Final Summit
Outer Range Brewing Co

Poured from a 16oz can.

On the pour, 1 finger of fine white head formed on top of a deep golden hazy body. Fine lacing forms.

Aroma is peppery and herbal with a slight spiced thing going on. There is also a bright lemony flavor going on. Slight doughy malt in the background.

Flavor follows the aroma with the spicy yeasty notes being present, but there is also a hoppy bitterness and some of that hoppy lemon flavor. Again there is that doughy maltiness. The flavor is definitely hoppier than the aroma.

The feel is full and filling, but still crisp, drinkable, and refreshing, surprisingly so. The hops might co tribute to that, but there is also a good dryness that should be present in a saison.

Overall yes this is a bit of an Americanized saison, but the yeast is still there. A bit more bitter than expected and getting a bit close to a yeasty American pale ale.

No can date
Pours a frothy 1/2 finger head with moderate retention, a bit of lacing, semi hazy golden straw color

Nose big grainy cereal bready malt, a bit of a doughy wheat cake batter like, vanilla spice, very bready, light floral hops, light fruity ester notes citrus lemony like, little tart like with lemon cereal, faint phenol spices

Taste brings more malt up front, cereal, quite doughy bready, a bit of a sweet corn and cornbread dough, straw, more citrus and a bit of tartness, generic fruity esters, lemon cereal and lemongrass, light herbal floral hops with med-light bitterness, some spicy phenols in the background, drier finish with med-higher spicy hop bitterness lingering, general fruity undertones

Mouth is med bod, higher frothy carb

Overall not bad, good malts, not a big fan of the high hoppy bitter finish which doesn't really match a French farmhouse more Americanized version, but in general good

 

Bought from Beer Drop. My first as the package arrived today. I'm excited to get this selection of Belgian-inspired ales from smaller Colorado crafters. As I'm unpacking and sorting it by style and desirability, I grab Final Summit @4PM and put it and a glass in the freezer hoping its cold by 5. My mistake. I didn't enjoy it.

As a very nice touch, Beer Drop provides a description of each of the ten beers I get. The customized sheet emphasizes that Final Summit is all about the yeast from the French crafter, Thierez, who I've had three ales from. But, I notice Final Summit has been on the scene for over 3 years and, I understand better what it is I'm tasting: its yeast has not been cared for as properly as if it were in its place of origin. I can tell that this salt 'n peppery yeast is in there. I can feel it in my mouth. I can see it in the residue of the bulbous tulip from St. Feullien. But, I know this is not the same as the real deal.

Final Summit Looks slightly above average, but only because of a heavy pour producing lots of foam. It Smells yeasty and lemony. It Tastes of the pepper and finishes balanced. It is sprite on the tongue. But for now, Final Summit does not get to the top. It is for a small brewer venturing into a subtle style, but there is a lot to build on from this enjoyable table ale.

This is my 2nd from Outer Range, so I made my quickie brewer review after the IPA I had. Then, I wanted to try one of their saisons. I just did. While decent, Final Summit confirms my theory that crafting for the American palate is a different skillset than excelling in the Belgian tradition. But someday for Outer Range, the two skillsets will be merge. Working in Paradise will soon be brewing Belgians in Paradise.

12/2/20 Had the second can with a dinner of leftover yams and my world-famous garlic soup. Final Summit is a decent table ale and will keep count over at UnTappd.

Pours a translucent yellow with a finger and a half of white foam. Head retention is good. Aroma is citrus and yeast easters. A spry aroma. Flavor profile is yeast esters with bready and caramely malts and light citrus. Mouth feel is crisp, but delicate. It has a medium thickness. Overall, light, but crisp and refreshing.

Draft.

L:. Pours a slightly cloudy dark yellow with a small white head and no lacing.

S: A burst of floral mixes with a nice Belgian yeast, a touch of toasted bread and some peppercorns, this is a very inviting saison.

T:. Belgian yeast mixes with a nice peppercorn, toasted bread, notes of floral and a medium bitterness. This is a very drinkable saison.

F:. Prickly carbonation, medium body.

O:. This is a very nice drinkable saison.

 

Pours a semi-cloudy yellow color but leaves more of a resistant murky yellow to orange color. Mild head of white foaminess trails off to leave some semi-spider webbed lace.
The aroma had some dusty floral character with some silky saison yeasty character biting gently into some crushed peppercorn and grassy sweet hops. Mellow funky hay/honey settling in underneath. Subtle lemon even further underneath.
The flavor moderately leaned towards the sweet side but tries to pull in that crushed peppercorn spice (but that really seems like I'm stretching it. Some cracker like malts show up right before the aftertaste which was a sticky Belgian sweet bready/yeasty tone.
The mouthfeel was about medium bodied with a fair sessionability about it. Nice mobility along my tongue. Pretty good carbonation. Fairly smooth rolling into a semi-sticky finish with Belgian yeasty hints.
Overall, saison or Belgian blonde? Take your pick or think it over and perhaps wonder if this Outer Range's version of a cross between the two. I'd have again, thanks Steve!

 

 

 

maybe the first not hop forward beer i have had from these guys, i had heard rumors that they are doing belgian stuff too. this is a decent beer, very decent, but maybe better as a belgian blonde than as a saison, as it is crystal clear golden on the pour, and has a very bright estery belgian yeast quality about it, no rustic or funky saison yeast, nothing about this says farmhouse ale to me, although it is highly drinkable, well made, and decidedly belgian. there is a lot of basics here, pale pils type malt and maybe a little white wheat, highly refined, just a little bit of body and a crackery complexion, a quick flash of floral honey with it. the hops are subtle too, this really is yeast driven, but to be a saison i want it to be a little more funky and interesting. light white grape and pear esters in here, maybe a note of apricot, but its clean and fresh tasting, very bright on the carbonation too, this is really lively and refreshing. its hard to critique this aside from saying it doesnt fit the yeast profile complexity i look for in saison, but its excellent as a belgian blonde or pale. hope to try more of their belgian stuff this weekend while i am in the mountains!

edit: this has gotten a little better in later batches, the recent round of cans are great, really clean, a bit less estery, and very very drinkable. nice to see these guys evolving the non hoppy stuff so well!