Not Your Mommy's Umami
Surly Brewing Co.

 

On tap at Surly’s Beer Hall. Served in a 16 oz. glass.

Appearance: Color is a hazy golden orange with a moderate amount of bubbles. Slight finger of white head that settles into a thin creamy layer.

Smell: A yeasty, earthy, and fruity Farmhouse style aroma with a scent of spice, fruit, and mushrooms. Belgian yeast with hints of clove, black peppers, and farmhouse funk. Fruit hints of lemon, apricot, banana, white grape, and pear. Some grassy hop hints. Earthy hints from the mushrooms and seaweed. Also some bubblegum hints. A pretty good aroma.

Taste: Like the nose hints at, a yeasty, fruity, and earthy farmhouse ale taste with notes of Belgian spice, fruit, and mushrooms. Belgian yeast with notes of farmhouse funk, black pepper, and clove. Nice zesty citrus notes of lemon, apricot, and orange along with other fruit notes of banana, white grape, and pear. Earthy hop hints. Slight bubblegum. Quite noticeable presence of mushrooms and seaweed giving some earthy and moderately bitter flavors. A pretty good taste.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a fairly high level of carbonation. Nicely creamy and smooth.

Overall: A pretty interesting twist on a already great Saison. Cynic is obviously the base here and the mushrooms and seaweed add a nice earthy kick withouth burying the Belgian flavors.

Nice looking beer, straw colored. Smell goes beyond any barn yard funk found in Wild Ales and more into a sweaty gym bag realm. Flavor follows the smell with a little bit of sourness. The Shiitake mushroom flavor is very prevalent. I won't be seeking it again.

Had this at the Surly Brewer’s Table with a duck course. This si a saison brewed with Shiitake Mushrooms and Kombu (a kind of seaweed). L: It pours bright gold with a very slight orange tint. The head is thin white and quickly dissipates. S: Light funk aromas – earthy mushroom, tropical fruit, citrus. T: Starts with saison fermentation character leaning mostly to the tropical fruit and then you begin noticing a definite earthy, mushroomy funkiness coming through. It is not overpowering but is a nice accent and goes very well with the duck. F: Medium to medium light body, medium to medium high carbonation. O: An unusual, interesting and surprisingly drinkable beer. I enjoyed it immensely.