Recently my local grocer started carrying bottles from Plan Bee Farm Brewery. This is a very exciting development. I’m new to saisons/farmhouse ales/wild ales/sours. I want to try these beers, I want to support local craft brewers and I want good representations to try since I don’t know what “good” really is. Enter Plan Bee Farm Brewery. Plan Bee specializes in these styles of beer and by all accounts their beers are a good representation.
I’ve gone to two of their bottle releases, previously held at at the Beacon Farmers Market, and enjoyed both beers purchased. As with any bottle release it can be time consuming, hot, slow and occasionally disappointing if you are on the outside looking in for scoring a bottle. They now have their own farmstand to sell their bottles out of, if ever planning a trip check their schedule and hours here. If all you are looking for is a taste of these delicate and delicious beers there is a new option. DeCicco’s Family Markets now carry Plan Bee bottles in their grocery stores. This family run chain of grocery stores have some of the most robust and well curated craft beer selections in Westchester County NY. Thus far I have found Plan Bee to be readily available, no line, no waiting and no wondering. It’s a beautiful thing.
I can only assume Bartlett is named to reference the bartlett pear, the fruit of choice this beer was aged on. Opening the bottle I could smell pears immediately. There is a funkiness to this style of beer that I’m still getting used to but there was no mistaking the presence of pears. Saisons, or farmhouse ales, are complex if only because the flavors are more subtle when you get beyond the up-frontness of the style. Unlike more popular styles such as IPAs that punch you in the face with their man characteristic, bitter hoppiness or citrusy juiciness, a saison/farmhouse ale is tart, tangy, and/or spicy and work well with fruits. Initially I used to refer to them, tongue in cheek, as wines masquerading as beer. Turns out that’s not such a bad thing to say, many are aged in wine barrels.
What really struck me about this beer was the lightness of the flavors. That is not to say it lacked flavor, not in the least. It was slightly tart, lots of sweet fruity (mostly pear) notes dancing around that funkiness of a wild ale. There is no question pears were involved as they bring a slight sweetness forward to even out the tartness. The balance was so pleasing to a novice to this style. It poured a bright straw yellow color that was partly hazy and with a thick, bright, fluffy white head that dissipated quickly to a lingering thin white foam covering from edge to edge of my stemmed “wine” glass.
This was an easy drinking and enjoyable beer. I’d give it 4 out of 5
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