Farmhouse Noir | Sante Adairius Rustic Ales

4.13/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

David's party
Light fizzy head, dark molasses color, little lacing

Nose interesting saison funk, farmhouse saison with little dark malt notes, little fruity, mild spices

Taste tart fruity, little berry like and lemony tartness, nicer funk and creamy lacto with souring bacteria, little flemmy, dark malt notes, big acidic funk and tingly

Mouth is med bod but fluffy carb nice acidity

Overall quite nice

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3.82/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Curious beer, rather vinuous, legit acidity and tartness, a bit thin/watery and yet somehow oddly filling (maybe all that bacteria?) Interesting, to be sure, but sort of the opposite of moreish for me.

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4.12/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

my man drlovemd87 has been sharing a lot of his sante adairius stash with me lately, and i am real grateful for that. this one is a little less involved than some of the others ive had, but is really excellent beer overall. not enough dark saison happening, especially sour and dark, its really well executed too. shiny obsidian black in color, really clean looking, deep, with almost an inch of tan head, with just some patched of dark yeast from the very bottom of the bottle that float around on top of the head til my glass is gone. nose of burnt cherries, like bourbon soaked ones or something, not that its boozy or sweat, but has the liquor soaked fruit vibe. nice roast from the grain, darker than most, with a very viniferous and vinegar sort of lactic sour thing going on. definitely smells a lot like the loves armor they make, and i am informed its one of the blends for that, so right on there. the flavor reveals some oats, its frothy and a little sweet in the middle, some of the most texture ive encountered in a beer this sour, its really acidic and sharp, hard to drink quickly and hard to drink a lot of, and the sourness is exacerbated by temperature as it comes up. a waft of smoke, old red wine, preserved lemons, charcoal, mushy oatmeal, dried cherries, port wine, and unlit tobacco. really deep and awesome. carbonation is there for awhile until it warms up and dissipates, and there is a lot of body, lingering grain hull texture and acid on the tongue. very distinct beer, i could pick this out of a crowd of 100.

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4.3/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Pour from a bottle (b3) to tulip.
Look: Easily could be mistaken for a stout or a porter. Little head that dissipates quickly.
Smell: Funk.
Taste: So much going on. I get lemons, cherries than some chocolate with a slight tart finish at the end.
Feel: Just the right amount of carbonation and smooth.
Overall: Very impressed since this is the only bottle that never sells out at the brewery. Also distributed throughout California which is rare.

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3.79/5  rDev -8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

16e label.

Tan head. Dark brown color.

Reminds me of consecration. Dark sour. Lots of funk. Lots of wine flavors.

Light bodied with a lot of carbonation.

Much better than the generic label one.

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3.85/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

I was a bit skeptical to open this solo since the reviews are so mixed and bottles of this sit for sale for weeks on end vs other stuff that sells out in a day or two. whilst not the greatest beer SARA makes, this is quite better than the reviews had lead me to believe.

for sure a SARA brew with lots of regonizable nuances to the flavor and nose, but on the noir side of the equation which translates to roam on the nose and a dark sour flavor. Like others before me said, this is a damn fine dark sour...but it is still a dark sour which is a style not all too accessible. Not the best dark sour I have had (crooked stave makes those) but definitely up there. Worth checking out, but not worth chasing down. I would think this is as easy a get when it comes to SARA and I think it is worth it if you are on the fence.

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2.88/5  rDev -30.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pour is black with a tan head. Nose has roasted malt, fairly green, a bit ashy, notes of citrus and some leathery brett. Flavor is more brett, less roasted malt, a touch sweeter, high carb, sour cherry, moderate acidity. Body is light and fairly dry through the finish.

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4.21/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Looks like a porter. Dark chocolate brown with an inch of foam that sticks to the glass.
Smell of the classic SARA lemony citrus saison with a hint of roasted malts.
Flavor follows the nose with a classic SARA lemony citrus saison. There's a bit more roasted, chocolaty malt on the palate. The balance of the two flavors is smooth. Light carbonation adds just a hint of pepper. Finishes with a little oak barrel flavor.
Overall, a very good SARA version of a dark sour. Reminds me of Saison Bernice with roasted malts flavors lightly blended in.

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4.34/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

I am typically not a fan of dark sours. This is definitely an exception. The appearance is pretty typical; dark brown with very nice retention. The smell is where this starts to improve. Dark fruits, salt, oak, some roasty notes, as well. The taste is similar to the nose and finishes with an amazing sour porter character. Overall this is a really solid beer and one of the best dark sours I've had. Sante!

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3.49/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Pours a murky brown (they call it hazelnut but whatever) with about a thumbs worth of mocha head that slowly fades but remains on the sides of the glass.
Flavor is a crisp as advertised on the label with a subdued tartness. Not as crisp as a standard farmhouse style, possibly due to the "noir" aspect.
Mouthfeel is...meh. Pretty light and thin and the flavor itself fades rather quickly.
It's easy to write a short review when your underwhelmed. SARA does good stuff allegedly. My experience is only three or four beers. But this isn't great. Fair perhaps, maybe good (especially if you like the style), but by no means great.

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4.5/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle at the 2015 Festival of Farmhouse Ales. I typically don't care much for dark saisons, but this one was very impressive. Very complex flavor and excellent feel.

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4.08/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

nice beer from Sante Adairius Rustic Ales. A dark saison with a lot of oak notes to boot. Definitely for fans of beers like tart of darkness from the bruery.

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4/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Dark cola brown body with two fingers of light khaki head. Nice retention and lace.

S - Tart key lime pie, bread crust, maple, and seaweed.

T - Funky. Lime, cream, copper pennies, fresh wood, leather, a touch of dry cocoa and cilantro.

M - Relatively smooth medium frame. Nice carbonation.

O - Not bad. I'm not a huge fan of dark saisons in general, but this is one of the better takes on the style that I've had.

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3.85/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Nice color on this one and overall not a bad beer, but the chocolate/oak notes don't blend very well with the cherries. Could have been less acidic as well.

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4.24/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

750ml bottle of batch 2. Served in a stemmed glass.

Appearance of a darker brown body, one finger brown head with good retention, not much lacing. Looks like a porter. However, it smells very much like a saison- lemon, citrus, a bit of wheat, mild funk, dark chocolate. Not super chocolate-forward, but it's there. An interesting combination of aroma. On the sweeter side. Flavour is where the roasted malt comes more accentuated, dry, lemon, citrus; it is nicely hoppy and lemony with a small bit of oak. Very mild tartness. Dark chocolate. Mouthfeel is very nice; medium in body, good carbonation, a bit smooth and creamy, almost decadent. Not bitter, not too tart. Overall, a nice dark saison that I truly did enjoy quite a bit. One of the first that I've enjoyed in every aspect.

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4.05/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

The beer pours a filtered looking dark brown with a thin off-white head that fades quickly. The nose is deceptively sweet with slightly toasted caramel sugars and yeast upfront followed by a subtle waft of fruit and vinegar as it warms. The taste has much more roasted malt sweetness, which is quickly overtaken by vinegar-like acidity and a lingering bready fruit (cherry?) mix. The combination works relatively well despite the palate clashing differences between the roasty sweetness and vinegar acidity. This is the second dark farmhouse from SARA I've had, and both have been solid products, but the style is still not my thing. I find that while drinking, my brain desperately wants the dark beer to take on a sweeter, (barrel)sugar-centric feel, but instead, the beer becomes more volatile and acidic. Overall, I'm happy to drink a dark base with so much culture and acidity, but can't commit to trying it again.

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4.48/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Shoutout to my mom for scoring me 4 bottles!

Batch 2 $18 750ml (100% Oak Fermented)

Black. Black Saison

Coffee roastiness. Dark malts. Funk. Sour notes.

Tart/sour border. Light zing, dark fruits plum, tannin, barrel notes.

Light and refreshing. Lingering sour bite.

The ToD for farmhouse ales. Bomb

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4.1/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 mL bottle poured into a snifter.

Appearance - Dark body. Black. Small khaki head. Wispy head and some nice lacing.

Smell - Tart cherries. Some dark chocolate and yeastiness.

Taste - Dark cherries. Slightly sour. Dark chocolate. Kinda ashy. Oaky.

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied. Kinda crisp. Nice tartness.

Overall - Very nice. Pleasantly tart. Nice dark malt flavor.

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4/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle shared by yourefragile. Thanks Michael.

The beer is black or near to it with a small khaki head. the aroma offers tart cherries, brown sugar, chocolate, yeast, funk. Earthy with cherries dipped in chocolate. Medium bodied and a bit heavy on the palate. Rich and flavorful. A solid dark saison.

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4.04/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer comes in a dark brown.

The aroma is intriguing of vinegar, tartness, roasted malt and dark fruit.

The flavor follows of roasted malt, but then follows of tartness from dark cherries, tartness, vinegar, and then some funk. A bit of oak drying on the end.

A really interesting brew. I was not as impressed by others, but still a really different and interesting brew. A dark, tart, and funky brew.

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3.35/5  rDev -18.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

750ml bottle poured into a Tree House tulip. Bottle was a gusher.

A: Pours deep black with two fingers of off white head. This thing really gushed out of the bottle. Did my best to save it.

S: Acetic. Roasted malt and oak. Malt vinegar notes. Musty.

T: Gentle tartness with a huge tannic, oak punch. Again, acetic and strong vinegar notes. It's really not that sour, but it really puckers the palate. Roasted malt on the back end.

M: Effervescent with a thin body.

O: A little strong on the acetic acid and oak astringency for me. I typically like dark farmhouse ales/dark sour beers, but something here is just a bit too much for me. Not bad, just not great.

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4.22/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Lucky, very lucky, to get a hold of this bottle!

The appearance is darker than expected. It's dark--in the porter-stout range--allowing through virtually no light. Held up to a direct source, it reveals mahogany brown with a tinge of burnt orange. Pours with a modest head and a healthy amount of lace.

The smell is truly wonderful. Leather, creamed coffee, some dark fruits with just a hint of cedar and floral hops. A good, strong whiff feels like walking into a proper cigar humidor. :-D

Initial taste was pretty tart...signature SARA. Repeated sips reveal layers of complex flavors. Some sour cherry tangy-ness, followed by a malt backbone that is never sweet but always solid. Roasted flavors (coffee, bitter chocolate, tobacco) complement the farmhouse funk of the house yeast and barrels. Outstanding!

Mouthfeel is pleasant, finishing very dry and crisp. Though the dark color might suggest some lingering stickiness, it is the opposite of cloying.

Overall, another outstanding offering from the brewer. A unique beer that places the senses of sight and smell-taste at odds with one another...in a truly delightful way.

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4.2/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle shared at Ratebeer Gallery II. Dark brown pour with a tan head. Nose of cocoa and roasted malt, with red fruit peeking through and a lactic citric tartness. Flavor confirms this, dark chocolate and graham, cranberries, citrus drupelets, pumpernickel, grape skins, nuts.

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