Cletus
Oxbow Brewing Company

astoundingly good beer, one of the best dark saison types i can recall ever drinking, 2018 vintage, courtesy of a close friends generosity, feels like the right time of year for it. strong base beer, 10% abv, aged in bourbon barrels, less common for farmhouse stuff, but it works with this dark malt awfully well. extremely mature brew, wondering how much this has evolved in the bottle, the brett profile is incredible, this is bone dry, and its not any more sour than slightly tart up front, impressive as always from oxbow on the ferment. the deepest of red tones to medium brown in the glass, a touch of haziness but not messy in the least, high headed like a proper belgian beer, airy and permanent. the nose on this rules, as much oak as whiskey, super funky bretty wildness, and all kinds of middle malt play, from leather to raisin, clove to pepper, and birch to maple, really dynamic, with dry cocoa character as well, and dry to me even though the grains present rich in the aroma, light smoke, dried red apple, port wine, and prune. the flavor is really brett forward, always what i hope for from oxbow pretty much, and rushing bottle conditioned carbonation makes this move pretty quick. not a single trace of the alcohol in aroma or flavor, even as it sits out and warms up. the bourbon is nice, well integrated, not dominant, vanilla bean, corn, smoke, char, and trace butterscotch, really complex and awesome with the grain layers. the ferment just wows me, horsey brett, not bacterial at all, light iodine, truly farmy and rustic. again the alcohol is not a factor here at all, at least at this age, so look out. gorgeous effervescence and shockingly dry for what it is, totally done on the swallow, a touch of lingering roasted bitterness, thats it. amazing beer overall, truly special, oxbow is one of a kind and this is up there with their very best that ive had. elite level beer, perfect winter one among all the spiced ales, barleywines, and huge stouts that dominate this time of year...

Bottled 6/2017, Opened 12/2021 (bottle states enjoy within 5 years)

Brown to almost black with ruby edges and a two finger creamy khaki head. Nose is all funk with cherries, blackberries, hints of plum and horse blanket. Opens with deep black cherries, plum, and blackberry funk that folds into a smooth stone fruit pith/almond malt and a hint of vanilla cola on the end. Body is light to medium with medium carbonation. Ends dry with a lingering smooth oak tannin. Overall a wonderful beer that is very well balanced with hints of barrel.

500 mL bottle. Deep brown with an ample head. Smells of dark fruits, vinous notes, then bourbon. Fascinating. Tastes of bread, dark fruits, Bourbon, strong yeast flavors, and vinous notes. Medium heavy but quite flavorful. Fascinating flavor profile. It's big, but it's really good.

 

The appearance is almost exactly that Westvleteren 12 brown, with that acorn to darker varnished quad body and its perfectly uniform, dense tan blanket.

The dark sour notes of mild crab apple tartness complemented by some caramelly bourbon barrel seamlessly come together to emulate a cedary humidor sort of character that is just remarkable.

The medium body has a firm, mild carbonation that finishes semi-dry, exhaling red grape and a hint of almost piney hops.

 

 

 

 

Look: Opaque black with chocolate brown highlights. The head is khaki colored and thick. Very active.

Smell: Smarties candy tartness, red wine vinegar, Brett funk, marble rye bread, figs, prune juice, faint vanilla, and just a hint of bourbon. The tartness is potent so it dominates the nose over the rest of the notes.

Taste: Much like the nose. Smartie candy tartness up front that recedes quickly to a body of figs, toffee, sweet bourbon, pumpernickel sweet malt, and drying oak on the finish.

Feel: Medium plus body. The tartness is pleasant as it’s bold up front yet quickly fades to not over stay it’s welcome. The body is quenching with a semi dry finish. The carbonation is natural and prickly. There is only a hint of alcohol and it’s smooth on the finish.

Overall: Another slam dunk from Oxbow. Much like the barrel aged farmhouse pale ale, the tartness is bold yet recedes quickly. It’s some magic trick Oxbow keeps pulling off that I’ve never really seen in any other brewery’s beers. The interplay of that sweetie tartness and the malty sweet bourbon body is fantastic. This beer really defies all beer styles I can think of. It is some tasty unique stuff.

I think I was jaded by reading some reviews that suggested the brett takes over this beer. I'm not a huge brett or sour fan, but I loved this beer. Nice malty base, tangy and maybe a little sour, but not over the top - really tasty. Perfect mouthfeel. Really enjoyed this beer!

 

 

On tap at Goods from the Woods 2014 with Festero.
Big thick stout went down smooth on a beautiful day.