Bison Brewing Honey Basil Ale
I really wish I had taken a photo of the package in which the samples of Bison Brewing’s Honey Basil had arrived on the front step. The packing tape wrapped Sketchers shoe box was a surprise at first, but upon reading the concept and philosophy behind the company’s shipping ideals, the beat up box makes perfect sense.
After working my way through the layers of tape, the recycled shoebox revealed two bottles of slightly warm Honey Basil Ale. I quickly got the bottles into the fridge and over the next few hours wondered what the combination of basil and honey would do to my brain — intrigue it or blow it.
Appearance
The Honey Basil pours a slightly reddish amber in color with a small white head that clung nicely to the glass.
Aroma
I was actually really surprised by how well this one smells. I was worried it would come across as pasta, but the basil mingles well with the hops and honey sweetness. This beer smells wonderful and for some reason makes me think of mid-Autumn.
Taste
Ok, so the nose of this one is great. How does it taste?
This ale is quite a pleasant drinker. The herbal notes work well with the slightly piny hops and subtle caramel malt, while the honey comes in at the finish with a little hop bitterness. My wife got more basil out of it than I did, while I got more honey from the beer. Again, this brew reminds me of something I should be drinking in the crisp Fall air.
Overall
Honestly, I was worried about this one. First, the bottles arrived warm to the touch. Second, the beer is made with both honey and basil. Luckily, both of my concerns were for naught, as I thoroughly enjoyed both samples. Then again, it’s hard to go wrong with a solid recipe and the fine brewer’s at Mendocino Brewing Company doing the heavy lifting.
Rating: 3.5/5