Bolero Snort Brewery (Round 2)

Thanks to my association with Aaron and his connection to the Bolero Snort Brewery, I was given the opportunity to sample a pair of their home brewed beers. The two beers I was given were a Summer Saison and what they called an Oatmeal Craisin Cookie Stout called Bull-aisin Saddles Stout.

The first one tried was the Saison. The bottle told me that it was bottled back in July and upon pouring, unfortunately, it looked like it. It had an orangey color but with tons of sediment, more than I had ever seen before. I was a little worried about drinking it, but I wanted to confirm that it was not supposed to look like that so I texted Aaron a picture and he instructed me not to drink it. I did at least give it a perfunctory sniff so that it wasn't a wasted experience and came away with a bright citrus aroma. Lots of orange and fruity sweetness in the nose that I expected from a saison. I'm more than willing to try this one again when it's brewed because I want to give it a chance. It's too bad this particular style goes south pretty quick, since this was bottled only 6 months ago.

But my first Bolero Snort experience was not a total loss. As a matter of fact, the Bull-aisin Saddles Stout (great name!) more than made up for the spoiled saison. Before I offer my review, I want it to be known that I'm going to want this one again as soon as possible! It poured a very dark, opaque black color with minimal head. I described it as beautifully dark as night. The aroma was like nothing I've ever experienced before. The side of the bottle claims it was "aged for a few weeks on organic cranberries and whole vanilla beans" and it really shows. It's not oppressive or by any means too much but the cranberry aroma is very prevalent. The vanilla is also noticeable but takes a backseat to the cranberries. Just before sipping, I noticed the slightest reddish tinge around the very top of the liquid where the head normally is. Very nice touch. The first taste consisted of a big hit of cranberry. It had a tartness that was unexpected while still being enjoyable. Totally different from any other beer I've tasted. Mouthfeel is medium to full in body, no real dryness but the cranberries just keep on coming. The vanilla and oatmeal are clearly there as the supporting cast but they are not forgotten or missed. The finish was long but the tartness faded before it became too cloying. This is really one hell of a brew! Without a shadow of a doubt, this one gets 5 pints out of 5!