Citra Saison
Yards Brewing Co.

Hazy golden color. Big fluffy off whote head with smells and flavors of citrus. Lemon. Clove. Some funk underneath but a very light and mellow saison.

With a modest white head on top, the contents of a pint can are able to fit into a clear glass Imperial pint mug in one gentle pour. The beer is a dark apricot-amber, on the bright side, in color. While not opaque, it is a little too cloudy to be considered translucent. Because it's been brewed in the Belgian style, there's no surprise that there's some fruitiness in the aroma. It's a citrus similar smell, sort of lemon-lime. The esters associated with this style seem tame to the nose. It also drinks a bit citrusy and somewhat sweeter than most Saisons. It's smooth and, for the style, rather full bodied. There is a discernable malt presence to the taste and some of those Belgian esters arrive, too. Overall, those esters aren't distracting and may contribute to the sweetening of the overall taste. They, with the malt, take the sharp citrus bite at bay and this goes down very easily. The 6.5% ABV, probably a little high for a Saison, isn't noticeable at all. Neither is the glass lacing, as there isn't any. This seems like a hybrid between a Belgian ale and a Saison. That will probably bother some Saison purists, but it's just as likely some that claim to dislike Saisons may find this agreeable enough to give others in the category a chance.