Missed Connection
Collective Arts Brewing

500 mL bottle from the brewery's online shop; no packaging date and served slightly chilled.

Pours a foggy pale-yellow colour with plenty of visible effervescence; it's crowned with just over an inch of bumpy, foamy white head that dissipates steadily. Five minutes later, a quarter-inch cap and thick, soapy collar remain, with an attractive coat of lace deposited onto the glass. The aroma is fragrant and wholesome - clean, grainy sweetness, bready pale malts, wheat, yeast and lemon, with suggestions of sourdough, clove and floral, grassy hops.

The flavour profile is similar - not super-complex, or at least not by saison standards, but it is very fulfilling, flavourful and nourishing for a light beer. Wheaty grains, bready pale malts, light powdered sugar sweetness and some yeast spiciness in the form of coriander and clove. Subtle notes of lemon pith and floral, grassy hops on the back end, which stays yeasty and spicy into the aftertaste before drying off. Medium-light in body, with assertive carbonation that froths up in the mouth, resulting in a fluffy mouthfeel that is also crisp and biting. Great drinkability.

Final Grade: 4.07, an A-. Missed Connection is a quality light saison, but it's very much a traditional, near-minimalist take on the style. That is to say, few of the trappings that I associate with 'modern' American saisons - such as 'strong' abv, funky yeast aromas/flavours and/or sourness - are to be found here. No sir, this is for hydrating the farmhands... or in my case, for refreshment after a productive day off. This was a one-off release, but if they bring it back I'd buy it again - just a top notch summer brew all around.