3-Point Saison
The Collingwood Brewery

 

Not a bad effort at a saison... but you gotta have the right yeast to make a saison that is above average.
Look at it. This saison has very little active protein swirling in my glass. Smell it: where is the fruit? Yeast helps make malt taste more like fruit. And what about the Taste? There is nothing wrong with this ale; it uses hops in moderation. But... what about the complexity created by a Belgian yeast?

OA: This is a refreshing beer and better than some other efforts I've had among the 120 saisons I've Had.
My advice: stick to your knitting by adapting the British tradition... and don't mimic the U.S. interpretation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looks good on pour. Large head on an hazy apricot colored brew. Head dissipates quickly, no real lace. Yeast, fruit, and wheat on the nose. Fruit and yeast to taste, other elements of spice and malt. Not bad, but without the genuiness of a really good saison. Needs some raw funk happening.

 

Since Canadian beer continuously fails in recreating something they claim to be (Ransack the Universe and Peche Mortel are tremendous exceptions), I can at least say that Collingwood didn't fail miserably in recreating a proper saison beer. But they still failed. Overly harsh and carbonated with an unpleasant nose and dry, soapy-metallic aftertaste, it only measures up partially. It could be worse though. Worth one or two tries.

 

 

Tallboy from the LCBO; dated Jun 24 2016 and served slightly chilled.

Pours a foggy golden-blonde hue, topped with an inch of puffy white foam that wilts off within the next five minutes. A wide collar of soapy froth remains in place afterwards, with minimal lacing. Belgian yeast and overripe orchard fruit on the nose; red apples, pear and apricot, with notes of citrusy orange and lemon. Wheaty pale malts, bubblegum and some soft clove spice also come through.

A solid Belgian-style thirst-quencher, though not particularly interesting as farmhouse ales go. There is a sturdy backbone of wheaty, crackery pale malts throughout, with notes of grain husk, apple skin, apricot and honeydew melon. These fruity ester notes amplify once you pour the dregs in. Suggestions of orange peel mid-sip, with floral hops and yeasty spice notes of clove and white pepper rounding out the back end. Yeasty aftertaste that lingers. Medium in body, with moderate carbonation levels that produce a good, firm bite on the tongue. Somewhat crisp and overall a pretty refreshing strong ale with very well-integrated alcohol.

Final Grade: 3.94, a respectable B+. Collingwood's Saison doesn't do anything out of the ordinary, but I still find it to be very well-constructed. Not perfect, but balanced and approachable (and at $3 a can it's much better value than 90% of the saisons at the LCBO). This is an inoffensive Belgian-style strong pale ale that doesn't exactly stand out - it's just lacking that adventurous, wild spirit that the best saisons all seem to share. That being said, I'd still buy it again if it showed up locally - except I live slightly outside their current distro range, so for now all I can do is suggest that you give it a try for yourself.

hazed golden colour, one finger of white head and some lace. Smell is fruity, lots of orange and green apple, some pineapple at points as well, tangy yeast and wheat, just a bit of sweetness as well. Taste is fruity, orange and some banana, yeasty, lightly sweet with a bit of apple skin. Medium carbonation, medium bodied. Quite good, serviceable and traditional, nice in warmer weather.

Can from the lcbo for around $3. A little more like a belgian blonde ale than a saison.