Middle Brow Show Me Love

Brewed By: Middle Brow Beer Co. in Chicago, Illinois  

Purchased: 12.7oz bottle bought at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, Illinois; 2016 

Style/ABV: American Wild Ale/Saison, 6.9% ABV

Reported IBUs: ?

I'm popping my Middle Brow cherry by popping a raspberry saison. It sounds pretty great, actually.

Middle Brow Beer Company is a CHARITABLE brewery founded by a group of home brewers in Chicago, Illinois. 50% of their proceeds go to courageous people who are fighting to improve the community..

The Show Me Love is a "farmhouse ale aged in wine barrels with raspberries." Ingredients here include a brettanomyces blend, seedling farms raspberries, and cabernet sauvignon barrels. "A portion of the profits from every bottle sold go to Cure Violence, a Chicago-based international violence prevention program."  

Middle Brow Show Me Love

A hard pour yields some cackling carbonation that quickly settles into a lifeless, juicy beer. The body of this beer is shades of ruby and orange, and it is comparable to the color of the inside of a grapefruit. Little dots of carbonation explode on the beer's surface, indicating that the beer is properly carbed. If you shine a bright light through the beer you can pick up yeast sediment suspended in the body. 

The aroma on this is wonderful. There is griping acidity: apple cider vinegar, sour fruits, and WOOD. There is some oak and leather. There is definitely a red wine aspect to the aroma that comes through. I'm getting rich, red grapes, and big sour cherries. There's also a seedy aroma to this, like the pit of a very sour blackberry. 

This is really interesting to taste. There's an airiness to the mid-palate...but more on that in a minute. Up front I'm getting a lot of jammy fruits: namely raspberry, strawberry, and some sour cherries. There is a good amount of Saison character up front, and it has a fruity, farmhouse character. The back-end of the front palate drops the oak and wood. The lingering flavors on the back palate include wine barrel, white wine, oak, gooseberry, sour cherry, and faint cabernet sauvignon. There's also a light kiss of alcohol and observable heat on the back.

Structurally, this is a vinous beer. It is very dry and juicy, and the carb is flat and even. The palate progression is really interesting. The front end is loaded with all those interesting fruit and farmhouse notes, and the mids kind of drop out a bit. And then you get hit with a lot of the barrel, oak, wood, and wine notes. I really think this is a beer that unfolds in two waves. There's actually a lot of complexity here, and this is a sophisticated brew. This is definitely one to think over.

Rating: Average (3.25/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Average on this. This has a ton of complex nuance, and reminds me of Goose Island's Lolita. The jammy fruits are there, and the barrel complexity and wine notes are on point. It's a little acidic, and the airy mids leave me wondering if some small changes can really push this beer into the realm of divine beers. I would definitely recommend picking this up to try. 

Random Thought: Speaking of Lolita...the prohibitive price on GI's Sisters has relegated them to shelf turd status. I can literally walk into my nearest Jewel (a middle-of-the-road, regional grocery store) and walk out with $26 bottles of GI sours. I guess times could be worse. 

Moody Tongue Steeped Emperor's Lemon Saison

Brewed By: Moody Tongue Brewing Company in Chicago, IL  

Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 4-pack bought at Bottles & Cans in Chicago, IL; 2015

Style/ABV: American Saison/Fruit Beer, 6.3%

Reported IBUs: ?

It's been a while...ask me about my grad school problems. About the Moody Tongue Brewing Company: 

Moody Tongue Brewing Company is a brewery based out of Pilsen, Chicago. The brewery was founded in 2013 by Jared Rouben, who is a graduate of Washington University, the Culinary Institute of America in New York, and the Siebel Diploma course in Chicago, where he is now a faculty member. After completing culinary school, Jared worked as a cook at the Michelin Star Martini House in Napa and as Expeditor at the three Michelin Star Thomas Keller’s Per Se in New York City. Rouben also brewed at the Rock Bottom and Goose Island Clybourn. After working in the culinary and brewing world, Rouben intends to bring a culinary point of view to beer. For more info, check out the brewery's FACEBOOK page or their website.  

The Moody Tongue Steeped Emperor's Lemon Saison is a Saison...brewed with lemon. The beer pours into a dark, honey-orange/bronze body, kicking up several fingers of fluffy head. There's good carb, and nice lacing.

Moody Tongue Steeped Emperor's Lemon Saison 

I'm sure a lot of reviews are going hard on this for the overwhelming lemon aroma. This beer is outside the usual wheelhouse. But the aromas are legit. I'm getting a lot of lemongrass, lemon zest, Meyer lemons, some natural lemons sugars, and a light biscuit malt base.

This tastes amazing, if you are looking for lemons. I'm getting everything I was picking up in the aroma: lemon zest, Meyer lemons, lemon sugars and lemon meringue pie, lemongrass, and tons of that light biscuit malt base. The beer is refreshing, drinkable, and lemony. BUT, absent from the experience is that Saison base. I'm just not getting any of the citrus, funk, clove, pepper, or character that I would expect from a Saison. 

So, while I think this falls short of the Saison label in some regards, it definitely rises above your average fruit beer. This is easily one of the better lemon-infused beers I have had, and it drinks light and clean at 6.3%. The beer is carbed well, has good depth and duration, and actually drops a complex lemon portfolio that goes beyond your basic lemon juice addition. This is better than any janky Radler or Shandy or half-assed fruit beer you are liable to find on shelves these days. This doesn't have a ton of residual or artificial sugars, so it already elevates the game to Golden State levels unlike other "OG" breweries that turn out some pretty saccharine-heavy sugar bombs. This beer won't give you a cavity is what I'm trying to say. Also, aside from missing the Saison base, this beer tastes like it was masterfully brewed. Anyway...my final thought is I'm getting some ginger and lemongrass notes with this, so this would be my go-to sushi beer moving forward.  

Rating: Above-Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Decent Above-Average on this. This is a forgettable Saison but a memorable lemon beer. There are no lemon parties here. Just perfectly nuanced lemon goodness with a hint of ginger and meringue pie sweetness. This is one of the better attempts at a lemon beer, and I would buy a 4-pack of this sooner than I would buy some Stiegel Radler or LeinenMillerKegels Summer Shandy. 

So keep brewing this, Moody Tongue.

Random Thought: Moody Tongue sounds like a brand of acid. 

Stillwater Artisanal Night Vision - Sensory Series 3 - Tennis

Brewed By: Stillwater Artisanal at Dog Brewing Co. in Westminster, MD  

Purchased: 750ml bottle bought at Bottles & Cans in Chicago, IL; 2015

Style/ABV: Belgian Pale Ale/American Wild Ale, 6.9%

Reported IBUs: ?

About Stillwater Artisanal Ales: 

Stillwater Artisanal Ales are a Gypsy Brewery based out of Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 2009-ish, the beer is brewed by Brian Strumke. You can find more info at the brewery's blog or their website. 

The Tennis is part of Stillwater Artisanal's sensory series. The Stillwater Sensory Series is a collaboration between Stillwater Artisinal and singular music artists. This release is in collaboration with the artist Tennis, and is inspired by the song Night Vision. Tennis is Denver couple Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley. 

Stillwater Artisanal Night Vision - Sensory Series 3 - Tennis

This pours into a radiant orange body, kicking up white foam and carb for days. The beer is slightly hazy, and the creeping chimney of carb in the bottle is appropriate for a Brett beer. You have to admire these Stillwater projects. 

Giant peach and pineapple jump out front on the aroma, with white pepper and strawberries, white wine notes that include gooseberry and sweet melon/sweet grass/sweet lemon, and there is impressive Brett funk coming off the aroma. The Brett is earthy and sweet. This smells juicy and amazing. 

The taste doesn't quite match the aroma, and the malt body is a bit thicker than you might expect, and the Brett hasn't quite dried this out. But, there actually is a good amount of dryness here, with wonderful Brett funk, lots of peaches and pineapple, and good hop bitterness showing up to drop some orange and lemon and rind and dry things out.

This is a medium-light bodied beer, with plenty of carbonation to move things along and a nice drying Brett character to clean things up. At 6.9%, this is fairly drinkable with just mild alcohol showing up between the cracks. This is vinous and wine-like, which is a good thing. The funk levels in here are acceptable as well. Overall, a really solid if not slightly underwhelming Stillwater release. 

Rating: Above-Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Above-Average on this. Not Stillwater's best, but still a really solid beer. Having said that, if you can find a bottle, pick it up. You can't beat the price to beer ratio here. 

Random Thought: I'm so happy that Stillwater is all over Chicago.

Stillwater Artisanal Rio De Sauvin

Brewed By: Stillwater Artisanal at Dog Brewing Co. in Westminster, MD  

Purchased: 22oz bomber bought at Bottles & Cans in Chicago, IL; 2015

Style/ABV: Saison/Farmhouse Ale/Fruit Beer, 7.7%

Reported IBUs: ?

How about dem Sauvin hops. And how about a Farmhouse Ale brewed with mango juice and passion fruit juice. MMMM. 

About Stillwater Artisanal Ales: 

Stillwater Artisanal Ales are a Gypsy Brewery based out of Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 2009-ish, the beer is brewed by Brian Strumke. You can find more info at the brewery's blog or their website. 

This beer was inspired by Against the Grain's Rico Sauvin, and the bottle reads:

Stillwater Artisanal Rio De Sauvin

"The boys at against the grain made a beer based on a fictional 'sexy man' and uhh, his sheep friend.. so sticking with the theme and the fact that we have been spending some time in Brazil lately, we decided to amp up the sexy and host a tropical orgy of fruit flavors, hops, malt and yeast..umm, yeah."

-Brian (Stillwater Artisanal)

Rio De Sauvin is part of the remix series, and not only features dat base Sauvin IPA, but tosses in mango and passion fruit juice. This pours into a hazy, sexy orange body. In brighter light this takes on lemon hues...hue. There's good head retention, good carb, dat bottle. Dat glass. Dat beer appearance experience. 

This smells fantastic....like a fruity farmhouse ale/saison. I'm getting a ton of clove, white sugar, wheat funk, and lots of juicy mango and passion fruit. This has clean lines and potent fruit, and smells exactly how I want a fruited Saison to smell like. There is some subtle lemon rind action going on in here too.

This is baller. The fusion of the fruit juice with the base beer could not have been done better. This drops Juicy Fruit on a solid Saison base with lemon, mild wheat, mild clove, and tons of passion fruit and mango. 

This is light-bodied, refreshing, and way too drinkable. At 7.7% I'm not getting any alcohol, and palate depth and complexity are both spot on. This is just juicy and delicious, I really have nothing to complain about. If they threw some wild yeast into this beer, it would elevate into that Divine category. As it sits now, it's just an Above-Average fruited saison. Which isn't a bad thing.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Decent Above-Average on this. This is another solid entry from Stillwater. Would buy again.

Random Thought: This really needs that barrel/sour treatment.

Une Année Less Is More

Brewed By: Une Année Brewery in Chicago, Illinois  

Purchased: 500ml (1 Pint 0.9 FL OZ) bottle bought at Bottles & Cans in Chicago, IL; 2015 

Style/ABV: American Saison, 4.6%

Reported IBUs: ?

More Midwest shelf turds. About Une Année:

Une Année is a brewery based out of Chicago, Illinois located near the intersection of Grand and Ashland in the Kinzie Industrial Corridor (three blocks from the Goose Island Fulton St. production brewery). The brewery was founded in early 2012 by Jerry Nelson, who is "an Architect, Marine, Siebel Institute Graduate, and Chicago native who started homebrewing in 1995 while stationed in California." Currently, Jerry is the head brewer along with Dustin Zimmerman, who also attended the Siebel Institute, and previously brewed at Hamburger Mary’s Andersonville and worked at Nøgne Ø. The name "Une Année" means "one year" in French, and was chosen to reinforce the two main ideas behind the brewery: a focus on Belgian and French style beer, and an emphasis on seasonal beers. For more info, check out the brewery's website.

The Less Is More is an American-style Saison brewed with orange zest and juice. This pours into a hazy/cloudy yellow body, kicking up a couple of fingers of white head. The head retention is good, with lots of active carb, maybe overly so, and tons of lacing. This is radiant and bright...and it has good aromas.

Une Année Less Is More

This smells the part of an American Saison. The 4.6% thing means this is on the lighter side of the style, but it brings big aromas of lemons, orange juice, mimosas, wheat, white pepper, and MINIMAL yeast character. I wish this was more funky.

This isn't mind blowing, which is no real fault of Une Année. But at the same time, I've been spoiled with this style and this just seems kind of generic and streamlined, especially if juice was added. There's a lot of clean lines, bright hop notes, lemon, orange juice, citrus, some white pepper...and not much in terms of malts or yeast character. You pick up some wheat, and this hints at a bubble gum note from the wheat, but it never really takes things in the direction of the Belgian countryside. It also doesn't play up the orange juice character. It's not quite peppery enough, or mimosa-y enough. It just kind of is.

Despite being nonplussed by this beer, it does own it's 4.6% with a substantial but light medium-body. It's well-carbonated, easy to drink, and has good flavor. Palate depth and duration are middle-of-the-road, and complexity is low. Up front: lemons, mimosas light, good fruitiness, hops, wheat; the mids roll into wheat, with more lemons, orange juice, some mild white pepper; the back end rides out with juicy and clean lines. It's a bright and vibrant beer that I can't really fault except that it pretty much is what it is. 

Rating: Average (3.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Average on this. This is really solid but I wouldn't seek it out at this price in singles. Maybe if they shoved this in a 6-pack format...I just don't think the capacity is there yet, so I do hope they can continue to grow their brand. This is not a bad beer by any means, but the Saison market is flooded with fantastic beers. Having said that, I'm excited to see where they go with these Belgian beers. And their sours. 

Random Thought: I have their Wild Ale/Sour coming up, and that I am excited for.

Destihl Saint Dekkera: Zura Dubbele Sour Stout

Brewed By: Destihl Restaurant and Brew Works in Normal/Bloomington, Illinois 
Purchased: 500ml (1 pint, .07oz bottle) bought at Bottles & Cans in Chicago, IL; 2015 (bottled in 2014; barrel numbers 271-275)

Style/ABV: American Stout/Wild Ale, 9.9%
Reported IBUs: ????

More Destihl Sours woo. About Destihl: 

Destihl is a brewery (Bloomington) and brewpub (Normal, IL & Champaign, IL) based out of the Midwest. Specifically, the middle of Illinois in the middle of the United States. Daaaa midwest. The brewery was founded by CEO & Brewmaster, Matt Potts, in 2007. Like many brewery founders, Potts started out as a homebrewer, and would eventually trade his law school education and law practice for those sweet barley suds. Destihl currently brews a myriad of regular and barrel-aged beers, including an increasing portfolio of tasty sour brews. For more info, check out their website. 

The Destihl Saint Dekkera: Zura Dubbele Sour Stout is a sour double stout, aged in oak barrels. And that's all she wrote.

This pours into a dark brown, cola color, kicking up two fingers of tan tinged head. There is nice lacing, and even some decent head retention. It's not opaque or pitch black, and I wouldn't expect it since it was aged in a barrel(s) for some time.

Destihl Saint Dekkera: Zura Dubbele Sour Stout

The aroma on this beer is awesome. I'm really surprised that Destihl has cranked something of this quality out, and it does justify the price. Their Wild Sour series is fun, but doesn't compare to the extent or complexity of a beer like this. This has an aroma of rich oak, leather, tons of acetic acid, red cider vinegar, and tons of oak-cherries and cherry cola. There is also an underlying coffee and chocolate note, and a fat malt base creeping.

This tastes delicious, like a blend of a Stout with a Flanders Red. It's very different than something like the Black Metal. There's a lot of chocolate and coffee in here, but it keeps rounding back out to big oak flavor, cherries, acetic acid and apple cider vinegar. There's a ton of shades of fruit in here, and the oak and barrel are a big character in the beer...which is what you want. Yum.

This is riding the line between medium and full-bodied. It certainly approaches a fuller feel as it warms up. Palate depth is awesome, and this has great duration and depth. I feel like the complexity leans towards the barrel and acetic acid notes a bit, but when I was sharing this with my girlfriend, she easily identified "coffee" in the taste. It's an impressive beer, and it feels and tastes like a beer that has been aged for a while in barrels. It's just an impressive package and experience. I get a lot of acetic acid, cherries, barrel, and sourness up front; that melds into these really rich chocolate and coffee notes, with some oak and barrel coming along for the ride; the back end fuses the chocolate, coffee, cherries, oak, and barrel...it's quite harmonious and actually really tasty. 

Rating: Above-Average (4.5/5.0 Untappd) 

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average here. Wow this is a real surprise from the Midwest. This is about as authentic as the barrel-aged/sour experience can get, and this beer melds a fantastic sour/barrel character with this bitching stout base. Just fantastic stuff, all around. I am truly impressed. 

Random Thought: Destihl might be yet another sleeper hit in the midwest. Mmmmm.

Stillwater Classique

Brewed By: Stillwater Artisanal at Dog Brewing Co. in Westminster, MD  

Purchased: 12oz can from a 6-pack bought at Whole Foods in Chicago, IL; 2015

Style/ABV: American Farmhouse Ale/Saison, 4.5%

Reported IBUs: ?

MMM Saisons. About Stillwater Artisanal Ales: 

Stillwater Artisanal Ales are a Gypsy Brewery based out of Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 2009-ish, the beer is brewed by Brian Strumke. You can find more info at the brewery's blog or their website. 

The Classique is "A postmodern deconstruction of the American industrial lager made with naughty ingredients like corn and rice, completed with pilsner malt and lots of your favorite old-school American hops and farmhouse ale yeast.. "your Grandfather's new beer"." It also comes in a can, which is nice.

Stillwater Classique 

This pours into a radiant yellow body, kicking up two fingers of intense, white-colored head. The head retention is fantastic, and the beer leaves incredible lacing. This is well-carbonated as well. It's a good looking beer and inspires confidence and all that good shit. 

The aroma is big clove, Belgian yeast funk, bright hops, citrus, citrus zest, peppercorns, and big biscuit character. It smells really good...words you really never want to type in a beer review.

This is conceptually fantastic. At 4.5%, this delivers an intense range of flavors, and it even dials up the mouthfeel into something that is between light and medium bodied. I'm getting lots of biscuit, cracker, and Pilsner malts, with some suggestive minerality. The beer drops lots of hops as well, with big lemon, lemon leaves, and some citrus zest and white pepper. There is a good amount of Belgian funk from the yeast, and pink peppercorns are lurking in the mix.

This is a flying-under-the-radar brew from Stillwater. I want this to be more readily available, because I would pick this up again. At 4.5%, this is incredibly drinkable, and it keeps the body between light and medium. Palate depth is spot on, and this has good depth and duration. This also has some nice complexity. I've now had a few lighter bodied Saisons, and this is up there. Up front: refreshing lemon, yeast funk, clove; the mids roll into more hops, bright citrus/lemon, citrus zest and white pepper; the back end trails with fading hops, and drops biscuits and cracker and black pepper and minerality. The finish is dry.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this. Fantastic stuff...sure this is a simple, straightforward approach to the Saison style. But you know what? It's marketed as a drinkable beer and it comes in cans. I would love to have this available in the Summer months, and I just want to sit down with a nice doughy pizza and chow this down. It brings some Pilsner-like notes into the world of the Saison, and I'm all for that. 

Random Thought: Stillwater can do no wrong. 

Fantôme de Noël

Brewed By: Brasserie Fantôme in Soy-Erezée, Belgium   

Purchased: 750ml bottle bought at Binny's in Naperville, IL; 201??? (pre-2013)

Style/ABV: Saison/Farmhouse Ale, 10.0%

Reported IBUs: ?

The best part about Fantôme is definitely the part where they don't date their beer bottles, so you have no idea what vintage you are drinking. I'm not even being sarcastic, it's all part of the mystery and intrigue. About Fantôme: 

Fantôme is a brewery based out of Soy, Wallonia, Belgium, that was founded in 1988 by the mad man and mastermind, Dany Prignon. The brewery is located in a crumbling farmhouse in the Marche-en-Famenne district of Luxembourg province, and Fantôme's beer just might be more popular in the United States than it is in Belgium. Dany brews one type of beer: Saisons/Farmhouse Ales. Each of his Saisons have a unique twist, and he often brews his beers using herbs, spices, juices, and other off-beat ingredients. Their website is so hardcore it only comes in French, but check it out anyway. 

The Fantôme de Noël is Dany's Christmas Ale, brewed with all sorts of weird spices and who knows what. This one has been sitting in my cellar for a few years now, so it has some age. This was also a beer that I picked up circa 2012, I think. The beer was on clearance at Binny's for a discount price, so this may be a 2011 Vintage or older.

Fantôme de Noël (after cleaning up the spilled beer on the counter)

At any rate, opening this bottle resulted in a gushing explosion that continued for quite some time. Nothing to see here, as the beer settles into a dark red body. There are a few fingers of dense, web-like head, and the head soaks up some of the reddish and amber tones. This beer is unfiltered with obvious yeast sediment floating around. The rising carbonation from the gushing bottle is impressive, as I had to pour quite a bit off to get it to stay in the bottle.

The aroma on this beer is magical barnyard and farmland like nothing I have smelled. This reminds me of some of Jolly Pumpkin's stuff, only much better. There is hay, grass, horse blanket, complex caramel notes, pineapple, sweet lemon, tropical fruit, light tartness, and tons of funk. Honestly, the aroma is divine.

This is impressively light, especially for 10%. It doesn't really conjure up images of Christmas, but it does taste like the Belgian countryside. Actually, this is pretty nuanced, with Orval-like Brett funk, pineapple, lemon funk, and notes of raisins and deeply melded caramel. As this warms up a bit, the funk gets all lemony, with wheat notes, intense Brett funk ala Orval, and some notes that suggest dry hops but at this age and time are probably Brett. The Brett notes in here are surprisingly friendly, with nice tropical-fruit and wheat and dry hop-like funk. This never goes full band-aids or butcher shop or leather. 

At 10.0%, this is dangerous stuff since it drinks like a 4.0% Farmhouse Ale. This is legit stuff...what all Saisons should strive to be. People give Jolly Pumpkin a lot of hate and shit, but their beers really do remind me of Fantôme at times, which is my shout out to the Midwest. At any rate, this is a medium-bodied, highly carbonated, refreshing beer. Palate depth is fantastic, with tons of body from what I assume are wheat malts, and tons of interesting funk from the dry hops and Brett. I can't confirm the dry hopping, but it tastes like a dry hopped Brett beer. Complexity might be the only knock against this beer....it's definitely simple in some respects. But isn't simple good? Sometimes, you just want a really well done Saison, and there is nothing quite like Fantôme on a good day.  

Rating: Above-Average (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

This is a Strong Above-Average. The complexity holds it back from busting out into that true divine beer status, but otherwise I have no complaints with this beer or this vintage at this time. This is one of the best Saisons I have had in a while, and I have to tip my fedora to Fantôme for being relatively available and awesome....even if their bottles gush and they are hit or miss. You could definitely pair this beer with your typical Saison pairings....chicken, squab, turkey, peppered potatoes, and rustic dishes...if you go more modern think of a leafy burger with cheese, or maybe some pickled things. Honestly though, if you are cracking a vintage 'tome, you should probably just kick back and enjoy the ride.

Random Thought: I think I paid like...10 bucks for this beer?

Blue Moon Winter Sample Pack 2014: Blue Moon Farmhouse Red Ale

Brewed By: Miller Brewing Company (MillerCoors) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin   

Purchased: 12oz bottle from the Blue Moon Winter Sampler 2014 bought at Jewel-Osco in Chicago, IL; 2014 

Style/ABV: Farmhouse Ale/Saison, 5.4%

Reported IBUs: 15

DAE Macro sampler packs?

Over the past few years of penning horrible blog reviews, I have never actually reviewed one of America's classic beers: Blue Moon Belgian White. I did review their god-awful Grand Cru once upon a time, but how about some of their more seminal releases? I couldn't pass up on the Winter Sampler Pack for 2014. This thing cost about $15, and comes with five unique beers. Well, five really, because who hasn't had the Belgian White? About MillerCoors aka Blue Moon:

Blue Moon was first brewed in 1995 at one of MillerCoors' R&D arms; in a sandlot, in Denver, Colorado, by Keith Villa. Keith Villa is an OG player these days. He's off judging beer, and talking about his PhD in brewing from the University of Brussels. There's a PhD for everything these days. Seriously though, it's Blue Moon. Read the Wiki. 

At what point are we going full shark jumping? Blue Moon making a Farmhouse Ale? The Farmhouse Red is brewed with Pale Malt, European Abbey Malt, European Acidulated Malt, Chocolate Malt, and Malted White Wheat malts; this features Spalt Select and Czech Saaz hops; and is brewed with white pepper, coriander, and hibiscus. I'm not sure what qualifies this as a farmhouse ale, or why I should pour it into a slender glass.

HOLY SHIT. The bottle of this actually says "Saison/Flanders-Style Ale." It also is part of Blue Moon's "Expressionist Collection." LOLOL.

This is a heaping pile of shit. "Saison." Fuck you, MillerCoors.

This pours into a flaccid red body that is filtered and rather unlively. The finger of red tinged head was quick to drop off leaving nothing but this caramel-soup mess of a beer that is apparently a "Saison." It's hard to believe that MillerCoors lets Keith Villa outside of their rape dungeon or whatever they call their R&D department, so I don't understand the story about how Keith traveled the Belgian countryside while fingering mashes or whatever the fuck MillerCoors thinks you need to do to conceive a Saison.

This abomination smells like wheat and fake caramel, ala EVERY. OTHER. FUCKING. BLUE. MOON. BEER. EVER. EVER!!!! And for the other styles that's okay, but Saisons are supposed to be peppery and citrusy and wheat-fueled. This smells offensively doughy and is not leaving a good impression on the nose.

This is possibly the worst Saison that has ever been made, and is a huge reminder that MillerCoors doesn't have a clue about the world of beer. This wouldn't even register as a Saison in the American craft beer scene back in 1990, and effectively tastes like Blue Moon Belgian White with some hibiscus thrown in because "if it works for that crazy honky Dany Prignon it must work for us!" The caramel and rye notes that cut through the hibiscus are like a bad mix of an Oktoberfest with Boulevard's Hibiscus Gose. Only it somehow tastes seven times worse. This is equal parts muddled as it is stupid, and the only connection to "Flanders" or "Saison" is to the Flanders region of Canada where they brew Saizons. Or something. What the fuck.

Rarely does a beer leave me speechless, but this is an aberration. As this warms up, some of the wheat makes an appearance over the onslaught of saccharine caramel-extract, but this is just so incredibly stupid...and kind of offensive. It's not so much that this is a bad beer per se as it is a bad Saison. Operative word. This is a Wheat Ale in the vaguest sense, and not really a Saison at all. It's just too damn malty and sweet. This is medium-bodied, and pretty full in the palate; up front is a blast of caramel, sugar, bread; the mids roll into some hibiscus, and mild wheat, with faint muddled tartness; the back end is just like "huh?" I'm not getting any pepper or citrus here. Just so bad. 

Rating: Below-Average (1.5/5.0 Untappd)

This is a Strong Below-Average. This isn't sewage by any stretch insofar that it is beer, and it is in my glass, and it is drinkable. Any connection to the Saison style or the Flanders region is incredibly tenuous, and this beer misses the mark like Chernobyl, the Titanic, and Peter North is space. This is just a remarkably gimmicky and stupid beer that needs to go away, like the Blue Moon Grand Cru.

Random Thought: Wow! I didn't think I would have such vitriolic and choice words regarding this Blue Moon Winter Sampler...I mean, it was smooth sailing up until now. Funny how that works...

Dogfish Head / Stone / Victory Saison Du BUFF

Brewed By: Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton, Delaware (in collaboration with Stone and Victory Brewing)

Purchased: 12oz bottle single bought at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, IL; 2014 

Style/ABV: American Saison, 6.8% 
Reported IBUs: ?

Who doesn't love a good collaboration? About Dogfish Head:

Dogfish Head is a craft brewery based out of Milton, Delaware. The brewery was founded by Sam Calagione back in 1995.The brewery began as a brewpub (the first in Delaware) called Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, and was originally located in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The initial brewing setup included three kegs and propane burners. They brewed 12-gallon batches of beer three times a day, five days a week. In 1996 the brewery began bottling their beer, and by 1999 they had distribution to around a dozen different states. In 2002 the company outgrew their Rehoboth location, and moved to Milton, Delaware. More info can be found HERE.

The Saison Du BUFF, is a collaboration between Dogfish Head, Stone Brewing, and Victory Brewing. The beer was first brewed at Stone Brewing back in 2010, and then replicated at the other breweries respectively. This Saison is brewed with parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. 

Dogfish Head / Stone / Victory Saison Du BUFF

This pours into a pale, hazy, orange-gold body, kicking up a finger of white head. Head retention is very good, with lacing and sustaining foam. It's well carbonated and all that. Oh yeah look at that appropriate seasonal glass. Awww yeah.

I'm not really sure what Victory's function or interest is in this Saison, but I am getting lots of hops and spices. This smells very characteristic of Stone and DFH. The first thing on the aroma is fennel, rosemary, thyme, and peppery spice. That gives way to big wheat notes, apples, slaw salad, and bright sage. Finally, once you settle into the aroma, you get big citrus hops, with orange, lemon, and some nice resin. 

Hmmm...this is light, refreshing, and spicy. And by spicy, I don't mean like Stone's Saison spicy. I mean like...balanced and constrained. This actually tastes like a classic Belgian Saison fused with some spice. I'm getting refreshing wheat, apples, grapes, sage, clove, and some nice orange/lemon. There are nice yeast esters in here. This has banana, black pepper, bubblegum, and some farmhouse notes. This is actually really nice. I think the operative word her is "rustic." This beer reminds me of food, the countryside, and Summer. The fennel, rosemary, thyme, and peppery spice are all remarkably balanced by refreshing apples, grape, clove, orange, and lemon. 

This is complex, layered, and frankly....pretty good. It's spicy, but at the same time light and refreshing. I'd call this light to medium-light bodied. It masks the 6.8% beautifully, but it also warrants that high ABV. This is a beer that needs body to deliver the complex spices and fruity notes. The palate depth here is very nice, and this is surprisingly complex. I'd really call this a beer that unfolds in two parts; up front is big spice, fennel, thyme, pepper, rosemary, clove; that gives way to juicy apple, sage, grapes, winey note, bananas and yeast esters, wheat; the back end drops some hops, and the finish is dry and citrusy. Really...really nice.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this. A lot of reviews are dogging this beer...but why? I don't get it. This is solid stuff. In some ways I think you could call this a foodie beer. Maybe that is true, maybe that is fair. I think this beer would pair well with grilled potatoes, lamb, grilled meats, a rustic stew, or a leafy burger. I'd serve this in the late Summer. Just...yum.

Random Thought: Two out of the three of the breweries in this collaboration are loud, controversial, and fun. I still don't understand how Victory got roped into this one.

Stillwater Cellar Door

Brewed By: Stillwater Artisanal at Dog Brewing Co. in Westminster, MD  

Purchased: 750ml bottle (1 Pt, 9.4oz) bought at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, IL; 201?

Style/ABV: American Farmhouse Ale/Saison, 6.0%

Reported IBUs: ?

Tonight's beer is a bit of a mystery...this one has spent some time in my cellar, for no reason other than I shoved it in my cellar, forgot about it, and never got around to drinking it. I realize that this makes me one of "those beer nerds." The guy who puts beer in his cellar, and then forgets about it. I'm not really proud about that fact. The funny part is I never had any intentions to age this beer....I think I picked this one up in 2013? I dunno. About Stillwater Artisanal Ales: 

Stillwater Artisanal Ales are a Gypsy Brewery based out of Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 2009-ish, the beer is brewed by Brian Strumke. You can find more info at the brewery's blog or their website. 

My bottle of Cellar Door reads: "Starting with a base of German wheat & pale malts this crisp slightly hazy foundation was then accented with a blend of Sterling & Citra hops that provide notes of herbal grass & tangerine citrus. To pull this all together and to complete the 'cleansing' aspect of my vision, I gently finished the ale off with a touch of white sage, lending a mild earthy spice character to the blend." I'm not sure if this one is finished with Brett, but I hope. 

Stillwater Cellar Door

As you'd expect, especially with Stillwater: this pours into a hazy, cloudy, golden-yellow body, kicking up two to three fingers of dense, cloudy head. The head settles into a nice centimeter coating, and this is well-carbonated.

The aroma here is spicy and floral. After as long as this has been sitting in my basement, I expect the hops to be dropped off. This smells a little bit like a Witbier, and I'm reminded of Stone's Saison. I'm getting cardamon, clove, sage, banana, wheat, faint lemon, and some fennel. The aroma preferences the spicy aromatics, with a little perfume sweetness as well.

Oh wow....so this non-wild ale has held up fantastically well. This tastes like a Belgian Witbier, with bright orange, coriander/lemon, refreshing wheat, clove, banana, and big apple slaw salad. This is juicy, and punches in this apple and grape note that I can only guess is coming from the sage. The sweetness in here is very toned down, and the spices are also surprisingly mild. This really is all about the grape/apple note, with those faint Witbier backings. 

Wow...this is just refreshing and awesome. I really have to hand it to Stillwater, I don't think Brian Strumke is capable of brewing something not delicious. At 6.6%, this drinks more like a Witbier than a Saison. This is refreshing, clean, attenuated, and well-carbonated. I'm impressed that this has held up in terms of age. This is medium-light bodied with a substantial mouthfeel, courtesy of the wheat malt, and has great complexity. Up front: apple, sage, slaw salad, cardamon; the mids roll into peppery spice, cardamon, clove, coriander, lemon, wheat, faint orange and hops; the back end trails with wheat, and drops lingering sage on your palate. The finish is clean and attenuated. Seriously, this is fantastic.

Rating: Above-Average

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this. Fantastic. This could give Unibroue a run for their money, and those guys know a thing or two about making Belgian Ales. This is just incredibly delicious, with apple, grape, and slaw salad notes for days. The subtle clove, cardamon, and coriander spice ices the cake. This is a beer that I would pair with grilled lamb, hummus, a leafy burger, or potatoes with fennel. Sweet... 

Random Thought: Belgian beer....my first true love.

Pipeworks Citra Saison

Brewed By: Pipeworks Brewing in Chicago, IL  

Purchased: 22oz bottle (Batch #463/464) bought at Binny's in IL; 2014 (bottled 07.26.2014)

Style/ABV: American Saison, 9.0%
Reported IBUs: ?

Tonight's Unofficial Pipeworks Thursday™ is all about dat Citra. In a Saison? Hmm, I'm intrigued. Seriously though, this beer better be banging. About Pipeworks:

Pipeworks has humble roots. The brewery was founded in Chicago in 2011 by Beejay Oslon and Gerrit Lewis. The duo were both homebrewers that met while while working at West Lakeview Liquors. In 2011, they began to raise money for their brewery using the online Internet site, Kickstarter. Olson and Lewis were both educated at De Struise Brewery in Oostvleteren, Belgium. With that knowledge, and the money from their kickstarter, Olson and Lewis created a unique brewery that is smaller in size, and intended to brew smaller batches of beer. The company's motto is "small batches, big beers." And indeed, since the brewery has been around, they've been releasing a lot of one-offs and small batch releases. The goal is to release a new beer every week. You can read more about the brewery at their website HERE.

The Citra Saison is self-explanatory. The bottle reads:

"When you need a break from fighting life's epic battles, unwind your nunchuckus, high kick off the ol' work booties, and get a good death grip on life's simple pleasures like a saison hopped generously with Citra hops. Move swift! Move stealthily! Pour this Citra Saison into your glass, and enjoy when the summer sun is HIYA! in the sky, or during a warm, shuriken filled night. Shiken Haramitsu Daikoumyo."

Pipeworks Citra Saison

The appearance is an absolutely hazy, dark-yellow body, that almost borders a turbid brown/straw color. This one kicks up two fingers of substantial, egg-whites thick, white head. Head retention is great with a pinky lingering, and there's massive lacing on the glass. The body retains its juicy appeal in bright light, and peppery carbonation can be spotted with ease.

Oh man, if you love Citra...and let's be real, who doesn't love Citra...you are gonna like this beer's aroma. The aroma here features a HUGE blast of Citra hops right off the nose, with juicy citrus, tropical fruits, and funky apricot/mango. I'm getting orange, pineapple, and some big white pepper and zesty citrus. Beneath the Citra assault is a ton of Belgian funk, with barnyard, dry biscuit and bread notes, black pepper, clove, and a deep and dry Citra-band-aid funk that I can't really describe. This is legit, though. This is the most authentic smelling Saison Pipeworks has released to date. But will it taste the part? 

Wow, this is a pretty big departure for Pipeworks. This is knocking on the door of Allagash or any other Belgian-inspired brewery that knows how to turn out a good Saison. This is creamy, but peppery and hoppy, full of Citra notes, and has tons of backdoor funk. I'm getting big splashes of citrus: namely orange, pineapple, some grapefruit. Then the beer dials up the black and white pepper, clove, and biscuity dryness. The back end shifts into deeply funky fun, with lingering black pepper and citrus. There are shades of mango in here, and the Belgian funk veers into a weird bubble-gum/barnyard/band-aid territory. It's really good.

This is refreshing and clean, and amazingly drinkable. The dry finish cuts through all the bloat, and this is supported by nice carbonation and a creamy-smooth mouthfeel. Pipeworks has a habit of cranking up the ABV when it isn't needed, but the 9.0% is welcomed here and goes unnoticed. This has fantastic palate depth, and is very complex. I'm calling this medium-bodied, but I'm finding it to be very easy-going. Up front: sweet Citra splashes with orange, grapefruit, and pineapple against some nice cracker/biscuit malts; the mids roll into biscuit, black and white pepper, clove, barnyard, Belgian funk, bubblegum; the back end continues with the bubblegum and funk, with lingering hop notes and biscuit...it finishes dry and yeah. This is nice.

Rating: Divine Brew (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Divine Brew on this. This is probably the best non-Stout/non-IPA that Pipeworks has made. This is also the best Belgian-style Ale that Pipeworks has brewed. Far and away. This rings with some authenticity, and again, I'm reminded of bruisers like Allagash's Saison. Only with dat Citra twist and funk for days. Not only would I buy this again, but I would recommend you buy it (fresh). Pair it with a nice burger, gourmet salad, strong cheese, or a chicken dish. Good shit....yum.

Random Thought: Using Citra is like playing with wall hacks though. 

Allagash Saison

Brewed By: Allagash Brewing Company in Portland, Maine  

Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 4-pack bought at Binny's in Plainfield, IL; 2014

Style/ABV: American Saison, 6.1%

Reported IBUs: ?

Tonight's beer has been on my radar for a while...not because it's anything special, but because it is considered to be a classic Saison. The bottle even says: "A traditional Saison with herbal highlights and a rustic, dry finish. Belgian Style. Bottle Conditioned." You can't go wrong with that. About Allagash:

Allagash is a brewery based out of Portland, Maine. The company was founded in 1995 by Rob Tod, who designed a 15-barrel brewhouse, and began brewing some of the first American Belgian-style ales. Rob found success with the Allagash White, and expanded his operation. In 2001, Allagash began caging, corking, and bottle conditioning their beers. Since then, they have continued to celebrate Belgian-style beer.

The Allagash Saison is a year-round offering, and is Allagash's interpretation of a classic Belgian farmhouse style ale. This one is brewed with 2-Row blend, malted rye, oats, and Dark Belgian candi sugar. The beer is hopped with Tettnang, Bravo, and Cascade hops. Let's get this into a glass and see how she stacks up.

Allagash Saison

This one pours out like the poster-child for Saisons. You get a vibrant, hazy, well-carbonated, lemon-yellow body, and three fingers worth of tall, foamy, white head. The carbonation streams in here are active, and feature tiny, microscopic bubbles. Bright light confirms the same damn thing. It's a good looking beer, no doubt. Head retention is great, and there be lacing ahead. 

On the aroma: a really nice blend of earthy funk, hay, straw, Belgian yeast, creamy wheat, herbal notes, lemon, coriander, white sugar, and bananas. There are a ton of fruity, banana-sugar-clove esters popping on the aroma, with gentle floral hops backing things up, and faint spice in the back. The earthy notes on the aroma are more up front. You won't find overly aggressive black pepper or American hop notes here. This is laid back, classic stuff.

This is really nice...there's constrained dryness and a peppery, doughy character. I'm getting a lot of earthy character, floral hops, lemon, mild citrus, coriander spice, black pepper, and wheat. There's some nice wheat and straw notes in here. You do get some of the clove and white sugar, with some creamy wheat. It shows up a bit up front, and then trailing on the back. 

This is standard but somehow stands out as a classic example of the style...I'd almost preference this over a Tank 7, but I'd reach for my Sofie before either. I should probably get a review of the real classic, Saision Dupont, on my blog. This is medium-light bodied, with tons of effervescent and creamy carbonation moving things along. Palate depth is blissful, and the complexity isn't bad either. At 6.1%, this is in a range where you can drink a lot of it, but you want to show some restraint. Really, it's a good place to be, as this functions great as a beer you can take big gulps at a moderate pace. It's also a functional food beer, but more on that in a minute. The progression from front to back goes something like this: up front clove, wheat, lemon, herbal spiciness, biscuit/doughy dryness, hints of pepper; the mids give way to sweeter hops, big lemon and citrus, floral fruitiness, straw and wheat; the back end drops more earthy notes, clove, barnyard, funk, and trailing earthy spice. The finish is dry and good.

Rating: Above-Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this. It's a bit standard, but the execution is top notch. It's Allagash, after all. This is a blissful, well-executed beer, and should pair wonderfully with a wide variety of foods. I'm talking about baked potatoes, peppery fish or chicken, grilled lamb, pizza, shell fish in white wine sauce, white pasta, a panini, and any soup or stew that has lots of herbal notes (like thyme). Good stuff, and priced well at around $10 a 6er. Get on it now.  

Random Thought: You can't go wrong with a Saison.