Le Sexxxy Saison
Catawba Brewing Co.

 

In the landscape of the ever-changing craft beer climate, Belgian beer, in particular saison, had been a constant. Protected by brewers like those at Catawba, the style thrives with a spice-forward but fruit balanced taste. Dry, winey and pleasantly rustic, Le Sexxxy is always a crowd pleaser.

Bright straw and with a glimmer of haze, the turbulent beer quickly builds a creamy, stark-white column of froth. Its spicy scent is decorated with pepper and wine with a subtle backbone of bread and grain. Perfumy in scent, its taste is dryly of sugar cookie, fresh baking bread and a cracker-like briskness.

But over the course of the middle palate, the story is all about the fruit and spice balance. Apple, orange, pear and lemon all align on the tongue with a strong rebuttal from fresh-cracked peppercorn, clove, vanilla and a mild cider and white wine acidity. Trailing with a mild soapy but spicy hop bitterness and the flavors quickly favor the spice over that of fruit.

Medium-bodied, the exuberent ale carries a strongly carbonated texture that breaks up the tepid residual malt and further promotes a mild sparkling white wine character. Firmly hopped, the bitterness of fress, straw and tea lingers with a mid-length aftertaste.

 

 

A: Pours a very lightly hazy medium golden yellow in color with moderate to heavy amounts of active visible carbonation and faint honey orange highlights. The beer has a four finger tall dense sudsy foamy beige head that very slowly reduces to a very thick (almost finger thick) layer covering the entire surface of the beer and a thick ring at the edges of the glass. Significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate aromas of spicy/peppery saison yeast, light fruit sweetness (apple/pear), and banana + clove. Hints of hay/barnyard but minimal amount of funk.

T: Upfront there is a light flavor of pale malts and wheat malts. That is followed by moderate flavor of spicy/peppery saison yeast and a light amount of light fruit sweetness (apple/pear) which fades away pretty quickly. Finally there is a light flavor of banana + clove.

M: Medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Light to moderate amounts of dryness are present in the finish.

O: This is a decent saison though slightly maltier than expected for the style. Alcohol is well hidden and the beer is easy to drink. I'd grab it again but it might not be my first choice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I didn't get as much fruitiness as I hoped, but overall it's a nice beer

Pours a cloudy yellow with a bright white head.

The smell is yeasty,cloves,pepper.

The taste is yeast,pepper, very bitter for the style.

The mouthfeel is light with medium carbonation.

Overall not my favourite saison but not too bad.