Straight Outta The Wood - Brett Saison
Arcadia Brewing Company

 

A bit on the sour side but a good Belgian saison. Consider yourself lucky if you can find it somewhere on Draft

750 ml bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 9/17/2018. Pours fairly crystal clear medium golden amber color with a 1-2 finger dense and fluffy white head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big tart lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, red/green apple, papaya, mango, melon, guava, berries, white grape/wine, citrus peel/zest, toasted oak, hay, straw, grass, wheat, cracker, and white bread; with lighter notes of peppercorn, oaken vanilla, leathery/musty funk, and yeast/oak earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/funky/spicy/acidic yeast, oak barrels, and pale/wheat malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big tart lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, red/green apple, papaya, mango, melon, guava, berries, white grape/wine, citrus peel/zest, toasted oak, hay, straw, grass, wheat, cracker, and white bread; with lighter notes of peppercorn, oaken vanilla, leathery/musty funk, and yeast/oak earthiness. Light-moderate Brett tang/tartness, and peppery yeast/oak tannin spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of tart lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, red/green apple, papaya, mango, melon, guava, berries, white grape/wine, citrus peel/zest, toasted oak, hay, straw, grass, wheat, cracker, white bread, peppercorn, oaken vanilla, leathery/musty funk, and yeast/oak earthiness on the finish for a while. Awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/spicy/acidic yeast, oak barrels, and pale/wheat malt flavors; with an awesome malt/tart/tangy/spiciness balance, and no puckering/astringent flavors after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from lingering tart/tangy/spiciness. Medium-plus carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately silky/bready/grainy/sticky/tannic, and fairly crisp/acidic/tangy balanced mouthfeel that is great. Minimal warming alcohol for 8%. Overall this is an awesome Brett saison. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/spicy/acidic yeast, oak barrels, and pale/wheat malt flavors; very smooth, easy, and fairly crisp to drink with the modestly spicy/acidic/tangy/drying finish. Awesomely well rounded Brett complexity after 24 months in the barrels; with nice oak presence, and pale/wheat malt backbone. Mild residual sweetness with lingering dryness. A really enjoyable offering, and spot on style example. Worth the price, and same quality as most well know US wild ale breweries.