Name: Le Merle
Brewer: North Coast Brewing Co. (Fort Bragg, CA)
Classification: Saison
Alcohol: 7.9%
Thoughts: When I selected this beer I was unaware that this was also a North Coast brew. However, because I am at my parents I decided to have it back to back with Pranqster. This Saison poured a bright orange-gold with a thick, full head of foam, which is a traditional Saison look. It doesn't smell like a Saison though. There are a lot of lush fruits like guava, clementine, and persimmon. The yeast is giving off very little phenol or funky aromas that Saisons usually employ. Instead the nose is dominated by this abundance of fruit. The taste is unusual for a Saison and it leads me to believe that this may not actually be a Saison. The taste has tart lemon and green apple along with cloves, cinnamon, yeast and a touch of funk. It does finish clean with a bit of warming to the palate. This is not a traditional beer, but it is a very good beer. If you are looking for something different I would recommend it.
Rating: 87/100
La Merle is good beer but it does lack some of the funky notes of a Saison. You have a good blog. I enjoy the layout. I will be following your trip through 365 beers if you don't mind.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the kind words and I would love for you to follow along!
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