St. Bretta Citrus Saison
Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project

Bottle pour into a tulip glass.
Murky yellow in color with minimal head and no retention. Smell and taste is citrus, pear, and pine. Mouthfeel is moderate to light.

 

 

12oz can stamped BATCH 2019-6 poured into a becher glass at fridge temp 5.2% ABV per can label. The beer pours hazy dull yellow with nearly white head. The head recedes to a thin ring and single layer of bubbles. The aroma is funky, tart with vague citrus. The taste is sour with notes of lemon and pineapple. Minimal bitterness. The mouthfeel is thin bodied with above average carbonation and a bone dry finish. Overall, ok.

Pours pale gold with good clarity; one finger of fairly fast one inch white dome; poor cap retention; thin ring; spotty lace at best. Lemon fruity earthy funk yeast nose. Sour lemon ball candy up front; lemongrass and cloves; coriander finish. Light body, crisp feel, moderate carbonation. Overall I like; light and refreshing; sour lemons with just enough Brett funk to make it interesting.

look: one finger white head which quickly dissipates to a thin layer of bubbles, pale straw coloured beer, really hazy, good levels of carbonation in the glass.

smell: smells like brett, those belgian spicey fruity flavours don’t really seem to be there, or at least arent dominating, getting some tropical fruit notes, mango and papaya, apple, it’s quite floral, rose, earthy, a little sweet, vanilla and honey, some grassy aromas.

taste: that’s actually quite pleasant, the brett accompanies the other flavours in the beer well rather than being an all crushing force like it is in some beers, some biscuity malt, those farmhouse leathery flavours you would associate with a saison, some light fruit flavours, red apple, lightly sweet also, honey, there’s a little bit of those belgian spice flavours but not much, light to medium sourness, no bitterness on the finish, surprisingly nice.

feel: really light bodied, medium carbonation, creamy and lively mouthfeel, although maybe just a bit watery, very drinkable though.

overall: this is definitely an interesting beer, and one i enjoyed more than i thought i would, the combination of character and drinkability is impressive, just a bit lacking in body.

 

12oz can poured into a snifter

A- pours a clear yellow color with a one-finger foamy white head that disappears quickly

S- funky brett notes up front of dried hay, lemon peel and barnyard, followed by undertones of citrus peel, lemongrass, coriander and honeysuckle

T- slightly tart up front with notes of lemon, followed by soft notes of brett funk; dried hay, earthy, soft cheese. mid-palate gives notes of orange peel and lemon, the finish gives some grainy coriander, as well as more brett and lemon on the linger

M- light body with moderate carbonation leads to a foamy mouthfeel that continues into a crisp dry finish

O- approachable and easy drinking Brett beer

 

This presents as a pale yellow can pour with a slight haze and little visible carbonation. The aroma is lemony-sumac tart with a whiff of Brett. The flavor matches and includes tangerine too. The finish is not as dry as expected. -refreshing and tasty

12 oz can poured into a wine glass. Pours a cloudy straw yellow with a billowy off-white head. Aroma is funky citrus with some earthy spice. Taste is similar but slightly watery. Mouthfeel is extremely dry, almost astringent. Overall a decent brett saison but could be a lot better.

 

 

I've been impressed with the offerings from the St. Bretta series, and this one is no exception. Poured at fridge temp from a 12-ounce can into a Zwanze 2018 stemmed goblet (why not?). Hazy light yellow body, with an evanescent white head that settled rapidly, leaving only a spot of lacing here and there. The Brettanomyces play very nicely with the very prominent citrus and spice flavors. Plenty of carbonation, lots of zesty bitterness, a hint of minerality, and a dry finish round out the profile. This would make an excellent table beer, but it's fine as a stand-alone sipper as well. This is worth seeking out if you're a fan of the "funk."

I love Crooked Stave and I love their beers and even this beer was good but - just like the latest one I had from them - didn’t impress me as much as the earlier ones did. Maybe some sort of intensity was missing?
I mean, the Brett was there in the aroma and the taste but somehow it was on the lighter side, just like the beer in general. At the same, the lemongrass suited this lightness very well and made the beer taste like a soda - with a Brett overtone. It is almost as light on malts as a session IPA, instead it is a well-groomed wild ale.
Let’s see what CS comes up with next!

Pours a pale straw yellow, light haze, yet visible carbonation. A big foam mushroom cap head displays great retention and lacing.
The nose opens with citrus fruit, evoking notes of orange and lemon pith. There is a mild rustic funk that is fleeting. Aromas of peppery spices, honey malts, floral hops, coriander and clove.
Well attenuated taste with citrusy flavors evoking orange peel and pith, amidst a dry cracker malt base. The brett adds a rustic, woody and earthy flavor, as well as a light tartness.
Light to medium bodied, crisp and lively carbonated as per the style. The finish is appropriately dry with a gentle spicy burn going down the throat.
Refreshing and easy to drink. The combination of brettanomyces and citrus adjuncts added a nice touch.

12 oz can, batch 2019-3. Pours slightly hazy light yellow with a big bubbly white head that retains fairly well and laces the glass some.

The aroma is earthy malts and funky yeast .

The flavor is earthy maltiness with a little sweet floral citrus. The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied with smooth carbonation.

Overall, an OK saison.

 

 

 

Hazy but bright golden yellow pour with 1 plus finger white head.
Aroma is citrus mixed with funky - barnyard, tropical fruit - sweetly unusual.
Taste starts sweet citrus - orange, pineapple; slightly peppery/spicy - followed by a funky lemony tart bitterness that dominates the palate.
Creamy bubbly medium thin bodied - smooth and easy drinking - crisp, refreshing summer beer.

 

Light, pale gold with a slight chill haze and apple juice-like film with minimal lacing.

Crisp apple, lemon rind, peppery cracker, damp grass, a little funk, and a lot of farmhouse character. Very cidery with maybe a hint of vinegar. Quite acidic. Pretty straight forward but quite pleasant.

Taste is an interesting mix of the above, with sharp, acidic fruit notes (apple, green grape, pear, and lime), a heavy lemongrass component, and a strong but not overwhelming Brett element throughout. Very grassy. Quite crisp and clean. Tart with a faint sweetness for balance.

Feel is perfectly carbonated, soft and silky, even though the body is fairly thin.

 

Thanks to CanConPhilly for this one from NBS BIF #9. 12oz can poured into 14oz teku. Poured a lightly cloudy, pale straw gold color with 1/4 inch of white head that dissipated immediately and left no lacing.

Lots of great brett funk on the nose, with some grain, and light spices in the background.

The brett wasn't as strong on the tongue, but i think that let the citrus and coriander shine more.

The body was light and crisp, with a pleasingly dry finish.

Drinkability was very good, I wouldn't mind knocking back a few more of these during the upcoming summer.

Overall, a pretty nice brew. Certainly worth trying if you see it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Look- pours a cloudy pale golden orange with a white head that recedes to leave a ring of foam around the edge of the glass. There's also a few small globules of greyish yeast that settle slowly to the bottom of the glass.

Aroma- must and black pepper are prominent, accented by lemon, orange zest and mild grainy bread

Taste- sort of follows the nose, only in this case, the tart, citrusy lemon and orange zest are prominent, accented by musty hay and faint bread and a little coriander

Feel- surprisingly medium full bodied with a lush, creamy feel that's really pleasant. Dry, slightly bitter finish

Overall- really nice slightly tart brett saison that's super refreshing

12.7 fl oz, bottled 20170214. Pours hazy light gold with enormous head. Tart smell of orange and lemon with a light cheesy funk and coriander. Papaya-ish tropical. Taste is similar, with a faint malt presence and some earthiness. Barnyard funk is present but not overwhelming. Brett dryness. Slightly tart. Refreshing.

On the more glowing side of yellow, with a significant haze. 1/2" white head. Aroma hits the brett meets orange and grapefruit commercial tug job expectations. Seems to push itself as an American saison moreso than Belgian/French/Wallonia etc., Euro vibe. More beef to the earthy notes accentuated by some coriander/sage like notes.

Plenty of lemongrass notes, grapefruit rind up front, more brett chalkiness at times. Light white pepper in the mouth feel. It packs a good amount of flavor and citrus rind into a relatively light body. Good amount of carbonation to it. Mild tart effect underneath that drying Brett aspect.

I don't think its elite tier saison stuff, but it is plenty affordable, and since its good, I think its a legit substitute good compared to some of the 1st tier saison stuff that is $20 a bottle. $10 for a 6 pack of this, or $20 for a single bottle of slightly better stuff? Shit I know which purchase I'll make 90% of the time in that scenario.