Christina Aguilera
Black Bottle Brewery

new american saison type from black bottle. its meant to be brewed with raspberries and honey, but neither one of those elements is very vivid in the beer, and the yeast is as much belgian than it is saison as they are in the old world. its pretty clear, honey colored would be fair, and you do smell some of the sweetness. instead of being complimentary in the flavor though, the sweetness lacks the honey flavor and instead is a more generic sugary thing. i thought it might work well with the yeast, but with all the fruity esters of the belgian strain and very little funk to it, its too busy and muddled. the raspberry may lend a touch of both tartness and of sweetness, but its not as forward as raspberry itself in the flavor, and the sweetness ends up being too much. more carbonation would help it, but it feels like a test batch, like a first attempt at a good idea that isnt all the way figured out yet. not bad by any means, should find some fans, but it needs some revision to get to the next level.

From growler. Pours clear light golden yellow with a big fluffy white head that retains well and laces the glass.

The aroma is wheat malts and Belgian yeast with a little fruit.

The flavor is sweet wheat malts with some honey and raspberry and some lightly bitter Belgian yeast in the finish. The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied with smooth carbonation.

Overall, interesting with nice blend of sweet honey, fruit and Belgian notes.