Everyone knows The Bruery at this point, right? Patrick Rue’s Orange County, California brewery that specializes in experimental and barrel-aged beers? It is one of those west coast buzzworthy breweries that many people are all agog about these past few years.

The Bruery recently sent me a bottle from its Bruery Terreux line, its sour and wild series: Saison Ardennes, a tart saison aged in an oak foeder. It’s 6.3% abv and comes in a handsomely packaged 375ml bottle. Of the beer, the brewery sent me these details along with it:

Saison Ardennes is a tart saison, hand-crafted to embody the dependable, spirited nature of a classic Belgian-style farmhouse ale. This includes a crisp malt profile, rustic floral and spice notes, and lively carbonation. Our rendition expresses further depth and character from a six-month fermentation and maturation in one of our newest 103BBL large oak foeders previously used for wine in Santa Rosa, California. It’s a bottle of beer that will pleasantly evolve over time, thanks to the presence of wild yeast added for bottle conditioning.

I’m not sure if a “tart” saison means it was first kettle soured, or if it was fermented with a Bettanomyces yeast (for instance); in keeping with rustic brewing traditions (and my notes) I would assume the latter, particularly with the foeder aging. My notes:

Appearance: Hazy, golden yellow-orange in color, with a crisp white head that is lacey.

Smell: Tart, funky, classic horseblanket Brettanomyces aroma character. There’s a light vinegar, acetic acid note here too I think. An earthy, fruity note that’s simultaneously “forest floor” and “balsamic.”

Taste: Not as tart as the aroma would lead you to believe; it’s got an earthy, herbal character with a note of grape must (artifact of the wine foeders?), with a grassy bitter-ish flavor mid-palate. There is a caress of tart acid on the sides of the tongue, and a slight tannic dryness at the end that delves into astringency.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with an earthy-woody finish that’s a touch harsh, astringent. Dry overall with a faintly tart prickle at the back of the throat as it goes down.

Overall: Funk, brett, oak is all here, but to be honest, it’s not my favorite beer in the “tart saison” style that I’ve had; there’s a bit of astringent/earthy bitterness that detracts from the profile to my taste and I think I’d like it more tart. Perhaps it needs a bit more time to mellow in the bottle, particularly as it is bottle conditioned.