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Brewhouse Rarities: Bee Beer
Flying Dog Brewery
- From:
- Flying Dog Brewery
- Maryland, United States
- Style:
- Saison
- ABV:
- 7%
- Score:
- 83
- Avg:
- 3.59 | pDev: 10.03%
- Reviews:
- 4
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jul 03, 2019
- Added:
- Jul 23, 2015
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 10
A spicy and funky Saison base lets the honey sweetness shine through in this unique agricultural collaboration.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by tjmiller718:
Rated by tjmiller718 from Virginia
3.7/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Nov 18, 2016
3.7/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Nov 18, 2016
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by woodychandler from Pennsylvania
3.64/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.64/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
The eradication of the Bottle Backlog here at Chez Woody continues, now embarking on a Flying Dog horizontal which I had intended to commence with the K-9 Winter Warmer a couple of days ago.
From the bottle: "Every year, at least one Brewhouse Rarity is chosen for its connection to our local agriculture. But this beer is more than that. It's a platform to educate and encourage everyone to take action against the bee colony collapse that poses a serious threat to all aspects of our ecosystem. So drink up, and head over to our website to learn more."; "Ale brewed with Honey and Bee Pollen".
It is interesting that at least two of these "Brewhouse Rarities" have been of the Saison style. I generally do not get wildly excited about Saisons, but I am intrigued by the inclusion of honey in this one. Has anyone else ever read the Roald Dahl short story, "Royal Jelly"? All of my reviews begin with the Pop! of the cap. Once that was accomplished, I performed a reasonable pour that netted two fingers of foamy, fizzy, bone-white head that quickly fizzled down to wisps. Color was a gorgeous Golden-Amber (SRM = > 5, < 7) with NE-quality clarity & with loads of CO2 bubbles in evidence! Naturally, this motivated The Gelt Gang of Mammon, Midas & Croesus to rouse themselves off of my couch & come running in for a taste. They did not know that Th' Stillers game today has been moved to 2000 (EST), so they showed up as though it were a 1300 start time. Nose was easily identifiable as a Saison, but I was not really getting much in the way of honey. Mouthfeel was medium-to-full, not quite creamy, but very effervescent on the tongue. The taste was mostly of that funky Saison flavor that I generally do not like, but it was cut with (an initially unidentifiable) sweetness. Finish was semi-dry and it was on the extreme finish that I began to taste the honey. I disagree with their assertion that "a spicy and funky Saison base lets the honey sweetness shine through" & I would suggest that they incorporate more honey & bee pollen into the recipe. Yes, it might make it more expensive to produce, but I would be more inclined to drink it again with that change.
Jan 15, 2017From the bottle: "Every year, at least one Brewhouse Rarity is chosen for its connection to our local agriculture. But this beer is more than that. It's a platform to educate and encourage everyone to take action against the bee colony collapse that poses a serious threat to all aspects of our ecosystem. So drink up, and head over to our website to learn more."; "Ale brewed with Honey and Bee Pollen".
It is interesting that at least two of these "Brewhouse Rarities" have been of the Saison style. I generally do not get wildly excited about Saisons, but I am intrigued by the inclusion of honey in this one. Has anyone else ever read the Roald Dahl short story, "Royal Jelly"? All of my reviews begin with the Pop! of the cap. Once that was accomplished, I performed a reasonable pour that netted two fingers of foamy, fizzy, bone-white head that quickly fizzled down to wisps. Color was a gorgeous Golden-Amber (SRM = > 5, < 7) with NE-quality clarity & with loads of CO2 bubbles in evidence! Naturally, this motivated The Gelt Gang of Mammon, Midas & Croesus to rouse themselves off of my couch & come running in for a taste. They did not know that Th' Stillers game today has been moved to 2000 (EST), so they showed up as though it were a 1300 start time. Nose was easily identifiable as a Saison, but I was not really getting much in the way of honey. Mouthfeel was medium-to-full, not quite creamy, but very effervescent on the tongue. The taste was mostly of that funky Saison flavor that I generally do not like, but it was cut with (an initially unidentifiable) sweetness. Finish was semi-dry and it was on the extreme finish that I began to taste the honey. I disagree with their assertion that "a spicy and funky Saison base lets the honey sweetness shine through" & I would suggest that they incorporate more honey & bee pollen into the recipe. Yes, it might make it more expensive to produce, but I would be more inclined to drink it again with that change.
Reviewed by Jason from Massachusetts
3.28/5 rDev -8.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.28/5 rDev -8.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
12oz brown bottle, sample from the brewery.
Decent amount of head, it fades pretty quick thought. So this is some sort of Saison-ish brew with Honey and Beer Pollen, I really don't get much of the Belgian side of this brew ... perhaps a bit gummy and warming but you can see that from many different yeasts. As for the Honey and Bee Pollen, there are some flavors that lean towards that way but you'd never be able to guess if you weren't told. A decent sip, nothing really pops here or sets itself apart from being a basic brew and it does not really make it as a Saison.
Nov 15, 2016Decent amount of head, it fades pretty quick thought. So this is some sort of Saison-ish brew with Honey and Beer Pollen, I really don't get much of the Belgian side of this brew ... perhaps a bit gummy and warming but you can see that from many different yeasts. As for the Honey and Bee Pollen, there are some flavors that lean towards that way but you'd never be able to guess if you weren't told. A decent sip, nothing really pops here or sets itself apart from being a basic brew and it does not really make it as a Saison.
Reviewed by superspak from North Carolina
3.9/5 rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.9/5 rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
12 ounce bottle into tulip glass, best before 3/18/2017. Pours crystal clear medium golden yellow color with a 2 finger fairly dense and fluffy white head with good retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big apricot, orange, melon, pear, apple, white grape, peppercorn, clove, light banana/bubblegum, honey, biscuit, herbal, floral, wood, and yeast earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of fruity/spicy yeast, honey, and bready malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big apricot, orange, melon, pear, apple, white grape, peppercorn, clove, light banana/bubblegum, honey, biscuit, herbal, floral, wood, and yeast earthiness. Moderate herbal bitterness and yeast spiciness on the finish; with lingering notes of apricot, orange, melon, pear, apple, white grape, pepper, clove, honey, biscuit, herbal, floral, wood, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, honey, and bready malt flavors; with a great malt/bitter/spiciness balance, and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Light-moderate dryness from bitter/spiciness, increasing through the glass. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth and moderately grainy/bready/sticky balanced mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol for 7%. Overall this is a very nice saison! All around nice complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, honey, and bready malt flavors; very smooth, easy, and a bit crisp to drink. A bit malty for the style, but still has plenty of bitter/spicy dryness. A very enjoyably offering.
Nov 11, 2016Reviewed by BB1313 from Ohio
3.79/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Enjoy by 3/15/17. 12oz bottle poured into a tulip. Pours golden with great clarity and transparency; average white head that fades leaving bubbly retention and okay lacing. The aromas are nice. Lots of banana with some hints of bubblegum. Sweet yeast and sweet malts are there. Very subtle spice aromas in the mix. The flavors follow the nose. More banana and bubblegum. Subtle hints of clove and black pepper. Yeast and malts do their thing. Mild earthy bitterness with a subtle sweetness. The honey is there, but is kind of hard to pinpoint. Finishes clean. Alcohol goes unnoticed. Mouthfeel is nice. It's on the lighter side of medium-bodied with active carbonation. It's very smooth, refreshing and easy to drink.
This is a nice saison. It has most of the qualities that you would expect from the style. The honey doesn't dominate and allows everything else to shine. Enjoyable stuff.
Nov 07, 2016This is a nice saison. It has most of the qualities that you would expect from the style. The honey doesn't dominate and allows everything else to shine. Enjoyable stuff.
Brewhouse Rarities: Bee Beer from Flying Dog Brewery
Beer rating:
83 out of
100 with
29 ratings
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