Belgian Saison
Cally's Restaurant and Brewing Co.

First time I have seen this beer on tap this year at Cally’s. A nice change and a style that is often neglected by brew pubs and breweries alike. I think that this is a good representation of the style.

Looks nice; frothy thick head, produces nice ringing lacing, and sits atop a wonderfully turbid honey bronze beer.

The nose has a lot of yeasty phenols with some earthy notes and no discernable fruit aroma. The phenolic character is a little overpowering.

The flavor is much the same, with the phenolicness masking most other flavors. However, there is a nice earthiness and tartness that are well balanced and complementary. Again not much fruitiness or spice are discernable. There is a little sweetness in the front, but the finish is dry.

The mouthfeel is fitting to the style and taste, lightly carbonated and slightly thick.

The drinkability is fair as the low carbonation and overall pleasant flavor combine to give a sessionable beer. However, the phenolicness could get to be too much after two beers, glad I am splitting this growler with my wife.

Served from a 2 L growler. It pours much darker than expected - a murky, rusty mahogany color that is so opaque it's impossible to see through, and it's topped with a creamy 2 finger head that is pretty appealing. Smell is a nondescript Belgian - spiciness, fruits, and a spicy yeast. The taste is the same with bananas, some phenols, and leafy/spicy hops, on top of a medium to thick body that is pretty smooth. Overall it's good, but not sure if I'd call it a saison. It looks, smells, and tastes more like a dubblel, as it lacks the funky/musty aromas usually associated with the style. The beer is better than my marks would imply, but I'm judging it as the brewery labelled it - if it were labelled dubbel or simply Belgian I probably would have given it a higher score. I will, however, go get another growler before it's gone.