Saison Graisseux
Innocente Brewing Company

500 mL bottle picked up at the brewery in August. Served slightly chilled.

Pours a translucent golden-yellow colour, capped off with one centimetre of loose, bubbly white froth. It vanishes rapidly, leaving behind little more than a thin, foamy collar and a few wisps on the surface. Not much to look at, but the aroma features a variety of appealing fruity esters, including red apple, white grape, apricot, banana and pear. Some grainy, crackery pale malt sweetness and hints of yeasty spice also come through, with increasing enthusiasm as the glass warms up to room temperature.

No major complaints about this one. Doughy, grainy wheat and some slight honey sweetness blend nicely with a myriad of fruity esters - particularly the orchard fruit (apple, pear and apricot) I mentioned on the nose, with additional suggestions of lemon and banana. Some grassy, floral hop bitterness builds toward the finish, which also features a good kick of yeasty clove/coriander spiciness. Off-dry finish; the yeast lingers more than anything else. Medium-light in body, with somewhat assertive carbonation levels that result in a crisp, prickly mouthfeel. It's listed at 6.4%, but masks it well.

Final Grade: 3.8, a B+. Innocente's Saison Graisseux is a fine Belgian-style ale. My main gripe with this beer is that it doesn't really do anything to distinguish itself from the competition - which, in my opinion, is not a particularly damning flaw. It's well-made, well-balanced, pretty tasty, and drinks like a charm, but it checks all of those boxes without really going above or beyond in any particular category. This beer is worth a try - and also the sort of thing I could see myself picking up during the summer, assuming the price point remains the same.