Stillwater is a curious brewery as they're one of a handful of breweries I can think of that are nomads; that is, they don't have a brewery to call their own. Rather, they travel the country and world and brew their beers in other established breweries. This spirit of collaboration in the craft beer world is great. The most well known nomadic brewer is Mikkeller, which is a Danish brewery run by a guy named Mikkel, simply enough. Being a nomadic brewery means that your production might be a little inconsistent but it also gives you the opportunity to sow your beer seeds all over the place and brew a far greater variety of beers than would be possible under a single roof. For proof of this, one need look no further than Mikkeller's astonishingly long lineup of beers (ratebeer.com lists over 300 beers made by Mikkeller). Stillwater is very well regarded for their much smaller collection of beers including some of the best saisons on either side of the Atlantic. Since they focus mostly on Belgian styles, travelling to Belgium and working in tandem with Hof ten Dormaal to make a beer seemed a natural fit. Bronze Age would be called a saison or farmhouse ale. In fact, the label identifies the beer as a "Traditional Belgian Farmhouse Ale." For an in-depth explanation of saisons, please see my style overview. Remember when I said in my overview of saisons that they varied wildly from brewer to brewer and often contained unique ingredients? Well, Bronze Age is a prime example. They brewed it with a portion of the grain bill being spelt, an ancient and wild variety of wheat that was a staple of many European diets during the Bronze Age. The idea with this beer, insofar as I can deduce, was to reasonably recreate the type of beer that would've been produced in Belgium during the Bronze Age, which occurred there from about 1600 to 700 B.C.E. Let's step back in time, shall we?
The beer is beautifully presented in a 375ml (12.7oz) green bottle with a cork and cage finish. The label exhibits Stillwater's usual intriguing and eye-catching artwork that features two hands, one wrapping the other in guaze with a background that features wild wheat and what appears to be a brain. How very curious. The beer itself pours with a massive ivory head. I have to cut my usual strong pour short so as not to spill over the glass. I half expect this type of carbonation in beers like this, so I am unfazed. This 8% abv beauty is a light straw yellow that is semi-hazy. Everything looks great so far. Appearance: 14/15
After the head recedes over the course of a few minutes, leaving some lacing, I have space to really get my nose in the glass. I'm met with a very saison-ish nose. Classic hints of spice, pepper, some fruity esters. I smell some barnyard and cellar funkiness. Giving the glass a hard swirl clarifies some of those esters, there is pear and red apple very apparent. The pepper definitely smells like standard black table pepper. There is also a pleasing lemony zest to the nose. I think what I previously called barnyard could more accurately be called grassy. Solid nose and this beer so far has my taste buds jumping in anticipation. Nose: 23/25
Ah, tasting, my favorite part of beer. Doing this elaborate reviews with the beer right in front of me while I write about other aspects of the beer really drives up the anticipation and makes the payoff that much better. I taste a little more funkiness and mustiness than was in the nose. I still get that grassy note and I'm beginning to think that is due to the hops. I've never read anything about the exact hop bill on this beer, but I'm guessing Styrian. The pepper kind of bounces around throughout the beer, even as the beer transitions and travels from the front of my mouth to the back of my throat. The peppery spice makes a grand final gesture, giving me a quick blast of spice right as I swallow. Kind of lovely, actually. The esters of apple and pear are there too and help balance out the spice and the funk (Sidenote: The Spice and The Funk is now the name for my next homebrew when I make a saison. Don't steal my idea.). Very nice flavors overall and, while not groundbreaking, they are as unique as any saison and they're on-point for what I expect from the style. Palate: 45/50
The mouthfeel is nothing spectacular but very good nonetheless. Ample carbonation and a lean, dry body make this 8% complex ale immensely drinkable. It is very bubbly, almost champagne like. In case you're wondering, there is a beer style that very nearly approximates champagne. Its called biere de champagne. Its a new style still gaining traction in the beer world. Anyway, great mouthfeel. Mouthfeel: 9/10
OVERALL: 91/100
Well, its safe to say I liked this beer a lot. I'm a sucker for saisons and since my second area of geeky interest is history, throwing in a special ingredient like spelt and naming your beer 'Bronze Age' is sure to win me over. That being said, I think this beer is very solid and definitely worth a try if you find it. Cheers!
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