Farmhouse Ale
John Harvard's Brewery & Ale House
- From:
- John Harvard's Brewery & Ale House
- Massachusetts, United States
- Style:
- Belgian Dark Ale
- ABV:
- Not listed
- Score:
- 80
- Avg:
- 3.4 | pDev: 10.88%
- Reviews:
- 1
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Jun 16, 2016
- Added:
- May 03, 2007
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 1
SCORE
80
Good
80
Good
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by weeare138 from Pennsylvania
3.03/5 rDev -10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3.03/5 rDev -10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
This one was called a Farmhouse Ale. When I ordered it, I was actually expecting a Saison. When I asked the bartender to see the beer description, it calls it a "Flemish Ale", which I would be expecting a Flemish Red, or sour. Neither was the case here, so I'm calling this a Belgian Dark Ale.
Appears a turbid haze of russett amber with a 1 finger, off-white head that slowly faded out into a mild cap. Steady streams of CO2 bubbles quickly rise to the top. Scattered streaks of lacing are left around the glass.
Smell is of light oak, mild grain, and faintly of Rainier cherries, light citrus, gentle spice, and rhubarb. Other than that, there wasn't anything complex that would pull me in, or entice me.
Taste followed the aroma with a somewhat uncomplex and slightly baffeling flavor that makes me wonder exactly what Sean was shooting for in this beer.
Mouthfeel seems to be saved by the decent amount of CO2 that keeps the beer lively with a touch of fruitiness. On the downside, are the semi-dry, uncomplex flavors running slickly along the palate into a generally bland and somewhat thin finish.
I'm not a professional brewer. I only experiment with homebrews and try a bunch of different beer. I don't expect to be considered an expert, or expect preferential treatment when I go out...but if this is going to be Farmhouse Ale, it needs to have that funkiness behind a base of pils malt and light citrus. This wasn't even a dark saison IMO. On the other hand, if the Flemish Ale spin is put on here(which I think what he was shooting for), it needs to be dosed with a wild strain to give it a lactic, vinegar, and acetic aromas and flavors. It seems a bit one sided and uncomplex. If this were dosed with some hearty strains of brett, I could see plenty of horse blanket, cheesy, funky characteristics standing out to make it a nice brew...
There's gotta be a leftover oak barrel laying around from when John did the Bourbon Sue! Go nuts with it and let the funk take over.
May 03, 2007Appears a turbid haze of russett amber with a 1 finger, off-white head that slowly faded out into a mild cap. Steady streams of CO2 bubbles quickly rise to the top. Scattered streaks of lacing are left around the glass.
Smell is of light oak, mild grain, and faintly of Rainier cherries, light citrus, gentle spice, and rhubarb. Other than that, there wasn't anything complex that would pull me in, or entice me.
Taste followed the aroma with a somewhat uncomplex and slightly baffeling flavor that makes me wonder exactly what Sean was shooting for in this beer.
Mouthfeel seems to be saved by the decent amount of CO2 that keeps the beer lively with a touch of fruitiness. On the downside, are the semi-dry, uncomplex flavors running slickly along the palate into a generally bland and somewhat thin finish.
I'm not a professional brewer. I only experiment with homebrews and try a bunch of different beer. I don't expect to be considered an expert, or expect preferential treatment when I go out...but if this is going to be Farmhouse Ale, it needs to have that funkiness behind a base of pils malt and light citrus. This wasn't even a dark saison IMO. On the other hand, if the Flemish Ale spin is put on here(which I think what he was shooting for), it needs to be dosed with a wild strain to give it a lactic, vinegar, and acetic aromas and flavors. It seems a bit one sided and uncomplex. If this were dosed with some hearty strains of brett, I could see plenty of horse blanket, cheesy, funky characteristics standing out to make it a nice brew...
There's gotta be a leftover oak barrel laying around from when John did the Bourbon Sue! Go nuts with it and let the funk take over.
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