Anniversary Ale Saison
Mendocino Brewing Company

 

 

Pours two fingers of head on a clear dark straw body.
The aroma is balanced orange peel, lemon zest, apricot and very floral.
The taste is mild sweet and bitterness with a fruit finish.
The texture is fizzy and light.
Nice and balanced.

Pours a murky orange with a foamy bone head that settles to a partial film on top of the beer. Thick swaths of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of grain, citrus peel, spice, and yeast aromas. Taste is much the same with chalk, medicinal, earth, spice, and yeast flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of spice and earth bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is an above average beer with solid aromas, but the flavors are a bit too medicinal and chalky for my liking.

Serving type: bottle.

Big froth poured into the Duvel Green tulip. White foam on the nearly clear amber brew. Moderately spritzy and a little tart on the tongue.

Light and bright with just enough Belgian grit. Some green melon and a hint of coriander. The usual dry finish with a little fruit on the lips. Bold and almost winey with lemon flavors.

Tastes like a bigger and boozier Witbier, with the citrusy tang and something like a wheat taste. A relative bargain in the Saison style. From the 22 oz bottle purchased at Trader Joes in San Diego.

 

 

 

Type: 22-oz. bottle
Glass: Trappist Westveteren XII Trappist glass
From: Trader Joe’s in La Mesa (San Diego), Calif.
Price: $3.99
Purchased: Feb. 5, 2015
Consumed: Feb. 16, 2015
Misc.: N/A

Poured a golden, pale, mostly clear color with two fingers of white, rocky head. Lots of bubbly streams coming up from different parts of the bottom of the glass. Below average spotty lacing on the sides of the glass. Average retention. (Sight - 3.75)

Smelled cloves, ginger, green apple, green grapes, coriander, caramel, honey, melon, banana and some Belgian spices. (Smell - 3.75)

Tasted a lot like the smell. Got sour fruit in green apple, green grapes and melon rind up front. Then got honey, caramel, light banana, lime zest, grassy notes, wheat and some Belgian peppery spices. Slight tropical notes in there as well. Does not taste like 7 pct. ABV. (Taste - 3.75)

Light body. Thin-to-oily texture. Average-to-lively carbonation. Longer finish. (Feel - 3.75)

Really liked this Saison. Would have it again for sure. Great value for $3.99. (Overall - 3.75)

3.75 | 85 | B+

 

 

 

Appearance: Straw colored with a huge head of foam and good lacing. A lot of visible carbonation.

Smell: Banana, grain, spice, citrus.

Taste: Banana, grain, yeast, citrus, and spice.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, crisp, and zesty. A bit of banana, yeast, and pepper in the finish.

The Verdict: Pretty good. Well balanced with an herbal zing that builds as it warms. More flavor than I expected.

Appearance: Slightly opaque with a foamy and large white head. decent retention with nice lacing. Tiny spotted yeast floats around.

Nose: Green bell pepper, banana, kiwi, and some lime. Palate cleansing coriander and star anise come in at the end.

Taste: Crisp and well balanced. Lots of banana and banana nut bread throughout, zesty yeast, with some lime and lemon, crisp coriander. A tight herbal taste which goes into a malt & cracker finish.