S8zon - Beer Camp #2
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

 

currently on tap at falling rock as a leftover from their anniversary party. i think they may have brewed it again for the occasion, but i do now know for sure. a worthy beer, probably ahead of its time a little bit when it first came out, but now something rather commonplace. its a crystal clear beer, deep golden to brass in color with a gorgeous white head that hangs around the whole time, real nice to look at. the yeast seems real mild for a saison strain, loosely belgian with some orchard fruitiness to it, but no funk or rustic elements, and seems overly clean for what i like in the style. the grain bill is also sort of straightforward, a little toasted sweetness in here, a dash of honey, a fresh baked quality, and a drier finish than any of this had me suspecting, but its not as obviously wheat driven as most saisons, and its not particularly interesting. the beer has a little floral hop and bitterness to the finish which is a great element to introduce, and i like the beer a lot overall, but the category of saison in american brewing has evolved well beyond where this one is at by now, and it seems almost incomplete to me. super clean and delicate for its strength, and enjoyable glass of beer, and a fun little piece of beer history.

 

Not a bad attempt at a saison from this American brewer. Pours a cloudy yellow with a tan head. The nose has spicy yeasts, fruits and sweet malts. Taste is siilar. Not the most complex, but a good drinker. Medium body has a nice dry finish that keeps this light on the palate.

On tap @ FO2, in a 15oz teardrop.

-Owner Sang Yoon also a member of the collaborative "Great Eight" (the Sierra tap makes this title, not me)

-Poured a cloudy bronze, copper color with a slight tangerine glow to it. Soft 1 finger head which very quickly dissapated with little lacing/retention.

-Very soft on the nose. Wasps of the pepperiness to come, plain oranges, hints of creamy toffee notes.

-Front palate starts VERY soft with subtle fruit, light acidity, and white pepper. Finishes quite dry, with the pepper quickly receding mid to the back palate. Left me wanting more... not necessarily to drink, but just a little more oomph to the entire brew.

-Mouthfeel suprisingly creamy for a saison, due to undercarbonation.

-Definitely could be sessioned with, as its so soft. Light body and clean finish easily make it an all nighter.

-Overall? Not bad. Not great. Its a useful tool in transitioning people who are just entering the spicy/yeasty world with, say, Allagash White, into saisons.

Tap @ Toronado. Pours clear gold with a small white head. Crisp, floral aroma of peach and orange peel. Mirrored in the taste, but with more yeast and bubblegum, but not enough to overcome an underlying bitterness. Refreshing but not great. Hopefully, and despite this beer, this Sierra Nevada pilot program will take off.

On tap at the Falling Rock, apparently Chris Black was a part of brewing this beer. Nice orange color served in a pint glass(?). It smells like vinegar and weirdness. The taste is peppery, candy, really makes me think about what I am tasting. Very easy to drink. good beer but what else can you expect from Sierra Nevada.

On tap at Falling Rock tap house- apparently a collaboration of sorts (by pub owners) brewed on Sierra Nevada's 10 barrel pilot system.

Looks just like a saison should- slightly orangy with maybe a slight chill haze. Bright white head with a fine texture.

Smells strongly of coriander and orange peel. Almost wheat beer like in one regard, with some of the other spices coming though as the beer warmed up a bit.

Drinks with a pleasantly light body, a hint of sweetness, and a reasonably defined spice prescence. The coriander and pepper flavors are dominant, although not overwhelming as are the fruity esters from what I can only assume is the yeast. Maybe a hint of caramel in here as well. Very impressed overall, as this is not my favorite style, but I found myself very pleased with this pint.

Mouthfeel is great, being rather thick and gelatinous for what is otherwise a lighter gravity beer. Rather happy with this aspect of the beer as well.

After my pint was through, I had to go, but I wanted to get another one. I could drink this all night for various reasons, not the least important of which is the fact that it tastes great.

Get it if you can before it's gone.

Tried this on tap at Toronado SF. Great scent, good looking beer, flavor came up a little short. A bit sweet for a saison, I prefer drier saisons like Fantome and Dupont. Lots of fruit flavors, not enough earthiness for me. Still pretty good for a first try.