Plastic Man
Evil Twin Brewing

Plastic ManPlastic Man
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Evil Twin Brewing
 
New York, United States
Style:
Saison
ABV:
5.5%
Score:
82
Avg:
3.6 | pDev: 11.67%
Reviews:
22
Ratings:
101
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Dec 02, 2016
Added:
May 03, 2013
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  10
Collaboration with Westbrook Brewing Co. and Local Option Bierwerker

Taste the Colors,
Hear the Aromas,
Smell the Carbonation.
View: More Beers
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by nyrblue2:
Photo of nyrblue2
Rated by nyrblue2 from New York

4/5  rDev +11.1%

May 26, 2013
More User Ratings:
Photo of Zazzi82
Rated by Zazzi82 from Tennessee

3.19/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Past it's prime.....
Dec 02, 2016
Photo of Jugs_McGhee
Reviewed by Jugs_McGhee from Colorado

3.07/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Evil Twin/Westbrook/Local Option “Plastic Man.”

BOTTLE: 1 pint 6 fl oz. Brown glass. Unbranded pry-off crown cap. Uninspired label design.

5.5% ABV. Distributed by Twelve Percent LLC.

Reviewed live as a saison per the label. Expectations are high given the breweries involved. Served cold into a tulip and allowed to come to temperature over the course of consumption.

No bubble show forms as it’s poured.

HEAD: Audibly fizzy. Occupies ~80% of the glass. ~5 inches wide. Leaves no lacing as it recedes. Retention is decent - ~3 minutes. Off-white colour. Thin, weak, and airy.

BODY: Clearly filtered, clashing with traditional style conventions. Clean, with no visible yeast or sediment. Golden copper colour of above average vibrance.
It’s a nice looking saison, I suppose, but it does lack a saison’s signature haziness. Could look more lively (e.g. via the presence of visible yeast). Seems overcarbonated.

AROMA: Juicy orchard apples, floral hop notes, yeasty spiciness, cidery notes, apple cidre vinegar, mild fruity hop notes, neutral Belgian malts, and appleskin. I find no overt brettanomyces funkiness, and it doesn’t have either the milkiness you’d find in a Saison Dupont or the intricate spicing you’d find in a Fantome. Malty sweetness is too prominent, and I have concerns about balance as a result.

Aromatic intensity is average.

I detect no off-notes or booze.

TASTE: Hints of apple skin and orchard fruit adorn the neutral Belgian pale malt base, with subtle wisps of yeasty spice and biscuity Belgian malts creeping in as well. There’s no brettanomyces funkiness, and there’s no sourness. Nor is there much in terms of barnyard character; I find no green apple, hay, straw, etc. Mild clove, some fruity ale esters…there isn’t much going on here considering the style it’s brewed in. Those hoping for an intricate saison on par with style paragons like Fantome or Dupont will be disappointed. It’s just a biteen too sweet, and is definitely too cidery. The apple emphasis goes too far – going well beyond subtlety and into overbearing territory. There’s no acetic or vinegary character, and no oak wood or must. Drinks like a Belgian pale ale with a bit of extra yeasty complexity thrown in.

The balance is off (towards the sweet end, as noted above), but it’s not egregious. The build is too simple and shallow, but it’s not far off from style conventions. More depth of flavour and nuance is needed. Flavour duration and intensity of flavour are average. I do like it for what it is, but discerning drinkers will crave more complexity (especially considering the price point and the brewers involved).

TEXTURE: Acidic, emphasizing the apple skin notes. Overcarbonated almost to the point of sharpness. It doesn’t have the crackery malt dryness and coarseness of many saisons, but instead opts for a more refreshing smooth and wet approach…though it does get a biteen dry on the finish, accentuating the yeasty spice. Light to medium-bodied, with a bit too much heft and weight on the palate for a saison; it’d be better if it were more delicate and fragile on the palate. Maybe crystal malt would help? Should be softer on the palate.

Not syrupy, chewy, gushed, hot, boozy, or astringent, though some alcohol warmth is noticeable – which is a problem in a saison.

This texture fails to elevate the beer as a whole, and there isn’t a harmony or marriage of texture and taste, but this complements the flavour profile well enough.

OVERALL: Not the quality saison I hoped for given the competent breweries behind it, but it’s a likable drinkable Belgian-y ale with some nice elements. It’ll scratch your saison itch, but those after a nice lively brettanomyces brew or an intricate spicy saison would be better served with more affordable domestic offerings (Ommegang, Boulevard, Prairie, et al.) or tried and true Belgian traditionals (Fantome, Dupont). I wouldn’t buy it again, but I’ll finish the bottle without trouble.

A very basic, no-frills attempt at the style.

C+ (3.07)
Sep 27, 2015
 
Rated: 3.45 by Faxmesomehalibut from New Hampshire

Apr 23, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by ArkyVaughan from New Jersey

Apr 14, 2015
 
Rated: 4.25 by cmgaynor from Missouri

Apr 11, 2015
 
Rated: 3.79 by cantal from Pennsylvania

Dec 20, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by Keith_R from Georgia

Dec 14, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by KarateShow from Massachusetts

Dec 07, 2014
 
Rated: 1.75 by sweemzander from Illinois

Oct 31, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by LightnerLiquorKS from Kansas

Oct 23, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by djrn2 from New Jersey

Oct 19, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by spycow from Illinois

Oct 18, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by GRG1313 from California

Aug 23, 2014
 
Rated: 3.52 by Wayne17 from Texas

Aug 21, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by tharper178 from Florida

Aug 10, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by Puritycontrol from California

Jul 27, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by DrBier from Pennsylvania

Jul 14, 2014
Photo of joe1510
Reviewed by joe1510 from Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
22oz Bomber
$4.99 (Sale)
Binny's - Bolingbrook

Plastic Man is bright golden, even leaning toward orange in the right light. Clarity is good throughout while both streams and bursts of carbonation rush to the surface. The foam is bulbous and forms easily, three fingers on the pour as a matter of fact. It settles eventually to a sudsy, craggy cap a finger thick that leaves chunks plastered to the glass here and there.

The smell kicks off with a nasal plundering wildflower and medicinal note. The medicinal runs spectrum of faint Band-Aids to Flintstone's Vitamins. Let me explain, there is a touch of unidentifiable citrus present, that reminds me of yuzu actually, and when combined with the medicinal quality becomes not unlike Flintstone's vitamins. Soft orange and sweet apple notes run the backend. Earthy and minerality characteristics collide with a solid graham cracker maltiness.

The flavor, while decent, leaves something to be desired. The medicinal qualities have segue into clove, which becomes stronger with warmth. The profile leans toward sweet more than I'd like. The malt profile brings along smooth but ample notes of graham cracker and caramel which accentuates the orange and apple mentioned above. There's a whisper of that citrus that's reminiscent to yuzu, maybe I say that because yuzu seems to be a conglomeration of many fruits. The finish is rather chalky and bland. Again, decent.

The body is heftier than I would like in saison but with this beer being what it is, not necessarily a saison, the weight works well enough. The finish is a touch medicinal with a strange lingering bitterness, a bit metallic. Drinkability is middle of the road and one pour would be enough for myself.

Plastic Man is alright. There's nothing unique, or even very good, about it in all honestly, it's just decent. There's a nice fruitiness but the medicinal qualities seem to knock that down a bit while the base is good if not a little sweet for my tastes. Can't say I'd recommend this to too many people. It's a shame too because both Westbrook and Local Option can brew some damn fine beer.
Jul 12, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by KAF from Iowa

Jul 06, 2014
Plastic Man from Evil Twin Brewing
Beer rating: 82 out of 100 with 101 ratings