Hopfenstark Saison Station 10 (Bière Sure)

Brewed by Hopfenstark
Style: Saison
L’Assomption, Canada

Bouteille de 500 ml, achetée à la brasserie. Arômes de levure présentant des notes lactiques, de pomme verte et de framboise. Robe dorée et trouble, légère effervescence. Goût très équilibré aux notes sûres affirmatives mais qui ne prennent pas toute la place. On note également la présence du blé et on assiste à une finale citronnée légèrement amère. Excellent et original par rapport aux bières brassées au Québec.

How: Sample at Mondial de la Bière 2008
The look: Clear yellow-blonde body with a short-lived white head
In long: Intriguing nose presenting tropical fruits and some staple-like funkiness. Taste is less funky than the nose but the beer still maintain a wild character in the mouth. Lots of cereals and lots of yeast here. Upfront fruit flavours with pineapples, apricots, lemon juice and even some bananas coming through. Medium sourness intensity. I though the carbonation was a bit too soft for the type of beer it is but given its “homemade” bottling nature this may vary from bottle to bottle. Finish is pleasantly dry. This is Quebec’s answer to Cuvée de Castleton. We also have an answer to George W. Bush but he’s institutionalized.

Bottle 500 ml. Pale straw color with no head. Incredible aroma of cake (quatre-quart) and citrus. Great acidity for a saison, lemon flavor and really refreshing.

Objectively speaking: Brilliantly executed sour, wild Saison that has to be the finest example from Québec up to now.
I like: Excellent wheat aroma brings all the necessary freshness in the nose. The rest is a playfield for the successful yeast. Rather exotic funky fruits (pineapple, lemon, litchi) are caught in a whirlwind of sourness. Growingly dry as the sip advances. Very perfumey. No spiciness. Remarkably drinkable.
I dislike: Unfortunately one of the rarest Hopfenstark.

Enjoyed at Mondiale 2008. This upcoming brewery is coming on strong, and this is another style it excels out. Between various saisons, the yeast is great and felt, in this version sourness dominates. Sour like a cantillon, so other versions will likely be more popular. Transparent, small head. Spicey aroma.

<i>My Bottom Line:</i>
A tart spurt transports intelligent candy and doughy yeast to marvelously unpredictable grapefruit groves before endearing sourness establishes itself on your gums. This half Witbier, half Wild Ale is so engaging and idiosyncratic it sparkles.

<i>Further Personal Perceptions:</i>
-A veil of foam covers the cloudy pale straw.
-The link between this beer and their Framboise Forte is quite obvious.
-When you taste this beer without the yeast shot, its sourness perks up and its lemony character seems to double, making it even more quenching.
-This is dangerously drinkable and refreshingly different.
-The cereal character is quite wheaty.
-There is a light bubblegummy phenolic presence which turns into candy at times.

<b>Bottle.</b>

Bottle shared with HogTownHarry, blankboy, jerc & tupalev - my bottle, from the brewery (thanks, Fred!) Slightly hazy gold with a good sized white head that leaves lots of lace. Aroma is sour, lemony, with some yeast and slightly funky notes. Flavour - oh, yeah! - tart fruit (esp. lemon), yeast, spice, and some pleasant funkiness. Just fantastic, love it!

Bottle shared with Jerc, Hogtown Harry, GregClow, and Blankboy, courtesy of GregClow via the brewer. Nice lemon zest aroma - strong. Mouth puckering sour taste mixed with the refreshing zestiness of a saison - what a combo, perfectly balanced and pulled off here. Some nice funkiness to add complexity. Another winner from this brewer, this is some of the best stuff being brewed in Canada right now.