McKenzie Avec Les Bons Voeux

Formerly brewed at McKenzie Brew House
Style: Saison
Glen Mills, Pennsylvania USA

I Just found this bottle in the basement, and was surprised how well it held up. Tons of tropical fruit, nice pepper in the finish, just a hint of oxidation,bone dry.This is a truly a classic beer, that still amzing me. well done, and magical.

Very cloudy, light pale body with small white head. The aroma is honey, peach, pineapple, banana and citrus. The flavor is pepper, peach, banana cream, coriander, floral and herbal hops. Medium/full body is very soft with a bitter end. Thanks for sharing this rare treat Jeff!

Sampled from a bottle thanks to jeffin7. Murky gold and orange colored body, 1/2 inch thick white head. Lemon creame full on in the nose with some yeast esters, light a bit empty up front, but makes up for it later on... spritzy and lightly frothy pineapple (someone said this, so of course I then smelled it), rich and moderately high alcohol notices, very good, very sticky, very chewy. A great saison with a bit of age taste but still tastes remarkable.

750mL bottle, courtesy of jeffin7 (his last bottle!). Did I ever expect to see this beer? No, Jeff. No I did not. Milky, yellow-amber color; patchy white head. Creamy pineapple, tropical fruits, and vanilla-y esters; layered, complex aroma; I could smell this for hours. Medium-to-full mouthfeel: creamy esters and vanilla and yeast; beautiful complexity, average carbonation; chewy, creamy saison (reminiscent of SPF 45, but better); hints of white pepper and spice; great stuff. Lengthy, estery and creamy vanilla finish.

Ken’s Thirsty Thursday Throw Down - 2005 bottle - Ultra hazy gold, white creamy head. Fantastic nose of orange and lemon that lays on a wafts of pineapple cream and hints of funked grassy tones. Well balanced fruity flavors are pulled together with nice herbal bready and grassy notes. Full bodied, medium carbonation, lightly bitter finish. This brew is in it’s prime right now. Real nice brew. Thanks for sharing Jeff...

Bottle (thanks TAR!). Head is initially large, frothy, white, mostly lasting. Body is hazy medium to dark yellow, bottle conditioned. Aroma is moderately malty (toasted grain), lightly hoppy (herbs), lightly to moderately yeasty (cobwebs, mold), with a note of lemon zest. Flavor is moderately to heavily sweet, lightly to moderately acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly to moderately sweet, lightly to moderately acidic, lightly to moderately bitter, yeasty. Medium body, watery texture, lively carbonation. I was pretty surprised to not like this one very much. I’d just had Dupont’s Avec (2005) a few days before, and this was having a very difficult time comparing. The yeast character is not nearly as attractive , nor is it as clean tasting or smelling. Perhaps the bottle was not at its finest. And in case you read this, Jeff, the score is based on the first pour, not the yeast-laden second one. Hope to try it again someday, if they make it again.

Large tan head, excellent retention, stringy and spotty lace. Hazy, gold color with a nice orange glow. Spicey, fruity nose, honeyish malts and a touch of funk. Body is medium, lightly creamy and tart with a gentle carbonation. Citrusy flavors up front, peppery, caramel malts, bready malts, lightly musty with notes of melon and peaches. Finish is dry and fruity. Would love to have a few of these laying around my basement but that aint gonna happen dammit! Thanks to my friend Robert @ SLL for turning me on to this.

Absolutley nothing not to like about this. Light and airy, with subtle flavors all the way through. Lemon grass and light yeast is most of the flavor but there is a lot going on. A bit dusty even though it’s not that old. Fantastic stuff that changes a bit as you go. Starts spicy and becomes more light orange & tangerine.