Secret Patterns
Oxbow Brewing Company

It pours almost clear, pale yellow. Just a touch of turbidity. Almost no head and what foam there was didn't hang around. Pretty typical look for an Oxbow saison.

The smell is refreshing and inviting. Lemon and apricot open the show and a very nice level of funky earthiness complements. A bit of white grape must, grassy and herbal. A trace of floral sweetness, thank you honey... mild apple cider vinegar lends a bright tart note.

Bright, happy tasting beer here. Perfectly refreshing. It's got an herbal tea lemon flavor, jammy and tart apricot. Some floral sweetness, a quick and assertive hit of funk. Green grassy herbal taste I think is lemon verbena and maybe a touch of lavender, both of which we grow - honey contribution? The apricot lingers a bit and brings it back home. Mild bitterness mid-taste. Way, way late in the aftertaste after several swallow, there's a very mild peppery spice. Nice.

Light, moderately tart, well-carbed, dry and a little tingly. Refreshing, but with a bit of substance.

Right in Oxbow's wheelhouse, in my opinion. That bright, refreshing, semi-complicated brew that goes great with food. I am presuming the honey adds the interesting floral and herbal bits. Smooth, the funk doesn't go overboard, flavorful, nicely integrated beer. Maybe leans a tad toward the wild ale side.

7/8/21 bottle from Blending and Bottling in Portland, ME. Pours a mostly clear pale yellow with a flash a white head that dissipates to a ring, decent lacing; smell is lemon candy, apricot skin, tart plum, funky hay, grass, hints of musty white grape and tart/funky apple cider; taste is lemon verbena, tart apricot jam, tart plum, funky and mildly bitter grass, apricot lingers on the finish, hints of lavender; feel is light and tart, high acidity, dry and prickly finish. Apricot and lemon herbal tea.

 

Had on tap. Cloudy yellow body with a thiner white head. Wheat and funk backed apricot, honey and flowers in the nose. Taste has more depth beyond the bright and sour features of the nose, sour apricot is met with peach and orange while funk, flowers, subtle wheat and a touch of brett counter lightly. Feel is sour, slightly acidic, wildly funky, bright and light.