Southampton Cuvee des Fleurs

Brewed by Southampton Publick House
Style: Saison
Southampton, New York USA

Hazy golden body with a thick, fluffy white head. The sweet, floral aroma is imidiately inticing. I have a difficult time discerning the varied elements of the nose--it’s not unlike walking into a cooler at a florist, but that is too simplistic. Mock orange blossoms, white pepper, spicy coriander, anise, coconut, light candy sugar, vanilla and probably many more things. The malt is present, but I think a bit understated, as to allow the flowers more room for influence. The body is creamy and well-rounded with just a bit of a spice kick at the finish. The flavor was, initially, quite unexpected based on the nose. The soft roundness of the candy sugar, complex floral elements, mild fruit and spice led me to believe it was going to be fruitier and more floral than it is. The sweetness really takes over in the flavor, dominating the elegant flowers and spicy yeast, which would have made this more interesting. The finish is long and rather warming for approximately 8% and isn’t as dry as I would like. In fact, over time, the alcohol becomes quite dominate. I’m still not real well versed in the complex art of aging, but I hope that given more time, the sweetness would dry up some, allowing the light fruit and varied flowers more room to grow. If that were the case, this would simply mindblowing.

2005 vintage 750 ml bottle. Pours a hazy deep golden color with a frosty white head. Fresh floral aroma with hints of lemon honey spices and pepper. Taste is spicy with lemon and honey undertones and a peppery finish. Almost like drinking a honey lemon cough drop concoction with floral flavor added. Interesting and a nice summer beer change up. Definitely not your everyday brew.

Bottle, from Halftime Beverage. Great nose, Lemon, clove, honey...I don’t begin to know how to describe all the spices. What they say on the label, yeah. 1st pour was clean golden orange color with a big white fuffy head, 2cd pour was hazy with floaties. Bittersweet flavors, same as aromas with the clove/spice dominating. Medium body, creamy mouthfeel, dry sweet finish. Nice brew, starting to enjoy the saison style

Bottle at the brewpub. Aroma of all sorts of spices and both herbal and perfumy notes (I would assume from the flowers). Flavor not really perfumy but has a light background sweetness with absolutely fascinating interplay of spicy and herbal notes that I couldn’t have identified individually, let alone as a whole. And they do indeed work together as a whole in a way so unique...I came up with my numerical score quite easily, but the words just didn’t come for me. Truly an experience you have to have yourself.

Courtesy of The_Epeeist. 2005. Glowing, hazy gold. Large, foamy, fluffy, airy, white head. Flavor and aroma: musty, grainy, floral, perfume, fragrant herbs, earthy hops. Balanced medium body. Awesome. Have to get more.

300 ml draught, Blind Tiger. Golden colour. Small white head. Peppery aroma with a strong rose leaves aroma. Rich peppery spicy flavour balanced by sharp carbonation. Medium-bodied. Rich malty flavours and wonderful spiced backbone.

750 ml bottle - wow, big thanks to brandon for breaking this one out as its be on my WL for a while now; clear, straw yellow with minor carbonation; huge, floral aromas; sort of like sticking your face in a bouquet of flowers; more below the flowers and right in the stems; flavor is sharp at first sip, but drops quickly; interesting and tasty, but something kind of off to me; grassy, raw and lots of honey; almost mead-like in the flavors; light bodied, dry and mildly tart; i’m a little curious on the age of the bottle; thanks brandon!!

Had this at GABF, personally recommended by Phil Markowski, who has been known to brew a decent beer or two. This is one of the best saisons I’ve ever had, and it backs up it’s frou-frou sounding name. Pours slightly hazy orangish-copper with a large whitish head. Aroma is lots of flowers and spices, really interesting, as well as yeast, sweet malt, and pepper. Flavor is spicy, floral, and complex. Unconventional flowers like lavender, marigold, and chamomile stand out. Also some nice floral hops, pepper, pale, malt, earth, and spices. Fairly sweet beer. Body is medium and palate is somewhat dry and peppery with lively carbonation. Another great beer from Southampton.