Saint Somewhere Lectio Divina

Brewed by Saint Somewhere Brewing Company
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Tarpon Springs, Florida USA

Shared at miketd’s tasting

Thanks to crizay (I think) for opening this halfway through the afternoon. It was suprising to discover that this was from Florida; I would not have imagined something like this coming from that region. While it was not a fabulous Belgian I think it was solid for someone just starting out. If the brewer can build on this they will have a loyal following in the near future.

Aroma / Appearance - A cloudy light brown body was about halfway down the scale of darkness. Yeast, white bread, pineapples and pears formed the nose with the fruitiness being the strongest aspect. A hint of funky barnyard nestled in the background.

Flavor / Palate - The body was suprisingly rich. Orange peels, vanilla and peach opened with pineapples completing a delayed experience. Overall I was kind of indifferent until I learned this was one of the first commercial attempts from the brewer. That’s no going to affect my scoring but it does mean I may keep an eye on this company in the future.

Thanks dchmela for the 750ml bottle. Served cellar temp. Abundant carbonation in this bottle, with bubbles coming up from the bottom of the pour for almost the duration. Rather light and clear amber pour with huge off-white head. Yeasty, malty, maple syrupy nose with some cinnamon baked apple and woody tart cherry notes. Neither overly spiced nor overly sweet smelling. A little sourness on the nose, which is promising. Alcohol very well hidden. I’m liking this more as I get deeper into it. Really takes on the qualities of a Flemish sour the more it warms. I think this would disappoint in a tasting, but if you have the time to drink it for awhile, it definitely rewards. Very impressed with this brewery so far.

Thanks to Maltomeal for this beer. Pours a dark amber color with a big tan head and great lacing. Nose is fresh with a spicy floral aroma. Flavor is fruit peel, citrus spice. Palate is rich, ful with great flavors and good carbonation. Good beer that is well balanced.

Overall this is a very good beer. It pours an amber/orange color with a warming cinnamon and apple/pear aroma. Good Belgian taste to it, but the carbonation was a bit lacking. It had virtually no head, even when I poured very aggressively. I have never been disappointed by a St. Somewhere brew, though.

Cloudy copper color with a thin white head. Big fruity nose full of yeast and apricots, maybe a touch of orange. Flavor is fruity malt with a touch of honey. Not bad.

Bottle courtesy of jw347 poured into a snifter. After nearly putting a hole in the ceiling with the cork, this one poured a murky caramel brown with orange hints around the edges. The huge tan head lingers as a cap for the duration and leaves very good lacing. The aroma is an interesting mix of Belgian yeast, candi sugar and a bit of tartness. There was a bit spices and some dark fruits as well. The taste was a bit sweeter than the aroma with candi sugar, caramel and dark fruits dominating with that same fruit tartness mixing in as well. Some interesting tastes going on, but a little out of balance for me. Lots of carbonation in the mouthfeel and its on the lighter side of things with a lot of sticky sweetness. This is my first Saint Somewhere brew and its good to see a brewery in FL making such interesting beer. That said, this one was only OK and Im definitely looking for more from my next brew from them.

Bottle. Too sweet and syrupy and too disjointed to be very enjoyable. Short off-white head. Hazy amber body. The nose has a strong yeast smell of mold and damp basement. Behind that are some malty notes of cookie along with sweet pear and peach. The flavor is moderately to heavily sweet and lightly acidic. Some tartness in the finish. Medium body with a syrupy, sticky texture. Moderate carbonation. Alcohol warming. While the aromas and flavors are all there individually, they don’t blend together the way they do in a good Belgian strong ale. In fact, they don’t have much of a chance because they are overrun by the sugary sweetness.

Sample courtesy of Sparky27 at the hellbilly holiday tasting. Hazy deep amber pour with a small foamy head. Aroma of tart fruit, malt, spice and yeast. Tart berries, yeast and a hint of vinegar in the flavor. Tasty. Thanks Eric!