McKenzie Dark Saison

Brewed by McKenzie Brew House
Style: Saison
Glen Mills, Pennsylvania USA

Growler shared by dickensonbeer at the Rosso release. Very dark brown beer with a light tan head. Aroma is quite lovely. Soft fruit and a bit of light sweet spiciness. There is a bit of licorice and a kiss of toasted wheat/rye spiciness as well. Light citrusy note with a kiss of light mintiness toward the back. The flavour is a bit grainy with a bit of soft herbal flavour. As it warms, there are a few overly sweet notes as well, but overall, it’s a pretty nice beer.

Draft at Malvern. Pours out a mostly clear nice shade of copper with a moderate off white head. Very nice, strong aroma, dark fruits, toasted malts lots of different spices. Taste is smooth and very complex. Yeast, cinnamon, nutmeg, dried fruits, toasted malts and a smooth slightly warming finish. Very well done.

Shared by Dickinsonbeer at the CL Rosso release. Amber in color with a small lasting head. Aroma shows spices- cardamom, rosemary, and is rather malty. Taste has spices, slightly sweet with toasted malts and rye, the saison yeast character is subtle in comparison to other saisons I’ve had. Good, but I am sure this was much better when Scott brewed it.

Draught at McKenzie Malvern: Listed as 7.2%ABV. Very spiced aroma of cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, yeast, anise, and menthol. Poured copper/amber in color with a medium-sized, rocky, off-white head that diminished but lasted throughout. Slightly hazy. Not sparkling. Good lacing. Flavor is light to medium sweet. Tastes of spices, yeast, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, menthol, light tobacco, slight bubblegum, a hint of caramel, a hint of nuts, and a hint of chocolate. Light to medium body. Dry, thinish texture. Soft to average carbonation. Spiced, slightly sweet finish. Too much spice!

Growler shared by Dickinsonbeer. Thanks Paul! Pours amber with a strong tan ring of head. The aroma is quite licorice like- spicy anise notes and perhaps some cardamom and grainy notes. Creamy feel. Perhaps a touch of diacetyl in the flavor, but hardly detectable. Spicy anise/licorice notes with cardamom and phenolic-y clove-like hints. Some toasted amber malts come through when it warms. Decent.

Growler at McKenzie’s in Malvern- shared at CL rosso release. Pours a lighter than expected medium amber- not too dark, slight haze- nice lasting head and good lace. Aroma is very spicy- to the point where it is apparent that it isn’t the yeast and it is added spices- cardamon anise, and a good amount of rosemary- ok toasty malts, slight sweetness and earthy rye. Good smooth flavor- the spices are tones down a bit from the aroma, still a good amount of spice- anise, but not as floral or herbal- rosemary is subtle in the flavor- good toasted malts, light biscuit and a nice earthy nuttiness with a dry finish.

Fresh growler shared by Dickinsonbeer. A nice saison for sure but there is no way this is how it tasted back when The Dude was brewing it many years ago. Very very grainy and malty, lots of pumpernickel, a touch of sweetness and a mild spicy character at the finish. Nice carbonation and an easy body, but nothing too impressive. Thanks Paul for sharing. I definitely still want to get a bottle of the original brewing of this but I doubt that will ever happen.

Shared by boboski, arrived via The_Epeeist. Ugly brown color capped by 2cm of frothy, off white head. Flavor and aroma of grainy wheat, peppery yeast, toasty biscuits, bitter earthy hops, and spices (mostly allspice). Balanced, medium/full body. Perfect on the palate for a saison. Very well done American saison, a shame it’s been retired.