Urban Encore
Logsdon Farmhouse Ales

Look: Straw yellow and clear on the pour which generates a bulging pure white head to balloon up and slowly settle to a pillow, leaving strings of lacing clung to the glass
Aroma: Straw, floral hops, wet hay, grass, freshly baked biscuits, light wafts of honey, spice notes, and yeast phenolics
Taste: Opens up with biscuits, spices – both light clove and a little coriander, and honey that dance on the palate before being followed by straw and a floral bouquet that includes jasmine, tea olive, and honeysuckle. Biscuits and spice go back and forth with floral notes and straw as yeast phenolics enter and exit the frame throughout before closing with honey and flowers
Mouthfeel: Light but full, medium-high carbonation, clean, and soft and clean on the finish
Overall: This is a really tasty beer. These folks know their farmhouse ales and it had been a bit since I’d had one so had to try this as I hadn’t seen it before and glad that I did. A delicious and well-made beer that checks all the style boxes and has tremendous depth to boot. Sucks to hear these folks might be close to closing down as they will be missed. Recommended

16 fl oz pull-tab can:

Nabbed as 1 can in a 4-pack from a beer store in Northeastern Colorado.

"Classic farmhouse ale." 5.0% ABV.

Crackery malt, dried lemon, grains of paradise, biscuity Belgian saccharomyces yeast, white pepper, clove, spice.

Balanced if a bit rudimentary. Those after a brettanomyces-emphatic farmhouse ale ought look elsewhere; this is saccharomyces only as much as I can discern.

I hoped for better from Logsdon, but it's more than competent fare in the style even if it doesn't compete with the likes of Allagash, Jester King, or other top tier saison producers.

B- / WORTHY

 

Surprised to see this marked as a saison. Doesn't have any of the funky or wild flavor you'd associate with that style. Tastes like an interesting lager.

 

Just bought a 4-pack from a Lincoln Park store (Off License) specializing in bourbon, then wine and, then, a bit of beer. (But also they know how to buy ales.)

Logsdon is a master saison maker. Since StoneTrippin added this ale, I pay homage to his moniker: Euro-Saison Heads, of which I claim to be a proud member. But Logsdon (and a few other saison specialists) got me thinking that we should have another category: North American Saison Heads or NASHs. I am among those NASHs who prefer not saisons with lots of brett. Logsdon typically does use too much brett and tarting agents for my tastes. (Of the nine I've now had from Logsdon, only three are above the average BA rating... mostly because of my tart threshold is low and drags on those ratings.)

So all that said... it is a great pleasure to find Urban Encore. It follows the saison tradition of adding different grains, whatever is left over from the harvest. Urban Encore is wonderfully refreshing at the table and has the flexibility to accompany well a summer evening fare (tonight's meal was all leftovers.) And most important, it is balanced; enough hops and tart to make a modest statement, but respectful of being at the table with food.

Urban Encore's only weakness is its yeast is less full that the traditional masters. There really is not enough active protein to sustain the initial foam. But, Logsdon is a purveyor of world-class Wilds... and their yeasts -- different than the traditional saisons'-- produce comparatively less foam. Bottom-line: Urban Encore is good enough to be at my table and I'm glad I bought four.

7/1/21 I had a second can. Tonight it accompanied my world-famous vegetable soup. It passed this critical test at the table. Having edited the above review, I'm content to keep count @ Untappd.

 

Surprisingly pale, clear yellow with a nice white foam.
Classic farmhouse saison nose with fresh grass, wet hay and light winter spice notes.
Nicely balanced on the palate with good depth and refreshing carbonation.
Spoilt for me by an unpleasant sourness. When I checked the can I found it was 8 months old. I would be interested to try a fresh one as it certainly had promise.

 

16 oz can purchased from Black Squid in Lincoln City
$3.49
Severe black and white /fax style 1979 punk label...or not
Pours a nice bright golden/yellow coloured body, with a lovely thick and frothy white head. Nice looking beer.
Great Belgian yeast and coriander aromas.. seems very authentic.
Taste the same but has smooth creaminess..even at its pepperiest.
Fine mouth feel. Great carbonation..lovely drink.

Edit..this was 8 months old..man wish i could have tasted it fresh!
Very nice from Logsdon..they have not lost their touch

 

 

Can. White head. Lace. Lightly cloudy straw gold.

Nice and refreshing saison. Earthy, grassy, zesty, and a bit of citrus. Hay and barnyard notes. Belgian yeast notes. Very classic saison.

 

Clear pale golden brew with a big pile of foam in the tall Blanche de Chambly glass. Plenty of carbonation. Aroma of straw and something flowery. Flavor is light cereal with more of the grassy hops, a hint of alfalfa. Certainly less bold than so many Saisons. This is more of what I w0uld call a Farmhouse style.

Faint hoppy bitterness and a modest bitter yeasty note. Overall this is a highly quaffable light brew with plenty of Belgian character yet easy on the yeast. From the 16 oz can purchased at Bine Y Vine with "canned on 8/13/20" on bottom.

Aroma is Belgian yeast, pale malts and spices. The flavor is Belgian yeast, citrus/fruit, malts/mild sweetness and a slightly spicy/heat/hoppy/warming finish.

 

Golden honey color in a tulip with a 3F head.
Spicy aroma.
Carbonation is just right.
The Pilsner, wheat, oats,and Vienna give the beer a very smooth easy drinking character.
Rich spicy taste.
Well balanced farmhouse beer. Logsdon is one of best Saison brewers in the US.

Canned Feb 2020, purchased at Uptown Market.

A clear, light straw yellow with a dense, white head with good retention and lacing this looks solid. The nose is pure saison , with notes of clove, pepper, grains of paradise, a light floral bubblegum note. Really good. The palate opens mildly bitter and moderately grainy with a blend of pepper, honey, dried orange peel, a definite grains of paradise note , a light lemongrass character. There's a beautiful depth here. Drying, mildly bitter finish with a floral note present. Quite excellent. The hop character is a little English and noticeably so, making it a little distinct. The inclusion of Vienna malt also adds a delicate bread note. Inspired.

Canned on 04/23/2020

Pours lightly hazy straw yellow with a frothy white foam head. Crisp, refreshing and dry notes of fresh wildflowers, elegant funk, straw, hay, mild banana, vanilla, wheaty malts, hint of clove, apricot, apple, pear, with floral earthy grassy hops. Feels lighter medium bodied, smooth with moderate carbonation. Overall a really nice farmhouse ale.