Sass Mouth
The Alchemist

 

 

A-Pours copper in color. A medium sized head sits atop the liquid. Laces quite well. Looks the part.

S-Grass in the nose. Some cool Belgian aromas too. I believe this was the beer that used Hill Farmstead's yeast strain. Pretty aggressive nose.

T-I enjoyed it but it was one of my least favorites from the Alchemist. Herbal, grassy and piney. Has the Belgian flare. Interesting take on a Saison. Tasted almost like how lavender bath soap smells.

M-Smooth and creamy. Medium bodied. Noticeable carbonation. Feel way pretty good. Maybe a bit too heavy.

O/D-Worth a try. Cool take on the Saison style. I just did not fall in love with this one like I did many of the other brews I tried at the Alchemist. Incredibly affordable, but I their IPA/DIPAs are where my $4 are going next time.

On tap @ The Alchemist (Waterbury, VT) on 7/15/11. Served in what I can only describe as a bowl shaped rocks glass. At any rate, it was a first for me in a brewpub! ABV was listed as 7.0%

Pours a deep clear coppery ruby, topped with roughly a ½ finger of rich bright-white head. This retains with a thin foaminess that drenches the sides of the glass with a heavy wall of lace. The aroma smells of fresh cut grass and pine, with a ripe citric fruitiness to this of fresh grapefruit that mingles with a sweet graininess. A zesty spiciness and some softer fruit notes from the yeast mingle in as well, and while the overall nose here has a bit of a jumbled feel to it, this still works.

The taste starts with a core of dark fruitiness and sweet bready character, which is wrapped up in a aggressively hopped blanket of strong pithy green bitterness and pine resins. The bold crisp spiciness of the yeast is still able to shine through though, as this does get much more tropical and sweet feeling as this warms. The hops however finish this strong with an assertive pithy and spicy feel that lingers with some strength. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, maybe a touch fuller feeling, with an aggressive crisp prickliness to the carbonation which then smoothes out into more of a sharp creaminess. This does have some light warmth with REALLY brings those hops and spice out.

Well I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised that the hoppiest Saison I ever had would be from here! I guess this came off to more me less as a Saison than it was a bold American IPA with a Belgian kick to it but some of that Farmhouse character did still manage to come across at times. Anyway you cut it though, this one really ended up growing on me and I overall was really digging it by the end of the glass. Another unique brew here from the Alchemist!

a collaboration of sorts as stated on the menu. hill farmstead yeast... alchemist make.

an american saison. and when i say american i don't mean that same yeast strain trouble that seems to be setting american saison as a "funky" american blondes. the yeast strain is great. american hopped. highest IBU saison i've ever had. and surprisingly still has that beligan quality in the malting. pour is amber cloudy. nose of a lot of amarillo and some grassiness. palate is american IPA all the way. and well formed too. with a finish of some smooth pollen hints. a bit sweeter finish... or more so hints of unmalted wheat... but dry. a very subtle farmhouse note. too hoppy for that quality to dominate. but i would like to have this again as it opens up, or in a bottle... or even if the yeast is reused to make another less IBU saison.

great experience. thanks again John Kimmich.