Echo Session Ale
Mystic Brewery

Canned 9/08/17

Pours a huge fluffy foamy 1 finger head that fades at a med pace, lots of soapy lacing, hazy pale color

NOse is very saison like, although the label says "session ipa", lots of earthy farmhouse aromas, fruity esters, faint phenols, grassy gristy grainy malt, mild floral grassy hops

Taste brings more grainy gristy toasty malts, little creamy wheat perhaps, biscuity notes, then big hops, spicy but grassy floral as well, and a bit herbal later, fruity ester notes, mild peppery phenols, like a super hopped saison, drier finish, bit more peppery phenols, quite hoppy and bitter, spicy herbaceous

Mouth is med to lighter bod, soft with a bit of foamy carbonation

Overall not bad judging as a saison since BA lists it as such, it was quite enjoyable, but since hte label says session IPA it is not really that and now what I was expecting, that is pretty confusing. It would not have been hard to say hoppy saison or session saison IPA or something.

 

This is a really nice farmhouse saison that is definitely worth a try, but I think Mystic is doing itself a disservice calling this a "session IPA". I avoided it in a trade for that very reason as I don't have much of a place for session beers, but received it anyway and was pleasantly surprised to find myself drinking a light refreshing farmhouse saison on par with what Oxbow is putting out in the summers as their "tourist season" beers - nothing that's off the charts in any direction, just a good solid representation of the style that I would gladly drink again. Anyway, I think the following reviews described this beer pretty well and I don't have much to add. Really well done Mystic!! Next up - Danger, Danger!!

 

 

 

 

Pours a lightly hazy pale golden yellow straw in color with a finger plus of white head. I like the aroma, it's lightly funky and sour with notes of hay, black pepper, and lemony citrus. Taste hits the same notes as the aroma but keeps everything well balanced with an emphasis on the saison funk and black pepper. Light-medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Overall I dig this beer, it's a nice mix of saison and pale ale and drinks very well.

A bit on the tart/sour side but not overly. Maybe it's just an odd bitter that I'm tasting. Good light beer.

 

On tap at the brewery.

About as standard as it gets for a saison. It's hoppy, slightly spicy, with some faint notes of barnyard funk. Standard, but good nonetheless.