. Quenching and pleasant overall, something to anticipate springtime with.

Thanks to Mike for this unexpected beer!

Serving type: on-tap

03-12-2011 19:41:37 | More by emerge077

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Ithaca Groundbreak pours a bright gold, bone white head and some lacing. Aroma is very floral, alittle grassy and some sweet yeast. The flavor captures the Belgian style, heavy yeast giving a spicy kick. Muted fruit tang. Also a good amount of hop character, giving off grassy, earthy and light citrus notes. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with a carbonation sting. Drinkability rates fairly high. Authentic saison in style with a nice bitterness. Solid.

Serving type: on-tap

02-27-2011 17:17:43 | More by Stinkypuss

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.13/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Prime 16 into a La Chouffe tulip.

A: Clear gold body with a half-inch of fine white foam. Ok retention and nice lace. Not bad.

S: Spicy, intense aroma that does a good job balancing fruity esters (apple stands out; not much banana at all) and phenols (minerals and white pepper, thankfully no band-aid). A little chalky, but quite good.

T: Spicy phenols start things off, and never really cede dominance. Some fruity esters, bready malts, and dry minerality are also present. Very clean on the finish. Tasty.

M: Light to medium bodied with ample, lively carbonation. Very fresh feeling. Excellent.

D: Intense, comple, and phenolic without being medicinal or alcoholic in the least. Fantastic.

Notes: Yet another solid beer from Ithaca. I'm very glad to see this hitting shelves in CT, as there aren't enough reasonably-priced, good-quality saisons. As much as I love Hennepin (and Hennepin is considerably better), I'd rather get a $10 six-pack of Ground Break than an $8 bomber of Ommegang's fine Saison. It's awesome to have the choice, and impressive that New York produces two such authentically Belgian-tasting brews in this fickle yet phenomenal style.

Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

02-12-2011 16:54:35 | More by woosterbill

scootny

New York

4.08/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Cloudy gold appearance with a quick fade. Leaves a collar as it sits. Smell is just short of a higher score. Belgian yeast with a banana and cinnamon flair. Some light sweet malt and a bit of funk and earth. Wheat-like notes waft in and out. Taste is a firm herbal hops, sweet light malt core moving into citrusy hops. Wheat malt moves in a bit. A bit of honey tinged grapes and a touch of pear. Dry finish has a bit of grapefruit and whole grain biscuit. Light crisp feel with a moderate carbonation. Goes down like a pilsner on a hot day. Super drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

01-18-2011 05:49:09 | More by scootny

jrallen34

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this on tap at Deep Wood...Pours a light gold, pretty clear, lots of nice retention and lacing...The aroma is really clean and crisp, light musk, lots of nice floralness...Super easy to drink, floral, crisp drinker. This is much better than advertised.

Serving type: on-tap

09-14-2010 20:54:55 | More by jrallen34

Chickenhawk9932

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Look was amber with white foam, quite pleasing to the eye.

Smelled of grapefruit, licorice, and a floral bouqet, very sweet.

Tatse was a bit more bitter up front soften by the sweetness of fruit and licorice, which left a lingering bitterness that leads one back to sip again.The sweet yeast was not overpowering as Saisons can be, well balanced with bitter notes from the grapefruit and licorice; still, they don't overpower either giving a feel of white tea. An excellent beer to drink, but with all the spice and bouqet, I wouldn't have more than two at a time.

It is a spring seasonal, but the flavors reminded me more of Autumn.

Serving type: on-tap

08-21-2010 20:37:43 | More by Chickenhawk9932

HotHands

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap, poured into a generous pint glass at Pixel Lounge, Ithaca.

A: a slightly dark yellow with a white head. Looks like a pilsner.

S: citrus, pepper, clove, spice. Very nice.

T: taste follows the nose well. Citrus and pepper are the main flavors, with lots of little spices, flavors, and notes in the background. Clove, banana, a mild bitterness from hops, and a nice earthiness are all present.

M: highly carbonated, but not too much. Smooth feel, slightly dry finish.

D: highly drinkable. Light enough to not weigh me down, but with a lot of flavor packed in. I could drink this all night happily.

Serving type: on-tap

07-02-2010 22:15:57 | More by HotHands

Reagan1984

Massachusetts

4.15/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Beer has a slight haze and yet is bright gold in color. There are threads of rising carbonation & tons of lacing. Good looking beer.

Aroma is spicy, candied sugar with light fruit. I like it.

Flavor is pretty complex and quite interesting. A mix of black pepper, lots of fruit and candied sugar. Nice bitterness and finishes dry. Lots of yeast flavors and clove.

Mouth feel is considerably dry body is lively and light.

Very enjoyable beer. I found this had some American character infused into the Saison style.

Good beer.

Serving type: on-tap

06-16-2010 10:54:07 | More by Reagan1984

Seanibus

California

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear clean golden with a fluffy head. Aroma is fruity, apricot, pineapple and peach. Flavor is pungent, fruity and musky, with peach and apple and apricot and a surprising hop burn. Mouthfeel is thin and a little dry. The overall effect is Lemony.

Serving type: on-tap

05-16-2010 14:28:23 | More by Seanibus

rfgetz

New Jersey

4.18/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a hazy golden straw color, big bubbly white head, good retention and lacing. Smell is of dried grain, hay, musty, hints of tropical and citrus. Taste follows the scent, the fruit flavors border on sweet, but avoid crossing the line. The mustyness is able to shine through unlike in other recent samplings of the style where it was burried. Very fresh grain and yeasty bread tastes. Light bodied, nice carbonation, somewhat dry. A nice saison/farmhouse that manages to avoid being overly fruity and has a nice earthy charachter.

Serving type: on-tap

04-26-2010 16:05:58 | More by rfgetz

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.05/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap 4/9/2010 at Doherty's East Ave Irish Pub in Pawtucket, RI, served in a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep gold color, with a short foamy white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of Belgian yeast, bananas, light malts, spices and a touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out with a strong spicy bite up front that is followed by sweet flavors of bananas and citrus as well as a strong breadiness from flavors of Belgian yeast and wheat. The malt character is hearty but not too heavy. The hops presence is mild but brings a decent balance. The after-taste is slightly bready and slightly sweet.

M: Smooth and very crisp, light-to-medium body, medium carbonation, finish is clean.

D: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, decent kick, good representation of style, this is a nice flavorful but lighter Belgian-style beer to drink for a while.

Serving type: on-tap

04-16-2010 13:53:13 | More by TheManiacalOne

bobsy

Ontario (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev -2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Coles in Buffalo. As soon as I arrived and saw this on the menu I instantly ordered a chalice because I'm a big saison fan. I was unaware that Ithaca had another saison, so I was happy and surprised to come across this one.

Ground Break arrives at the table a rich burnished gold with an off-white head that left sheets of lace. Extremely good appearance gets this off to a perfect start, and there's not really much more you can ask of it. The aroma is grainier than normal for the style, and its honey notes also seem to have a lot more in common with a tripel. Behind that there's a pleasant spiciness, some earth and a touch of leather,

Earthy, grainy flavour with some sweetness, and and peppery saison-style finish. Some hints of leather, cider and hay. Quite well-made and pleasing, and unlike any interpretation I've come across so far. It seems more like a hybrid of a saison and a tripel, but whatever it is, I think it works quite well. Dry with a medium-light body and a pillowy carbonation.

Certainly steps outside of the box, but does so successfully. I suppose a beer named Ground Break is actually breaking ground with this take on the style. I've enjoyed both Ithaca saisons that I've had so far, and I'd love to see them produce more - they certainly seem to have a talent for it.

Serving type: on-tap

04-12-2010 16:21:40 | More by bobsy

ritzkiss

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Glass on tap at Coles in Buffalo. Arrives a pretty golden yellow with a nice head that leaves sheets down the glass.

Nose is quite fruity, a hint of grains, esters - maybe more like a tripel? Hint of spice, touch of honey.

Flavour mirrors the nose, add on some fruity pear and apple, fair bit of orange rind coming through, touch of herbs,honeysuckle, quite grainy. Dry finish but juicy body. This comes across to me as more tripel than saison, also in body it feels heftier (I guessed higher on the ABV), rounder, and sweeter than your typical saison. I think I would tend to go with something a little lighter feeling come summer but it's not a bad beer.

Serving type: on-tap

04-10-2010 13:36:09 | More by ritzkiss

vazy

New Jersey

3.4/5  rDev -13%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had this on tap and Tap and Mallet.

The appearance is a soft tangerine color with a slight golden hue. Its clear as well. The smell is of moist mulch after a rainy day, a hint of sweetness. Its taste is slightly sweet, medium hopped and a pleasure to drink.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied as it bites the back of your tongue. Overall, its a good amount of hoppiness. Its kind of light and would be good to enjoy with a meal.

Serving type: on-tap

04-09-2010 16:53:19 | More by vazy

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at Clark's Ale House. Appeared a lightly hazy straw yellow with a tall white head. I thought this was a nice American take on the style. While the flavor focuses on crisp malt and herbal spices while the aroma is filled with smooth floral hops that make a great compliment to the grassy and citrus yeast character. Like hops and saisons? Give this a try.

Serving type: on-tap

04-03-2010 21:23:40 | More by tempest

gpioski

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tasted on tap at The Blue Dog Pub in Lansdale, PA during an Ithaca tasting event.

A- hazy honey colored brew with no head to speak of. no visible carbonation. Very pleasing appearance. 4.0

S- fruity and hoppy aroma with Belgian yeast tones. 3.5

T- very fresh and fruity. Huge fruit flavors- apricot, peaches, a little bit of white grapes. Very little hoppy bitterness, but a bit at the finish. 4.5

M- smooth. mild carbonation. very refreshing. 3.5

D- very drinkable on a warm spring night (or any other time for that matter). relatively low ABV makes it easy to have a few. 4.0

Interestingly, I seem to have had a bit of a different impression that other reviewers in the level of fruityness. possibly due to the freshness? I'd like to think so. Very tasty.

Serving type: on-tap

04-03-2010 03:05:24 | More by gpioski

asabreed

New York

3.98/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a pint glass, way too cold, at The Ithaca Ale House in Ithaca, New York.

Appearance: Definitely highly orange, with a bit of yellow and copper. Not a lot of carbonation coming to the top. Bright white head sitting on top of the body.

Smell: Definite pungent citrus, Saison yeast, spicy hops, and major earthiness, though it seems more like spices and grains rather than phenolic funkiness.

Taste: This is a bright brew. A lot of spicy yeast, rind-like hops, lots of grain and earthiness (possible with the additional use of spices), and highly bitter, pungent, and lingering spicy finish. Not as nuanced as I'd hope, but this is a solid attempt from a great brewery at a style that seems tough for a lot of domestic breweries to deal with.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, with good, bright crispness and full carbonation.

Drinkability: I would definitely grab a six-pack of this for the summer if I can find it around here. Not the best, mind-blowing version of the style, but one that brings the complexity and heightens the drinkability.

Serving type: on-tap

03-22-2010 18:53:10 | More by asabreed