Magic
Hop Butcher For The World

 

2023-01-15
16oz can served in a curvy Fremont glass. Can is dated 11/9/22. Got it from @FBarber.

Pours a moderately hazy pale yellow with a fairly large, reasonably durable head that turns into a very thick meniscus. Smell is fruity and slightly tart, it made me think (gently) of kiwi and pineapple, but I think it's actually closely related to the banana / vague fruitiness you get in some lighter Belgian beers. A little lemon and a little grass.

Taste is similar, exotic fruit juiciness at the forefront, a little tartness, moderate herbal grassiness, some straw or hay. A little grassy bitterness is more evident now.

Mouthfeel is fairly dry, though not exactly light. A little hint of a gritty / chalky texture. Overall, this is a really tasty beer.

Pours a moderately cloudy bright golden color. Thick frothy white head forms on the beer, lingers for a good long moment, then dissipates leaving just a ring of foam along the outside of the top of the beer. Aroma has notes of fruity yeast esters, some grain and malt, with a touch of spicy hops.

Taste follows the nose with the flavor profile being very yeast driven - fruity ester notes, yeast, peppery spice, some light mint, and phenolic. There is a decent fruitiness to the beer, but its not a sweet fruitiness - its much more of a yeasty fruitiness. Feel is sprightly, well carbonated, and bright. Semi-dry on the finish.

Overall a very enjoyable saison from Hop Butcher and Is/Was. With Hop Butcher I was expecting more of a Belgian pale ale, but this is squarely in the saison field and a very nice one at that.

Hazy pale orange, a finger of foam and arcs of drippy lacing. Wispy surface skim sticks around. Aroma is yeast driven and has some nice fruit character that starts citrusy and veers tropical, phenolic spice from the saison yeast. Taste is fruity and bitter, sweet at first and becoming dry in the finish. Well carbed and medium bodied. Overall it’s pretty good, with a balance of fruit and phenolic elements.