Untethered Optimism
Moniker Brewery

After stopping at Moniker for the first time over the weekend, I was impressed by the beer and the vibe there in general. So I splurged on some waxed bottles there to see what’s up with their barrel aged program. Let’s pop open this fruited Saison

Pours a reddish brown with 2 fingers of pinkish brown head that quickly fades to a a thin cap and leaves decent lacing

This is funky and tart in the nose, but not really fruit forward like I was expecting. I’m picking up on aromas of bready malt, wet hay, apple skin, lemon zest, light red grape, a touch of tobacco, and honey

In taste it’s even more earthy and less fruity, which is not my preferred expression of the style but I still enjoy it. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting tannic red grape, lemon zesty, earthy wheat, floral hops, sharp oak, light honey, and bready malt. The swallow brings notes of earthy wheat, sweet honey, bready malt, red apple skin, wet hay, and floral hops

A medium body pairs with gentle tingling carbonation, resulting in a crisp yet slick beer. Finishes slightly sticky with a bit of fruit to balance it out

I was hoping for more funk in this one, but I can’t really fault it for that. I’m more excited for the other bottle I got from Moniker, a mezcal BA Stout with peppers