I haven't had a lot from The Bruery before. I've known that they have a reputation for producing very good beers, but most of the time when I've headed to the liquor store, I've had something particular that I wanted to pick up. As it happened, everything I went to pick up this last time (Dogfish Head Poppaskull and Alaskan Smoked Porter) was not available. After a little searching around, I thought Saison Rue from The Bruery was the way to go.
First off, I have to admit that I failed epically at pouring this beer. I let it go until the head reached the top of my glass, but it just kept growing, with driblets of wasted beer cascading onto my counter. As a result, I had a thick layer of marshmallow-fluff head sitting on top of this hazy amber brew. Be warned that this beer supports a massive head that sticks around and clings to the glass, so pour with caution!
The first thing I noticed was the slight pepper spice aroma interspersed with wild fruitiness. The taste is a balance of light hay and grass, a touch of lemon, a surprising bit of sweetness, and a lingering suggestion of pepper. Underneath I also caught a hint of toast or bread in the beer.
I didn't find the beer to be as dry as some saisons, with the sweetness of it enhancing the fruity quality rather than being cloying. The body was somewhat heavier than average, with a lower level of carbonation that startled me at first. I should note of course that this was a welcome change in this beer and not at all unpleasant.
I found this saison to be a refreshing deviation from the normal within one of my favorite styles. Things that I would normally find a little off-putting, like a lack of bitterness, some sweetness, and a heavier body actually meld together in this beer, leaving me with a feeling of sublime balance on a razor's edge.
- Adam
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