Wayan
Birra Baladin

WayanWayan
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From:
Birra Baladin
 
Italy
Style:
Saison
Ranked #624
ABV:
5.8%
Score:
85
Ranked #20,906
Avg:
3.77 | pDev: 9.81%
Reviews:
58
Ratings:
134
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 04, 2023
Added:
Jan 14, 2003
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  11
his is how we make... Saison

This deep yellow, slightly hazy saison has a fine, persistent head with a beautiful light cream color. The very complex scents immediately evoke flower fields and make you gently land on a sea of thyme and rosemary.

As soon as the beer warms up, the vegetal scents evolve into a wonderful floral bouquet, which finishes with clear notes of ground pepper. When sipped, it releases an allegory of tastes: from sweet malt to citrusy flavors and brighter notes of spices and fresh pepper, which make you want to take a second, pleasant sip, and a third, and a fourth...

Ingredients: Water, barley malt, spelt, wheat malt, wheat, rye, hops, mix of spices, citrus zest and aromatic herbs in variable proportions, sugar, yeast.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Patrick999:
Photo of Patrick999
Reviewed by Patrick999 from Florida

3.93/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured into a Duvel tulip a nice gold, though not a lot of head for a saison. Lacing was decent.

I want more out of this nose. There's something going on there, but it's so very mild. I can't pick anything out other than some mild, pedestrian yeasty farmhouse aromas.

The taste is not so mild. Clean, typical lemon-y, yeast-y saison taste up front. After that, however - there's something I think I've only tasted in a beer once before...I don't claim to know exactly what this spice is that I'm tasting, but I suspect it's saffron, and a good bit of it...I say this because once I get past the initial lemon, it kinda tastes like a less sweet DFH Midas Touch, which does feature saffron. In that beer the saffron is mild, but here, if it is indeed saffron, it is fairly bold and perfume-y tasting, if that makes any sense. I really like it, but I doubt this will be a crowd-pleaser across the board. You'll either go for it in a big way, or find it disgusting.

Mouthfeel is nice - carbonation is there but doesn't feel overbearing. Slight perceived stickiness.

Very refreshing, but that mystery spice might grate on some, limiting drinkability. Even though I like it, one bottle at a time is enough for me.
Nov 02, 2007
More User Ratings:
Photo of beergoot
Reviewed by beergoot from Colorado

3.57/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Pale gold body, clear; thin, wispy head that fades to light circles in side the glass. Very low-key and indistinct smell overall; some delicate malt with spices and herbs. Light bread crust malt flavor; subdued spiciness and zesty notes offsetting the mild malt. Medium-light body; semi-sweet feel.

A rather so-so beer without much distinctive character. Some of the flavor and mouthfeel improves with the beer warming.

Pouring temperature: n/a; bottling info: 099/220-5
Source: Mountainara (restaurant in Woodland Park)
Jan 04, 2023
Photo of GreesyFizeek
Reviewed by GreesyFizeek from New York

4.2/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
This one pours a clear golden orange color, with a small head, and lots of lacing.

This smells like floral and honey-like sweetness, clove, citrus, hay, and pear.

This is quite nice, with a very floral but pleasantly sweet flavor, a touch of citrusy fruitiness, some clove, honey, and biscuity malt.

This is light bodied, super drinkable, with a smooth floral-heavy finish.

Baladin is probably my favorite Italian brewery – they make such a nice wide variety of beers.
Nov 15, 2022
Photo of kiya
Rated by kiya from California

4.09/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Balanced and great with a good Neopolitan pizza.
Mar 12, 2022
 
Rated: 3.79 by Dentist666 from Russian Federation

Sep 02, 2021
Photo of Sigmund
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway

3.55/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Rerate, 330 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 5.8%. Pale yellow colour, slightly hazy. Small white head of poor retention. Aroma of spicy saison yeast, also citrus rind and various spices. Citric mouthfeel, light bodied. The flavour has citrus and various spices. Nice to drink. A slight spicy burn in the aftertaste. Original rating: 750 ml corked and waxed bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. Probably 2 y.o. when consumed. ABV is 5.8%. Golden colour, lightly hazy. White head goes rapidly from moderate to none. Aroma of saison yeast, but also less pleasant notes of over-ripe and decaying fruits, moldy wet grain, compost and solvent. Fairly refreshing flavour, medium dry, a little fruit, not very complex but nice enough to drink. Less spicy than expected. Might sample again from a fresher bottle, hopefully the aroma will be better then.
Jan 08, 2021
Photo of Alexc11
Reviewed by Alexc11 from Canada (QC)

3.87/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours hazy gold colour. Thin head that recedes. Light citrus and spice flavours. Coriander included. Low carbonation and little bitterness. Solid beer.
Mar 04, 2020
Photo of Beginner2
Reviewed by Beginner2 from Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
Bottle At Eataly Birreria, so you’d think it would be fresher. (The last year there were two BA reviews was 2017.) At any rate, my bottle was flat. Saisons need to have foam and bubbles to scrub the palate. The ale has aroma (mostly malt, some lemon) and the flavor follows, perhaps adding apple/pear for refreshment. Fell is flat. Wayan would pair OK with many foods; but it would not make them better... which is my test of a good saison.

I am sorry to give this such a poor rating; given how Balladin was such a pioneer among Italy’s crafters.
Jan 20, 2020
 
Rated: 3.59 by groleau from Canada (QC)

Jan 01, 2020
 
Rated: 3.75 by Stengelfoot from California

Jul 07, 2019
 
Rated: 4.16 by Commandophile from Illinois

Jun 21, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by paulish from New York

May 07, 2019
 
Rated: 3.41 by Latarnik from New Jersey

Apr 19, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by ajdemma from New York

Apr 06, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by FLBeerGuy from Florida

Oct 05, 2018
Photo of Smakawhat
Reviewed by Smakawhat from Maryland

4/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from the bottle into a tulip nonic pint glass.

Bright opaque lemon shiny body color, with nice match of thin carbonation. Creamy slightly fleeting head, not terribly with a good thin puck.

Nice aroma. Herbal sage and rosemary qualities. Slightly touching lemon soda gaseous character, but with a nice chewy malt presence.

Clean tasting with a good fruit quality. Large peach to apricot mid palate. Finishes even a little tropical pineapple in flavor also. Light bodied but with good simple malt depth, even a touch of playful carbonation and less gaseous tasting than the nose suggests.

Good solid saison.
Sep 14, 2018
 
Rated: 3.99 by Dizzy242 from Massachusetts

Sep 06, 2018
 
Rated: 3.89 by Kurmaraja from California

May 25, 2018
 
Rated: 3.34 by heerboth from Pennsylvania

May 19, 2018
 
Rated: 3.56 by Summerteeth from Massachusetts

Apr 20, 2018
Wayan from Birra Baladin
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 134 ratings