Small Ball Saison | Crane Brewing Company
Brewed by:
Crane Brewing Company
Missouri, United States
cranebrewing.com
Style: American Brett
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 5.20%
Availability: Spring
Notes / Commercial Description:
Dry-hopped Belgian-style ale bottle conditioned with Brettanomyces.
Added by nazbotica on 04-04-2016
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 26 | Reviews: 5
4.14/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Crane Small Ball Saison, 5.2% ABV, American Brett style. Pours pale yellow with a four finger white head on a careful pour. Nose is malt, citrus, and clove. Taste follows, with a light touch of brett tartness, and slight bitterness. Outstanding dry mouthfeel, overall outstanding.
284 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Crane Small Ball Saison, 5.2% ABV, American Brett style. Pours pale yellow with a four finger white head on a careful pour. Nose is malt, citrus, and clove. Taste follows, with a light touch of brett tartness, and slight bitterness. Outstanding dry mouthfeel, overall outstanding.
284 characters
3.75/5 rDev -6.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.02/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2018 bottle. Poured out a hazy, golden color with a very large, off-white head of foam. It smelled funky and fruity with some tartness and wheat notes. Tart lemon and some fruitiness. Funky and spicy.
200 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2018 bottle. Poured out a hazy, golden color with a very large, off-white head of foam. It smelled funky and fruity with some tartness and wheat notes. Tart lemon and some fruitiness. Funky and spicy.
200 characters
4.33/5 rDev +8.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
this is fabulous saison from one of the best breweries in the midwest. i cant get enough of crane right now, even the front end sours are great, but this brett one is just money, among the best i have had from these guys which is very high praise indeed. maturity is a word i tend to find myself typing a lot when i review brett beers, particularly saison, either praising its presence or admonishing its lack thereof. this is really developed on the brett side, so much so that the beer is absolutely sparkling from the bottle, crackling dry, wild and funky but also delicate and subtle, and so full of character for such a light beer that its almost hard to imagine, its exactly how it is supposed to be, and reminds me of some of the best from the old world, it feels timeless and beautiful to me. blonde and mostly clear, looks and smells like something like pils malt was included with the wheat, its grainy mildly, but not overly wheaty, softer and lighter, again very delicate. there are some hops here, light citrus and fresh vegetal notes which the brett loves, a nice springy vibe and a counterpoint to the bretty earthiness and funk. light belgian esters here, its as much saison tasting as it is bretty. it has the exact right feel too, just enough structure from the grain, a floral flood before the brett where the carbonation is at its gushing climax, and a snappy finish thats almost lager-esque in its abruptness. not just the same brett profile that everyone seems to have either, this is clean and herbal and intense for a moment, pear and honeydew notes, a little mineraly, just awesome. im not exaggerating when i say this is one of my favorite saisons of the year so far, they have a deadset winner with this one!
1,735 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
this is fabulous saison from one of the best breweries in the midwest. i cant get enough of crane right now, even the front end sours are great, but this brett one is just money, among the best i have had from these guys which is very high praise indeed. maturity is a word i tend to find myself typing a lot when i review brett beers, particularly saison, either praising its presence or admonishing its lack thereof. this is really developed on the brett side, so much so that the beer is absolutely sparkling from the bottle, crackling dry, wild and funky but also delicate and subtle, and so full of character for such a light beer that its almost hard to imagine, its exactly how it is supposed to be, and reminds me of some of the best from the old world, it feels timeless and beautiful to me. blonde and mostly clear, looks and smells like something like pils malt was included with the wheat, its grainy mildly, but not overly wheaty, softer and lighter, again very delicate. there are some hops here, light citrus and fresh vegetal notes which the brett loves, a nice springy vibe and a counterpoint to the bretty earthiness and funk. light belgian esters here, its as much saison tasting as it is bretty. it has the exact right feel too, just enough structure from the grain, a floral flood before the brett where the carbonation is at its gushing climax, and a snappy finish thats almost lager-esque in its abruptness. not just the same brett profile that everyone seems to have either, this is clean and herbal and intense for a moment, pear and honeydew notes, a little mineraly, just awesome. im not exaggerating when i say this is one of my favorite saisons of the year so far, they have a deadset winner with this one!
1,735 characters
4.06/5 rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.75/5 rDev -6.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.25/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
3.74/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
4.35/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Pours a golden straw with a foggy frost to it. Head foams up quickly and easily, and white in color, peaking in a little over 3 fingers after gushing the first ounce or two out of the bomber. Head settles slowly, lingering for a long while. A final, defiant ring of white foam sticks around for a long time depositing heavy lacing on the glass after each sip. Aroma is biscuit, bready malts, Floral, fruity notes reside underneath. There is a tart sour note as well. Flavor profile is smooth, with a balance of fruity, floral hops and bready, biscuit malts. There is a subtle tart, sour quality to it adding to the depth, but overall it's incredibly well balanced. Mouth feel is crisp, with a medium thickness. Overall a resoundingly great saison with a slight sour quality (brettanomyces added). It drinks smooth, crisp, refreshing, and well balanced. At 5.2% it's a pleasant sipper. It would go excellent in 12/16oz cans for a flavorful summer brew at the ballpark.
Served in a Teku glass.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Pours a golden straw with a foggy frost to it. Head foams up quickly and easily, and white in color, peaking in a little over 3 fingers after gushing the first ounce or two out of the bomber. Head settles slowly, lingering for a long while. A final, defiant ring of white foam sticks around for a long time depositing heavy lacing on the glass after each sip. Aroma is biscuit, bready malts, Floral, fruity notes reside underneath. There is a tart sour note as well. Flavor profile is smooth, with a balance of fruity, floral hops and bready, biscuit malts. There is a subtle tart, sour quality to it adding to the depth, but overall it's incredibly well balanced. Mouth feel is crisp, with a medium thickness. Overall a resoundingly great saison with a slight sour quality (brettanomyces added). It drinks smooth, crisp, refreshing, and well balanced. At 5.2% it's a pleasant sipper. It would go excellent in 12/16oz cans for a flavorful summer brew at the ballpark.
Served in a Teku glass.
993 characters
4.25/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
3.5/5 rDev -12.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.75/5 rDev -6.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.25/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
3.95/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.25/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Prototypical Brett saison.
Deep saturated orange, lots of frothy foam and sticky lacing, great lasting coverage.
Aroma is full of funky Brett yeast, wet hay with a little bit of phenolic spice.
Taste is vaguely tart, funky wet hay, cheese rind, and horseblanket Brett yeast notes.
Super dry finish, really quenching and enjoyable in hot weather.
Stack this up against Boulevard Saison Brett anyday.
403 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Prototypical Brett saison.
Deep saturated orange, lots of frothy foam and sticky lacing, great lasting coverage.
Aroma is full of funky Brett yeast, wet hay with a little bit of phenolic spice.
Taste is vaguely tart, funky wet hay, cheese rind, and horseblanket Brett yeast notes.
Super dry finish, really quenching and enjoyable in hot weather.
Stack this up against Boulevard Saison Brett anyday.
403 characters
3.66/5 rDev -8.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.94/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Great beer, and an interesting story behind the company.
56 characters
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Great beer, and an interesting story behind the company.
56 characters
Small Ball Saison from Crane Brewing Company
Beer rating:
4 out of
5 with
26 ratings
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