Panic Attack! - Holy Mackerel

Holy Mackerel is a brewery out of Ft Lauderdale Florida who is doing things different. Their whole ethos is based around small batch, craft beer, and boy does it show. Panic Attack, there Saison offering is a hell of a beer. Brewed with Canadian malted barley, golding hops, and belgian yeast, it is not a feeble beer, but a mighty broad river of flavors.

Sitting down at the bar at Cavallari Gourmet, I poured a bottle of the good stuff into a cup. Not a lot of head of lacing to speak of, but the beer itself is a beautiful golden brown color. You knows from the moment the beer hits the cup that this is going to be an undertaking, but in the best way possible.


The smell is very sweet, with a little bit of fruit and berries mixing in with a strong alcohol vapor on it. It comes off almost a little bit sickly sweet, but not in a candy or light way. Almost in a Licorice sort of way.

As for the taste, it’s definitely full flavored. This is no babies first beer, no sir. Panic attack works every bit of your palate, sitting as heavy as a ton of lead, but with a nice bit of fizziness to it. There’s the fruit, which honestly reminds me a lot of my all time favorite, Three philosophers. Then there’s a nice little slice of hoppiness before washing over a typhoon of maltiness, and then a bit of bitter anise mixing in with the strong alcohol taste.

Oh did I mention it’s 10%? Because panic attack is 10%. This is not a beer to have during a scorching day with your ham and cheese sandwich. this is a sit your fat ass down and savor it kind of beer. so in closing, I’m going to give Panic attack 7.5 out of 10. It does take some getting used to, but it’s a hell of a beer.

• Brewer: Holy Mackerel 
• Style: Belgian Strong Ale 
• 10 ABV 
• Price: $12.00 
• Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Hennepin Saison - Brewery Ommegang

Louis Hennepin: Priest, Explorer, Beer namesake. Father Louis Hennepin is perhaps most famous for being the first european to discover (and write about) Niagara Falls. So it seems only natural that a man of his intrepid character would grace a beer that is adventurous, complex, and exciting. Hennepin is a Saison from Brewery Ommegang, available in both 4-pack and Euro-Bomber (750ml). As i’ve mentioned before, Ommegang is my favorite brewery, but would Hennepin be able to hold up to the hype? I’m not even much of a Saison guy (My previous experience with one being the Panic Attack Saison from Holy Mackerel, a story for another beer), but I pressed on, dear readers.

Dusting off my new Tulip glass, I popped the top off a bottle of Hennepin. I Opted for the 4-pack so on the off chance it was terrible I didn’t have to drink it all at once. The packaging is very nice, with a purple tinted illustration of Father Hennepin on a Canoe going over a waterfall. The label spoke of “Ale brewed with Grains of paradise, coriander, ginger, sweet orange peel”, an enticing new world of tastes awaiting my pour.

And what a pour it was! Three beautiful fingers worth of luxurious thick off-white head, topping off a light, almost blonde color. The head hangs around for a bit, but when it dissipates it leaves some very beautiful lacing, clinging to the glass like ivy up a brick wall. I really wish I had a camera ready when it was in the glass, because it truly was a thing of beauty. My mouth waters just remembering it.

Shoving my nose into the glass, I took in the bouquet of smells that hennepin had to offer. Sweet, fruity notes. Amazing balance, with not a hint of alcohol to be had. Impressive for a 6.8 beer. Truly Hennepin is a delight to look at, smell, but what of the taste?

With the first sip, it was true love. Such sweetness, how is that possible from a Saison? and yet, it’s incredible balanced, with a nice astringent quality to it. The fizzyness lifting the drink right off the palate, leaving hints of apricots, lemon, and a whole lot of grape. Could this be the beer that unseats Three Philosophers as my favorite offering from Ommegang? possibly, further research is merited, certainly.

So should you give Hennepin a try? Of course! You’d be doing a grave disservice to the spirit of Father Hennepin himself if you didn’t. His intrepid spirit flows through this beer just like water flowing over Niagara falls. And the great thing about Hennepin is that it’s down for whatever. Be it a drink on the porch after a hard days work, or combined with a blackened steak, Hennepin is ready to stand on its own or enhance anything else. Truly it is a wonderful Saison.

• Brewer: Brewery Ommegang 
• Style: Farmhouse Saison 
• 7.7 APV 
• Price: $12.00 
• Rating: 9.4 out of 10