Sorghum Saison
Blackberry Farm Brewery

 

Just had 3 saisons from these guys. Theyre all decent and i feel like ones i would like to have on drought maybe.

Got them from the beer stop in tallahassee florida

But holy hell, at these prices, these saisons are lacking the classic saison taste, im used to tasting/smelling more spices i guess. These might as well be bud light to be honest

sorghum is something we usually only seen in gluten free beers, as a substitute for barley or whatever, but how cool of these guys to think to use it with more conventional malts. this is an incredibly unique beer, almost assuredly not gluten free, but the reason i keep paying absurd bottle prices for beers from these guys and opening them with as much anticipation as anything out there. this is hazy and thick looking and builds up a tan head as thick as shaving cream. the aroma is awesome, still smells wheaty, lightly floral, spicy and earthy from the yeast, subtle citrus, new carpet, and light botanical freshness. the malt side feels weighty, sturdy and almost like a bread dough or pancake batter, but there is an astounding effervescence, almost explosive in mouthfeel, so much so that its hard to even keep my mouth closed when i take a big sip, so it never feels all that heavy because its so alive. the sorghum is interesting, i try to pick out what it does on its own, certainly with some body, mabe the floral element, starchy and sort of neutral, with maybe a note of flowering sumac to it, but its so well integrated, i would think there would have to be some wheat malt in here too, and then the yeast is classic blackberry farm, sort of wild without being bretty or bacterial, but just their awesome saison strain, lightly belgian, slightly funky, and rustic as it gets. it ends up being an entirely satisfying, hearty, and complex in a nuanced way saison, the reason i keep coming back to these guys, and indicative of the rest of their work. its careful yet also risky, unconventionally basic, and just really delightful to drink on. all beer should be this good!

 

750 ml bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 1/26/2017. Pours lightly hazy medium golden yellow color with a 2 finger fairly dense and fluffy white head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings around the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of huge lemon, peach, pear, melon, orange, apple, white grape, peppercorn, clove, honey, wheat, bread dough, hay, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness. Incredible aromas with fantastic complexity and balance of fruity/spicy yeast and light-moderate bready malt/earthy hop notes; with great strength. Taste of huge lemon, peach, pear, melon, orange, apple, white grape, peppercorn, clove, honey, wheat, bread dough, hay, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness. Moderate yeast spiciness and light herbal/floral/grassy bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of lemon, peach, pear, melon, orange, apple, white grape, peppercorn, clove, honey, wheat, bread dough, hay, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Incredible complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast and light-moderate bready malt/earthy hop flavors; with an awesome malt/bitter/spiciness balance, and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Light-moderate dryness from carbonation and bitter/spiciness, increasing through the glass. Medium-high carbonation and medium body; with a very smooth, moderately crisp, and bready/grainy/sticky balanced mouthfeel that is awesome. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 6.3%. Overall this is an incredible saison! All around fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast and light-moderate bready malt/earthy hop flavors; very smooth, crisp, and refreshing to drink. Amazing vibrant yeast complexity, with nice backing malt and hop flavors. Never overly prickly/foamy on carbonation. A really amazing offering.

Bright, spicy and delicately sweet, the style that makes the farmhouse famous among brewing circles takes a sweeter and fruitier tone with the use of floral and earthy sorghum to balance spice and to calm the earthiness of saison.

Pale gold and with a classic yeasty haze, the frothy ale kicks off with a bold scent of cookie dough, wildflower, citrus and wine. Doughy sweetness greets the tongue like sourdough and citrus filled pastry as the pilsner malts dance delightfully on the tastebuds.

And as the ale unfolds, the middle palate is bright and honey-like. While sorghum normally imposes a dark and sarsaparilla sweetness on the palate, this lighter fare seems of winter's honey with a kiss of buckwheat. Lemon, white grape, under ripened orange, papaya and green berry carry into a light cidery and sparkling white wine territory before the ale's floral compounds turn to a mild hop bite of dry hay and fresh grassiness.

Spicy with white pepper, clove and vanilla, the medium bodied beer fares less expressive in carbonation and sweeter than the classic saison. But this sorghum sweetened version trails with a candied fruitiness that's more in line with strong pale ale of Belgium. A vinous finish and a peppery aftertaste refresh the palate while still delivering a wallop of tasteful art even late.

Look: Golden-orange, moderately hazy with a centimeter head upon pouring that dissipates mostly flat with a consistent lace around the edge that holds. The color is rather warm and inviting.
Smell: Sweet cereal notes, hay, rising dough, white pepper
Taste: The upfront cooked grain notes might give the barest initial impression of sweetness but they are carried away by the spicy phenolic notes which show on the finish. Although the yeast used to make this beer is wild it has a character perfectly suited for a well-composed saison; nonetheless it does show some distinct aromatic notes you won't find elsewhere. If you want a sense of Appalachian terroir in a beer this is it.
Feel: Carbonation is relatively low, but this gives the beer an opportunity to settle against your palate and really make an impression. This beer doesn't have any negative qualities you might try to hide with excessive carbonation, it has exactly enough fizz to keep the beer lively while still allowing it to envelope your tastebuds.
Overall: Blackberry Farms is the Husk of Southern brewing, they're bringing local ingredients and tastes to the table in an original yet authentic fashion. The saison is also known as the farmhouse ale because it was meant as a refreshing ale for people who work hard, nonetheless it is a style capable of showing nuance and complexity. If you get to know Appalachia you'll understand this is an apt metaphor for the region, and this is an apt beer for my enjoyment.