Lost Abbey Carnevale (2008)

Formerly brewed at Port Brewing/Lost Abbey
Style: Saison
San Marcos, California USA

A great American interpretation of this classic style. Aroma was near perfect. Strong yeast, spice and lemon with an underlying funk. Pour was a beautiful bubbly orange with a 3 finger white head. Taste was nice and funky. Barnyard, wet blanket and spices with a decently dry yeasty backbone with lemon and grapefruit drying the mouth. Carbonation was not as strong as the head and bubbles let on. Very delicious.

Pours with a small, off-white head covering a murky golden yellow body. Good lacing, light retention. Aroma is fruity (melons, mangos, apples and parsimmons), spicey (cinnamon, light pepper, and nutmeg) and yeasty. Taste is spicey and somewhat dry, finishing slightly fruity and completely refreshing. Tastes more of a spicey Belgian blonde, than a saison to me. Very clean tasting, and nothing too funky with the yeast (fine by me). Small, lively bubbles, with a dry mouthfeel.

Hazy blond with a loose white head. Citrus, bread, yeast, some black pepper, earth and a hint of sour funk. Crisp and sharp but with good body and a creamy mouthfeel. Big citrus/lemon flavor with a zing of spicy hops and yeasty bread. Finishes tangy with perfect bitterness.

Bottle courtesy of dunk. Pours a bright, slightly hazy golden yellow with a fluffy white head that lingers for quite a while leaving some good lacing. Aroma is big, with herbs, spices and yeast up front along with citrus hops, mainly lemon. Maybe the slightest bit of brett as it warms on top of light fruits, especially peaches and apricot. Taste is sweet up front like green apples and apricots and has a slight hop bite up front with lemons. The spices are also present with coriander and cloves with the same hint of funk present in the nose. The finish is crisp with the hops coming back out. Mouthfeel is light to medium with strong carbonation leading to a very refreshing feel on the palate. This is an extremely drinkable brew and this is an ideal drink on a hot summer evening.

25.4 oz bottle. Clear brownish gold with a wispy white head and resultant lacy webs. Nose is buttery yeast, floral and spice, bits of mint and ginger. Substantial mouthfeel with spritzy carb. Refreshing and juicy; just delightful. Taste is lemon, apricot and orange peel with a slightly bitter, yeasty finish. A fine example of one of my favorite styles.

Sampled at Ebenezer, one of the numerous bottles generously offered by Chris Lively. Hazy orange color with a medium white head. Very seductive aroma of funk, fruits and spices, the farmhouse character feels quite authentic. Excellent flavor of belgian funk, fruits, spices, hops, it’s well attenuated and feels very authentic. The body is light with a creamy texture and medium carbonation. I love you Tomme Arthur!

One of the best saisons out there. Pours a slightly cloudy gold color, with a thick smooth head and a big herb/spice aroma. Flavor is moslty spices, with some malty sweetness to it and a nice crisp finish. My only complaint was that it wasn’t carbonated enough.

Cloudy golden, moderate head, good lacing and retention. Aroma is spiced, notes of grass, somewhat fruity. Medium bodied, lightly sweet. Decent, but nothing seems out of the ordinary to me.