Handsome Stranger
Batch Brewing Company

 

 

 

750 ml bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 4/28/2017. Pours fairly crystal clear reddish/pinkish orange color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and fluffy off white head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing clings around the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big lightly tart cranberry, raspberry, cherry, strawberry, pomegranate, lemon, pear, apple, melon, red grape, peppercorn, light banana/bubblegum, wheat, cracker, biscuit, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/spicy yeast, hibiscus, and bready malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big lightly tart cranberry, raspberry, cherry, strawberry, pomegranate, lemon, pear, apple, melon, red grape, peppercorn, light banana/bubblegum, wheat, cracker, biscuit, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness. Light-moderate yeast spiciness and light tart/tangy hibiscus notes on the finish. Lingering notes of lightly tart berries, cherry, pomegranate, lemon, pear, apple, melon, red grape, peppercorn, wheat, cracker, biscuit, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, hibiscus, and bready malt flavors; with a great malt/spiciness balance, and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Light-moderate dryness from yeast spiciness and tart/tangy hibiscus, increasing through the glass. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately bready/grainy/sticky, fairly crisp, and slightly tangy/tannic balanced mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol for 7.8%. Overall this is a great spiced saison! All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, hibiscus, and bready malt flavors; very smooth, crisp, and quite refreshing to drink for the ABV. Very well balanced between all flavors; but still ending nicely crisp and drying, without being overly sweet on malts. A very enjoyable offering, and great style example.

 

 

 

 

On tap, poured into a tulip. The aroma is an abundant and bright, fruity and floral hibiscus and grapefruit blend with a notable spice, berries, and a slight dampness. The beer pours a fiery, yet hazy, orange red topped by a dense sparkling crystal, white head that has good lace and moderate retention. The taste is a mild sweet, light bitter, and touch of sour. The texture is thin with a fuzzy carbonation and a medium light body. The flavor profile is floral with tart berries and grains and it finishes with a very brief tropical juiciness (papaya), followed by a peppery clean note that sticks around in the short aftertaste.