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Thanks to my buddy Kyle for sharing this one today and helping me knock this beer from my wants. You sure know how to please a guy ;o)

The beer was a bit too cold for the style; you should have known better, Kyle. However, the beer was an attractive, cloudy apricot with about an inch of foam. Swirling the glass brought back some of the head back and presented some decent retention.

Musty grains, wheat, spices, hints of honey, orange, leather, apricots, bits of toast and cracker malt. Clove and a bit of coriander starter to come through. Very nice floral profile.

The first taste had some tangy wheat and a bit of malt sweetness which followed with some various fruits like apricots and orange. Next up were some honey and subtle clove and spices with a little mustiness in the back end. The brett profile is there but very lightly and less than I expected. Still, this is a tasty saison.

The mouthfeel was a little syrupy with low carbonation...good, but not as lively and effervescent as I would expect from a saison. It was very drinkable and interesting so it helped the overall picture.

Served In: Tulip

Pours a very attractive, slightly hazy straw/golden color. Huge three fingers of creamy, densely bubbled, white as fresh fallen snow head springs into place, with amazing retention. As it slowly slips back into this golden ambrosia, it leaves clumps of lacing/head behind on the sides of the glass, and rocky peaks on top of this Saison nectar. Gentle streamers of carbonation diligently feed the ever present cap.
Just beautiful.

Aroma is of fields of grain, with some lemony citrusness on the wind. If you mix in the funky aroma of a cool spring rain, soaking a neighboring apple orchard in full flowering bloom, with the winds lifting and swirling the notes of farming musk and apple blossoms with those of fields of wheat - you have this - in a glass. Mildly sweet, good white pepper essence. Nice moderate notes of brett (ohhhh yeah).

Taste is quite sweet with residual sugars - almost honey like. Strong notes of coriander, white pepper, and orange pith. Good squeeze of lemon. Touch of wet leather, with that familiar mousey funk. Nice grassy hop bitterness towards the finish.

Moderate in body, smooth, crisp and DRY mouthfeel. Spot on for the style. Carbonation is very good - nice zing to it. The dryness really does it for me...

I really, really like this. Completely enjoyable... I wish I had saved it for a hot and humid summer evening - it would have been perfect - a lot better than the 0 degree night I am enjoying it on now. STILL, what a great Saison! The light touch of brett is perfect - lends subtle but perfectly complimenting notes to the overall experience! I had high hopes for this one, and it exceeded my expectations! True craftsmanship at work here - this is a craft beer masterpiece!
Um, Joe, about that other bottle...
Must Try!

Served In: Other

750ml

Brewed: 4/30/08
Bottled: 7/24/08

This bretty saison comes all the way from upstate New York and the man himself, LUM! Thanks P! This has been sitting in the cellar for about 5-6 months now. Busted Lawnmower fills the glass with half an ultra clear peach body and half a meringue-like powder white head. Streams of carbonation burst to the surface in clumps and as the head recedes slightly begins to look like a dollop of whipped cream up top. Lacing covers nearly 80% of the class and has a great deal of the good ol' Belgian intricacies. The body absolutely glows when backlit. This is one fine looking saison if I do say so myself!

The nose on this saison is surprisingly Belgian-esque for an American version. Green apple and light peach hit the nosebuds first while a dusty, earthy yeastiness/brettiness wafts through the back. Clean grains, mild wheat and spices invade the nose soon after with the fruitiness being ever-present. Coriander, lemongrass, and white pepper show up in that order with the coriander being the major player. Lemon pith and wildflower floral notes slide in here and there to add a great touch to this saison. The brett is mild but what's there is enjoyable.

The brett manages to stand out more in the flavor than the nose led me to believe. Spritzy lemon hits first with a wheat twang and simple, clean, mild graininess close behind. Green apple and peach show up mid palate but the peach isn't as vibrant as the nose led on. Coriander comes along in healthy doses with white pepper tickling the throat slightly. The brett notes aren't exactly horsey, they're not really damp, and they're not quite leathery but it is a crazy mix of the three that's mild but rides the undercurrent throughout each drink.

The mouthfeel is oh so close to being there. A quick tweak to the carbonation would put this beer over the top. The body has a moderate feel as it enters my mouth and then the carbonation kicks in to push it through rather quickly but is a notch short of that incredible frothy character that the best Belgians showcase. The bubbles are slightly prickly, in a good way, and the finish is dry which is a must for me with saisons.

Drinkability is an easy one when it comes to well made saisons. In my opinion they are one of, if not the, most easy drinking enjoyable styles of beer on the planet. Busted Lawnmower is a well made saison and then some. I could drink this beer all day and all night if it were in my power to possess copious amounts.

I have to hand it to Bullfrog with the brewing of this saison. It's one of the finest American made saisons I've had the opportunity to sample and could rival almost all of the best Belgian examples of the style.

Reviewed: 4/11/09

Served In: Tulip