Ana
Fair Isle Brewing

 

 

2023-05-05
375ml bottle split between a pair of tulips. No date, but it says it's batch number 3.

Pours a hazy pale yellow with a fluffy white head that settles into a swirly layer. Smell is lemon or lime, tart, a little oakiness. Kind of chardonnay butteriness. Definite hay funk.

Taste is quite tart, not quite lemon in character, hay is noticeable as well. A little bit of a juiciness, slow woody bitterness.

Mouthfeel is dry and clean. Overall, nice beer.

what a beautiful beer this is, subtle but complex, saison done with kiwi fruit from the northwest, its tart but also real clean, easy drinking enough for them to serve it in large glasses unprompted, but full of intriguing nuance, another winner from fair isle. its golden sunny colored brew with a modest shine and an average white head, decent clarity, and plenty of rising bubbles. the nose is tangy and vinous, the kiwi adds some obvious acidity to this, a light lactic sour element too, but also the more familiar rustic house yeast, mild belgian esters to it, pear and green apple tang, not sure i can call out kiwi, but its obviously fruity, a white currant thing too, mouthwatering, neat too here is that some grain can still be appreciated, dry cereal character, white wheat, crackery pils, a hint of honey and fruity sweetness together. its also decidedly herbal, mint, menthol, eucalyptus cooling character, strange as can be, must be from this unfamiliar kiwi. the fruit is also sort of mild in the taste, more tangy than sweet to me, awesome with the fermentation profile of this, which is similar to a lot of their others, but they all have their own little twists dont they? this one slightly more acidic but also slightly more wild to me, something from the kiwi helping out here, very cool. sharp minerals, white wine character, and not quite ripe peach come out as this warms, it remains delicate and in balance, and the carbonation is effervescent and excited. there is herbal bitterness and more of that menthol vibe up front, crazy different. overall this is killer beer, id love to see it aged in oak with more kiwi, but the joint ferment approach is really cool too. highly drinkable, summery, and refined!

edit: even more impressive from the bottle than from the tap, the conditioning and now bit of time do wonders for this, so dry, excited, and funky. truly impressive beer here, great use of a local ingredient too, fair isle continues to absolutely slay!

12.7oz bottled March 2021 (Batch Two). Opened 1-8-22.
Nice hiss upon opening. 2 finger white head that retains very well at 1/2". Pale golden with a slight haze and tons of visible carbonation swirling up. Wispy streaks of lacing. Initial Saison funk in the nose followed by bright aromas of lime and a bit of grassiness in the end. Minerality, tart fruit, and zesty, zingy lime-like flavor (kiwis?). Light body, bright entry with high carbonation. Some tartness and high acid but overall very refreshing with a dry finish.
Very Good to Outstanding.

Slightly hazy golden yellow body. Crisp kiwi flesh, almost a touch seedy, grains, big lemon and citrus. A bit dry as well, good carbonation, medium body. The kiwi flavor is executed well here with a tartness that isn't overbearing at all.