Posted on: December 12, 2015 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0
Chestnut Saison (Smuttlabs)

While nutty flavors are quite commonplace in beers, the presence of nuts in the brewing process is slightly less so. Of the top of my head, we last encountered nuts in our beer with the Black Walnut Dunkel from Perennial. Smuttynose’s Smuttlabs label has challenged the common conception of what a saison can be with their latest, a Chestnut Saison. What results here is a bold blend of nutty, spicy, and yeasty elements that create something that defies easy definition. The layered approach of the Chestnut Saison means that one will encounter a decidedly different beer as they continue along each sip.

Chestnut Saison (Smuttlabs)

The chestnuts are in-your-face and strong during the initial sips, a flavor that gradually fades and allows for imbibers to pick up hints of pepper and grain as they continue. The dryness at the end of the bottle is invigorating; at all points during this effort, the 8.7% ABV is expertly hidden. Smuttynose has tagged this brew as one suitable for cellar-aging so our recommendation is to experience a fresh bottle now and keep one back for a year or two; it would be interesting to see how things change in the interim. At it’s peak of freshness, Smuttynose’s Chestnut Saison is fascinating, deep, and stands in bold oppositionk to the winter warmers and other heavy flavored winter seasonals currently being offered.

Smuttynose has released a number of stellar efforts over the course of the last few years; check out our coverage of Imperial StoutHayseedRhye IPAParadoXReally Old Dog,DurtyKindest FindOktoberfest,  Bouncy House , Cherry Short Weisse and their Smoked Peach Short Weisse. For more information about the brewery and their full beer line-up, visit smuttynose.com. Smuttynose’s social media accounts are perfect if one wants to keep up to date regarding new beers and events.

Smuttlabs’ Chestnut Saison is a limited time bottling, so pick one up from your local Smuttynose-stocking beer store before supplies run dry.

Rating: 8.2/10

Chestnut Saison (Smuttlabs) / 8.7% ABV /  www.facebook.com/Smuttynose  /twitter.com/smuttynosebeer /

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