Zymaster Series No. 4: Fort Ross Farmhouse
Anchor Brewing Company

Zymaster Series No. 4: Fort Ross FarmhouseZymaster Series No. 4: Fort Ross Farmhouse
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From:
Anchor Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
Saison
ABV:
7.2%
Score:
80
Avg:
3.5 | pDev: 12.86%
Reviews:
40
Ratings:
160
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Nov 08, 2023
Added:
Jun 09, 2013
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  7
No description / notes.
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Ratings by AOShabaz:
Photo of AOShabaz
Rated by AOShabaz from Massachusetts

3/5  rDev -14.3%

Aug 20, 2013
More User Ratings:
Photo of stevoj
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

3.5/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Nice saison style from Anchor, a little tart with dry finish. Fruity, spicy nose, hazy orange golden body, minimal head, minimal lacing. Lighter body, slick mouth feel, taste split between spicy and bitter, coriander, pepper. taste lingers long after finish.
Nov 08, 2023
 
Rated: 3.59 by QuintusHorace from California

Aug 17, 2021
 
Rated: 3.49 by cliff1066 from Virginia

Feb 07, 2017
 
Rated: 3.29 by MichialTanner1 from Texas

Sep 28, 2015
 
Rated: 3.25 by bigred89 from Maryland

Jul 04, 2015
Photo of artdob
Reviewed by artdob from California

2.89/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
Pours with a bountiful tan head.

Then the exciting fades a bit. Nose is really light for me, got a breadbox, and some banana, but not a whole lot coming through for me.
Taste is roasty seltzer water - a bit wanting. Mouthfeel also leaves a bit to be desired - a slight fizz, relatively weak here, though some improvement after drinking more of this one.

This brew will be one and done for me.
Jun 14, 2015
Photo of Casp1119
Rated by Casp1119 from Oklahoma

3.1/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Not the best but definitely not the worst.
May 02, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by jheezee from Texas

May 01, 2015
 
Rated: 2.88 by rollywud22 from North Carolina

Mar 04, 2015
Photo of Beolach
Rated by Beolach from Pennsylvania

2.53/5  rDev -27.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.5
Not a farmhouse saison in my opinion
Feb 18, 2015
Photo of Edgarallenpoor
Rated by Edgarallenpoor from Maryland

4.27/5  rDev +22%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Very tasteful effort , but I am a sucker for the spices. Overall very pleasing winter enjoyment.
Feb 01, 2015
 
Rated: 4.13 by JamieDuncan from Maryland

Feb 01, 2015
 
Rated: 3.65 by bubseymour from Maryland

Feb 01, 2015
Photo of chinchill
Reviewed by chinchill from South Carolina

3.91/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
22 oz bottle served in a snifter.

Excellent looking: copper body woth a large, durable head that leaves a fine partial coat on the glass.
The aroma says "farmhouse ale" but without leather or barnyard; its floral and fruity rather than funky.
The flavor largely follows but has a surprisingly pronounced and complex maltiness. Good balance and complexity.

Feel: medium-light body with medium-high but soft carbonation.

O: worth seeking out.
Dec 27, 2014
 
Rated: 3.63 by drewone from California

Dec 20, 2014
Photo of Jadjunk
Reviewed by Jadjunk from Georgia

3.43/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
"Zymaster n [Gk Zyme leaven + master-more at ZYMURGY] 1: a new word coined by Anchor Brewing to describe a brewmaster with hands-on experience throughout the a-to-z process of creating a new beer, from the research and selection of the raw materials and development of a recipe to brewing, fermentation, cellaring, and finishing 2: a unique series of beers from Anchor Brewing, rooted in its exceptional respect for the ancient art and noble traditions of brewing, featuring extraordinary ingredients, innovative techniques, and unusual flavors." Brewed in the style of a Saison/Farmhouse Ale with Yerba Santa (Sacred Herb) added. Available in 22 oz. bottles and on limited draft.

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle to a tulip glass. Served 55 above degrees Fahrenheit.

(Appearance) pours a tan white head of a frothy creamy consistency over a medium hazy copper amber body with moderate relaxed carbonation. Retention is very good, lacing is light and patchy. 4

(Smell) Bready caramel malt body with a soft yeast fruit presence of raisin and fig, a light peppery spiciness, a note of licorice and molasses, a soft alcohol perk and some mild tanginess in the aroma. Its a fairly maltier farmhouse ale than I am used to, but the addition of Yerba Santa comes through very distinctly in the aroma, adding herbal and earthy characterstics above the usual saison notes. The potency is moderate. 3.5

(Taste) Bready caramel malt, lightly sweetened, with a unique peppery, herbal and slightly roasty midsection, finishing abrubtly undersweet and medium dry. 3.25

(Mouthfeel) The texture is slick, lightly syrupy and mildly dry. Carbonation is light, generating a smooth, creamy mouthfeel. The body is medium+ for the style, medium/heavy overall. Balance is herbal and peppery over sweet. Alcohol presence is medium, and there are no off characters. 3.5

(Overall) A pretty unique ale, not quite as simple as a standard Saison, more like a Belgian dubbel with Yerba Santa generating a great deal of herbal and peppery flavors. It's a slow sipper for me, quite filling and heavy on the palate. For the right price, it's likely worth giving a shot. 3.5

Anchor Brewing Company's
Zymaster Series No. 4: Fort Ross Farmhouse Ale
3.41/5.00
Dec 05, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by RavenForBeer from Georgia

Nov 17, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by ElJosharino from Nebraska

Nov 07, 2014
Photo of babaracas
Reviewed by babaracas from Florida

3.65/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a fairly dark red tinged orange with two fingers thick khaki colored head -- fizzy, a few dots of lace down the glass. Smell: unripe peach, quite herbal and slightly medicinal and green; faintly toasted whole wheat biscuit with honey in the back. Taste: dilute pear-apple juice, peach skin, herbal with a bitter component... (looking up yerba santa, maybe this is it?) it's like a high-powered sage plus arugula plus aloe. Light caramel in the back... warmer this becomes more of a player. Feel is a bit fizzy, finishing crisp. Interesting beer... where there is seemingly potential for a really good biere de garde mixed in here, it maybe hits the yerba a bit too hard and ends up being just interesting.
Nov 05, 2014
Zymaster Series No. 4: Fort Ross Farmhouse from Anchor Brewing Company
Beer rating: 80 out of 100 with 160 ratings