1818: Prairie State Farmhouse Ale
Hand of Fate Brewing Company

 

 

 

 

I got a can of this off the single shelf at a Binnys near my old stomping ground. It poured a clear golden with white head that is leaving some lace. The scent had pepper and potpourri. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with herbal and floral tones. The mouthfeel was lighter in body with fizzy carbonation. Overall its a decent beer.

This was a good solid Farmhouse Ale. The look was light and golden. The smell had some fruit, pears, apple and some lemon and that funky sassion yeast smell. The taste was dry up front with a little spicy peppery taste at the end. It's a beer that is very drinkable and well made.

Pours a crystal clear light golden color. Thick frothy four finger head dissipates steadily as it collapses in on itself. Somewhat effervescent.

Aroma has notes of grain, some light lemon and apple notes and a spicy saison yeast aroma - mostly reminiscent of black pepper.

Taste follows the nose with some grain notes, apple, lemon, wheat, and some lemon grass on the finish with a spicy peppery note coming through on the finish. Overall the flavor is kind of weak and watered down.

Feel is light and crips with a very dry finish. Moderate carbonation.

Overall its a very cool concept for a beer and they get props for that. But the flavors come across like a lite version of a saison.

 

 

 

 

 

Had 3 ounces from a can at the Hyde Park Brew Fest.... but this was the first of a several, so my palate was clear and my notes legible. And a pleasant surprise, as Belgian yeasts can be tricky for even larger crafters. Also, I'm impressed that this brewer was selected to make the Official Craft Beer of Illinois' Bicentennial using all Illinois ingredients; making a saison a good choice since they tend to have a more varied malt bill and Illinois grows lots of different grains.

I was looking at an average Looking saison, not much foam. The fruits emerge because what seems like a classic yeast works well on all those different grains. All this comes together as a Taste emerges that also has some interesting herbs and spices.... so much so that I wished I'd drank it with dinner. Maybe soon, but I'll have to hunt this one down. It shows some real craft as it doesn't take the easy route and add tart or too many hops; making it a pleasant saison.

 

Taste: some fruit, sour and also spiced hop notes with corn, wheat, barley grain mix. Same with the nose. Light gold hue, mostly clear, soapy head not much lace. Medium to med/light body. 28 IBUs

 

 

 

 

12oz draft pour into a snifter boasts a gold-tinged straw yellow cloudy body and briefly floats a fluffy 1/2in head which disapates to a whisper and an edge hugging bubbles leaving erratic spotted lacing.

Aroma is muted funky sourness with a slight fruited lean.

Flavors are more easily identified as apple, pear, quince, and banana fruits, a hint of pepper and a clean close.

Mouthfeel is medium, leaning lighter, with a drying finish.

Overall a nice brew, odd that it was chosen as Illinois' Bicentennial beer. Good for Hand of Fate.