Springtime is almost here, so I figured I’d review one of my favorite spring styles of beer: the saison. Bursting at the seams with fruit and spice, a good saison is an excellent companion to the budding growth of spring’s beauty. Yet its dry bitterness and higher-than-average alcohol content is guaranteed to match any lingering chill in the air. It also happens to pair excellently with one of my favorite foods: sushi!

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‘SAISON DUPONT’ – DUPONT – Saison – 6.50% ABV (Eye Choir’s Choice)

Appearance: Poured a strikingly pale straw gold with a two finger, faintly straw colored head. There is a little bit of particulate matter (but no haze) and a lot of carbonation. 5/5

Smell: Very fruity, with notes of citrus (especially lemon), pear, and banana. Has peppery phenolic yeasty notes as well as a more earthy, funky, hay-like aroma that the grassy hops contribute to, on top of a very mild cracker-like malt. 4/5

Taste: Very dry, with a moderate to light bitterness which brings up a depth of floral and herbal hops, alongside a moderate tartness which highlights the fruits. The malt is much deeper in the taste, being very much like whole grain bread. 4.5/5

Mouthfeel: Very light bodied, coupled with a strong carbonation and sharp tartness which makes it very refreshing. Very clean finish which has a somewhat palate-cleansing effect. Virtually no alcoholic heat. 5/5

Overall: Intricate flavors which are very well paired with a body which practically defines the beer. Definitely light and easy to drink, but nonetheless powerful. 4.5/5

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‘RED BARN ALE’ – LOST ABBEY – Saison – 6.70% ABV

Appearance: Poured a slightly to moderately hazy bright golden-yellow with a three finger, off-white rocky head. A moderate amount of carbonation can be seen. 3.5/5

Smell: Begins with a strong spices including chai tea, black pepper, and medicinal phenols, which go alongside with some moderate grassy hop aromas, sharp earthy yeast aromas, and a touch of solventy alcohols. There is a background of biscuit dough malt as well as some very mild orange peel and bubblegum fruit notes. 4/5

Taste: Hardly even a touch of sweetness, though the fruit flavors are already subdued enough as it is. A moderate tartness kicks off the raw wheat and sourdough qualities of the malt as well as the pungent spices in combination of funky barnyard yeast and floral, almost ginger-like notes that lead into a mild to moderate (though somewhat short) finish. Interesting, but it feels a little unbalanced without the fruit profile. 3/5

Mouthfeel: Light bodied with generous carbonation leading to a crisp mouthfeel. Yet, the mild to moderate alcoholic heat is a little harsh, though this does accentuate the powerful dryness which highlights the funk in this beer so well. 3.5/5

Overall: Has a well-crafted array of spices which coalesce well with the yeast flavors, but in total seems a little unbalanced without pronounced fruit or hop flavors. Just a little bit more sweetness or maybe dry hopping could improve this beer. 3.5/5

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‘COLETTE’ – GREAT DIVIDE – Saison – 7.30% ABV

Appearance: Poured a somewhat pale gold with a one finger, off-white head. There is a large amount of very fine sediment, but a little carbonation is still visible. 4/5

Smell: Dominant aroma is of chalky, barnyard yeast funk, with a smattering of peppery spiciness. There are also light fruit aromas, such as orange, lime, banana, and bubblegum which are balanced by a deceptively strong flour-like wheat malt. 4.5/5

Taste: Surprising light to moderate sweetness and moderate tartness sketch out the details of the fruit palate, with a slight boozy bitterness which glides into an off-dry finish which amplifies the earthiness of the yeast. The flavors are very intricate, but at times the aesthetic is too centered around sweet fruit and malt combination. 3.5/5

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a smooth, slightly syrupy mouthfeel that is still light enough to remain somewhat quaffable. The carbonation helps intensify the tartness, and there is also a mild to moderate alcoholic heat which strengthens the dryness of the finish. 4/5

Overall: Reasonably balanced even though it goes off track from typical saison characteristics at times. The subtle complexity of the yeast and fruit aromas are impressive enough to end up doing the style justice though. 4/5

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‘SORACHI ACE’ – BROOKLYN – Saison – 7.60% ABV

Appearance: Poured a golden straw color with a three finger, bright white head. The first pour contains not even a hint of haziness, which readily allows some moderate carbonation to be seen (though later pours eventually develop a moderate fine haziness). 4.5/5

Smell: Predominate fruit flavors including an intense candied lemon aroma from the sorachi ace hops, as well as some bubblegum and pear aromas. There is also a milder yeast funk with notes of pepper, coriander, and earthy dried lemongrass, as well as some further floral and tea-like herbal flavors from the hops. In comparison the malt flavor is nearly absent. 5/5

Taste: Starts with a very mild honey malt sweetness which quickly fades into the characteristic dry finish of saison, where the perfumey lavender, tea, and lemongrass come together with a mild to moderate tartness. Could stand to have a more robust malt character to balance the flighty fruit and flower aromatics. 3.5/5

Mouthfeel: Light bodied, with a distinctly slippery or watery mouthfeel that further accentuates the refreshingly easy drink. This is contrasted with a slight alcoholic heat, and a moderate carbonation that bleeds into a very long finish, which both manage to pair surprisingly well with the rest of the beer. 4/5

Overall: Absolutely amazing use of sorachi ace hops, which bring a large number of curious flavor combinations to this beer. Almost a little too light and is lacking sorely in the malt department, but as a result this beer is not only marvellously strange but an easy drink to boot! 4/5