Saison Brewer's Reserve
River Horse Brewing Co.

 

 

 

This is a pretty decent saison. It's a bit on the soapy side, but the mild funky tones with a spicy yeasty thing round it out pretty nicely. Considering the style, I consider this one well done. Always nice to see a saison done well from an American producer; though it isn't something so readily found. A pleasant beer to drink.

A - A bright orange tint with a touch of hazy sediment and a 1/4 of sticky head. Lacing is pretty nice.

S - Smell is pretty pronounced with a touch of funk, a bit of fruity yeasts and a bit of pepper like spice.

T - Well it not a very clean tasting Saison but it did drink very well. A touch hoppy with a pronounced bit of fruity yeasts, maybe a touch of lemon, and a peppery like finish. Still it had a bit of "hard water" taste I couldn't shake...

M - Medium and bubbly.

Overall for a $1.75 I expected a good clean Saison and got this. Will seek out better examples of the style.

Aroma: Yeasty, ginger, orange, lemons and pears. Moderate piney hops blending with the floral alcohol notes. Nice dose of light malts, mostly pilsner. Lots of white sugar.

Appearance: A crisp, bright gold color. Just a bit of haze. Tons of rising bubbles. Head is tall and pale white. Great retention, 3mm layer that does not go away. Lots of lacing. Tons of sediment stuck to the bottom of the bottle after the pour.

Taste: Very bold flavor, starts nearly harsh then calms down. Moderate pine hops. Sweet apricot, lots of white sugar, sweet orange. Lots of yeasty phenols, lots of black pepper spice.

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body. High carbonation. Stinging. The finish is dry and sweet.

Overall: Nice and bold. Too much more would approach harshness. Pretty true to the Belgian style. Although it tastes more like a Belgian Strong Pale Ale than a Saison.

Note: Batch 007. Drank on 4/24/2012.

 

 

 

 

Had a glass at The Farmhouse in Emmaus, PA. It's a very American take on the style - a little thicker and cleaner. It's peppery with a slight caramel note and, unfortunately, an alcohol bite as the beer warms. It lack the dry, crisp bite of a good saison, but it's not too bad a beer. Reminds me a bit of Weyerbacher's Merry Monks.

First had: on tap at the Garden State Craft Brewers Guild 15th Annual Beer Festival, USS New Jersey, Camden, NJ

Poured a dark golden with a slight haze, and a small head that receded to just a thin layer of bubbles. Aroma of pale malts, light fruits; a bit of grassiness. Toasty malts in the taste, honey sweetness, grass, peaches and apricots, and a bit of citrus zest. Still, a bit watered down and unbalanced. Medium bodied and fairly drinkable.

A: The beer is hazy golden yellow in color and poured with a thin film of bubbles covering the surface that eventually faded away. A very slight amount of carbonation is visible from the rising bubbles.
S: There are light to moderate aromas of fruits in the nose along with some hints of spices.
T: The overall taste is dominated by fruity flavors; no bitterness is perceptible.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation. The beer is a bit heavier bodied compared to other saisons and doesn’t have as much dryness.
O: The beer isn’t that difficult to drink but could use some more hops to help cut through and balance its thicker body.