Rattlesnake Mountain Saison
Rattlesnake Mountain Brewing Company

 

I was served a pint glass from the tap at Kimo's Sports Bar in Richland, Washington. The menu indicated that the beer had an ABV of 5.4%. According to the bartender this is one of the bar's top sellers.

A: I was somewhat surprised when the bartender set the pint in front of me...I had expected a "classic" Belgium saison with its characteristic non-filtered blond appearance. What I saw looked more like an American Amber. The clear, almost copper body was topped by a moderate off-white head that showed decent retention but left little lacing.

S: It smelled of white sugars, light malts and cherries. There were also hints of grass and lemons.

T: There were distinct flavors of sweet lightly roasted malts, as well as grassy and citrusy hops. The taste of orange zest and coriander was present but not in qualities that would rescue the brew. There was a slightly tart back end. The flavors were thin and did not leave much of an impression.

M: It was a light-bodied, thin and dry brew. It had decent carbonation and finished dry.

D: Never again. This left me with a bad taste for Saisons. Fortunately I've had many others so my appreciation of this style will survive the Kimo's treatment.

I’ve never seen a more turbid, opaque saison. I later came to learn that such murkiness is characteristic of a number of Rattlesnake Mountain beers. But the color of this fall seasonal was of spiced pumpkin and its ruddiness was unusual in comparison to sunnier traditional varieties. Kimo’s serves it with an unwarranted wedge of orange whose appearance only serves to steal the aroma. Once removed, The Saison emits a wheated fragrance and showcases American wheat beer stylings.

What’s troubling is not that the flavor is off key, but that there is so little of it. Farmhouse elements are not to be found, causing me to question what yeast strain was used. The Saison doesn’t step forward to distinguish itself at any level; not as wheat beer, and certainly not as a saison. I oscillate between rating for style and for enjoyment. Here I find the enjoyment diminished for lack of adherence to style.

Served on-tap at Kimo's (the former Rattlesnake Mountain brewpub). From the info on the menu I gathered this is a fairly new seasonal beer. No info on the abv available either on the menu or from the bartender. Yes, it is called "The Saison," perhaps a play on "season" at this schizophrenic sportsbar/brewpub location.

This was a hazy, amber-orange color with a decent sized white head that left rings of foam in the pintglass occupied by the beer.

If this had been part of a blind tasting I would have sworn this was one of those mandarin hefes from Lang or Bert Grant (RIP). Very earthy scent like in a hefe with a big, bitter orange smell. There's also some coriander and, deep in the background, cloves. The bitter orange is the strongest component, however, coming off a little too brash in my opinion.

The taste is very like the smell, though the earthy, wheat-ey flavors are more subdued than in the smell. Bitter orange peel dominates the flavor of this beer, over and above the other spices mentioned above. It's not so unbalanced that it's unpleasant, but I think it could be improved by toning down the orange peel a little bit. If you like bitter, citrusy flavors, this might be your cup of tea.

Mouthfeel I suppose is about right for the style. Definitely a medium bodied beer.

A saison is an interesting, some might even say daring choice for a sportsbar/brewpub hybrid. Not a terribly compelling beer, however, so I won't be going out of my way for it again.