Croggy Brett Saison
Uinta Brewing Company

Bottled on 10/18/16 (And I just picked this up at the store)
POurs a large fizzy head with low retention, very clear with a hint of sediment, pale golden color

Nose Brett funk up front, sour fruit, tart stone fruit, pineapple, not much barnyard funk more the acidic tartness, maybe some grapefruit, touch of grainy malt, touch of white wine

Taste brings more Brett up front, a little barnyard funk but not much, again big souring funk with tart stone fruit, a bit of citrus notes, big pineapple as well, into a light bready malt, grainy notes, fair acidity as well, mild dry finish with flemmy acidity and funky tart fruit lingering

MOuth is med bod, tons of foamy carb, like way over carbonated, only a hint of alcohol

Overall not bad, it's basically just a sour beer now, not much of a saison in there, nice tropical Brett characters with lots of pineapple, good sourness and fruit all around, base malt and saison characters are lacking, but still enjoyable

Overall a nice sour oriented saison. Very light green yellow straw color. Little nose. Upfront taste is attractive Brett/ yeasty but takes on a touch of bitter after taste that distracts. Body is light despite fairly robust abv. Thought it might be a bit maltier. Decent brew but aftertaste kind of offsetting. Unlikely to try again.

[Original rating 2017-04-22] 750 ml bottle. Pours clear gold with a white head that disappears quickly. Steady fine carbonation rising from bottom of glass. Funky brett aroma with a little grass and straw. Taste is very dry, tart, with a little white grape, apple, grass. Not bad but not great, considering what I paid for this I won’t be getting another one.

 

October 31st, 2017 - Stashed away on a sale shelf at my local liquor store, this poor Uinta brew sat unloved. Probably because the summer is so distinctly summer, and recent torture at the hands of the Santa Ana winds has exhausted San Diego’s tolerance for heat, it was exiled to a sales corner. But that’s where frugal minded persons beeline to, and I simply had to bring it home. Clear and hazy, it looks like a refreshing summer brew, with a nose filled with white grapes and a nice saison grain profile. The profile is similarly sophisticated, refreshingly acidic and a palate that is light without being thin or grueling. It’s good stuff, and while it doesns’t fit the Fall chill that has finally deigned to descend on San Diego, the bargain basement price makes it taste all the sweeter.

 

Smell is off the hook. Brewed with a hefty dose of mosaic hops, un-malted wheat, and rolled oats. Possesses a tropical fruit character, slight sourness, and snappy aroma that partners perfectly with the crisp, dry tartness of the Brett yeast.

 

i was impressed with this, not because its an amazing saison, but because of the brett aspect. i didnt really know these guys for this sort of thing, but its pretty expert, the brett coming in midway through in an upbeat and fruity way, but also well mature, blending nicely with whatever other yeast theyve used here, and drying this right out without any strange off flavors, its a clean kind of funk, and its perfect in a light take on the style like this. the base saison is really light, clearish for one, and thin as well, less wheat malt texture and flavor, but in a warm weather and high volume context, i think i prefer it this way. its easy drinking and dry, with a champagne note to it and a similar texture, as well as a nice fruity belgian saison yeasty base before the brett kicks up. its all rather subtle though, delicate and floral for a moment, increasing bitterness and funk as it moves along, but always refreshing. this marks a new thing for uinta in my mind, we have seen the birthday suit series, but none of those have shown this kind of patience and competence with brett. excellent summer wildish ale, grossly underrated here...

edit: just had a bottle from october 2016, over two years old now, and its still awesome, a little more delicate on the hop bitterness, a really funky and well developed brettiness now, and with truly fabulous bottle conditioned carbonation. not sure where the lousy ratings on this one come from, or why it seemed to be unsuccessful at retail (maybe the price was a little steep?), but i thought this was good when i first had it, and its even better now. well worth picking up if you see one around.

A: Pours a golden orange color with 2 fingers of head that fades down to a thin cap

S: Some nice Brett and barnyard influence up front with a bit of fruit and very light spice in the back

T: Follows the nose. Starts off with the Brett and some barnyard notes and slowly picks up some fruitiness and very light yeasty spice. Light sour acetic notes in there as well. Finishes with lingering barnyard and fruity notes

M: Light-medium bodied with moderate, semi-aggressive carbonation

O: A nice Brett saison with a good amount of Brett character and influence. Very easy to drink. Definitely worth a try with the warm summer months upcoming

 

 

Look: cloudy golden with a thin head-top.
Taste: smelled bready, initially tastes of fruit but finishes with a crip and yeasty end.
Overall: not an atypical saison but is a good beer.

Honestly, not that good. Super fruity. Tastes like applesauce.

Poured a slightly hazy golden yellow color with a small, white head of foam. It smelled slightly phenolic with some yeasty notes. Tart flavors with some caramel, bread and toffee.

Poured into a pint glass. A hazy orange amber with a small head that left quickly. Hay, lemon, orange, and pepper on the nose. A nice funk on the opening sip. Tart but not sour. Interesting mix of floral notes, grass, and citrus. Moderately bitter and dry. Great thick funky feel but not heavy. Enjoyable.

 

 

 

With the farmhouse saison at its back, Uinta's unique stab at the style offers a spice-forward flavor over that of fruit and with a musty weave that's unmistakable of wild yeast.

Croggy begins with a musty cork and cellar-like perfume that rolls over the senses while its pour is bready, golden and frothy. Bready with vegemite, sourdough and a creamy cake batter, its taste is slightly lower than cake batter yet still fruity and rich.

But the beer rights itself as a bulk of sweetness is dismissed and the true Belgian-esque fruit and spice takes hold. A rich tropical whimsy captivates the mind as banana, papaya, pawpaw, apricot, pineapple and apple lead the estery way. A sharp rebuttal of peppercorn, cumin, curry and white pepper seem slighlty medicinal but also show a spicy balance that offsets the fruit even-keel.

Light bitterness and modest sourness decorate the finish while the beer's bold effervescence strives to shake off its creamy sweetness. Yet the ale trails with a medium body and a starchy cream that never allows the dry and peppery taste or body to prevail. So close but yet so far, a cast of burlap and wet woods persist in a medium-length afterglow.