Saison Fleurs Sauvages
Brasserie Dunham

a but of edge and tart grisette like,aroma is wild. Slightly edgy and great drinker. Very good saison.On tap at Vices & Versa. Good drinker. Very good saison.

 

possibly my favorite beer from our visit to dunham, a saison brewed with local wildflowers and honey. apparently elderflowers and raspberry flowers, among others, are used in here, and this seems far more flower forward than any other beer i have had before with similar use of flowers. for one, they add a wonderful fresh bitterness to this beer, softer than hops would be, and earlier on than hops would normally set in. delicate in a way, but also to the point. they also add a cool springtime sort of flavor complexion, blooming and full of life, and its amazing with the rustic natural tasting saison yeast in here, which plays well with that floral character and brings some light spice and orchard fruit notes to the mix, a sensational complexity here but in an extraordinarily easy drinking beer. there is a brightness like no other here that is to be championed, and this is an excellent taste of the terroir of this cool little rural town. the grains are mild but interesting in here just like the yeast, and the flowers are allowed to really stand out. the honey gives it a little sweetness and even a light citrus note, as well as some body. just a beautiful beer, surprised it hasnt gotten more attention from the beer nerds, this is as compelling as just about anything out there right now...

 

 

 

 

500ml bottle, part of a swath of new Dunham brews to hit the Alberta market of late.

This beer pours a clear, very pale golden yellow colour, with three fat-ass fingers of puffy, finely foamy, and somewhat creamy bone-white head, which leaves some Swiss cheese profile lace around the glass as it lazily recedes.

It smells of grainy and crackery pale malt, a lesser edgy wheatiness, earthy yeast, a touch of underripe apple and pear fruitiness, and some tame leafy, grassy, and floral green hop bitters. The taste is gritty and grainy wheaten malt, a swip-swapped pale malt graininess, subtle clover honey, tamely phenolic yeast, understated estery pome and vinous fruit notes, and a growing floral hop bitterness.

The carbonation is quite active in its fizzy and frothy alternations, the body a decent medium weight, and generally smooth, with the inherent yeastiness perhaps not playing as nicely as it might. It finishes trending dry, the honey having bled out, and the base saison shoring up its typical platitudes.

Overall, this is a rather well-rendered version of the style, with a few peppy adjuncts to consider. At any rate, pleasant enough to put back, and a swift reminder of the rapidly fading warmth of the current year - drink heartily of this, mes amis!

Golden beer a little bit cloudy with a thin white head.

I mostly smell the honey. A little bit of elderflower but not much.

Interesting taste, the arome doesn't give it justice. It's more floral, a little bit of fruitiness and the honey bring a nice sweetness. It's really refreshibg also.

Good mouthfeel.

Service: Bottle


A:
hazy dark yellow with a tight cap of one finger, white film in the end. Barely any lacing; meh retention. (3.75)

S:
Earthy, floral and almost vegetal at first. As it warms there is a sweet flowery/doughy yeast character right up front with caramel and honey underneath it all. (4)

T:
Tea-like and fairly earthy/floral sweetness with a faint tartness, pez, pollen and a generally dry finish. (3.75)

M:
Medium-light body, tiny active bubbles, lightly tart, dry finish, drinkable. (4)

O:
Pretty tasty beer.
Definitely let this one warm up! It isn't much to look at but the aromas gets more and more floral. Smells like a hay field in August after a while. The flavor is similar, but the yeast and malt comes through more and between them and the honey it is a little too doughy for me. Not bad at all, though. Interesting gimmick, dry and drinkable. Very aromatic. Would have again. (4)

 

Pale golden colour, ring of white head and some lace. Smell is yeasty with a light tangy funk, just a suggestion of oak with a light vinous and grape quality, subtle spice, fairly clean. Taste is spicy and fairly clean by the numbers saison, fruity with lemon and apple skin, drying with fruit and spice in the finish. Medium prickly carbonation, medium body. Nice, quite pleasant and flavourful.

Bottle: Poured a clear bright light yellow color ale with a nice large pure white foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of floral cereal notes with floral honey notes is delicate but enticing. Taste is also a mix of floral honey notes with some clean cereal notes with subtle floral undertones. Body is light with good carbonation. Very subtle beer and can’t say that the actual flowers played a big role but very good nonetheless.