Grand Teton The Grand Saison Farmhouse Ale

Grand Teton Brewing Company
Victor, Idaho

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3
Clear gold. Rocky, foamy white head about one inch thick that lasts. Slight haze from yeast.

AROMA: 3/4
Lots of pineapple and grapefruit. White pepper, orange rind, and lemon zest. Citrusy aromas are dominate. Slight grassy notes.

TASTE: 7.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Grapefruit. Coriander, pineapple lemon pepper as well. Some hop but lost in the yeast profile. Typical for a classic saison.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Subtle lingering bitterness. Could use more bittering hop finish. Lemon rind aftertaste.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: A champagne dryness. Fizzy. Some sweetness. Very full.

OVERALL: 2/3: Exactly what you would expect from a good saison - no more, no less. Worth a try but there are better examples of the style. It would be interesting to see how this would taste if they had added Brett.

TOTAL: 14.5/20–I'll Try a Pint

NOTES:
Matt: Reminiscent of Boulevard's Tank 7 (but not as nearly as good). A good representation of the style and very straight forward. Not terribly unique but good. A solid saison.
Ben: A good example of the style. A little sweet though. Reminds me of Boulevard's original saison. Fresh and citrusy. A good solid saision. Pair this with cheese, grapes, and white fish.

Avery Anniversary 18 Dry-Hopped Rye Saison

Avery Brewing Company
Boulder, Colorado

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Copper. Rocky, creamy head, fine bubbles. Hazy. Pretty!

AROMA: 3.25/4
Citrusy. Pineapple, grapefruit, coriander, white pepper. Tropical.

TASTE: 7.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Very malty. Lots of pineapple, passion fruit, peppery notes. A lot of bittering hop.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Bitter up front. Sits on tongue, subtle bitter lasts. Middle drops out.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Light and bouncy, lots of high notes up front.

OVERALL: 2.5/3: Tasty, almost a tropical drink. Not too big, very refreshing, rye adds a nice peppery dimension.

TOTAL: 16/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Typical Avery: unexpected, well-crafted, tasty. Another nice anniversary from Avery, and a nice twist on a Saison.
Ben: Lots of pineapple and tropical flavors—almost a tropical mixed drink. Good in any case, I'd buy it again.

Ovila Saison (Collaboration)

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Chico, California
and
Abbey of New Clairvaux
Vina, California

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Big, rocky head. Deep gold-copper. Hazy. Lots of bubbles, steady stream.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Citrus–orange peel. Pineapple, tangerine, coriander. Peppery, earthy, big and fruity.

TASTE: 7.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Apricot, honey, pepper notes. Fruit cocktail, pear (so, fruity). Some citrus hop flavor.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Sweet up-front, ends with a grainy/cereal finish. Slight hop bitterness to finish.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Big, chewy, a bit boozy. Fizzy on the tongue, dry and smooth.

OVERALL: 2/3: More like a tripel than a true saison. More fruity than earthy. Americanized? Or just playing it safe? Either way, it's good, but falls short of the saison we'd hoped for.

TOTAL: 15/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: It's not raw enough, lacking the earthy qualities that make, say, Saison Dupont so good. Tasty, smooth and dry, but we've had better saisons.

Ben: It has the fruity notes of a Belgian but lacks the deep earthy, spicy notes it needs. More like a Duvel than a Dupont.

Stillwater Artisinal Ales Cellar Door American Farmhouse Ale

Dog Brewing Company
Westminster, MD

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3
Pretty gold, very hazy. Creamy head, fine bubbles. Head lasts and lasts.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Fruity, dry. A bit sour. Floral, peppery notes, chamomile, banana. No appreciable hop aroma.

TASTE: 7.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Lemongrass, orange peel, ginger, honey. Bready, subtle licorice. No real hop flavor.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Subtle hop bitterness at finish, a hint of sage.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Nice body, full, effervescent. A little boozy.

OVERALL: 2.25/3: Interesting, complex (as expected, given the style). Bright. A nice Belgian Saison/Farmhouse. The subtle sage notes make for a spicy finish.

TOTAL: 15/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Not a bad Farmhouse Ale. I'm always intrigued by the style, they're always complex and unpredictable. This one was just okay, in my opinion.
Ben: A bright, fruity, floral beer. Strong Belgian notes. Nice! A tad boozy, but overall a nice example of the style. Maybe more hop? I'd buy it again, and pair it with Thanksgiving turkey.

Note: I must say, the label for this beer was damned near unreadable.

Avery Anniversary Ale 16: Saison

Avery Brewing Company
Boulder, Colorado

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3
Pretty, straw-gold. White head, big bubbles, steady stream. Head fades quickly.

AROMA: 3.5/4
Grapefruit, honey. Floral, peppery, earthy.

TASTE: 7/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Citrusy. Alcohol noticeable. Sweet hop at finish; hop dominant.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Hop bitterness, spice. Some sourness. Cream, subtle peach. Bittersweet finish at the very end, fades quickly.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Light-bodied, effervescent. A bit thin. Very bubbly, probably too much so.

OVERALL: 2/3: Fleeting–fades quickly. An okay saison, but there are better ones out there.

TOTAL: 14.75/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: It's all right; less substantial than I'd hoped for. Lacking the really earthy notes I love in a good saison.
Ben: Missing the pepper notes one would expect. The aroma built expectations the flavor just didn't deliver on. But not bad.

New Belgium Lips of Faith Series - Biere de Mars

New Belgium Brewing Company
Fort Collins, Colorado

APPEARANCE: 2/3
Hazy. White rocky head. Light brown/orange/yellow color.

AROMA: 3/4
Very floral nose. Fruity notes - grapefruit, pineapple, subtle pruny notes. Spicy - cinnamon, nutmeg. Minimal aroma hop.

TASTE: 7/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Some hop flavor but malt is dominant. Earthy with spice - cinnamon, all spice, nutmeg, clove. Brett flavors dominant. Some sourness. Could use more body and hop flavors. Good bittering hop.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Lasting bitterness. Earthy notes last. Some sour-white wine taste. Licorice flavor. Brett flavors a tad overwhelming.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Bready. Lots of complex flavors. Spicy, citrus flavors. Some lemon notes. Brett is dominant throughout.

OVERALL: 2/3: This is what Brett tastes like. An unusual beer, not without its positive qualities but hard to put a finger on.

TOTAL: 14/20–I'll Try a Pint

NOTES:
Matt: I don't love it—complex, but just weird. The high notes combined with the earthiness is jarring.
Ben: Unique. Lots going on in the beer. Reminds me of Boulevard's Saison Brett. Earthy and spicy. An okay beer, just too much Brett for my tastes.

Saison Dupont

Brasserie Dupont
Tourpes, Belgium

APPEARANCE: 3/3
Awesome head–very rocky, creamy, foamy, yeasty. Beautiful gold color.

AROMA: 3.5/4
Very aromatic–earthy, citrusy.

TASTE: 8.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.5/4: Good balance. Clean, dry, very bright. Could be maltier.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Grapefruit and pineapple notes. Very earthy. Some bitterness. Needs to be spicier.
Mouth-Feel: 2.75/3: Ah, there's the spice! Fruity tones, very slight astringence.

OVERALL: 3/3: A beautifully crafted saison. Potential for skunkiness, so try to make sure the bottle you buy hasn't been sitting around too long.

TOTAL: 17.75/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Aromatic and very earthy. When I hear the word "saison," this is the mental image I conjure. One of my very favorite saisons.
Ben: Refreshing and clean, a good beer for the end of a long day.

Le Merle Saison

North Coast Brewing Company
Fort Bragg, CA

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
White, creamy, rocky head. Tiny bubbles. Honey-gold color. Slight haze. Effervescent.
AROMA: 3.5/4
Citrus, pineapple, passion fruit, floral. Earthy notes. Very aromatic. Spicy, little hop aroma (true to Belgian style).
TASTE: 8.5/10

• Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4
  REALLY complex, a lot going on here. Pineapple, grapefruit, champagne notes. Tangy. Spicy notes–cinnamon, clove, nutmeg. Plum, raisin, honey. All malt, very little hop; could use more bittering hop.
• Aftertaste: 2.75/3
  Slightly bitter finish, lasting spice flavor. Earthy. Slight residual alcohol.
• Mouth-Feel: 2.75/3
  Effervescent. Bouncy, tangy. Dry finish. Fruity, spicy, true to the style.

OVERALL: 2.75/3
A refined Saison; the city mouse to Saison Dupont's country mouse. True to style, but unique–a new flavor with every sip. NOT a session beer, by any means.

TOTAL: 18.25/20–Keep 'Em Comin'

NOTES:
Matt: A little of this goes a long way! Really complex and interesting, a nice interpretation.
Ben: Good example of a Saison. Earthy notes along with spicy citrus flavor–a great beer. Would be good paired with fish or fowl.