Banjo
Forest & Main Brewing Company

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From:
Forest & Main Brewing Company
 
Pennsylvania, United States
Style:
Saison
ABV:
4.5%
Score:
87
Avg:
3.9 | pDev: 7.69%
Reviews:
3
Ratings:
22
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 12, 2018
Added:
Jul 23, 2014
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  0
Brett-fermented saison with cucumber and kiwi.
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Photo of SierraNevallagash
Reviewed by SierraNevallagash from Maine

4.06/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a very hazy, deep brass color with a massive 3 finger rocky white head that don't want to go anywhere. It's been over a minute and we haven't even lost a finger yet. Receding from the outside, leaving a pillow of head intact in the middle. Edit: second pour renders this turbid, with lots of yeasties.

Nose is big big barnyard must. Funky hay, green banana, fermented peaches, some lemon-lime, black pepper, spice, Belgian yeasty phenols. Smells like a true and proper saison.

Palate: Woah. I mean woahhh. There's a big spicy vegetable note that I can't place. I want to say radishes? No. I have no idea. Something I've definitely had in a salad before. It has this super fruity green vegetable flavor that tastes really organic, and I know I've had it in a salad. I even know it's something crunchy. Man, it's killing me. There's a big tart fruity zing to it as well. Not a sour beer, but there's definitely a tart element tucked in. Big Belgian yeast notes, some major brett notes of musty overripe/fermented fruit. Maybe some raw green bell pepper? There's a lot going on in this one - a lot of yeast character, but I just can't place that salad note. It's not bad at all, it's just insanelt reminiscent of something, and It's front and center here. Extremely low bitterness, but just a miniscule touch at the end. Dries it up nicely on the close.

Mouthfeel is medium light, with a sharp prickly seltzer carbonation that assists in this ale finishing bone dry.

Overall, this is really interesting. It's definitely a saison and it's a well executed one. CUCUMBER!!! THAT'S WHAT IT IS. FRESH CUCUMBER!! Man, I needed a few more minutes with it, and it just hit me. It legitimately tastes like real cucumber. Don't know if that's a yeast element or what, but it tastes 100% like cucumber. I'd even go as far as to call this a "cucumber saison". Maybe it's just this batch, or even just my can, but that's definitely what it was. Anyway - over all, this is a really nice saison. It's got everything I want in the style, yeast character, some zing, depth, layers, bubbles, flavor, and crispness. And it kind of tastes like cucumbers, which is weird, but it totally works. Definitely worth trying.

Major Edit: So I see now that BA says this is a "Brett-fermented Saison with cucumber and kiwi" - I feel stupid now. In my defense, the can says absolutely nothing. I thought this was going to be an IPA for Christ's sake. But yes, it is in fact cucumber, and the cucumber I spot on. I knew it was something I've had in salads before. I hate cucumbers in salad. It's good in my beer though, apparently.
Nov 12, 2018
 
Rated: 3.16 by acurtis from New Jersey

Oct 13, 2018
 
Rated: 3.91 by SiepJones from Pennsylvania

Dec 18, 2017
 
Rated: 3.96 by epyon396 from Pennsylvania

Sep 21, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by qcbrewer from North Carolina

Sep 20, 2017
 
Rated: 3.78 by curlybird from Pennsylvania

Sep 13, 2017
 
Rated: 3.5 by waddellc2 from Pennsylvania

Aug 19, 2016
Photo of Giantspace
Reviewed by Giantspace from Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Cucumber Is way too overpowering in the taste(4.0). The smell(4.75) is amazing but a pint is a tough way to go here. Smells amazing if you like cucumber. Very well made but I would like to see this done with less cuke and let the melon come through more. My rating is a bit higher than I really think this beer should be rated but when figuring in look(4.25) and smell(4.75) it adds to the score. Overall a very nice beer but not for all. Ask for a taste before going full in.
Aug 18, 2016
 
Rated: 3.98 by let8it8grow from Pennsylvania

Jul 18, 2015
 
Rated: 4.15 by LehighAce06 from Pennsylvania

Jul 07, 2015
 
Rated: 3.89 by SadMachine from New Jersey

Jun 13, 2015
 
Rated: 3.77 by InspectorBob from New Jersey

May 26, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by Leeds_xx from Pennsylvania

Nov 02, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by nrs207 from Pennsylvania

Aug 26, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by kneary13 from Massachusetts

Aug 17, 2014
Photo of Slatetank
Reviewed by Slatetank from Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev -0.5%
thanks to my brother Tenderbranson69 for sharing this growler -chilled in a pint.

The color is golden with thick haze and fluffy white head with a average sized bead. The smell is tangy yeast ester coombined with cucumber in the aroma wiht mild tropical fruitiness. The feel is very tangy and moderately carbonated with light bitterness and slight yeast creaminess with gentle chalky dry light finish.

The flavor is good with lihgt brett in the taste and subtle fruit wiht light cucumber adding a complimentary flavor with ligh fresh taste not overly vegetal with a mild kiwi tang and some tropical yeast elements with slight grassy hops in the finish. Overall this is a good fruit accented and vegetable saison, pretty refreshing and paired well with the sushi for dinner
Aug 16, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by GreenMind from Pennsylvania

Aug 09, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by Kegatron from Pennsylvania

Aug 04, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by kapkenobi from Pennsylvania

Aug 04, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by BARFLYB from Pennsylvania

Aug 04, 2014
Banjo from Forest & Main Brewing Company
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 22 ratings