Busted Lawnmower
Bullfrog Brewery

 

750ml cellared since it's release and opened at the Et tu Brut release.

Pours a hazy dark golden orange color with a half finger white head that quickly disappears.  Not much in the way of lacing.  

Slightly musty farmhouse aroma that still surprising has an earthy hop presence.  Floral with grassy pine needle, farmhouse funk, peppery spice and bready yeast.  Hops are somewhat muted and one dimensional at this point but still stand out.   Decent amount of farmhouse funk in the nose a lot with ester-y light fruit notes, notably apple and pear.  

On the lighter end of medium body with tight carbonation and a somewhat stale hop flavor lingering over peppery spice, bread/yeast notes and light fruit.  Some spice and farmhouse funk in there with pepper, clove and ginger along with musty bugs and earthy saison yeast.  Pale malt backbone with hints of apple, pear and hibiscus.  Decent but a bit past it's prime.  

750ml

Brewed: 4/30/08
Bottled: 7/24/08

This bretty saison comes all the way from upstate New York and the man himself, LUM! Thanks P! This has been sitting in the cellar for about 5-6 months now. Busted Lawnmower fills the glass with half an ultra clear peach body and half a meringue-like powder white head. Streams of carbonation burst to the surface in clumps and as the head recedes slightly begins to look like a dollop of whipped cream up top. Lacing covers nearly 80% of the class and has a great deal of the good ol' Belgian intricacies. The body absolutely glows when backlit. This is one fine looking saison if I do say so myself!

The nose on this saison is surprisingly Belgian-esque for an American version. Green apple and light peach hit the nosebuds first while a dusty, earthy yeastiness/brettiness wafts through the back. Clean grains, mild wheat and spices invade the nose soon after with the fruitiness being ever-present. Coriander, lemongrass, and white pepper show up in that order with the coriander being the major player. Lemon pith and wildflower floral notes slide in here and there to add a great touch to this saison. The brett is mild but what's there is enjoyable.

The brett manages to stand out more in the flavor than the nose led me to believe. Spritzy lemon hits first with a wheat twang and simple, clean, mild graininess close behind. Green apple and peach show up mid palate but the peach isn't as vibrant as the nose led on. Coriander comes along in healthy doses with white pepper tickling the throat slightly. The brett notes aren't exactly horsey, they're not really damp, and they're not quite leathery but it is a crazy mix of the three that's mild but rides the undercurrent throughout each drink.

The mouthfeel is oh so close to being there. A quick tweak to the carbonation would put this beer over the top. The body has a moderate feel as it enters my mouth and then the carbonation kicks in to push it through rather quickly but is a notch short of that incredible frothy character that the best Belgians showcase. The bubbles are slightly prickly, in a good way, and the finish is dry which is a must for me with saisons.

Drinkability is an easy one when it comes to well made saisons. In my opinion they are one of, if not the, most easy drinking enjoyable styles of beer on the planet. Busted Lawnmower is a well made saison and then some. I could drink this beer all day and all night if it were in my power to possess copious amounts.

I have to hand it to Bullfrog with the brewing of this saison. It's one of the finest American made saisons I've had the opportunity to sample and could rival almost all of the best Belgian examples of the style.

Reviewed: 4/11/09

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great pour here just cloudy as could be with a huge head of white that seriously looked like it could go on for ever. Settling down after a few moments it left quite an impression on the sides of the glass and really left some nice, intricate lacing all along. Aroma is light grassy notes, pears, apples, touches of a light peppery spice and lots of grain that seemingly brought it all together. As I take the first sip, a wave of light, well carbonated and crisp, clean flavor washes across the palate. Light grasses, heather, herbal flowers, touches of spiced apple and a light tartness that cleans the palate quite well. Very smooth as each sip is seamless and very easy to finish. Long, dry ending leaves you thirsty, yet satisfied and allows the subtle fruit notes to really pop.

Overall a very solid Saison

Bottle, I believe from early 2008. Pours a very clear, very light orange/gold with a large head. Nose is not what I expected, not particularly saison-like in the classic sense. Quite fruity, a bit salty, fairly dry. Highly effervescent na dreminds me of a Berliner Weiss in a lot of ways. Spices, oranges, a bit of salt, sna some dry brett in the mouth. Very, very light and lively. Flavors are a bit papery at this age. Not bad and fun to try, but over the top for sure.

A- a nice bright orange color.

S- smell of apples and berries and bret yeast.

T- taste of apples and berries and spices through the sip.

M- not to dry sweet on the pallet fruits and spice linger through out sip.

D- Very good beer. Gotta love bullfrog.

Cheers..

Had this on tap at Capone's a few years ago and now excited to see it on Cask at Tap and Table. Served in a pint glass, twice, I kicked the cask. Terry, please send more to the area please.

Busted Lawnmower is a pretty simple shade of orangish yellow with a nice amount of foam on the top that's loose bubbled, not much stick to this but some scraggily lines. Smell is quite brisk with oranges and some tropic fruits and the like but there is also some young brett in there. Farmhouse is there with hay/straw. Taste is a juicy saison, not overly yeasted with big bread but it's there in spirit. This one is about the tropic fruit and small brett with a earthy vibe. I really like this beer. Off the cash this feels like fruit juice going down, it really does not remind me of beer, just juice. Drinkability is high, If I came sooner I would of had much more. A treat..

A pint on the hand pump at tap and table. What a cool spot.

A- the bar maid pulls a perfect pint and comes my way with a finger or so of bright white head that settles slowly leaving a thin cap and a few spots of cascading lace. Super cloudy yellow orange in color with a spectacular glow in front of a candle.

S- preserved myer lemons, green grass, bubble gum, florals. A touch of green pepper corn. This is some amazingly good smelling stuff.

T- opens up with wet green grass and citrus, with some lemon and bitter orange. Bold yeast with some bubble gum and powder. Hints of spice and pepper. Simple and bold.

M- on the thinner side of body with no carb, just the slightest tickle.

D- this is an amazing brew and is one I'm glad I got to try. On hand pump non the less.

A tulip-styled glass served at the brewpub.

A: The saison is a hazy golden hue, a rich orange-brown color that radiates in the glass. No head arrived with the sasion; but it wasn't missed.

S: The nose is Belgian to a 'T'. A dry, immature brett aroma takes charge early, leaving a stark environment that has enough fruit aromas to keep things interesting. Pale malts follow in due course.

T: The brett seems to be very young, as it only contributes minimal levels of funk to the ale. It does, however, leave a dry grapefruit flavor behind. Anise and peppery coriander are late to the party but they do manage to leave a mark. Alongside pale malts and the funk, the yeast contributes fruity flavors, lighter in flavor, that linger alongside the brett. A knock-out of a saison.

M: The mouthfeel rings true with saison, brett and LaChouffe-like yeast. The dry brett flavors are subtle; they made me question if brett truly is present. Rest assured, it is present and it rocks.

D: I like the saison so much that I brought a growler home. Of course, my love of Terry's saisons is on record. Well done with just a kiss of bretty funk.

Pours a hazy yellow color with an off white head. In the aroma, yeast and lemon zest. In the taste, lemon zest and earthy barnyard. A smooth and light bodied mouthfeel, with a semi dry small tart lemon in the aftertaste. Refreshing and nice clean feeling tartness.

Bottle thanks to Kegatron.

Pours a cloudy pale golden color with a large, rocky white head with some serious retention time.

Scent of fruity yeast, brett, dry, chalky earth, horse blanket and a hint of spice. A dry and funky scent.

Taste of lemon peel, lively yeast, brett, and a hint of spice. Finishes spicy with a light tartness, not quite as complex as the aroma.

Mouthfeel is light bodied and creamy smooth with a powerful refreshing carbonation.

Barry (bring) shared this one, I believe. Thanks, Barry.

Hazy gold with a massive meringue-like head that lasts forevermore. The complex aroma brings to mind honey, raisins, apricot, mango, eggbread, white pepper, clove and a touch of funky brett. I was hoping for a bolder brett aroma, but it's very subdued. The taste is similar, very fruit-forward and spicy with a sweet mid-palate. Flavors of apricot and mango are swept away by spicy white pepper in the finish. Light-bodied with high carbonation. Finishes dry, crisp and spicy. Quite good.

A-Hazed, orange tinted peach juice with a thick off-white head that reduced to a thin cap and left sticky, webby lace.

S-Spicy, citrus zip with a lot of other "stuff" going on in the background. Light must, wet, loamy earth and a touch of white pepper. Also an insidiously intoxicating lemony sour zing. I REALLY like the aroma, it is light but complex and keeps you guessing time and time again.

T-Lemon zing with white pepper and a dank mustiness hit you initially. These are the flavours but then they flip flop and instead of lemon first you get dankness or then pepper spice. So bright and crisp, yet complex.

M-Medium-light bodied, sharp and bright with brisk carbonation. Nice lingering flavours and a drying finish.

D-At first I think a Brett beer for the beginner and then the more I drink and the more flavours I discover I find out that while yes, it is approachable, it is simply spectacular! A light, crisp drinker with a boatload of character. Outstanding, without question one of my favorite BFB offerings.

Thanks to my buddy Kyle for sharing this one today and helping me knock this beer from my wants. You sure know how to please a guy ;o)

The beer was a bit too cold for the style; you should have known better, Kyle. However, the beer was an attractive, cloudy apricot with about an inch of foam. Swirling the glass brought back some of the head back and presented some decent retention.

Musty grains, wheat, spices, hints of honey, orange, leather, apricots, bits of toast and cracker malt. Clove and a bit of coriander starter to come through. Very nice floral profile.

The first taste had some tangy wheat and a bit of malt sweetness which followed with some various fruits like apricots and orange. Next up were some honey and subtle clove and spices with a little mustiness in the back end. The brett profile is there but very lightly and less than I expected. Still, this is a tasty saison.

The mouthfeel was a little syrupy with low carbonation...good, but not as lively and effervescent as I would expect from a saison. It was very drinkable and interesting so it helped the overall picture.