MMXX Chardonnay
Floodland Brewing
- From:
- Floodland Brewing
- Washington, United States
- Style:
- Specialty Saison
- ABV:
- 9.56%
- Score:
- +6 ratings needed
- Avg:
- 4.32 | pDev: 4.4%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 1
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- May 27, 2023
- Added:
- Jan 23, 2022
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
NO SCORE
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This 2020 harvest beer was made through a native fermentation of chardonnay grapes from French Creek Vineyard on the slopes of the Yakima River. Grapes from massal selections of the original 1981 plantings along with musque 809 clone were destemmed and crushed nd kept in contact with most of the skins for some time before being pressed and then blended with well aged and dry hopped spelt beer and young beer brewed with spelt and einkorn.
This beer was refermented to condition in the bottle with raw Washington star thistle and knapweed honey.
This beer was refermented to condition in the bottle with raw Washington star thistle and knapweed honey.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by kemoarps from Washington
4.04/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.04/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Pours kind of a murky golden colour. Initial fuzz of white foam quickly fades to nonexistant. Large bubbles quite visible but pop and leave nothing behind when they reach the top.
Initial impressions of the nose are of sweet grapes and the wine-like side of the beer. As it sits, a revisiting of the nose leans much more towards the saison side, with some of that barnyard/horse blanket(?)(I think? I'm still not 100% that that's what thats supposed to be) funk taking more of a lead. This trend continues: as it warms it drives more away from the grapes and towards the barnyard funk. There's still a soft fruitiness behind it, but make no mistake, this is saison first.
As per usual from these guys, the flavour is nuanced and wonderfully crafted. I get a good balance between the saison yeastiness and the vinous sweet fruit of the grapes. Also, the honey asserts itself a little more here, and I think that's kind of giving some of that barnyard impression. That rich central current that I attribute to the interplay between the fermented honey and the grapes gives way to a tart/bitter finish that is green fruits and earthy hops.
This is quite drinkable, especially for a nearly 10% beer. That could get dangerous quite easily. Appropriate carbonation and mouthfeel. The lingering aftertaste is as much the refermented honey as it is some light bitterness.
This is ultimately not my favourite of t heirs, but that is probably as much about me as it is this beer. Per their usual, it's well crafted/constructed, with nuance and creativity. I'm just less excited by chardonnay grapes in general, and as much as I really want to like honey fermentation (whether in beers or meads or whatever), if I'm being honest with myself, it's not my favourite fermentable either.
All of which to say that Floodland makes stellar beers, this is no exception to that if it's a profile that appeals to you. It's not my favourite profile, but that's more personal preference than anything.
Apr 24, 2022Initial impressions of the nose are of sweet grapes and the wine-like side of the beer. As it sits, a revisiting of the nose leans much more towards the saison side, with some of that barnyard/horse blanket(?)(I think? I'm still not 100% that that's what thats supposed to be) funk taking more of a lead. This trend continues: as it warms it drives more away from the grapes and towards the barnyard funk. There's still a soft fruitiness behind it, but make no mistake, this is saison first.
As per usual from these guys, the flavour is nuanced and wonderfully crafted. I get a good balance between the saison yeastiness and the vinous sweet fruit of the grapes. Also, the honey asserts itself a little more here, and I think that's kind of giving some of that barnyard impression. That rich central current that I attribute to the interplay between the fermented honey and the grapes gives way to a tart/bitter finish that is green fruits and earthy hops.
This is quite drinkable, especially for a nearly 10% beer. That could get dangerous quite easily. Appropriate carbonation and mouthfeel. The lingering aftertaste is as much the refermented honey as it is some light bitterness.
This is ultimately not my favourite of t heirs, but that is probably as much about me as it is this beer. Per their usual, it's well crafted/constructed, with nuance and creativity. I'm just less excited by chardonnay grapes in general, and as much as I really want to like honey fermentation (whether in beers or meads or whatever), if I'm being honest with myself, it's not my favourite fermentable either.
All of which to say that Floodland makes stellar beers, this is no exception to that if it's a profile that appeals to you. It's not my favourite profile, but that's more personal preference than anything.
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