Well hello there faithful reader. It’s Monday evening once again, and what better time for a beer? I’m in a particularly beer-drinking mood tonight (no surprise), but it’s a little stronger than usual. Last night I bottled my special holiday saison…and it tastes pretty damn good already. It’s like a saison, but darker with a hint of that warm fuzz feeling you get from a hug. I’m also brewing an nice hoppy IPA tomorrow, the yeast starter is all set to go! Well enough about my homebrew, tonight we have atraditional style saison from Smuttynose.
She pours out beautifully! This is what a great saison should look like, a beautiful clear golden color, topped with a luxurious, oh-so-foamy head. If there is one type of beer that gives fantastic head, it’s saisons baby! It leaves a damn good amount of lacing too, truly a beauty to behold. Kudos to Smuttynose for making a saison every bit as gorgeous as her imported sisters. Let’s see if her aroma is as wonderful.
Ohhhh yeah… Let me tell you guys and gals something. Some saisons will have an aroma extremely similar to a barnyard. Some saisons will be mostly peppery and spicy, with a hint of the barnyard aroma. Some of them also have the slightest bit of tartness to them. But every now and then you come across a very special saison, one that is prominently tart. These ones…they’re freaking awesome! And this one… it’s proudly offering an extremely tart aroma, and I couldn’t be happier! It’s mostly reminiscent of tart apples, and has a very slight amount of sweetness near the end. She doesn’t forgot the signature barnyard scent though, it’s just less pronounced than the tart aroma. I’ve gotta taste this…
Ok, I was expecting more sour up front, but your immediately blasted with the sweetness. Honestly, I’m a bit disappointed, and that’s hard for me to write but it’s how I feel. It’s mostly from the aroma, I was expecting something more like a gueuze rather than something so sweet. It’s not overly sweet though, it’s very balanced by the peppery, spicy flavor, which is pretty common for saisons. There’s the slightest bit of tartness, but it’s nowhere near what the aroma suggests. She also gives you a nice citrus overtone that complements the whole tasting experience. Her body is a lovely smooth yet rich feel, it’s extremely full for a saison which is nice. And to finish it off your left with the slightest bit of pucker from the tart and a lingering sweetness to balance it.
Overall, this is a solid saison. It’s a bit on the sweeter side, but if you like that go for this brew. I probably wouldn’t get this brew again as good as it is, it’s just not my style. I need something with a bit more bite, and the aroma was a huge tease for me. But don’t count her out, shes a solid brew no doubt.
Until next beer, this is Brian G. signing out!
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