La Luzerne
Central State Brewing

Look: It pours with a extremely large head. It's cloudy orange with an off white orange tinged head.

Smell: It has a spicy, rosemary, and a hay like aroma. There are hints of hay it the background with other spices.

Taste: It is sweet and sour with lemon and rosemary. There is a hay note in the background with slight dough.

Feel: It is sour and sweet in the finish with the lemon being the most prominent.

Overall, the sweet and sour with high carbonation and spices are not quite in harmony with each other.

Big (almost unmanageable), light beige, almost pinkish-tinged head. Excellent retention, but little lacing. Body is a very dark amber, quite hazy, and with tons of liveliness. The body implies wheat, but that could possibly be related to the use of alfalfa hay in the process.

Nose is sweet and fruity, jumping out at you during pours with notes of apple, pear, lemon, honey, tea, peach, and flowers. I don't pick up any of the added rosemary. It really smells like a very fragrant tea, which is quite pleasant, but equally unexpected.

The impression of tea is just as strong on the palate. It's mildly sour and funky up front, due to the lemons and, I assume, Brett, but that quickly yields to strong tannins, floral notes, and rosemary. The similarity to an herbal/floral tea is uncanny - albeit apparently unintended, based on the can description. Minor metallic notes. Other tones include apple, pear, and peach similar to the nose

Lively, smooth, and mildly puckering. Nicely solid body for only 5% - again giving the impression that wheat was used. Not exactly a crushable saison, but certainly a refreshing example.

For the best truth in advertising, consider this a tea-farmhouse ale. If you go into it with that expectation, I doubt you will be disappointed.

 

16 ounce can into tulip glass; no can dating, but was just released. Pours very hazy medium orange/amber color with a 2 finger fairly dense and fluffy cream colored head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big sour/tart/tangy lemons, lime, orange, citrus peel/zest, peach, pear, melon, red/green apple, white grape/wine, rosemary, peppercorn, alfalfa hay, straw, herbal, floral, grass, wheat, white bread, light leathery/musty funk, and yeast earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/funky/spicy yeast, lemons, rosemary, alfalfa, and moderate pale/wheat malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big sour/tart/tangy lemons, lime, orange, citrus peel/zest, peach, pear, melon, red/green apple, white grape/wine, rosemary, peppercorn, alfalfa hay, straw, herbal, floral, grass, wheat, white bread, light leathery/musty funk, and yeast earthiness. Light-moderate peppery yeast spiciness, herbal/grassy bitterness, and lemon tart/sourness on the finish. Lingering notes of sour/tart/tangy lemons, lime, orange, citrus peel/zest, peach, pear, melon, red/green apple, white grape/wine, rosemary, peppercorn, alfalfa hay, straw, herbal, floral, grass, wheat, white bread, light leathery/musty funk, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/spicy yeast, lemons, rosemary, alfalfa, and moderate pale/wheat malt flavors; with an awesome malt/spiciness and tart/sour fruit balance; with no puckering/astringent flavors after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from spiciness, tart/sour lemons, and carbonation. Medium-high carbonation and light-medium body; with a very smooth, moderately crisp, and bready/grainy/acidic/sticky balanced mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 5%. Overall this is an excellent fruited saison. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/spicy yeast, lemons, rosemary, alfalfa, and moderate pale/wheat malt flavors; very smooth, crisp, and refreshing to drink with the modestly sour/tangy/spicy/trying finish. Very flavorful for the ABV. Awesome balance of vibrant lemons, rosemary/alfalfa spice, and Brett/Saison complexity; with a nice pale/wheat malt backbone against acidity. Nothing overwhelming. A very enjoyable offering, and well made experimental style example. The rosemary/alfalfa hay fits in perfectly with the Brett profile.

Rosemary comes through, lemon, apple cider vinegar, tart