Amaranth Saison Brewday

Apparently, amaranth is more of a brewing oddity than I thought. When I went looking for ideas, I found the recipe from Ryan Brews in 2011 and mention of the soon to be released Saison Z from Jolly Pumpkin. And that was pretty much it. I didn’t release amaranth was such a brewing rarity. Anyway, I toasted the amaranth at 225° F for about 45 minutes before mashing it; I chose toasting over boiling since I am more interested in the flavor amaranth imparts in the beer than making the starches fermentable. I would have used more (a pound would have been nice), but this is all I harvested last year from the back yard. Yes, this is home grown amaranth. Making this yard saison number two.

228. Amaranth Saison 

Mash:

4 lbs. Best Malz Pilsen

2 lbs. Best Malz Wheat

½ lb. Acidulated 
¼ lb. Amaranth

Mash @ 150° F for 70 minutes w/ 3 gallons RO water, 4 g. gypsum, and 2 g. CaCl; collected 2 gallons @ 1.054

Batch sparge @ 165° F for 20 minutes w/ 4 gallons RO water; collected 4 gallons @ 1.014

Topped off to 7 gallons, brought to a boil (70 minutes), & added:
w/60 to go: ½ Comet pellet 8.6% AA
½ oz. Azacca leaf 9.9% AA

w/10 to go: ½ Comet pellet 8.6% AA
½ oz. Azacca leaf 9.9% AA

w/0 to go: ½ Comet pellet 8.6% AA
½ oz. Azacca leaf 9.9% AA

Let stand for 20 minutes, chilled, & racked on to Wyeast 3276 yeast cake from 227. Table Saison w/ Dandelion Flowers

Brewed: 4/30/2016 @ 66° F

Secondary: 

Bottle: 

OG: 1.032

FG:

Tasting Notes: 

Dandelion Flower Saison Brewday

The dandelion saisons I made last year were all delightful, so it is time to start another round of them while all the flowers are bright and fresh and plentiful. In last year’s version, I was also experimenting with corn; I’ve dropped the corn for now to focus on making a table-strength version of this beer. I also cut the flower petals off of the head/stem for this year’s version to try and emphasize the flower-based contributions to the beer, and to minimize some the green/grassy flavors found in last year’s version.. This is the first in a run of yard-inspired table saisons to start off the spring in the correct manner.

227. Table Saison w/ Dandelion Flowers

Mash:

4 lbs. Best Malz Pilsen

2 lbs. Best Malz Wheat

½ lb. Acidulated 

Mash @ 152° F for 70 minutes w/ 3 gallons RO water, 4 g. gypsum, and 3 g. CaCl; collected 2 gallons @ 1.058

Batch sparge @ 167° F for 20 minutes w/ 4 gallons RO water; collected 4 gallons @ 1.012

Topped off to 7 gallons, brought to a boil (70 minutes), & added:
w/60 to go: 1 oz. Azacca leaf 9.9% AA

w/10 to go: 5 g. Wyeast yeast nutrient

w/0 to go: 3.15 oz. dandelion flowers (snipped off base so mainly just petals)
1 g. coriander
1 g. grain of paradise

Let stand for 20 minutes, chilled, & pitched vial of Wyeast 3276 from Brett Smith

Brewed: 4/24/2016 @ 69° F

Secondary: 4/30/2016 @ 1.006

Bottle: 

OG: 1.030

FG:

Tasting Notes: 

Table Saison w/ ADHA 529 Brewday

Another small, light, and eminently drinkable saison. Again, the perfect excuse to experiment with new hop varieties. Again, this beer will be excellent and so so drinkable. Again, I find myself talking to myself. Well, at least I have beer to drink while doing so.

219. Table Saison w/ ADHA 529

Mash:

4 lbs. Best Malz Pilsen

2 lbs. Best Malz Wheat

1 lb. MFB Vienna
½ lb. Acidulated 

Mash @ 150° F for 80 minutes w/ 3 gallons RO water, 4 g. gypsum, and 4 g. CaCl; collected 2 gallons @ 1.062

Batch sparge @ 168° F for 20 minutes w/ 4 gallons RO water; collected 4 ¼ @ 1.012

Collected 6 ¼ gallons; topped off to 7 gallons, brought to a boil (70 minutes), & added:
w/60 to go: ½ oz. ADHA 529 10.6% AA

w/20 to go: ½ oz. ADHA 529 10.6% AA

w/10 to go: ½ oz. ADHA 529 10.6% AA
5 g. Wyeast yeast nutrient

w/5 to go: ½ oz. ADHA 529 10.6% AA

w/0 to go: ½ oz. ADHA 529 10.6% AA

Let stand for 20 minutes, chilled, & racked onto 3276 yeast cake from 216. Table Saison w/ ADHA 484

Brewed: 10/4//2015

Secondary: 12/26/2015 @ 1.000; 219a. bottled 3 gallons w/ 3.0 oz. table sugar; 219b. dry-hopped 3 gallons w/ ½ oz. each of Pekko, Jarrylo, and Comet

Bottle: 12/31/2015 w/ 2.55 oz. table sugar (219b.)

OG: 1.036

FG: 1.000

Tasting Notes: When you don’t carefully label your carboys, this is what happens: you confuse a table saison and a cider and swap the plans for the secondary for each. Which is why this got split and dry-hopped with something besides ADHA 529, while 218. Iron Brewer Cider got dry-hopped with ADHA 529. Classy, yo. Yes, the taste should have given it away, but that assumes that I tasted them, doesn’t it? 

Iron Brewer Saison Brewday

More table saison brewing, this time with the ADHA hops that have already acquired themselves names, namely Pekko (ADHA 871) and Jarrylo (ADHA 881). You know, the cool kids on the block. Azacca already got some play recently around these parts, so it will have to wait its turn to get an ADHA shout out. Not sure what is going on with the Jarrylo logo (the hop is named after Jarilo, the Slavic god of fertility and springtime), but I do know that is less offensive than the Pekko logo, so I went with this one. And no, I won’t provide you a link to the Pekko logo. Go find it your damn self.

217. Iron Brewer Saison

Mash:

4 lbs. Best Malz Pilsen

2 lbs. Best Malz Wheat

1 lb. MFB Vienna
½ lb. Acidulated 

Mash @ 152° F for 80 minutes w/ 3 gallons RO water, 4 g. gypsum, and 4 g. CaCl; collected 2 gallons @ 1.058

Batch sparge @ 163° F for 20 minutes w/ 4 gallons RO water; collected 4 @ 1.020

Collected 6 gallons; topped off to 7 gallons, brought to a boil (70 minutes), & added:
w/60 to go: .4 oz. each of Pekko (15.4% AA) and Jarrylo (13.9% AA) pellet

w/20 to go: ½ oz. each of Pekko (15.4% AA) and Jarrylo (13.9% AA) pellet

w/10 to go: ½ oz. each of Pekko (15.4% AA) and Jarrylo (13.9% AA) pellet
5 g. Wyeast yeast nutrient

w/5 to go: ½ oz. each of Pekko (15.4% AA) and Jarrylo (13.9% AA) pellet

w/0 to go: ½ oz. each of Pekko (15.4% AA) and Jarrylo (13.9% AA) pellet

Let stand for 20 minutes, chilled, & pitched Iron Brewer yeast cake from 215b. Fresh Hop Iron Brewer

Brewed: 9/19/2015

Secondary: 10/4/2015 @ 1.004; dry-hopped w/ 1 oz. each of Pekko and Jarrylo pellet

Bottle: 10/9/2015 w/ 3 ¼ oz. table sugar

OG: 1.036

FG: 1.000

Tasting Notes: 

Table Saison w/ ADHA 484 Brewday

Now that the fresh hop beers have grown the yeast up, time to churn out some small, easy-drinking saisons. And nothing serves as a more perfect excuse to experiment with new hop varieties than a table saison. Learning never tasted so good. Plus, the dwarf hops are so gosh-darned cute!

216. Table Saison w/ ADHA 529

Mash:

4 lbs. Best Malz Pilsen

2 lbs. Best Malz Wheat

1 lb. MFB Vienna
½ lb. Acidulated 

Mash @ 150° F for 80 minutes w/ 3 gallons RO water, 4 g. gypsum, and 4 g. CaCl; collected 2 gallons @ 1.058

Batch sparge @ 163° F for 20 minutes w/ 4 gallons RO water; collected 4 ¼ @ 1.016

Collected 6 ¼ gallons; topped off to 7 gallons, brought to a boil (70 minutes), & added:
w/60 to go: ½ oz. ADHA 484 10.6% AA

w/20 to go: ½ oz. ADHA 484 10.6% AA

w/10 to go: ½ oz. ADHA 484 10.6% AA
5 g. Wyeast yeast nutrient

w/5 to go: ½ oz. ADHA 484 10.6% AA

w/0 to go: ½ oz. ADHA 484 10.6% AA

Let stand for 20 minutes, chilled, & racked to carboy and pitched Wyeast 3276 yeast cake from 215a. Fresh Hop Saison

Brewed: 8/30/2015

Secondary: 10/4/2015 @ 1.002; dry-hopped w/ 1 ¼ oz. ADHA 484 10.6% AA

Bottle: 10/9/2015 w/ 3 ¼ oz. table sugar

OG: 1.036

FG: 1.002

Tasting Notes: 

Hibiscus Saison Brewday

Another in the long litany of summer saisons. I made a Hibiscus Saison last year, which was something of a dud—the yeast ended up being a huge disappointment, leaving me with a rather pedestrian beer—although the brightness and slight acidic sourness from the hibiscus and acidulated malt were delightful. Hence my interest in revisiting the beer. You can follow the link to read all about last year’s stupendous failure, but in this case, I’d let the past be the past. Like, move on, man. So here’s to moving on.

211. Hibiscus Saison

Mash:

4 lbs. Best Malz Pilsen

2 lbs. Best Malz Wheat

1 lb. MFB Vienna
½ lb. Acidulated 

Mash @ 152° F for 80 minutes w/ 3 gallons RO water and 6 g. gypsum; collected 2 ¼ gallons @ 1.060

Batch sparge @ 168° F for 20 minutes w/ 4 ½ gallons RO water; collected 4 ¼ gallons @ 1.012

Collected 6 ½ gallons; topped off to 7 gallons, brought to a boil (70 minutes), & added:
w/60 to go: 1 ½ oz. Styrian Golding leaf 3.7% AA

w/10 to go: 5 g. Wyeast yeast nutrient

w/0 to go: 1 oz. Styrian Golding leaf 3.7% AA

3 ½ oz. hibiscus 

Let stand for 20 minutes, chilled, & racked onto saison yeast cake from 210. Barrel American Saison w/ Dandelion Root

Brewed: 6/14/2015

Secondary: skipped

Bottle: 7/10/2015 w/ 3.0 oz. table sugar

OG: 1.036

FG: 1.002

Tasting Notes: This beer is straight drinking pleasure. 

Barrel American Saison w/ Dandelion Root

Quite similar to the first batch, but with a few modifications. I just used dandelion root in this version, lessened the late hop additions, and cut the sugar addition. Hopefully, I will be able to discern the flavors contributed by the dandelion root. At least that is the intended goal. I’ll bottle a couple to try later before racking the rest into the barrel. Check back!

210. Barrel American Saison w/ Dandelion Root

Mash:

6 lbs. Best Malz Pilsen

2 lbs. flaked maize

Mash @ 148° F for 80 minutes w/ 3 gallons RO water and 6 g. gypsum; collected 1 ½ @ 1.072

Batch sparge @ 164° F for 20 minutes w/ 4 ½ gallons RO water; wort collected 5 @ 1.026

Collected 6 ½ gallons; topped off to 7 gallons, brought to a boil (70 minutes), & added:
w/60 to go: ½ oz. Azacca leaf 9.9% AA
1 oz. Comet leaf 10.9 AA

1 ½ oz. dandelion root, coarsely chopped

w/10 to go: 5 g. Wyeast yeast nutrient

w/5 to go: 1 oz. Styrian Golding leaf 3.7% AA
3 ½ oz. table sugar

w/0 to go: ¾ oz. Comet leaf 10.9 AA

2 g. coriander
2 g. grains of paradise

Chilled, & pitched mason jar of saison yeast blend from 207. Dandelion Saison

Brewed: 5/31/2015

Barrel: 6/14//2015 @ 1.002

209/210a. 1/30/2016 @ 1.000; racked onto 2 lbs. wild plums

209/210b. 1/30/2016 @ 1.000; racked onto 4 lbs. 10 oz. tart cherries
209/210c. 1/30/2016 @ 1.000; bottled w/ 2.5 oz. table sugar

OG: 1.044

FG:

Tasting Notes: 

Barrel American Saison w/ Dandelion

This batch (along with 210.) will replace the cider that currently calls the ten gallon barrel on my dining room table home; I’ll fill and soak the barrel with boiling water after I empty it to give the claussenii that is getting added in the secondary a head start over previous bugs and wild yeast that are already in the barrel. As with American Saison w/ Dandelion Flowers, this is another Jeff Alworth-inspired beer intended to experiment with the rustic elements of corn in American craft beer.

209. Barrel American Saison w/ Dandelion

Mash:

6 lbs. Best Malz Pilsen

2 lbs. flaked maize

Mash @ 150° F for 80 minutes w/ 3 gallons RO water, 4 g. gypsum, & 2 g. CaCl; collected 1 ¾ @ 1.072

Batch sparge @ 163° F for 20 minutes w/ 4 ½ gallons RO water; wort collected 4 ¾ @ 1.032

Collected 6 ½ gallons; topped off to 7 gallons, brought to a boil (70 minutes), & added:
w/60 to go: ¾ oz. Azacca leaf 9.9% AA
¾ oz. Comet leaf 10.9 AA

1.95 oz. dandelion root, coarsely chopped
1.8 oz. dandelion leaves

w/10 to go: 5 g. Wyeast yeast nutrient
8 oz. table sugar

w/5 to go: 1 oz. Styrian Golding leaf 3.7% AA
3 ½ oz. table sugar

w/0 to go: ¾ oz. Azacca leaf 9.9% AA

¾ oz. Comet leaf 10.9 AA

4.4 oz. dandelion leaves

Let stand for 20 minutes, chilled, & pitched mason jar of saison yeast from 208. American Saison w/ Dandelion Flowers

Brewed: 5/26/2015

Secondary: 5/31/2015 @ 1.002; added a vial of WLP645 Brettanomyces claussenii
Barrel: 6/14/2015 @ 1.002

209/210a. 1/30/2016 @ 1.000; racked onto 2 lbs. wild plums
209/210b. 1/30/2016 @ 1.000; racked onto 4 lbs. 10 oz. tart cherries
209/210c. 1/30/2016 @ 1.000; bottled w/ 2.5 oz. table sugar

OG: 1.048

FG:

Tasting Notes: 

Saison/Gueuze Brewday

Today’s brewing was intended to put some of the yeast that is laying around to work; the saison was to grow up the yeast to use in subsequent experiments, and the ECY was to continue building up the gueuze varieties available for blending. Plus, when I roll this beer off the yeast in about a year, it will be ready for a five gallon batch. For those of you wondering how the picture relates: it doesn’t. But it is still awesome. 

181. Saison/Gueuze

Mash:

8 lbs. Best Malz Pilsen

2 lbs. Breiss White Wheat

½ lb. rolled oats

Mash @ 150° F for 90 minutes w/ 3 ½ gallons RO water & 5 g. gypsum + 3 g. CaCl; collected 2 gallons @ 1.076

Batch sparge @ 165° F for 20 minutes w/ 4 gallons RO water; collected 4 ¼ gallons @ 1.028

Collected 6 ¼ gallons; topped off to 7 gallons, brought to a boil (90 minutes) & added:

w/60 to go: 1 ¼ oz. Comet leaf 10.9% AA

w/15 to go: 8 oz. table sugar

w/10 to go: 1 oz. Styrian Golding pellet 2% AA

3 g. Wyeast yeast nutrient

w/5 to go: 1 oz. Styrian Golding pellet 2% AA

Chilled, split into two 3 gallon carboys & pitched

181a. White Labs 585 Belgian Saison III

Brewed: 9/5/2014

Secondary: 11/26/2014 @ 1.002; topped off w/186a. & .65 oz. dried lemongrass

Bottled: 1/6/2015 w/ 1.75 oz. table sugar

OG: 1.054

FG: 1.002

181b. ECY01 Bug Farm

Brewed: 9/5/2014

Secondary: 1/14/2016 @ .98; topped off w/ 203. One Last Lambic Hurrah

Bottled: 

OG: 1.054

FG:

Tasting Notes (5/1/2014): Lemongrass Saison pours a hazy but bright straw yellow; there is a white rocky head that has decent retention and leaves some lacing behind on the glass. In the nose, there is clove along with lower levels of pepper, lemongrass, slight amounts of bubblegum and some lingering banana cream pie; then first two months this was in the bottle, the banana cream pie was the dominant aroma, but it has mellowed out at this point. There are also hints of wheat malt underneath everything else, but not much else in the way of grain aromatics. The Pils and wheat do come through in the flavor—as does the oatmeal—there is a soft, doughy malt character that balances well with the bright carbonation, and some creaminess that seems to be a mix of yeast/glycerol and oatmeal. The lemongrass comes through clearest in the final third of the beer; the front is pepper/clove and banana along with the soft malt that runs into the middle; the carbonation bite in the final third cleans the palate and leaves lemongrass and citronella lingering pleasantly. This is a much better beer than it was three months ago; the flavors are better balanced, and the profile as a whole is cleaner with more nuance. This means I need to definitely push the botanical action with my run of summer saisons!  

582. Brouwerij West Saison Extra

The label features a cat playing pinball. Let me repeat that: a cat. Who is playing pinball. Pinball. Awesome. This beer is from Brouwerij West, which is located in San Jose, CA. Not surprisingly, they are Belgian-influenced; as they note on their webpage, “We make beer in classic Belgian style with mostly Belgian ingredients. Our beer is dry and refreshing. We make no IPA and have no barrel aging or spices.” While I’m not sure why barrel aging and spices are identified as outside of the “classic Belgian style” since both are a part of that tradition—unless this is a dig at American brewing’s love of wood and over-spicing—I do understand the choice not to make an IPA, although that is no longer shocking. Still, I’m willing to let it go if it gets me more labels like this one.

Saison Extra pours a hazy but brilliant gold; the head is thin and white, and disperses quickly, leaving tiny islands and a ring. In the nose, there is musty earth and fruit—pear, apple, and grape, to be specific—along with some candy Pilsner malt, followed by wafting hints of bitterness. As it opens up, there is bread crust and some floral esters that complement the other aromas. Flavors follow the nose, starting with candy Pilsner sweetness that dries out into bread crust and fruitiness. The middle is juicy and lightly bitter—sort of a dry, musty bitterness that is just short of oxidized paper, but in a good way—while the finish is cracker, pepper, and slightly spicy bitterness. The mouthfeel is bigger than I would like—it could be easily dried out several points to brighten and dry the beer on the tongue—and the carbonation is a bit low, although it does bite nicely in the finish. The bitterness in the finish cuts out some of the juiciness from the yeast, which Elli appreciates—she is not a fan of the juicier saisons, preferring those leaning towards Saison Dupont, although she is always game to try a new saison. For me, the base beer is good: I like the combination of cracker, candy sweetness, and mustiness. But I would like it better if the body was drier and the carbonation was brighter. Both would make this a stronger saison overall. Still, a pleasure to drink: I’d happily drink more, even without the cat label. 

From the Brouwerij West website: “Brouwerij West is excited to announce the release of our Saison Extra in 500 ml bottles. As always, we use only imported Belgian malt, German noble hops and our Brouwerij West yeast. We chose not to duplicate the standard ‘peppery/spicy’saison profile and instead go after bubble gum esters and noble hop aroma. Extra is Bright and malty, with a firm bitterness and a dry finish. Hazy gold in color.”

ABV: 6.5%
Bottle: 7483/10000

(12/18/2013)

580. Modern Times Lomaland

This beer is courtesy Brian Gallow, who sent me a text message asking if I was interested in splitting a couple of four-packs of Modern Times. To which I obviously said yes, although it was a tougher decision than you may have thought. For while I love the Mad Fermentationist (for information like this), I am annoyed and disgusted by the gratuitous use of “cock-staggeringly” in Modern Times’ advertising prose. Which started pretty much right out the gate. Still, they do offer “open source” brewing, which means all their recipes are open and available to the public. But no matter how cool the cool things are, the repulsion keeps creeping back in. I guess I will have to find some way to live with myself. I still feel dirty. 

Lomaland pours a crystal clear straw—look at that clarity in the picture—with a fluffy white head that offers moderate staying power. The nose is a mix of sweet candy Pils and corn; there are earthy hints of phenol pepperiness mixed with a perfume-y juicy Belgian yeast character and just a dash of Noble hop bitterness lingering in the background. Flavors start dry and crackery, although there is a slight sweetness, almost like you left a saltine cracker on your tongue and the acid in your mouth started converting the starches to sugars. The middle is peppery phenols and light hop bitterness; there is also some slight scratchy graininess on the tongue as the beer heads towards the finish via the carbonation, and there is also a bit of the corn grittiness that sits on the back of the tongue in the finish along with the hop bitterness. While flavors are bright, there is some soft roundness in the mouthfeel of the beer itself even with the dryness and attenuation—that’s the flaked wheat and corn talking—specifically in the front, although the sharp, clean carbonation hides the softness. This is a good beer, albeit a bit rough on the palate. I’m guessing, though, that’s the “rustic” referred to on the label—it is a bit outside the “classic” vision of a saison invoked by the likes of Saison Dupont, Fantôme, or even Ommegang Hennepin, but it is certainly in line with the burgeoning American farmhouse saison that is all the rage with the kids these days. Still, approachable and very drinkable, even with the poorly chosen verbiage to describe the brewery as a whole.

From the can: “Lomaland is an earthy, rustic Belgian-style farmhouse ale that’s both complex and quaffable. It smells like hay, pepper, and friendly sunshine. Its dry, cracker-like body and lightly-hoppy finish make it a beautiful compliment to food. We named Lomaland after the brilliantly crazy utopian community that was the first settlement built in Point Loma, the San Diego neighborhood where our Fermentorium is located.”

ABV: 5.5%
IBU: 30
FG: 1.006

(11/15/2013)

578. Prairie Funky Galaxy

So Prairie beers are now in Ohio. Which is good. I consider this beer the official fruits of my Kickstarter benevolence. After all, where do you think that sweet branded glass came from? You all know I ain’t the “finding-and-purchasing-fancy-beer-glasses” type. But should a brewery decide to send one along to me along with a sweet t-shirt, well, I’ll happily make use of both. I almost forgot about the glass, actually, hence the two different glasses in the pictures. Yes, I used two glasses. Which is all just another way of pointing out how classy an operation we run around these parts. Our previous Prairie beer, Prairie Hop, was the inspiration for my aforementioned benevolence.

Described on the label as “a Galaxy hopped black Farmhouse ale,” Funky Galaxy pours a roasty dark chocolate with a cocoa-colored head that has solid retention and re-rouses easily. The nose is musty earth, citrus, and hay, with the citrus and roast malt combining into a tart, overly-ripe tropical citrus aroma that reminds me of the aroma of paw paws—with its alkaline and cocoa hints—although without the more intense tropical papaya and mango components to it. I find the nose actually quite beguiling. Maybe what I am circling around here is the passion fruit everyone speaks so highly of; having never tried passion fruit, however, I have no clue. Flavors open with a chocolate roasty sourness that tastes equal parts yeast- and malt-derived before heading into citrus and grassiness in the middle. There is also a slight vinous character, along with some bitterness, leading into cocoa and mineral bite that prefaces the finish, which offers a good healthy return of the tart, over-ripe citrus. As the citrus fades, chocolate, roast, and bitterness linger on the back of the throat. The body is medium—it is a bit heavier than I thought it would be—although the carbonation is bright and clean; there is some residual chalkiness and grittiness on the tongue from the dark malts, although the finish of the beer (not the flavors) is surprisingly clean. I do keep coming back to the nose of the beer as I drink it; I do like the beer, but the nose really stands out—the aromas hint at a sourness and acidity not found in the flavor profile. Which leads to my one criticism of the beer: I think it needs to increase the tartness/acidity/sourness in the body, either via an increased percentage of acidulated malt in the mash or through selectively augmenting fermentation with a Brettanomyces strain intended to accentuate the tartness of the beer. The snap provided by either would help pull flavors together—it would bring the body more in line with the current nose while maintaining the subtle balance between malt and hops. Still, an enjoyable beer. Here’s to Prairie being in Ohio!

From the Prairie website: “Funky Galaxy is a black ‘farmhouse ale brewed with 3 lbs. per barrel Galaxy hops. The beer is conditioned with 2 brett strains and wine yeast.”

ABV: 8.0%

(11/7/2013)

572. Hopfenstark Station 55 Saison

Quebecoise beer is in the house. And drinking this beer out of a Unibroue glass should get me some solid street cred. After all, how often do I get to think about two different Quebec breweries in one evening? While I can’t speak for this guy, for me the answer is not nearly enough. Hopfenstark is located in L’Assomption, Quebec; this is our first beer from them, and only our fourth from Canada, which seems, well, almost a crime itself. Please forgive us.

Station 55 pours a hazy golden straw with a thin but persistent white head that laces the glass nicely. In the nose there is a juicy citrus mixed with a mineral bitterness; the front is floral and orange, followed by hints of earthy mustiness. Flavors match the nose—there is a soft delicate hint of candy from the Pilsner malt in the front before the hop bitterness takes over, accompanied by orange and lemon zest in the middle. As the citrus fades, a mineral bitterness comes to the forefront, ending clean with a pleasant lingering bitterness. The body is dry with a touch of doughy malt, with the dryness exacerbated by the hop bitterness; coupled with the spritzy carbonation, the beer is light and lively on the palate. The bitterness might be a bit much for the style—at least from a more traditional perspective—but it suits my vision of a saison perfectly. Thus, while this is from Quebec, I’m pretty much going to point to a larger North American craft beer influence and call it good. After all, as it says on the label, “Hopfenstark brews beers of diverse origin and adapts them to a contemporary society that is open and has a thirst for discovery.” Which is the most Quebecoise come American comment I’ve ever heard—I think Hopefenstark is channeling a poor man’s Greg Koch here. Regardless, this is a solid saison, and we’ll be checking out more of Hopfenstark’s beers in the near future. 

From the bottle: “Belgian-style Saison: slightly bitter and dry pale beer with citrusy hops aroma and typical Belgian saison yeast ester.”

From the Hopfenstark website: “La Saison Station 55 est une bière rousse à l'aspect voilée, au goût prononcé de malt, d'épices et de houblons qui rappellent les agrumes doublé d'une amertume en finale. La 55 se veut un hybride entre une bière belge de terroir et une IPA de type américaine. Elle s'incrit dans le renouveau brassicole en Belgique.”

ABV: 7.0%

(9/18/2013)

570. Crooked Stave Surette Provision Saison

We finally got our hands on some Crooked Stave beers: we tried Vieille on Sunday, and tonight is Surette. Chad Yakobson is the current poster-child for Brettanomyces brewing, so why the hell wouldn’t I be excited? If you’d like to get all old-school, feel free to check out the Brettanomyces Project as well. Colorado never tasted so good!

Surette pours a hazy yellowish tan accompanied by a thin white head that reduces quickly to a ring with several wispy islands; the nose is bright and sharp, with soft oak and a slight smoky adhesive phenol tang along with musty earth and citrus. Flavors start with doughy malt and citrus, progressing into a tannic oak bite with lemon in the middle, and running into some slight dirty band-aid flavors ala a Flanders Red in the finish, including the dark fruit and slightly vinous character of those beers. The combination of earth and lemon-y citrus found in the nose continues in the body, both in the front and the finish, while the mouthfeel is rounded and bright. I appreciate the creamy and yet bright sensations on the palate—a combination created by the carbonation, oak, and yeast—precisely because of the body it gives the beer while still allowing the flavors to sing. The beer also improves as it warms, blending delicately together across the profile. Surette has alluring and interesting flavors, and comes across cleaner than one might expect—it certainly points to the exciting possibilities of Brettanomyces-only fermentation. I did like Vieille more than Surette, but we will certainly be seeking out both again, as well as any other Crooked Stave beers we can find.

From the bottle: “Surette is a provision Saison with a tart and vinous character from extended barrel age.”

From the Crooked Stave website: “Wood Aged Farmhouse Ale brewed with Malted Barley, Wheat, Oats, Rye and Spelt. This beer is a recreation of early 20th century farmhouse provision ales. Surette was fermented and aged in our large oak foeder with Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus naturally present. The secondary fermentation with these critters creates complex aromas and a slight tartness.”

ABV: 6.2% 

(8/20/2013)

562. Victory Swing

A session saison made for easy, enjoyable drinking? I think I’ve got some of that summer love thing going on for Victory right now. Or, as Art puts it in Justified, I’ve got a little bit of a “marshal stiffy” for Victory Swing. I know, I know. But that was a joke that needed making. Scarred or not, you’ll live. Previously from Victory: Saison du Buff Trifecta, Summer Love, Headwaters Pale Ale, Yakima Twilight (now Yakima Glory), plus Prima Pils, Baltic Thunder, HopDevil, and WildDevil.

Swing pours a faint, slightly hazy straw with a meringue-like white head that carries solid staying power and laces the glass in nice rings. The beer is active in the glass—lots of small tight bubbles streaming up the inside of the glass, making for a pretty visual. Aromas open with cracker mixed with hints of Pilsner malt sweetness; there are floral and citrus fruit yeast esters that smell similar to 3711, although I am not completely convinced that this actually is 3711. As well, I get a touch of lurking hop bitterness accompanied by the light mineral mintiness I find in Styrian Goldings. All in all, a complex, delicate, and entrancing aromatic performance. Flavors follow suit and are equally engaging, starting with cracker malt, floral esters, and a lemon-y mintiness in the front; the clean mineral bitterness comes to the forefront in the middle: light, bright, and clean into the finish. The body is light and dry while the carbonation is bright and lively; it cleans the palate and sets up the gentle mineral bitterness and slight pepper bite of the finish. There is also a slight creaminess in the mouthfeel that suggests oats or another similar adjunct to build some residual body to help compensate for the attenuative yeast; while I do love a dry saison, here the contribution balances the beer on the tongue by helping round and transition between the different elements of the beer: the dry cracker body, the mineral bitterness, and the bright carbonation. And this is a damn fine beer for this kind of attention to detail. While it does lose a bit of its snap as the carbonation bleeds off in the last couple of sips, it is an excellent example of the fluidity and possibility of saison as a style. And as a session beer, this beer rocks as well—it is another example of American craft brewing expanding the palates of craft beer drinkers beyond the “bigger is better” mantra that currently holds sway in several circles. So thank you, Victory, for the beer. And for the hope. Craft brewing needs more beers like this.

From the bottle: “Swing. It’s a lively jazz rhythm, a vigorous
sway, a change of view or even a roll in the proverbial hay. Now, it also means the welcome jolt of joy you’ll experience upon your first sip of this session saison. Bracing but benign, this Belgian-style ale enlivens any experience with a spicy, aromatic start, citrus snap and fresh finish. Swing into spring with taste!”

ABV: 4.5%

(4/23/13)

559. Prairie Prairie Hop

So a couple of firsts today: our first beer from Prairie Artisan Ales, and our first beer from Oklahoma. Brothers Chase and Colin Healey are the two behind Prairie, and their focus on saisons and barrel aging is, well, right up my alley. As well, this beer has cute mices on the label. Which we both like. These cute mices are distinctly unlike the bad mices currently infesting our garage. Because, as you can see on the label, these cute mices are staying outdoors where they belong, and not chewing off the shoulder straps on our backpacks to get salt and otherwise cover our camping gear with mouse feces. Those bad mices need to get kicked to the curb.

Described on the label as a “dry hopped Belgian-style ale,” Prairie Hop pours a crystal clear gold and features a thin but persistent white head that re-rouses very easily. It does offer a touch of lacing, that, while technically Belgian, is too limited to accord it that designation. The dry hops are evident in the nose—they are dry, earthy, and lightly spicy—as is the sweet candy malt. There are also floral, fruity, and perfume-y aspects we would connect to the yeast, although they could potentially be hop derived as well. Behind all of this there is slight musty pepperiness that is quite beguiling; it took a fair amount of time to sort this out from the rest of the aromatics. As it warms, some lemon and light pine emerges as well. Flavors start sweet, with candy malt coupled with pepper-y and spicy hop flavor; in the middle, there are floral and fruits flavors—lemon and pear—along with spice and pine from the hops, as well as a decent dose of bitterness. The finish is dry with biscuit malt and a floral pear evergreen that sits on the tongue, along with some lingering bitterness and alcohol flavor. The mouthfeel is dry and cracker-y, with the carbonation providing some bright spritziness, although this doesn’t mask all of the alcohol warmth that is present in the beer. The body contains paradoxical features; while certainly dry and well-attenuated, there is also a residual sweetness (flavor, not mouthfeel) that is present—a bit too present, to be honest. The dryness is well-done, but the remaining sweetness stands out—it gets in the way of the other more delicate flavors. Still, this is an interesting and enjoyable beer, it just feels not fully formed as it stands: it needs to cut the residual sweetness and either lower the ABV to lessen the alcohol warmth, or ferment the beer at a lower temperature. The concept here, though, is solid—it reminds me of something I might make. As well, this beer does a lot of things right. The ephemeral subtle nuance created by the combination of yeast and hops is a big strength; the combination offers flavors that are delicious and that flow seamlessly together—an intangible certainly worth noting in this beer. Nice job, Prairie. This is what an American saison should be. American-hopped saison? Don’t mind if I do! We do look forward to trying more from this brewery. When that will be, however, is an entirely another matter. You guys coming to Ohio soon?

From the Prairie Facebook page: “Prairie Hop - 7% Saison dry-hopped with Citra and Galaxy hops.”

ABV: 7.0%

(2/14/2013)

557. Cigar City Cucumber Saison

So the De Ranke was our opening salvo in an evening of indulgence. Next up: Cigar City’s Cucumber Saison. We’ve seen Cigar City before—often provided by Jeff Fortney—and this evening was no exception. This is our fourth reported beer from Cigar City (plus a visit to the brewery!), including Marrón Acidifié (the collaboration with the Bruery), Guava Grove, and José Martí American Porter. All in all, fine, fine beers. Like this one.

Cucumber Saison pours a pale hazy straw with a thin white head; the nose is—as one would both hope and expect with a beer carrying this name—cucumber front and center. As the beer opens up, it moves from fresh-cut cucumber towards pickle, although it never quite gets fully there. The skin character of the cucumber aroma continues to grow as the beer warms. Flavors open with a soft dough-y sweetness that gives way quickly to the cucumber along with an almost vegetable peppery spiciness. The cucumber continues throughout, with flavors moving towards pickle—like in the nose. There is a slight touch of bitterness in the finish, but it is restrained, allowing the cucumber to remain the dominant flavor. The mouthfeel is chewy but the body is well attenuated, creating a bright, clean, crisp and refreshing beer. I can see how many would balk at the idea of this beer, but, well, those people are wrong. Dead wrong. This beer is awesome, and would go fantastically with food—grilled summer food, specifically. Here’s to Cigar City for pushing the envelope on craft beer in interesting and productive ways. Kudos to Wayne and company. 

From the bottle: “The humble gherkin. Usually we encounter this unassuming green fruit pickled or sliced and flung atop a salad. But the cucumber has so much more to offer us. It is a remarkably refreshing gourd with the power to cool a dry tongue and when just two sliced wheels are placed atop the eyes of a lounging lass in a stock ad for the spa the mystical cucumber has the magical ability to justify obscene spa service fees. Truly an amazing botanical gift to the world! We chose to employ the cucumber in a low gravity Saison to create a refreshing seasonal ale redolent with notes of honey, tropical fruit, lemon bitterness and of course cucumber. Brewed as a survival tool for the Florida Summer, this cucumber creation features Citra and Sorachi Ace hops. So put some cucumber wheels on your eyes, lean back, relax and enjoy. Ahhhhhh.”

ABV: 6.0%

(2/13/2012)

543. Epic Utah Sage Saison

Another beer from Epic, mainly because this is a saison, and, well, I’m a sucker for saisons. Our last Epic beer was Brainless on Cherries, which was enjoyable (and better in the bottle), but some of the others we’ve had along the way have not been as enjoyable. Still, this is a saison, so it is time to roll the dice.

Utah Sage pours a lightly hazy hay with a thin white head; the nose is redolent with herbal sage aromas accompanied by yeast esters and phenols and a touch of mint. The beer starts dry with a touch of candy sweetness and yeast fruitiness, giving way to hints of sage and a mineral bite in the middle, followed by honey and mint in the finish with a combination of a dry mineral tang and a bright, almost citrus-y herbal zing lingering on the back of the mouth. The beer is well attenuated, often a problem with other American saisons (so that is a plus mark for Epic), and there is a touch of alcohol warmth in the finish, although nothing overbearing. The yeast character is certainly Belgian, although it might not be the best fit for a saison, and it could use a bit more hop bitterness, although I am guessing this is a product of not wanting to step too heavily on the delicate sage and herb flavors. The sage in the nose is the strength of this beer; the flavor is good in the body, but could use just a touch more, although collectively the flavors are in balance across the beer profile. This beer is better than I thought it was going to be; the herbal sage character in the nose is delicious, and continues to delight over the course of the beer (I know the description below says rosemary, but there is not really any apparent here). And this beer cost $6.99 for the 22 oz. bottle, which makes it a delicious bargain as well. I might have to change my mind about Epic if they keep producing beers like this.

From the Epic website: “This seasonal Saison is brewed with fresh herbs. The first whiff is that of a festive array of rosemary, thyme with a dominating profile leaning towards sage. This beautifully crafted farmhouse style Belgian beer is warm with herbal notes and backed with earthy hops.”

ABV: 7.6%
Release #3
Malt: Weyermann Pilsner, Muntons Maris Otter, Briess 2-Row Brewers Malt and Rye malt, Muntons Wheat Malt, and Briess Pregelatinized Barley Flakes
Hops: Centeenial, Amarillo, Calypso
Herbs: fresh sage, thyme, and rosemary
Brewed: January 30, 2012
Bottled: March 30, 2012

(11/21/12)