Great Northern Saison

Formerly brewed at Great Northern Brewery and Restaurant
Style: Saison
Fargo, North Dakota USA

Serve in Tulip

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Fading white cover mounts a clear gold hue. Fairly subtle aromas focus on added spices and esters, though taking little turnabouts to hints at ryeish malt and floral hallertauer. Quickly, banana and mango become the center of attention, an ephemeral situation once the ginger and coriander kick in and dominate until the finish. Not the most originally spiced saison obviously, intimately American, though with detours (like a solvent note I don’t know what to think about and an out of place woodiness). Vague effervescence, unfocused and leaving a stale airy palate. Anyway, a saison from North Dakota, you couldn’t expect a new Dupont, eh? beat that!

GABF ’05. Really was hoping to get to this brewpub, but it dosent look like that’s going to happen now, so here goes…
Initially somewhat hazy, the brass-lemon yellow beer settles out to a higher clarity, with a slight glassiness to it. Head is white, foamy and small, leaving pinches of lace here and there, but not showing the best of retention.
Simple nose, that has been done before and will be done again. Mainly a combination of banana esters and dry wheat giving a lightly sweet, somewhat creamy smoothness to the aroma. Herbs/spices dance in the background somewhat aggressively (coriander, white pepper, ginger) and sandwiched in the middle is some fluffy pils malt doughiness. Wheat builds up on the nose, drying/dulling things and there must be some dullness from the herbs and yeast. Lots of mineral-like paperiness and a fair astringency on the end as well. No alcohol noted, not overly clean, though with the herbs and spices muddling the beer, you can’t be too sure what all is going on.
Vanilla-dipped bananas open up the hefeweizen-like flavor, as a rather bland, minimal, under-extracted malt adds some watery grain notes. Sweet ginger and spicy coriander attack the palate on the finish and then the beer is done before you even knew what hit you. Slight wheat sourness and herb/spice astringency linger on. Carbonation is moderate, but rather loose, while the beer has a watery texture. They certainly didnt care to highlight the malts in this beer, which is a shame. And the yeast is outdone, vastly, by the spicing.

GABF 05. Pours a solid gold with an earthy aroma. Flavor is too apprehensive, with faint earth tones and subdued sweetness. Palate is a bit on the watery side. This could be a great saison with some tweaking (read: increasing) of the ingredients.

GABF 2005: Golden hue with a small head. The nose displays a floral and heathery character with some cardamom, sage and clove. Banana and earthy esters as well. The taste starts twangy (perhaps some brett?) and lemony with flowery and bready undertones. A bit spicy, peppery, and touch bitter on the finish. Lively and crisp on the palate, refreshing as per the style. I liked it, not too bad for my first North Dakota offering.

GABF 2005. Body is hazy medium yellow. Aroma is lightly malty (toasted grain), with notes of banana and clove. Flavor is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, moderately acidic, moderately bitter. Medium body, watery texture, lively carbonation. Well, it’s an ok Belgian blonde ale...saison?...um...

Slight haze with a yellow-orange hue. Moderate carbonation with a soft base. Sweet malts, perhaps too sweet. A little funk, but not enough. Nice addition of coriander. OK level of bitterness. Odd, unfitting pine note. Nice citrus -- orange and lemon. Bit of pepper, too. OK, but definitely restrained.

GABF 2005. Clear golden with a small, frothy white head. Light horseblanket aroma, some light brett even, malted milk balls and cheesecloth. Orange and nectarine citric flavor, with some wet cardboard and black pepper. Lightly carbonated.

Clear rich yellow colored body with a white head. Spicy bananas and marachino cherries mixed with a pleasent farmhouse spicy wheat scent. Burlap and hay... mmmm. Very nice, sweet I would say. A bit mild in the flavor, wet and sloppy palate that is a letdown compared to the aroma. Watery thin texture, bland and mildly fruity, candy-like even.

GABF 2005. Thin head, clear golden with slow bubbles. Aroma is corriander, bubblegum and candy. Mossy, earthy taste. Minerals. Light hopping with some lemon. Smooth, clean, but underwhelming.