Schell's Stag Series Batch 2 - Wild Rice Farmhouse Ale

In my last beer session, I noted that I've fallen behind on a couple brews I had been saving for sessions. Well, I decided to play a little catch-up this week by hitting 2 sessions in one sitting. Ambitious? Nah, I love drinkin' tasty beer. But you already knew that...

Anyway, I figured I should get my session done with Schell's Stag Series Batch 2. (While I was at it, I did an additional session with Stag Series Batch 3. You'll see that one early next week.) This poor Batch 2 bottle has been patiently waiting around for me. Its family disappeared from my fridge long ago. Now, I've finally gotten to this, the final bottle, and I'm quite excited.

Schell's Stag Series Batch 2 is their Wild Rice Farmhouse Ale. That's right, they added the Minnesota state grain to this recipe! I'm a huge fan of the saison/farmhouse ale style, so I was naturally quite happy when I first read about this beer.

From Schell's website:

"The second release in the Stag Series is August Schell's interpretation of a traditional Belgian Farmhouse Ale. This Farmhouse Ale exhibits an earthy/nutty character due to the generous use of Minnesota Wild Rice, the State Grain of Minnesota.

The Wild Rice is combined with 2-Row, Munich, Vienna, and a touch of Rye malt to create a complementary backbone to the unique fermentation characteristics of the yeast. Dry and thirst quenching, this Farmhouse Ale is hopped with Goldings."

It weighs in with a very appropriate 7% ABV.

I pour the 12-ounce bottle into my tulip glass. A 3-finger eggshell white head builds quickly before settling into a sticky, creamy film which lays neatly atop the liquid. The body is quite clear and the hue is a lovely orange-gold blend.

This is very aromatic. I don't even have to get it close to my nose to start detecting the nuances. Many sweet smells are present including honey, maple syrup, and cotton candy. Then, scents of lemon, fresh cut grass, and some herbal spice are followed by just a hint of alcohol.

Mmm, tasty stuff. A brief moment of honey sweetness mixes with Brazil nuts and a spicy zing before transitioning into a prominent lemon tartness. This is all finished off by an earthy, metallic bitterness that is "just right."

The medium-light mouthfeel sticks more than expected, while a pleasant warmth accumulates with each sip. There is some very light lacing on my glass as the beer level falls.

Awesome. Sweet, fruity, spicy, tart, bitter, and warming. This is a beautifully complex and unique ale from Schell's, a brewery that typically excels at German styles, especially lagers. I loved Schell's before this beer, and now I love this brewery even more (if that's possible). After my first taste of Batch 2 when it was released, I went out and immediately purchased a full case. Yep, I liked it just a little bit. Too bad they don't make this year-round...