Side Street Saison
Block Three Brewing Co.

500 mL bottle from the brewery, picked up about a month ago. Served slightly chilled.

Pours a cloudy golden-blonde colour, supporting a full inch of fluffy, sparkling white-coloured foam that displays excellent retention. It coats the glass with a lovely layer of delicate lace as it slowly collapses downward over the next tenminutes, eventually leaving behind a soapy cap and wide, frothy collar. Pleasant aroma, though it's a little subdued - I am getting notes of Belgian yeast, coriander, subtle barnyard funk and wet straw, with additional hints of orange peel, lemon zest and white grape.

An enjoyable session saison - detectably light in texture, but still fairly full-flavoured; similar to their flagship King Street Saison, though I believe this one also has some Brett tossed in for added complexity. Grainy, bready malt sweetness, with fruity esters of apricot, bubble gum and pear, get things started off on the right foot, with mildly sour, citrusy notes of lemon peel and orange rind rising to a peak in the latter half. Light hints of grassy straw and coriander at the finish, with a yeasty, somewhat spicy aftertaste that lingers briefly before leaving the palate feeling dry. Light in body, with moderately crisp carbonation that flattens out a little too quickly for my preferences; my glass started to feel a little watery by the halfway point.

Final Grade: 3.81, B+. As was the case with their mainline (King St.) saison, I am finding Side Street Saison to be a refreshing, if unremarkable example of this popular style that doesn't really stand out in any particular way. The marketing description for this one isn't very consistent - the label mentions coriander and citrus, which I am detecting, but a blurb on their Facebook page also mentioned Brett (which is not mentioned anywhere on the bottle/label itself... and if it's there, it isn't coming through very well). I like this beer, but it's not blowing me away. If you like King Street, you'll probably like this one.