Saison Fume
Cascade Brewing / Raccoon Lodge & Brewpub

12oz teardrop glass
Enjoyed this on tap at the Portland, OR barrel room on 9/2/12

A: This one pours out a hazy light, orange color. I got a ring of bright white head. It leaves some nice lacing sheeting as you drink through it.

S: Smells is so interesting. It's just like the write up mentions. Its smells like a spiced Saison with campfire smoke underneath. Really different.

T: On the taste, it's pretty complex with some bitterness up front and the spice and smoke afterwards. The smoke sort of overpowers the normal Saison notes that I wish that I had more of. I guess it's just me not liking smoked beers that much.

M: It's medium bodied

Poured a hazy peach with a finger of bright white head. Big, spicy aroma with toast, clove, nutmeg, and burning hay.

Moderate carbonation and a light, lively mouthfeel. Smoke and nutmeg up front (almost tastes like curry) with orange, toast, and a dry, grainy finish with lingering fruit and spice.

Never tried a smoked saison before -- definitely off-kilter. The smoke merges with and intensifies the saison's spicy elements. It becomes a little overpowering after a while, but I still went back for a second glass.

 

Served in Imperial pint glass. Poured a lightly hazy golden yellow with over an inch of white head that had moderate retention and light lacing. Fairly typical for the style in other words.

The aroma was also around average for a Saison, spice and yeast on top of a good grain base. The flavor profile was pretty much the same as the aroma, just better defined. It may have been the power of suggestion, but I maybe got just the slightest hint of smoke in the taste.

The body was good, again typical, nicely medium and dry. Drinkability was very good (it is a Saison after all!). Overall, a pretty good, if averageish, example of the style. Worth trying if you see it.

 

On-tap at Bailey's Taproom in Portland, OR.

Pours a bright orange-amber hue, with relatively good clarity. Head is a wonderful creamy egg-white consistency. Lace is sheeting and full, almost forming a perfect, persistent circle. Looks really good.

Nose is smoky but sweet, with a touch of acid and funk. Yep, that's a delivery of pretty much what I wanted from a smoked Saison. It's organics, huskiness and green-tinged acid, all with a sweet coherent smokiness over the top. Good stuff.

Light entry on the palate. some floral organics start up with a crisp, green, sharp fragrance, layered with smoke and funk. It's pretty light overall, but it really delivers on its promise. Light but rounded and classy feel.

Yeah, this is really good stuff. It's bright, light and drinkable, with genuine interest. It almost makes you think it's actually just weak and light given it's so drinkable, but the complexity is there.

 

on-tap, Special Brews - Lynnwood

appearance: served in a slim sassy special brews glass, hazy straw-goldencolor, fluffy white cap and creamy retention

smell: grassy hops, white pepper, spice, apricot, earthy yeast

taste: real nice saison - light and refreshing, lemon zest, earthy with a nice yeasty funk, smoke, grassy, white pepper and a nice spicy finish.

mouthfeel: light, crisp and refreshing

overall: on the drive home i wondered why I didnt fill a growler

On tap at the barrel room today.

The beer pours the expected honeny amber color with good head retention and lacing. The nose is attractive as well, in this case showcasing clove, nutmeg, considerable spice and some interesting herbaceousness. The flavor profile replicates the nose pretty closely, except I get some light sour and nice light bitterness in the finish that helps to counter and balance the spice and light sweetness in this beer. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, with a moderately long, spice filled finish. As always with Cascade beers, drinkability is exceptional with the alcohol almost completely unnoticeable.

While this is certainly a tasty beer from Cascade, I really don't think it's all that much better/different than their saison de la maison. Whatever. Still a very solid beer from the folks at Cascade.