arjoseph (540), Chicago, Illinois, USA Aug 30, 2008 Bottle generously donated to our bathtub soiree, GABF 2007. 2005 vintage. Big foamy fluffy head is white and sits above a hazy orange beer. Smell is lively with light yeast effervescence; you can feel the carbon dioxide being released into your nose. White pepper at first and a little lambic-ish acidity from the yeast. Middle is citric melon with darker yeasty qualities, finishing into a light honeydew, dry white pepper, cardamom, and other dry spices. Very nice texture, and a nice balance of the citric fruity aspects and the yeasty, spicy ones: the yeastiness doesn’t swallow the freshness, but it isn’t full-juicy and has a nice sophistication. Nice beer. waolsen (956), Littleton, Colorado, USA May 12, 2008 bottle. golden/orange pour with annoying white foamy head. lacing. nice aroma that puts a smile on the face. fruity, fig and apricot, great yeast and spice, sweet malts, earthy. medium body. dry peppery finish. lively palate up front a result of carbonation. solid malt backbone. mild earthiness. Excellent. Beerded_one (1580), Croydon, Pennsylvania, USA Feb 29, 2008 Bottle. Pours a pale golden yellow with a huge white head and good lacing. Very carbonated. aroma of yeast,fruit, mustiness, and light spices. Flavor is grainy malts, fruit, bread notes, and has a slight tartness. Light bodied with a dry malty finish. WhiteAlePower (91), Long Island, New York, USA Feb 25, 2008 750 ML Bottle at the SPH Brewpub. Drank in 2005. Pour was cloudy dark brown with an average head, white. Aroma is that of spices, and fruit, very reminiscent of autumn, but not quite that of a harvest ale. Taste is the same, and very smooth indeed! Glouglouburp (1935), Montreal, Quebec, Canada Feb 1, 2008 In short: A crisp and classic American take on the Saison style. Excellent.
How: (backlog) A few times at tasting sessions
The look: cloudy golden body with a medium white head.
In long: Spices and dried citrus fruits on the nose. Rather yeasty, crisp and a bit citric with some dry grass, orange zest and a little spicy touch. Pleasant tartness/acidity, just light enough to be refreshing without being aggressive. Lively carbonation. Skimpy notes but twice I had the opportunity to have this regular Saison and its Deluxe replacement in the same tasting session and both times I found the regular Saison far superior and truer to the style. Why Southampton replaced this excellent Saison with the very good but inferior Deluxe is to me as much as a mystery as why don’t sheeps shrink when it rains.
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