The Jesters, The Diablos, & The Paragons
Mirage Beer Company

i love the packaging on these mirage bottles, all so sharp, and this is a great beer, thanks to my homie for sharing, our little thursday sessions are getting pretty epic. this one is a blend of young saison and older saison in oak and featuring balaton cherries, and its a great showcase of this fruit. pink in color, jewel toned, with lots of fizz popping and high carbonation when i drink it, but not collecting or holding much head, not quite washed out looking, still bright, slightly thin, but pretty with this color saturation. the nose is awesome, tangy cherries, cherry candy, cough drop, some mature brett, green glass weirdness which is becoming a bit of a house flavor for these guys, and lots of bretty funk really cool fermentation profile, which is what i wanted from this. my mouth waters, i get a wine note in the wood, and it seems musty and mature, must be a little heavier on the older saison in the blend, or the younger one is very mild, either way, this has evident complexity right away from all the elements. the fruit is great in the taste, sweet for just a flash, but tempered by its own acidity and some tang in the ferment. its also spicy, i get warming cinnamon and clove notes from the cherries at temperature, unexpected and delicious, even kind of cozy for this style. nice hearty oak profile too, not real sour overall, way more bretty which i love, horsey and rustic, and this finishes quite dry. some possible raw wheat in the mash this has a deeply earthy foundation, a great platform for the fruit. cherry hard candy, fruit punch, and white pepper to close, light iodine, wood. really solid stuff, i have been impressed by mirage so far in all too limited exposure. loved this one!

2023-04-21
375ml corked/caged bottle served in a Georgetown sample glass. No date, but it's bottle 496/570.

Pours a pretty rosé color, not much head but a lot of carbonation. Very clear. Smell is mild, funk and tart cherry.

Taste is interesting. Lots of funk / earthy barnyard, some oak, and a very, very clear tart cherry note.

Mouthfeel is light, effervescent, and super dry. Overall, interesting and very tasty.