Stillwater Existent

.existent. Stillwater Artisanal (yes, I was fooled into thinking this was some under-the-radar, Stillwater, MN brewery) American Farmhouse Ale, 1 Pt 9.4 fl. oz. (750 ml)
Alc. 7.4 % by Vol.
"Existent represents the philosophy behind Stillwater Artisanal. We strive to define ourselves through our passion and sincerity while accepting that not all aspects of life are readily explainable. To manifest this ideology we present an ale of intrigue. Deep & dark though deceptively dry, braced by a firm yet smooth bitterness and accented with an earthy hop and mild roast aroma. This is an ale for you to define…"and if you gaze for long into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you."---Nietzsche.

And look, there's Freddy right there on the label. Never thought I'd see the day, Nietzsche on a beer label. Let's open it up and drink it down.

Dark brown, lush, creamy tan head, pock-marked and rocky. A sight to see.

Aroma, soft and spicy, yeasty and lovely. Cocoa and cream, mmm, mmm, mmm.

Taste: chocolate malt, and mild fruit control the flavor. Never sweet, though, a round and dry ale. A beautiful flavor emerges on the palate, delights the senses, and lingers a bit. Even-handed, sufficiently dry, with further flavors lurking below the original blast, slowly emerging. Some dark fruit crawls up, raisin and plum. Despite it, dry and spicy. Dark caramel malt, chocolate malt, fruity esters…drinkable and dry.

The dark saison is a new category. I may have only had one other commercially produced version (see De Ranke Noir de Dottingies), and had never fathomed the style until I tried a friend's homebrew version. I like it. So fascinatingly flavored. So complex and delicious.

Bottle's end: still scrumptious. Mmm, these guys are good.