Cinq Houblon Saison- The Beer Junction's 5th Anniversary Beer
Sound Brewery

 

Pours a medium golden amber with a three finger white head that slowly dissipates to a thick cap leaving lots of lacing. Aroma of grainy malt, saison yeast, light lemon citrus and light stone fruit, mild grassy hops. Flavor is bready malt, saison yeast with a hint of wild yeast, light lemon citrus and Belgian style light stone fruit, finishes with coriander and grassy hop bitterness. Quite spicy. Medium bodied with light creaminess and peppery carbonation. An interesting take on a saison. The yeast is spot on, and with the hopping this tastes like a hybrid of a tripel, traditional saison and a North American hopped ale. There's a lot going on and it does not quite gel totally, but the Belgian and saison flavors with a little graininess is quite refreshing and pleasant to drink. This bottle is not quite fresh, so I fear some of the hop herbal flavors have faded, but they fit in well with the Belgian coriander bitterness. Odd, but quite enjoyable. Nice choice for an anniversary ale.

22oz into a tulip. Pours a hazy golden straw w/ a thick monstrous head, clumps of sticky lace.

Aroma is sweet and fruity. Belgian yeast, candi sugar, apricots, clove and spice.

Taste is bready and sweet, tempered by a subtle hoppy bitterness. Citrus zest and spice. Juicy, earthy.

Mouthfeel is soft with a medium body.

Overall a nice hoppy saison, almost a Belgian strong pale/tripel.