 ClarkVV (3547), Allston, Massachusetts, USA
Nov 16, 2007
Bomber partially consumed on 10/24/07
Soft honey-copper appearance with plentiful large bubbles and a large, foamy, off-white head that settles out showing moderate retention, moderate lacing. High clarity, presumably sterile filtered.
Some dusty hops are laid atop both mushy-sweet pale malts and some crusty, bready caramel malts. Spicy banana and clove just don’t work when overwhelmed in residual sugars. Sugared peaches and apricots are notable, as well as light alcohol warmth on the end. Medium strength of aroma.
Pesky carbonation fails to dispel the overly sweet, nearly-syrupy caramel malts up front, while the finish is stranegly bitter and scratchy on the palate. Some mildly tart fruit esters are about the extent of the saison qualities here. While it’s not overdone with actual spices (none), it’s either using some really weird yeast or (most likely) not fermented correctly. I’m thinking the latter, as the lack of attenuation is glaringly obvious and 78 degrees is too cool to ferment a good saison. Sweet and muddled. Messy as usual, from this brewer.
CharlesDarwin (1376), State College, Pennsylvania, USA
Aug 20, 2008 12oz Bottle. A wet corn and grain nose. Peppered with bubblegum and sweet yeast esters. Not particularly enticing. A nip of diacetyl? Some rotten grain. Pours a clouded orange-yellow, with an oily off-white head, fading fast. Thin, watery and bitter. Not much depth or decent flavor development. A real wash of peppercorn oil, soap, and wheat sugar. A bit of plant meat and some real flat spice character. Meh.
mwelsh13 (124), Maryland, USA
Aug 17, 2008 22 oz bottle split into two poured orange with a fluffy white head. Green apples in the aroma. Somewhat dry mouth feel with some pepper in the background. Nice easy drinking beer.
Hawksfan17 (610), Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, USA
Aug 13, 2008 Ok apparently I hate Saisons or I just didn’t like this one. I couldn’t see myself drinking this oddly spicy drink all day. You can smell the hay from the fields and the natural spiciness but then it all goes downhill. Hazy amber in color and a very odd aftertaste even though it was drinkable before it hit my palate. I know this is harsh but it was tough to drink. At least I know to steer clear of this type of beer from now on!
mabel (1583), Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Aug 12, 2008 [1508-20080704] 1pt6floz bottle. Sweet musty hay aroma has floral goat hints. Hazy, orange brown body with a medium-lasting foamy off-white head. Smoky wooden flower petal flavour. Medium body. Showing a bit of age, not pleasant anyway.
(w/ jerc, manuchampions, tupalev)
stangger (106), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Aug 9, 2008 12 oz bottle. My first Saison, and it didn’t turn out the way I expected. Tastes like a cross between a generic wheat and a belgian. It doesn’t really seem to fit the description of the saison.
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