I am a somewhat regular participant in a twitter beer chat on Thursday nights that starts around 9 PM EST. It’s a fun place to chat about beer, anyone is welcome to chime in, just follow the hashtag #beerchat and answer the questions posed by whomever is hosting. A recent topic was coffee beers, with questions about good/bad examples and different beer styles that can/should/shouldn’t be infused with coffee. I’m not a coffee drinker, not because I dislike it per se I just try to limit my caffeine intake, but I enjoy the occasional coffee stout or porter. Someone (and I really don’t remember who or I would give them credit), suggested that a coffee saison could be interesting or terrible depending on the execution. It seemed like a strange idea to me, but the next time I was at the bottle shop I noticed a coffee saison and needed to give it a shot. Fortunately it was from Mystic Brewing, if any brewery knows how to make unique and delicious farmhouse ales it’s Mystic. Mystic Kanzu is a farmhouse ale brewed with Rwandan coffee, it is available now in 375 mL bottles.
Mystic Kanzu pours deep orange with a moderate off-white head. The scent is a mixture of coffee and esters from the expressive Belgian style yeast. The coffee is well represented in the flavor but doesn’t overwhelm. The yeast is also present, notes of apple, apricot and clove. Light malts round out the flavor with hints of cracker and bread dough. Kanzu is light bodied and easy to drink, not too boozy at 5.4% ABV. The finish is dry with lingering coffee flavor. I don’t know if I would have even tried a coffee infused saison if it wasn’t from Mystic, but years of drinking delicious beers from that brewery have led to an inherent trust that I will enjoy the beer. If you are interested in trying a different style of beer with coffee this is a good place to start. Hoppy Boston score: 4.25/5.
Previous Mystic Reviews:
Mystic Sauvignon Blanc Barrel Saison, Mystic Vinland 4, Mystic De Varenne, Mystic India Wharf Pale Ale, BREWERY OVERVIEW, Mystic Flor Z, Mystic Melissa, Mystic Descendant, Mystic Vinland Three, Mystic Brewery visit and Day of Doom, Mystic Hazy Jane, Mystic Mary of the Gael, Mystic Vinland Two, Mystic Table Beer
Hoppy Boston 
