Brewhouse Rarities: Bee Beer
Flying Dog Brewery

Brewhouse Rarities: Bee BeerBrewhouse Rarities: Bee Beer
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From:
Flying Dog Brewery
 
Maryland, United States
Style:
Saison
ABV:
7%
Score:
83
Avg:
3.59 | pDev: 10.03%
Reviews:
4
Ratings:
29
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:
Photo of 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
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.15 by chiefz1 from New York

Jul 03, 2019
 
Rated: 4.29 by bubseymour from Maryland

Apr 14, 2019
 
Rated: 2.86 by Raime from Korea (North)

Aug 08, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by ShepardCommander from Virginia

Apr 15, 2017
 
Rated: 3.2 by Urk1127 from New Jersey

Feb 04, 2017
 
Rated: 3 by ConradKenney from Maryland

Feb 04, 2017
Photo of woodychandler
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
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, 2017
 
Rated: 3.4 by blissfulNemo from Michigan

Jan 01, 2017
 
Rated: 3.52 by jagada from Pennsylvania

Dec 10, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by bigred89 from Maryland

Dec 02, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by Dewsby from Kentucky

Nov 30, 2016
 
Rated: 3.68 by DanGeo from Michigan

Nov 22, 2016
 
Rated: 3.15 by oriolesfan4 from Maryland

Nov 16, 2016
Photo of Jason
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
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, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by CaptDavyJones from New York

Nov 12, 2016
Photo of superspak
Reviewed by superspak from North Carolina

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, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by weezarc from Maryland

Nov 07, 2016
Photo of BB1313
Reviewed by BB1313 from Ohio

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, 2016
 
Rated: 3.77 by IdrinkGas from Pennsylvania

Nov 01, 2016
Brewhouse Rarities: Bee Beer from Flying Dog Brewery
Beer rating: 83 out of 100 with 29 ratings