Farmhouse Ale
Five Seasons Prado

 

 

 

On-tap, served in a pint glass:

A: The beer appeared a nice clear, lighter golden, but not yellow, color with a decent white head that receded and provided for some lacing on the glass.

S: A light, fruity aroma. Solid.

T: The taste follows the nose pretty well, except the taste is stronger than the nose. Perhaps slightly less than par for other Farmhouse Ales that I have tried, but I would definitely order again.

M/D: The beer was light, but very drinkable with good carbonation. Overall, a good, decent beer.

Pours a clear golden yellow with an OK and not very persistent white head. Aroma is fruity and malty and just a little sweet. Flavor is malty and fruity, mainly banana, and slightly yeasty with some fruit sweetness. Smooth, tingly texture leaves a slightly sweet and satisfying finish.

This beer mimics the French Saison beer style, although it is far more wheaty. In fact, I'd describe it as more of a hybrid, perhaps a Saison Wit. The beer still retains the sourness in the nose and the palate, but wheat stands out. The beer is cloudy, but not overly so. Great head and lace.

A collaboration between Terrapin and 5 Seasons. On-tap at the brewpub.

Pours a slightly hazy yellow-gold color with a one-finger white head. The head recedes into a thin layer on top leaving decent lacing.

Smells of light fruits - green apples and pears mostly but hints of others - with an underlying earthiness.

Tastes similar to how it smells. As with the smell fruit flavors are up front but there's more of a mustiness and herbal hops also make an appearance midway through the sip. Ending is crisp and mildy bitter.

Mouthfeel is good. It's a bit on the thin side but with moderate carbonation.

Drinkability is good. I finished my glass fairly quickly and could have another.

Overall this is a good saison and one that I'd have again. I would like to see Terrapin take another stab at this style knowing what they know now after SP7 and this collaboration.

Appearance: Near clear, deep yellow body with a small, tight, white head.

Smell: Subtle spiciness gleaned from the hops and yeast ushers in the sweetish malts, with some notable hints of pilsner and wheat malt. Light fermented honey character. Mild, fruity notes of farm-fresh apples and pears.

Taste: Pils malts with some further touches of lightly malted barley and wheat. Then in comes a sweetish taste of wildflower honey. Small splash each of a cider and a perry for some fruitiness. Spicy, earthy Noble hops with a light imparted bitterness. Finishes drying, vaguely spicy and with a lingering fermented honey taste.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium-high carbonation.

Drinkability: A downright decent saison to pair fairly well with a bar patron trying to sell the rest of us on the unique virtues of Eckhart Tolle and his book A New Earth, though admittedly, he hasn't read the entire book.