After reading the label and seeing the words “fermented in French Oak Puncheon Barrels” and with a name like All the Yeast, I was not expecting a very light yellow and very clear beer with a lovely effervescence to it. This saison from Highland Park Brewing with the Metro trains on the label reminds me more of champagne than beer.
There is a rough hewn woody note that sorta lingers in the background but there is a lively tannic white wine note that is the conductor of this train. It also has a touch of viscosity to it that steps up after a few sips. I know that sounds at odds with my earlier comments but they seem to work in concert.
I am amazed at the vast differences in the saisons that Bob Kunz seems to coax out of the teeny-tiny brewery that he is working in.
For those wanting more definition of Puncheon since the ol’ Google just wants to say that it is a floor support or a tool. A Puncheon in the wine business is generally a barrel holding 500 liters of wine. Generally not as big as a tun but bigger than a hogshead or a barrel.