Birra Basta
The Bruery

 

 

 

 

 

Pours a murky burnt orange or rusty color, but a bit lighter. Pretty good head and some lacing that hung around for a bit.

aroma is spicy, herbal, bready and green-y. A bit dull though, hard to pick out.

Anise up front in the taste, but it comes and goes rather quickly. Some vegetal hints, but nothing off putting. It seems the zuke adds to the body, which is kind of spongy. Not really, but it's kinda like velvet, but not as smooth. Chewy? Hmm...
Good spice and Belgian yeast going on around the end. I can see this pairing well with any pasta dish I can think of

Pours golden yellow with a white head. An aroma dominated by the fennel, unique though not sure I am a fan. Flavor is much more balanced, a touch tart, a little fruity, and some of the fennel. Medium bodied. Overall, not a bad brew. Quite balanced in flavor and enjoyable, but not a standout that has me craving more.

A - Served a cloudy golden orange color wit ha finger of frothy white head. The head faded down slowly leaving behind lots of lace.

S - Aroma is a mix of Belgian yeasts with some farmhouse smells, with some spices, earthiness, and vegetable aromas.

T - Starts off with some vegetable and earthy flavors with a bit of Belgian yeasts and caramel. Through the middle, some wood comes through with some lemon and stronger yeast flavors with some clove and banana. The finish is a mix of yeast and spices with some more vegetable flavor.

M - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a bit of sharpness on the tongue.

D - Very drinkable. Interesting mix of flavors but comes together nicely, especially the vegetable flavors.

 

Appearance: golden in color. pours a white head and moderate lacing.

Smell: malty, bready, lemon, woody, cedar, a hint of squash.

Taste: malty, bready, lemon, nutty, cedar.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied, moderate carbonation, smooth, silky.

Overall: very tasty. drinkability is high. I wish the Bruery would bottle this.

 

Enjoyed at the December 2011 Clusterfork. Brewed in partnership with Pizzeria Basta in Boulder, Colo., this one’s made with fennel seed, roasted zucchini, cedar chips and lemon peel. Poured into a champagne flute.

Apricot-gold, almost clear. One finger of creamy white froth eventually fades to a medium-sized ring.

Pear syrup in the nose. It’s nice and sweet, but backed by an odd, peppery quality — black pepper, maybe fennel. Soft and delicate.

With the combination of ingredients in here, I expected something weird, but this is a pretty normal biere de garde. There might be some vegetable notes from zucchini and hints of fennel, but they’re hidden behind more normal stuff: pears, flowers, roses, pepper. Like a sweet saison.

High, pinching carbonation and an equal amount of fizz. Medium body. Some alcohol in the nose. Fairly sweet throughout. Spritzy.

For a pizza beer, Birra Basta isn’t that weird, and is actually surprisingly tasty. Not weird enough for me.

 

 

Poured from a growler into a tulip glass.

A: Slightly hazy, light orange-amber color with over one finger of rapidly collapsing white foam head. Scant lacing remains on the glass.

S: Fresh herbaceous character is featured, with a neutral malt backbone that is understated alongside an odd nutty quality. No alcohol is detected.

T: Begins off-dry, with refined pale and crystal malts. Acidity is moderate and tangy, while earthy hop aromatics are mild. Nuttiness is savory in the middle, while the finish is brief with a thread of golden raisin. No alcohol is detected.

M: Medium viscosity, acidic on the palate but refreshing, with moderate carbonation.

D/O: The savory qualities of this beer are demonstrative, possessing the potential to pair in a contributory way alongside a variety of foods. It also possesses a palate-cleansing charm that would be lost on a bare palate. By itself it is relatively unremarkable, nuanced but not particularly memorable.

 

I had this one at the Bruery before and enjoyed it so I thought I would bring home a growler of it yesterday.

A: Amber/Orange; about a quarter inch head.

S: Mainly I just smell the signature Bruery yeast. A bit musty and some bread notes.

T: Full of flavors. It has a mild sweetness up front and then you taste a bit of hops in the background as well; it's mild though. The beer finishes with a mellow tart.

M: Light with a nice creamy finish.

O: I really enjoy this beer and I seriously could have drank my whole growler in one night but I restrained myself. The beer is nice and smooth and the flavors just seem to jump around in your mouth. This is one of my favorite's from the Bruery.

12/9/2011

On tap at Provisions.

A: Straw yellow gold with a big mousse-like head. Very good retention and lots of lacing.

S: Grainy malt with strong fennel seed and cedar notes. I get a touch of zucchini and soft fruity esters that bring pear and apple to mind. I do get some lemon peel as well.

T: The beer has a light fugacious sweetness up front with notes of orange, lemon, pear, and apple. Malt is grain and biscuit. I get a little coriander and vanilla as well.

M: Upper light body with high carbonation.

Overall: A unique and enjoyable interpretation of the style, at least in a 4 ounce serving.

 

Served on-draught into a goblet. Reviewed from notes taken at Beachwood BBQ.

A: Pours a one finger head of slight cream, decent thickness, and bad retention. Colour is a caramel-copper.

Sm: Bacteria, wild yeast, and slight lactic notes. Mild to moderate in strength.

T: Yeasty in a great way. Very bacteria-laden and wild without being too sour. Fantastic. It's exceptionally complex, with layers of lactic yeasty notes. Very well built and balanced.

Mf: Smoth and wet. Suits the flavour incredibly well.

Dr: Very drinkable and nice. I'd have it again at a lower price. Quite lovely.