Scarlet
Pallet Brewing Company

On draught at the brewery. Served in a snulip glass. It pours a hazy, bright apricot color with a half finger cap of creamy, bright white foam and lots of thick, clinging lacing. Its smell is dominated by musky Belgian yeast with coriander, banana, lemon, grapefruit, and a whiff of tobacco smoke. The taste includes a good Saison base of banana, tart lemon and grapefruit, clove, and coriander but it is offset by a strong, earthy bitterness, burnt malt and grassy herbs. It is full-bodied with solid carboation, and drinks easily at 5.9% ABV. Scarlet's defining quality is its bitterness, which surpasses the norm of the style. I don't know whether this was the brewer's intent. To my taste it is a little off-putting.