The Bruery Saison Rue

Wow. I kind of regret having this after a particularly hoppy bottle of Alesmith X as I'm sure it affected my palate a bit, but this beer was still incredible.




As you can see from the pic, they nailed the carbonation perfectly (which has been an issue with some of their offerings), and that beautiful billowy head took forever to recede. I wish I would have taken another picture when I was done, because even after finishing the glass there was still a good 1/2" of foam left in the bottom.

The aromas rising out of the glass were even more entrancing than the impressive cap; herbal, peppery, spicy, earthy, leathery, and just a bit musty. If they could distill the essence of this brew into an incense stick, I'd burn it regularly. I probably spent a good 5 minutes just savoring the aroma before taking the first sip.

The flavor closely mirrored the initial aromas, added a bit of "horse blanket funk", and finished with a long, lingering trail of earthy spice and pepper in the throat. The dryness of the brew combined with the pepper leaves you with that "need another sip" feeling that keeps you coming back for more.

All in all, this is a fantastic saison that rivals the best Belgian offerings, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone who loves the style.