Beer Review: Bison Brewing Company Organic Honey Basil

Style: Herbed ale

ABV: 6%

Fun Fact About the Brewery:

A fully organic brewery from Berkeley, California? Get out of town, right? Founded in 1989 by a bunch of filthy hippies, Bison is one of the few widely distributed organic breweries out there. They seem to specialize in offbeat kinds of brews, like the one I'm reviewing here.

Thoughts: 

I saw this on the shelf and was totally intrigued so I had to snag one in a mixed six pack. It pours a much darker copper hue than I was expecting. The basil aroma is very strong. I mean, basil is one of those herbs where a little bit goes a long way, and I think they may have gone overboard with it here. The honey is present, too, but not quite enough to take the overwhelming bite of the basil out. Also, the ABV seems a bit high to me for a spring/summer kind of ale like this. It just made it feel too heavy overall and not nearly refreshing enough. Not something I'd seek out again, but it's worth trying. I also have a bomber of Bison's Chocolate Stout that's been in my fridge for over a month that I need to bust out. I hear it's one of their best.

Rating: 2.75/5