Review - White Birch Brewing Company's Saison
"Our Saison is brewed once per year in the summer to take advantage of the higher temps. Our Saison yeast loves to ferment at higher temps. The resulting beer is a slightly hazy golden orange colored beer with a lightly funky aroma, wonderful spicy pepper notes and a crisp dry finish. Balanced, nuanced, great with fish, steak or rich cheeses. For us, this is a beer that works on many levels." -- White Birch Brewing
Initially a meaty smoked bacon presence escaped from the bottle. There also was a smell of sour grapefruits, accompanied by a strong pepper presence. There also was a sulfur like presence. The malt presence was soft and straw like. Pours a hazy, medium gold hue with a bright white head with a fizzy consistency. Body clarity is murky with a chalky appearance. Carbonation levels are relatively low. Thin lacing with no retention. Up front, the taste is heavily medicinal with solvent-like harshness. The finish carries on with astringency and subtle smokiness. Light to medium in body and slightly watery. Actively carbonated, leaving out mouths slightly slick from the sweet malts. The alcohol was warm, but not burning, but there was a dominant solvent taste in the finish. We were very excited to try this beer, but unfortunately we were left a bit confused. Was it a bad bottle? Was there an infection? Did something happen to the beer between August and December? I’m not sure, but unfortunately, this beer was undrinkable.
Reviewed on December 12th, 2010.
