Smuttynose Farmhouse Ale

Brewed by Smuttynose Brewing Company
Style: Saison
Portsmouth, New Hampshire USA

A decent farmhouse. Not great, but then if it were great it would not be a farm house ale but would be a biere de garde or a tripel or something. Starts clear orange, with off-white head; gets hazier and cloudier as you work through the bottle. Usual nose of sweet caramel, yeast, and some orange, but the flowery orange is not as intense as a tripel. Taste of sweetness, yeast and bread, with a pronounced spice and pepper bite. You either like the earthy yeasty funkiness or you don’t.

Pours a pretty hazed orange. Virtually no head. The finish is thick, spicy, and lasting, but I cannot put my finger on what it tastes like. Malty and dry? This is my first Saison. Sipping this during peak hours might cause problems to farmers.

The aroma was saaz hop ’seeming’ as the head rose tall. Pepper and an earthy characteristic dominated as the head retreated to a more neutral stance. Nicely fruity and estery with a very nice caramel malt complement. The beer poured crystal clear pale amber golden with an off-white head which lasted well enough to lace the glass. The flavor was lightly sweet with a quick drying and fruity characteristic laced with pepper and spice. The bittering was well balanced and the hops were earthy and nice. The finish was just dry with a lasting pepper and spice into the aftertaste. The body was just above medium and had a moderate level of carbonation and a creamy texture on the palate. The only hint at alcohol was in the warming which occurred post consumption. A darn nice Saison, could be a skinch drier, but a very nice brew. 22 ounce bottle. 2007.

deep golden hued with thick vanilla frothy head. Paradoxically clean and barny at same time, apple cider aromas, pear and apple notes very mild spiciness.another terrific specimen from Smutty

Draft at Rustico in Alexandria, VA. Pours a hazy gold with a white head. Aroma of yeast and lemon, with some faint spice. Initial flavor of pale belgian wheat malts and citrus, with phenols and spices coming through mid palate. Strong yeastiness on the finish, which has a dry and minerally texture. Not too shabby.

Aroma is spicy. Appearance is gold with a white head. Flavor is sweet, spicyness, possibly with some clove, that ends slightly tart. Palate has soft carbonation, with a short finish. Overall, a pretty good Belgian-style ale, serving as an introduction to Saisons for me.

Draft. Golden body, smallish white head, fruity nose with some spiciness. Mostly fruity, slightly yeasty, some spice. Hides alcohol well.

It was a clear gold in the glass. The first taste was sweet and light. Yeah, I immediately thought of a Belgian. I couldn’t detect any hops. It was thirst quenching and pleasant.