Midnight Magic
Muskoka Brewery

Look: Pours a coppery brown with shades of purple. Semi opaque. The colour isn't a very appealing beer colour, but the head is a densely bubbled off white with hints of grey and purple that is interesting. The head is a solid 1/2 finger after 5 minutes. The thickness and retention of the head is quite impressive.

Smell: Sweet and sugary. Grapes and bartlett pears. The aroma is a bit muted, but quite nice.

Taste: Earthy, and dry. A dry biscuity maltiness dominates in the middle, with the taste of grape skin and a slight hint of light wood throughout the entire sip. Hints of field apples and pears on the back end.

Feel: Middle carbonation, semi-dry, and refreshing. Stimulates the back and sides of the tongue.

This was a very pleasent surprise. I wouldn't say I'm much of a wine fan so I didn't expect I was going to like this beer going in. I was very wrong. As a seasonal one off I may never come across this again, but if I do I'd definately pick up more. Quite unique and balanced. This beer reminds me of spring. Very fresh, with the flavours being slightly muted. If an expressionist painting was a beer, it just might be this saison. It earns a solid B+

473 ml can served cold into a chalice. LCBO purchase for under $4 CDN. Freshest by February 1, 2022.

Appearance - Middling brown from the can, appears dark brown in the glass, with the faintest blush of red/purple. A small finger of light tan head rests on top and lasts a couple of minutes.

Smell - Grapey, wheaty and some breadiness, with additional hints of apple and grape. Not the biggest nose, but what is there is aromatic and refreshing.

Taste - Fairly bitter with lots of earthy flavors, hints of grape, grape must and general mustiness. Pretty good depth of flavor.

Mouthfeel - Medium-light bodied with modest but crisp carbonation. Bone dry to close.

Overall - Decent and unique saison, with the grape and grade must flavorings. Otherwise nothing unusual, but certainly serviceable and probably worth giving it a try while it's available and in stock.

473 mL can from the LCBO; best before Feb 1 2022 and served barely chilled.

Pours a clear, brick-reddish amber colour, producing more than a finger of smooth, creamy, off white-tinged head that recedes in five minutes or so. A wide, frothy collar and eighth-inch cap stick around afterwards, with a narrow band of lacing also left in place. It smells of wheaty grains, gritty husks and bread, with hints of apple, grape skin and grape juice.

It's not bad - clean at the forefront, with grainy malts and wheat giving up ground to subtle orchard fruit flavours. Hints of appleskin, maybe a touch of pear and very underripe green banana, with the grape presence being subtle and heavier on the skin/tannins vs. the juice sweetness. Actually, this beer finishes quite dry, with some earthiness and a twinge of astringency, possibly my favourite aspect of the whole thing - it's just a refreshing beer that's hard to stop sipping. Also, Pinot Noir is one of maybe two or three types of red wine that I don't mind, so there's also that. Light in body, with soft carbonation that feels fluffy and gentle on the palate, giving a little bit of resistance to this brew's highly smooth texture. I could drink several of these in a row, no problem.

Final Grade: 3.74, a solid B grade. Muskoka's Midnight Magic is very low-key and understated for a saison, but it's a real thirst quencher that I enjoyed more than I was expecting to. Truthfully, I was anticipating something sweeter and 'fruitier', but the pomace doesn't really do much of that - instead, you mostly get the must, and some tannic astringency on the back end. Come at this one as if it's an O.G. saison, i.e. a light wheat beer meant for re-hydrating farm labourers, and you might be pleasantly surprised with it.