Torcedores Series #2 - Neal's Black Saison
Cigar City Brewing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On-tap at Redlight Redlight in Orlando. Pours a dark black color with a light tan head in a tulip glass. The aroma is fantastic: dark malts, spices, some funk and yeast along with some hops as well. The taste much like the aroma is malt and a peppery spiciness with a very dry finish with some bitterness from the hops as well. Overall, this was a solid black Saison that I enjoyed. It was a little dry but that is my only complaint. Definitely worth a try for those who enjoy beers of this style.

 

 

On-tap, served in a tulip

A dark black body with a creamy off-white cap. Some great retention as the head remained throughout the experience. Some large sip marks coat the glass.

Sage is fairly prominent, poking through and above the mild roast and cocoa aromas. Herbal and medicinal notes mix with the dark notes of the malts. Some slight spice from the yeast.

Follows the nose for the most part. Soft roast and cocoa with sage playing an important role. The sage is prominent, but is a very mellow ingredient. The herbal notes complement the dark malt very well. Just a touch of yeast spice comes through. Some grassy hops emerge in the finish.

The mouthfeel really shines. Smooth and creamy, almost to the point that it detracts from the profile. Sage lingers.

I really liked the flavors here. I really like sage and this definitely delivered on that front. However, it lacked the trademark saison spice/fruitiness. I understand you have to dial it back a bit given the malt bill/ingredients, but a little more spice and I could firmly put this in the saison category. This was more of a dark ale.

 

 

 

 

On tap at Gainesville Brass Tap. Pours black with a big, creamy, cream colored head. Smell is very roasty with serious Belgian funky yeast mingling together. Light bodied and good carbonation. Taste is roast, almost coffee up front, continuing with some yeasty aftertaste. Not bad and very easy to drink, but definitely different for the style. Would like to try this again when I hadn't had other beers alongside.