Saison
Waterloo Brewing

Pours a semi-hazy, hay colour with a moderate fluffy white head that rapidly dissolves.

Nose is a muddled blend of orange, lemon, sourdough bread, mint and clove. A lot of clove, actually.

I imagine if you took a couple of cloves, wrapped a piece of juicy fruit gum around them and popped that into your mouth, it would taste a lot like this.

Underneath all this is a sourdough biscuit malt, which ensures that your taste experience lingers a hair longer than you expect.

Interesting, with a hint of let's never do that again.

Tallboy from TBS, one of three new beers included in their latest Signature Series mixed pack. Coded Feb 11 2023 and served slightly chilled.

Pours a hazy golden-yellow colour, with two fingers of foamy, soapy white head situated atop. Within three or four minutes, it has been reduced to a modest collar and sudsy cap; minimal lace deposition. It smells of green apples, lemon and white grapes, with hints of wheaty, grainy malts, orange peel and clove spiciness.

An adequate if unspectacular Belgian ale: wheaty and bready at the forefront, with grainy sweetness, rye spiciness and hints of apple & banana. Clove and pepper spice come through at the finish, with wheat, sourdough and mild phenolic yeastiness fading into the aftertaste. Medium in body, with moderate carbonation; feels soft and a little slick on the tongue, with average drinkability. I liked this beer, but I didn't love it.

Final Grade: 3.69, a B grade. Waterloo's Saison is a plain representation of a style that is capable of offering so much more... but I suppose it makes for decent sampler pack filler. A competently-brewed Belgian style ale at best, and a forgettable, maybe even mediocre one at worst - nothing to get excited about either way. I'd just like to finish by saying that this was probably the best Waterloo mixed pack I've purchased in years, and some kudos are definitely in order. A step in the right direction for this (recently bought-out) craft brewery.

April 10 2023