Shiner FM 966 Farmhouse Ale
I wasn’t always the biggest fan of Shiner beers, especially in my college days when my young-ish palate was still developing. That’s changed a bit the past couple of years as the Spoetzl Brewery has made large gains in releasing some well crafted beers as of late. The company’s Wild Hare Pale Ale is a tasty little treat and their award winning Bohemian Black Lager was well deserving of its GABF honor.
Now we get this FM 966 Farmhouse Ale, a 5.7% ABV brew named for the farm just down the road from the brewery. First, let’s all agree that this isn’t the next Saison Dupont. It’s not. What it is, however, is a well balanced and easy drinking beer that carries a subtle funk and welcome hop presence from start to finish. It’s a beer that is refreshing and just might be my favorite Shiner beer so far.
Appearance
FM 966 pours with a dense, white head that rests atop the slightly hazy and light straw colored brew.
Aroma
Spicy, grassy hops, subtle barnyard funk, grains, light cereal and light citrus notes all combine for a nose that is inviting and hints at its refreshing nature.
Taste
The beer starts off with a blend of light citrus, grassy hops, subtle peppery notes and grain. It transitions quickly through cereal and bready malts (accompanied by a moderate sweetness) to a long lasting finish with a moderate amount of hop bitterness to balance out the malt. There are lingering hints of hay and distant funk in the background as well. The beer is nicely balanced between the malt sweetness and the hop presence.
Overall
I really enjoyed this beer. I found it to have plenty of character and drinkability. It’s refreshing, has got a clean palate and is nicely balanced. The blend of Golding, Sterling and Meridian hop variaties that the brewery uses gives the beer an obvious “American” influence for the style, but doesn’t take anything away from its enjoyment.
Rating: 3.75/5
This is a review of a promotional sample from the brewery.
