McKenzie Avec Les Bons Voeux

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

2005 bottle at the 4/17/05 Montreal tasting. Quite a hazy orange-light amber-gold color, strong pillowy white head recedes to small clumps. Aroma of orange candy, honey, orange peels, limes, a bit of sweaty yeast and then a good dose of perfuminess a la goldings (though I wish it wasn’t so controlled by the candy orange flavor, but I guess this is a super saison). Flavor is lightly doughy, moderately yeasty and full of light caramel and soft hops. It grants you the good malting up front and then quickly dries out before you have any chance to get fatigued. Medium body for a saison, light, peppery carbonation and slight alcohol warmth, finishing hoppy. I think I liked this more than the Dupont version (am I allowed to say that?) but then, I knew after rating it that the Dupont bottle I had could not have been at its prime. Thus a rerate is in progress soon.

750 ml bottle gratefully emptied with with beerbuzzmontreal, ClarkVV, MartinT, tiggmtl, olivier, Rastacouere and Simon at the Farmhouse Ales and More! tasting in Montreal. Clear, slightly oily amber-orange, bit of clean white head and a touch of lace...sweet orange-vanilla nose only lightly displays sharp barnyard qualities...doughy/bready body after a very sweet beginning, bitter herbs start to dominate late...viscous, quite thick body.

Mild barnyard aroma displays herbal hops and doughy yeast. Hazy orange-tan body with light cover of white head. Floury, doughy, sweet flavour with plenty of herbal character and some tart citrus and pleasant bitterness in the finish. Medium-light bodywith fair carbonation. Bottle enjoyed with beerbuzzmontreal, ClarkVV, MartinT, muzzlehatch, olivier, Rastacouere and Simon.

Remarkable golden hue, cloudy. Decent lacing occurs amongst the white foam, initially big, but swiftly switching to a ring state. Not quite Dupont’s, but this aroma has a kick for sure. Mellow alcohol supervises over a grainy (good grains) and peppery, foresty dry-hopped meadow. Yeast component is very strong, serious complexity, it just doesn’t have Dupont’s serenity, less expressive malts, less biting, resinous, jungle-like hops, less general fluffiness. I’d still drink this almost anywhen. Good white peppery yeast, quite bitter, definitely very dry. Has a good biscuity malt backbone, but you mostly feel it rather than taste it. Creamy texture, strong carbonation, full bodied. Efficient and lovely. Who’d guess this is from Pennsylvania?

The Lure:
Black pepper rains on the wooden house. The wafts of dough and flour seeping through the windows indicate that something scrumptious must be cooking within.

The Festivities:
Bread dough and subtle citrus fruit lie smoothly before white pepper and yeast bitterness adheres to the surging pine hop bitterness. Coherent, authentic, and just another great example of Belgian heritage brewed by Sir Morrison.

Transcendence:
How I wish more breweries would concoct such a Christmas gift.

Pours a hazy gold color eith s thin white head. Very appealing aroma of spices, citrus, yeast and barnyard. Flavor of spices, citrus, doughy yeast and barnyard. Light to medium body, creamy texture, moderate carbonation. Very good but not as good as the Dupont.

1/2 Gallon Growler. Golden color. Aromatic nose, showing hints of Belgian cane sugar, ripe fruits (Peach, pear, tangerine) along with a highly aromatic hop presence as well, giving an herbaceous scent. Delicious flavor, full of fruits, apricot, lemon and orange in particular, along with a touch of sweetness and hop bitterness on the finish. Very well balanced and tasty.

Sampled at the March 25th Tosa Gathering, courtesy of BBB63: Pours a hazy golden bronze with a frothy and well-lacing white head. Great authentic bready Belgian yeasty aroma with sweet banana mustiness and a touch of lemon citrus with a green, earthy floral character. Starts semi-sweet, full and bready with good yeasty esters and a touch of tartness toward the well-balanced, crisp finish. A great authentic and flavorful saison. It’s a shame they aren’t bottling anymore. Many thanks for sharing Mike!