Big Boss Surrender Monkey Farmhouse Ale

Brewed by Big Boss Brewing Company
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Raleigh, North Carolina USA

Pours a clear amber color, with a small off white head. Smells of huge malt and Belgian candy sugar. Very sweet aroma. The taste has much the same, very sweet syrupy malts and mild caramel. The malts seem to be the most dominant flavor. The candy sugar and maybe some sweet darker fruits are also noticeable. Easy drinking, the alcohol was masked proficiently. Not bad.

Draft...big banana taste, appropriately enough, and rich flavors of chocolate as well. The drawback for me was that it was very sweet and somewhat flat, so it became syrupy.

Draft at Tyler’s in Durham. Deep reddish brown color. Small head. I originally thought this was supposed to be a bier de garde. Light spiciness and toffee in the aroma. Some raisin in the flavor along with some spicy hops. All this rests on top of what is an extremely sweet and malty beer. This one defies style. Low carbonation which is expected of this brewery. Enjoyable beer but I was very much done with it by the end of the pint.

On tap at Tyler’s, the latest (9.2abv) version. Don’t know what I was expecting - as this is called either a saison or a farmhouse ale, depending on which promotional literature you read - but this is actually closer to a nice, dark Belgian strong in many of its characteristics. Certainly a dark pour, with a decent head. Strong notes of raisin and candy in the nose, with even more of this prominent in the taste. Definitely quite malty, with a smooth quality that goes down well even on this hellaciously hot day.

Growler (9+% version) thanks to Turdferguson in the mystery swap 2.0. Pours a much darker than expected deep amber/woody brown, slight hazy and a nice tight fluffy dense grayish head. Awesome lace as well. Carbonation held up surprisingly well for a growler. Aroma is doughy earthy, faint farmhouse- manure, light german spalt or perle earthy hop hints as well. Lots more specialty malts in the flavor, like dark crystal, spec B fruitiness, sharp and caramelly with a sharp alcohol burn as it warms . Tasted more like a belgian dubbel/strong dark ale than a saison. Phenolic peppery finish with a bit more alcohol and a clean zesty finish. Nice unique saison. Thanks again Sam.

The aroma was fruity and spicy with a delicate apple note and an earthy presence which was well achieved. A lightly bready and slighly lactic tartness was notable in the aroma as was a low cherry-like fruit character. The beer poured into the chalice slightly hazy amber, peach when held to light, with a fleeting white head which didn’t last long at all. The flavor was lightly tart with a strong peppery spice and cinnamon presence. Malt was definitely present along with a citrusy orange character. The tartness was slight and increased complexity in the beer rather than detracting. A light sweetness appeared in the middle of the palate but the beer quickly dried with a final incantation of lasting peppery spice and tart tangerine. The body was medium or just above with a moderate, but a bit low for style, carbonation level. A really nice Saison, with the bready and tart character a brett note may eventually take hold and transform this into something more. 750 ml wax sealed corked bottle. #072 - Happy Birthday to me!

Excellent beer. Highly hopped with sufficient maltiness so the finish is not bitter. It is delicious and smooth, and goes down easily. One of the great beers. However, you must be careful when drinking it as it is 8%

Draught. Orange color, hazy appearance, white head. Aroma is yeasty, fruity, and spicy. Flavor is similar, coriander and plum, little sugar at end.