Menacing Kumquat
Trinity Brewing Company

An innovative saison. But I'm also catching it 4 years after it was released.... but I'm glad I caught it.

That said, Looks are barely above average; not enough foam to invite (although this quite possibly results from the bottle's 4 year age.) Smells are a delicate reminder that kumquats (aside from its funny name) are a sweet fruit with a very sour rind. And I get both in the nose and equally in the Taste. Balanced. There probably also is a balance of brett in the yeast with traditional yeast; all of which also indicates balance. In the finish, the sour rind wins; and that probably hurts my rating. This is soft in the mouth (probably their clever addition of oats). Menacing Kumquat has enough cleansing bubbles to encourage me to eat more food... but there is that rind. But despite the rind, it was a decent complement to my pasta with pesto... a classic from Genova that has a lemon/tart out-front.

I'm also giving Trinity some very, very big OA Hugs for two reasons. First, Trinity truly is dedicated -- since 2009 --to figuring out how ales, food and community all fit together to create a new culture. Second, Trinity's menu is one of the best I can remember for a taproom (and I've read thru perhaps 1,000.) While I would like to visit them in Colorado Springs, I for now am looking forward to finding their brews here in Chicagoland.

12.7 oz bottle. Pours hazy orange yellow with some yeasties and a thin fizzy white head that quickly disappears completely.

The aroma is sweet fruit with some spices (coriander?) and a little tartness.

The flavor is sweet tropical fruit with subtle spice and Belgian funk in the background. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with low carbonation and is a bit watery.

Overall, an interesting fruity Belgian.

A: Sunset orange glow in the vessel with a soft floating suspension of micro-yeast particles. A good show of heavier chunks settle on the bottom of the glass. An off white head is slight and quick to dissipate, while the lacing is kept to a slight washy minimal. Really love the orange sunset glow coloring in the vessel and the unfiltered nature of soft mesmerizing suspended material.

S: Lemony souring of kumquats, sour tropical, with a medium intensity. Juicy tangerines, fresh bready malts and damp citrus.

T: Tart citrus flavor, pilsner grains are lightly dry, with a sharp and citric sourness tone. Some lime, citron, with a faint banana-guava hints. The flavor is very smooth and polished with a nice transistion. Upon warming there is some pear and cactus, prickly hops, with some peppery and woodsy notes.

M: Crisp mouthful, lively with lots of tiny bubbles massaging the tongue. Edgy and sharp medium full body, silty smooth feel.

O: Overall very refreshing, sharp and a beautiful even toned sourness and flavor full of tropical fruit, citrus, and kumquats. Very nice coloring and suspension of yeasty matter, highly drinkable per style with a good range of flavor. Solid first impression. Trinity never has let me down, highly enjoyable amazingly smooth sourness with a dry crisp finish.

 

 

A: Golden straw color with white fluffy head
S: Sweet Belgian yeast, bright kumquat citrus, floral, light honey, white pepper, lemon, hay
T: Earthy, kumquat, sweet Belgian character, light bitterness, white pepper
M: medium body with medium carbonation
O: Very good earthy American saison with residual sweetness

 

 

2016-05-20
4oz pour into a snifter at Brouwer's.

Pours a slightly hazy pale yellow color with a very fine head. Smell is kumquat (only recognizable because it says kumquat in the name), tart, some unripe fruit.

Taste is very interesting. Straw and hay, kumquat, strange floral finish. Slight bitterness.

Mouthfeel is nice, rich and silky. Overall, interesting and pretty good.

 

 

Oh, man- the aroma is outstanding. So fresh, vibrant and complex. Kumquats, for sure, but there's a deeper marmalade quality backing it up, plenty of yeasty spiciness, crackery malt, fresh flowers, straw, a little nectarine and passionfruit as well, with the slightest amount of earthy funk keeping things grounded. All very well knit together and cohesive.

Kumquats dominate the palate, but the funk and flowers don't let them have all of the fun. But that silky palate, dear Lord, it steals the show. Full and smooth, yet bone dry, just the perfect snap of bitterness, and then fresh citrus peel goes on for days. Holy freakin' shit! I am in heaven.

 

 

 

this beer is dope! way better than the strawberry version they did, and one of my favorite beers ive had from these guys in awhile now. its unassuming in the glass, cloudy but still bright, more orange than yellow or golden, and sporting a full inch of bone white head on top. the aroma is insane, its just like the fruit, kumquat all the way. the bitter peel and rind and pith is there first, with the sweeter acidic fruit coming after. pleasant white wheat malty base is round feeling and anything but bland, and the yeast seems to be more brett here than souring cultures, although both are most likely present. the flavor really follows the nose, and i am amazed how much the fruit comes through, and how authentic it is. i mean, there is starting to be a lot of kumquat beers out there, especially wild ales, but this is leaps and bounds ahead of the rest of them that i have had. its so prominent, i love it. the bitter is there from the peel, and its needed to balance the rest of the fruit, and the brett is major funky town here, so awesome. it ends up being dry and effervescent on the palate, and at this abv, its a perfect summer afternoon slammer. i could and would like to drink this one by the gallon. a great success here from trinity! best use of kumquat i have seen in any style.