Earthen dried fruits abound for maroon-hued ruby-shaded springtime farmhouse ale. Funky Belgian yeast musk consumes pepper-hopped orange rind bittering, yellow grapefruit sourness, black cherry tartness, and tannic purple grape parching of dark saison. Banana chip, pickled fig, and sugar plum undertones drift through recessive schwarzbier-like mocha-smoked malting.
Tag Archives: saison
ITHACA GROUND BREAK AMERICAN-STYLE SAISON ALE
Expectant musty farmhouse funk and tart lemon-dried bittering bring Belgian-like sour ale nature to rocky beige-headed saffron-hazed medium body. Phenol raw-honeyed nectarine, pineapple, banana, and curacao orange fruiting receives resinous hop-dried barnyard-horsehide astringency. Too harshly metallic and weirdly herbal to capture crossover attention.
ITHACA COLD FRONT BELGIAN-STYLE AMBER ALE
Conflicted winter ’09 release closer to funky fungi-scented farmhouse ale than ‘saison yeast’-injected amber ale (with strangely off-colored tan-headed brown-bodied appearance). Leathery smoked salami snippet fades out rapidly as inadequate prune-date souring and perplexed brown sugared banana-clove trifle prove less fruity than Saison styling indicates. Leafy earthiness lambastes warbled spicing, resinous backdrop, and cigar ash hint.
VICTORY HELIOS
Pour slowly hazy golden summery saison or billowy foam will coat glass of moderate-bodied compost-scented Belgian-styled farmhouse ale. Fulsome carbolic spritz indulges black-peppered grassy-hopped bittering, nearly overwhelming candi-sugared lemony grapefruit tang glistening above creamy mildness and dry earthen floral nuance. Tart lemondrop finish lingers over tertiary peach, apricot, and green grape illusions.
THE BRUERY SAISON DE LENTE BELGIAN SAISON ALE
Reliant on fresh farmhouse brettanomyces, this busily complex tawny golden peculiarity brings musty earthen minerals to herbal-spiced fruit-dried acidity. Candy-caned lemon-bruised tartness secures leathery horse-blanketed alfalfa-rosemary-sage-wildflower illusions and dry-hopped twiggy twine tousle.
GREEN FLASH SAISON
FANTOME PISSENLIT BIERE DE SAISON
Herbaceous dewy earthiness informs fluffy tan-headed copper-hued artesian farmhouse seasonal, gaining peppery hop enticement over time. Floral nosing accentuates advertised dandelion twang alongside apple-fig souring and lilac-heather absorption for uncommon nightcap. Discerning tastes will want to dabble.
THIRIEZ XXTRA GOLDEN FARMHOUSE ALE
Prickly dry-hopped Saison-styled farmhouse ale varies only a tad from brewers’ less resinous Blonde. Green-bottled pearly-headed yellow-clouded medium body with meringue head opens extremely carbolic. But as piney rough edge and waning leathery horse blanket waft soften, zesty lemony orange rind bittering slips into summery tangerine-melon-banana tropicalia, accruing orange blossom honey luster. Herbaceous ginger-thyme-clove schism and floral illusions stir up earthen balsam base, enhancing grassy hop constancy. Buttery white wine finish receives minor ester-y grape mustiness countering slim marshmallow sweetness.
(OMMEGANG) HENNEPIN BELGIAN-STYLE ALE
Though made in the States, minty farmhouse ale (with fluffy eggshell head, cloudy amber hue, flowery spiced hop fragrance and white wine appeal) definitely succeeds as first-rate Belgian-derived knockoff. Yellow grape esters contrast sugary banana riffs as earthen mustiness conveniently hides metallic alkaline esters. Also in the mix, sweet coriander-allspice-ginger melange, lemon meringue tartness, sweet orange peel tang and mild peppercorn jab add further complexity to voluptuously fruited vanilla creamed effervescence.
ALLAGASH INTERLUDE 2005
Stimulating oak-barreled Saison-styled celebrator retains ester-y white grape expectancy, red wine sweetness, and cork-y horse blanket musk. Sly mandarin orange dryness thins out tangerine-peach-strawberry tang and unripe banana stint before acetous candied tartness fades to pleasingly pithy Merlot finish. Faint peppery spicing and herbal-geranium tinge scatter about.
FANTOME SAISON ALE
Effervescent amber-clouded herbal ‘Saison’ maintains green apple pucker, tannic white grape souring, white peach tartness, and curacao orange pleasantry typical of many established dry Belgians. Leathery barnyard waft picks up floral lavender-tulip hints tucked inside clove-coriander-cinnamon midst. Fresh artisanal water flow and polite cider-y champagne finish cleanse palate much like sorbet. Won’t scare away women and children.

