Tag Archives: saison

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.

AVERY TWELVE SAISON ALE

Quite elaborate sunny-yellowed pearly-headed citric seasonal celebrates 12th anniversary by letting unripe juniper,blueberry, and green apple adjuncts inform early white ale effervescence. In turbid midst, aromatic eucalyptus-peppermint freshness picks up jasmine, lavender, and chamomile accents. For brisk finish, grapefruit rind and orange pith persevere.

FANTOME SAISON D’EREZEE – HIVER

Expressive hazily copper artisanal farmhouse ale brings bold 8% alcohol jab to initial Granny Smith apple tartness, secondary green grape souring, and tertiary prune-fig dryness. Earthen mineral-grained pomegranate interlude lamentably whisked away by leathery cork aridity and dank cellar acridity. Fantome, like many fine Old World Belgian breweries, enjoys experimenting within the expanding boundaries of beer styling.

YARDS SAISON BELGIAN STYLE ALE

Nondescript fizzy Seltzer lightweight needs better coriander-spiced orange peel thrust, deeper malt penetration. stiffer peppery hop sway, and tarter floral-dried lemon-apricot-grapefruit medley. Lazy, hazy, pale-toned session beer suffers further when horse-blanket mustiness lessens sweet banana nose and candied coriander-clove sensation. Belgian yeast influence indiscernible.

(BLAUGIES) DARBYSTE ALE

Brewed with complimentary (instead of dominant) fig juice, vinous viscous-coppered Belgian retains fluffy white head, clumped yeast sediment, and sharp cider tartness. Pungent grapefruit-dried tangerine-peach tang compels sulky sour grape acidity and cork-y herbal pinch to soak up honeyed malt sweetness. A bit too sudsy as an after dinner drink.