Review: 2 Crows Laurel Tart Dark Saison w. Plum & Bay Leaf


Today I'm checking out 2 Crows' Laurel Tart Dark Saison w. Plum & Bay Leaf, which definitely is a mouthful, but definitely sounds interesting. Laurel is brewed with water, barley, dark candi syrup, plums, hops, bay leaf, yeast and lactobacillus. When I purchased this, I knew it was going to be interesting, but also had a bit of an idea what to expect.

Appearance: Murky, muddy and brown dark Saison with a light amount of beige head on top, no noticeable carbonation in the body.

Aroma: Lots of candi sugar popping up right from the beginning, giving off a rich syrupy sweetness to it. Definitely has a Belgian-vibe to it, but reminds me more of a Dubbel than a Saison.. but well, this is a Dark Saison. I get lots of dark fruit popping up, mostly from the plum but also a hint of raisin as well. The bay leaf gives the beer an herbal/almost minty like aroma to it. It has a bit of a tartness that reminds me a bit of Heinz ketchup just a bit. A bit reminiscent of a heavy brown bread.

Taste: It's a tad tart, but not too tart. Notes of candi sugar to give it a sweet rich caramel syrupy sort of taste to it, a bit of plum for a dark fruit presence to it, a light nuttiness from the malt, and finally a good amount of bay leaf popping out giving off an herbal, leafy and kind of mint-like taste to it. The bay leaf also contributes to the tartness of the beer, clinging to the tongue for a good moment. Hint of apple for aftertaste. 

Overall Thoughts: 100% what I expected the beer to be after having a dark Saison a few months ago, I don't recall which one but my mind immediately knew it was going to taste like this. This reminds me of a Belgian Dubbel a good deal, which.. I'd rather have a classic blonde Saison but I really like this kind of Saison as well. 6.6% ABV

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