Sugarshack Saison
Portsmouth Brewery

 

 

 

 

 

 

On tap in the upstairs bar. $6.00 for a 12 oz. pour. Cloudy, orange/amber in color. Head faded very quickly. Not a ton of lacing. Beer was very cold when poured, so I tried to let it warm up so the flavors could develop. Smells of bready malt with clear notes of the brewery's house ale yeast, some subtle fruitiness in the nose, but no clear notes of maple. As the beer warmed up the maple notes became present, but they were very faint. You can tell the maple is there but it's not as present as say maple in a lighter Lawson's Finest brew. This beer drinks light and has some nice fruity farmhouse character to it. I wouldn't consider maple to be a logical addition to a summery beer, but with this batch it works. Mouthfeel was a little dry in the aftertaste but still easy to quaff. Overall, this is a solid beer, and you can taste some maple, though it be very subtle. Not a world class offering, but not too shabby, either. I recommend.