Little Fish Woodthrush
Bret Kollman Baker, chief of brewing operations, Urban Artifact Brewing in Cincinnati
“The beauty of this beer is in this wonderful dichotomy of understatement versus complexity of flavor. Spiced, but to a degree where you could convince yourself it is simply an expressive yeast character. Malty and full of Maillard-reaction flavor, but not at all sweet. Truly an expressive beer for those who take their time to enjoy every sip.”
Fantôme Saison
Jonathan Moxey, head brewer, Rockwell Beer in St. Louis
“The first time I opened a bottle of Fantôme, I was met by fresh strawberry, white pepper, earthy mushroom, and maybe a half dozen other characters hanging at just the edge of the frame—faces I recognized but couldn’t name. I was hooked. Opening a bottle of Fantôme is taking a chance, but as the Good Doctor says, ‘Buy the ticket, take the ride.’ You don’t know exactly where it’s going, but it’s somewhere wonderful, sometimes strange, and unlike anything else.”
Blaugies La Moneuse
John Laffler, cofounder, Off Color Brewing in Chicago
“A simple hay-like grist, grassy hopping, and a subtle mustiness set a picturesque scene of rural Belgium, leading to an explosive, layered fermentation expression. Earthy, tropical, peppery. Elegant, proud, vivacious. Just south of flashy. Ostensibly, our saison uses a banked version of their yeast, and you can draw the line between Blaugies and Apex Predator like that between Katharine Hepburn and Juliette Lewis.”