Lost Abbey Carnevale (2008)

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

Cloudy gold pour--not much head to it at all. Semi-sweet aroma. Bubblegum/banana flavors with a bit of spice in the finish. Almost more of a wit than a saison.

Poured from bottle at brewery tasting. Aroma has immediate funk, a kind of musty peach fruit. Quite nice, actually. Flavor matches the nose, dancing and changing across the tongue the way a good Saison should. I got some spicy notes in there, which added complexity. I’d get this again easily.

750 ml bottle graciously sent to me by Sparky27. Pour is slight haze golden orange, with a smallish white head. Nice lacing. Aroma of fresh grainy resin malt, clove, some bright yeastiness. Taste is mostly about the clove initially, followed by some apricot sweetness and a very grainy wheatiness. There is also grass and a hint of barnyard going on in the back. Palate is medium, low carbonation. Very dry and grainy finish, some residual clove. Nice Saison, gets a little dusty in the finish. Thanks for sending this my way, Eric.

Bottle from Julio’s. This pours a golden-orange color with a fluffy white head that ends as a thin layer. The aroma is flowers, yeast, mild spice, fruity notes; apples, pears, very nice. Sweet malty and grassy flavors up front, followed by fruits, apples, pears, banana, which meld nicely with some light barnyard notes, and spicy hops finishes this out. A little on the sweet side as it warms. Very easy drinking and refreshing. Good one for the summer.

750ml bottle purchased at Perry’s in Livermore, CA. The aroma on this is pleasant with some barnyard notes and a spicy quality reminiscent of ginger. THere might be a bit of Brett in there, but it is slight if there is. Mildly hazy golden body with a small white head that is pretty quickly dissipating. A nice sweet, malty saison with a pretty oily body. There are some nice dusty, lightly funked yeast notes present as well, before a lightly hopped finish that has mild bitterness. This is really good and not overdone with Brett like so many others.

Bottles poured at NHC pro brewer night. Poured a cloudy yellow. Nose is swet malt, spicy yeast, floral hops and some lemony notes. Flavor is a crisp sweetness, lemons, pear, spicy yeast, bready, some funk, citrus tartness. Very nice saison.

750 ml bottle purchased from Binnys (Orland Park, IL). Been waiting to crack this for a bit, moved it ahead of many other bottles. Pours a hazy straw hue, a touch of orangish glow in the background, moderate bright white bubbly head in a tulip glass. Aromas are a bit of dust, light banana and pear, a touch of hay, with a touch of floral hop, a touch of funk becomes more noticeable, worn leather. Very niice. Initial is medium bodied, a bit lively as the head subsides to a thick film and coats very well. Sweetness of a touch belgian, a bit fruity with pear and apple, a light funkiness, dry, with the funk coming in stronger into the body, with dust and faint spice. The flavors grow, the sweetness up front, the funk and earthiness, with good brett into the body. This is a very nice brew. Finishes dry, crisp, a bit funky.. the sweetness is largely up front for me, and a bit in the aftertaste. A bit sour upon getting further into the brew. This one is a keeper from LA.

Bottle from Zinister at the Houston sour tasting. Thanks, man! Pours a nice, thick cheddar yellow/orange with a nose of Irish Spring and hay. Flavor is old apple and malty orange. Average mouthfeel. Party’s over, fellas.