Name: La Merle

Brewer: North Coast Brewing

Style: Saison

Vintage: 2008

Cellared On: April 11th, 2008

Original Tasting: May 19th, 2008

It was a gorgeous spring day. It wasn’t too hot, it wasn’t too cold, and the sky was bright and flawless. It was the kind of day that could only get better with a beer in my hand. But what kind of beer was the question! Chosing another Barleywine or Imperial Stout seemed so out of place with the day- so what to drink? I did have one beer that seemed to fit the bill - the new Belgian- farmhouse ale from North Coast Brewing, La Merle. I popped the cork and away I went….

What you’ll notice right off the bat with La Merle is the incredible carbonation. Not quite as much as Jolly Pumpkin’s La Roja, but pretty damn bubbly none the less. It took me at least ten minutes for me to get enough beer in the glass to drink! When I did finally pour enough beer, I was greeted by a beautifully cloudy bright orange/yellow brew with a stunningly white head.

Big yeasty smells were in the air. I was reminded of all sorts of different fruit, especially lemon and banana (maybe there were a few phenols in there?).

Just like the smell, there were quite a few fruity flavors in my initial taste, and I would add some cherry flavor in addition to the ones I already mentioned. However, these esters quickly made way for a complex earthy/bready malt base. When joined by a grassy kind of hop bitterness that also begins to assert itself mid-palette, you end up with a very prototypical Saison “farmhouse” flavor. Not sure, but there might have also been a touch of Brett in there too. The finish was dry and bitter, almost a bit sour. A slight touch of alcohol joined in at the end to help wrap things up.

Six Month Tasting: October 13th, 2008

Wow. I can’t believe what’s happened here. Everything seems better about this brew. The flavors seem crisper and a bit more intense without the balance or the beer being affected at all.  I believe it’s even dryer then before, but it’s working well. This brew is just amazing right now.

Cellar Outlook - I’m not really sure where this one will go. Bottle-conditioned with a strong earthy character, it might hold up pretty well (Or not).

Six-Month Cellar Outlook - It’s obviously been exceeding my expectations so far. I can’t wait to try it again.

Next Tasting: March 2009

Jason

jason@brewbasement.com

www.brewbasement.com