Undertaker
Village Brewery

 

 

 

 

Sampled on tap at Original Joe's. This is an interesting beer. I'm not certain what the dark malt brings to the party, but this is an enjoyable saison, true to my experiences with the style. The yeast, banana and raisin flavors are all present and accounted for. In my books, another solid effort from one of my favorite Alberta breweries!

330 ml bottle poured into a tulip. A very dark blackish brown with four fingers of light, fluffy, frothy beige head. Great head retention. Nice aroma too: Robust Belgian yeast, full of banana creme pie, clove, fresh lemon, coupled with some pleasantly roasted notes. Absolutely killing the yeasty elements on the nose here.

Taste-wise, the brew largely lives up to the promise shown on the nose, although the yeast tastes less pungent that the aroma suggests. The fresh lemon and sweet banana creme notes carry over, and the dark malts hint at espresso and bittersweet chocolate but deliver no ash or burnt toast elements, leaving this firmly anchored in saison territory despite the black twist. Some tobacco-like earthy hops add a subtle seasoning. I want to say I'm getting some caramel and raisin in the background.

Solid mid-range body, with the carbonation just a whisker bolder than this. Finish is tart, mildly spicy, phenolic ... Getting some herbal licorice and earthy root cellar that echo on the tongue for some time.

So, when I went on a tour at Village some time ago and asked why they do not brew a non-session IPA, I got the somewhat snide answer than "everyone does that and we want to be different". I acknowledged this, biting back the retort that a witbier and blonde ale are hardly adventurous flagship brews. This, however, is indeed "different" and superbly executed to boot, even if there is always that lingering feeling that Village could dial up the overall flavor a notch or two.

Poured from the traditional Village growler.

Appearance - Pours a dark chocolate brown/black with a finger width of bubbly tan head.

Smell - Belgian yeast, banana, clove, spice, toasted malts, earthy and spicy hops, cracked black pepper.

Taste - Toasted malts with a caramel-like flavour are most predominant, followed up with earthy and spicy hops and flavours of Belgian yeast (banana, clove, spice, etc.). Was expecting more yeast based on the aroma, so surprised by the strong roasty flavour.

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Dry finish with a lingering yeast flavour.

Overall - A unique approach by Village in trying out a darker variation of the saison style. I was initially taken by surprise by the strong malt presence, though this does seem to be more common in the darker saison variety.

 

330ml bottle. Second crack at reviewing this, as Saturday night's activities were curtailed by the early onset terrible twos.

This beer pours a dark, turbid brown colour, with a handful of puffy, tightly foamy, and mildly creamy ecru head, which leaves some decent layered cirrus cloud lace around the glass as it gently subsides.

It smells of lightly toasted pale and caramel malt, singed banana cream pie, laid-back yeast, ethereal citrus flesh, and tame earthy, leafy hops. The taste is grainy, faintly toasted pale malt, some now astringent, and kind of phenolic yeast, banana peel, soft wet char notes, and leafy, earthy, and slightly perfumed hops.

The carbonation is fairly edgy in its fizzy and high-palate frothiness, the body medium-light in weight, and sort of smooth, the yeast and thin alcohol (recently arrived) mussing things up. It finishes off-dry, the toasty malts getting along with the lingering yeasty fruitiness just fine.

A well-made, and interesting saison, the blackened character thankfully kept to a minimum - no active ashes on my tongue, or any of that nonsense. The flavour could be a bit more robust, ditching the small fruity sourness, but that's getting nitpicky - maybe the brewers wanted that in the first place, who am I to say?

On Tap at the Blind Monk in Calgary. I was intrigued when I saw this one come out.
Dark, brownish black colour, tight cream colored head. Foam lasts nicely, thin soapy lace lines.
It smells of some light yeast, and earthy, leafy hops. Slight banana and clove scents.
Yeast flavor, nice toasted malt base, earthy herbal hops. , and slightly perfumed hops.
The carbonation was high, light towards medium body, smooth mouth feel.
A nicely flavored saison, black malt adds another level.