25th Anniversary Belgian Saison
Great Lakes Brewery

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From:
Great Lakes Brewery
 
Ontario, Canada
Style:
Saison
ABV:
6.5%
Score:
87
Avg:
3.88 | pDev: 7.73%
Reviews:
16
Ratings:
32
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Mar 10, 2015
Added:
Aug 17, 2012
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Kremlock:
Photo of Kremlock
Reviewed by Kremlock from Canada (ON)

3.84/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: Darker straw colour with hues of orange. You can see fairly well through the beer but it is still hazy. Pours a nice thick creamy white head that stays persistent as it falls to a bout 1/8 inch during drinking.

S: Fruity esters, some mango and tangerine are noticeable. Spiciness present. Reminds me a bit of light cinnamon, some cardamon, hints of white pepper.

T: Some tangy orange flavours mixed with some cinnamon and pepper. A slight tart flavour is present with a nice dry finish.

M: Low-medium body, high carbonation, slick on the tongue, slight acidity balances the dry finish and the fruity/spicy flavours.

O: A good saison by all means. Well balanced on the fruity and spicy notes. Acidity and tartness are complimenting.
Jan 27, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.82 by Bubbawilly88 from California

Mar 10, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by KeKeKumba from Canada (ON)

Jun 28, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by DaPan from Canada (ON)

Feb 13, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by deleted_user_127363 from Canada (QC)

Dec 17, 2012
Photo of rappmann
Reviewed by rappmann from Canada (ON)

3.58/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a 750 ML bottle into a pint glass. Reviewed from notes.

A - Pours a light straw yellow, very effervescent. Soap like white head forms and goes as quickly as it came. nice lacing.

S - Cloves and spicy yeast notes come through first, followed by lemon rind and a bready sweetness.

T - Spicy yeast again, from the Belgian yeast used. Lemon, pepper, and clove follow.

M - Really really light and easy drinking, heavy carbonation makes this great and similar to many great saisons that I have had.

O - A good beer, but I would have enjoyed it much more in the summer. It's a very light crisp summery style, but I still appreciated it a lot after a hard days work.
Dec 08, 2012
 
Rated: 3 by cfalovo97 from Canada (ON)

Nov 06, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by pixieskid from Germany

Oct 31, 2012
Photo of SebD
Reviewed by SebD from Canada (ON)

3.8/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Appearance: It has a nice semi-cloudy golden/yellow color to it. It has a nice white head that dies down somewhat fast and leaves little lacing.

Smell: The aromas definitely give out hints of Belgian yeast, spices, citrus, lemon and bready and grainy malts.

Taste: Like the aromas, it has some Belgian yeast, peppery spices, citrus/lemon note, and bready/grainy malts.

Mouthfeel: It has a medium carbonation with a nice overall balance and feel.

Drinkability: It's a very smooth drinkable beer accompanied with good flavors and aromas.
Oct 15, 2012
Photo of biegaman
Reviewed by biegaman from Canada (ON)

3.97/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
GLB 25th Anniversary Belgian Saison has enough golden straw to build a bale house. It also, however, has the same degree of clarity as grapefruit juice; the colour is bright but the complexion is hazy. It's an attractive and unique aesthetic that works well with the little bubbles stirring about. Its head is unimpressive (especially for a saison) but leaves a lacing that looks like a prehistoric riverbed.

Although all beers are subject to some extent of interchangeability, Saison as a style has a definitive, unmistakable smell. Just as bananas or onions or bacon can be readily identified by their particular and pronounced smells, so too saisons (regardless of differences of degree) all share a distinguishably peppery, bready, herbaceous, and sometimes lemony scent. Going by smell, I'd call this a bona-fide Saison.

The flavour begins on a bready maltiness that at mid-point gives way to a fruity, sugary, grapefruit or orange marmalade note. A peppery, clove-like spice parachutes itself in on the finish and leaves a big, zesty tingle in the mouth. Between all these elements, no single entity stands as rider to the flavour horse. Each sip has the twists and turns of an episode of Breaking Bad. There's lots going on.

Between the rash of spice and lemony acidity, this beer has more ferociousness than most around the six-point-five percent mark. It's no struggle to drink, but it does register on the palate as stronger than its stated abv. There is a spoonful of honey to the malts, but between grains of paradise, pepper and coriander, spices run the show. (As an aside, I'm not sure they needed to add spices, the yeast is pretty flamboyant.)

Great Lakes Brewing is a bit of a jack of all trades. These anniversary series offerings do well to highlight that, as this (slightly exaggerated, but) convincingly "Belgian" saison attests. I've often complained that New World brewers don't understand the sophistication of Old World saisons, but I won't ride that hobby horse here. And while this beer uses the crutch of spices, the means justified the ends, in my opinion. This is good stuff.
Oct 07, 2012
 
Rated: 4.25 by kirkse from Florida

Oct 01, 2012
 
Rated: 4.5 by beerhunter13 from Canada (ON)

Sep 27, 2012
Photo of BGDrock
Reviewed by BGDrock from Canada (ON)

4.27/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Appearance: slight haze; flat gold colour; egg white head is decent, lasting several minutes

Aroma: spice, coriander; orange or mandarin sweetness; a lot like a weisse

Taste & Mouthfeel: intense tart flavours up front, lightly balanced with sweet malt and a bitter, spicy hop that moves forward in the finish quite aggressively; strong spice flavour throughout and some lemon; brings to mind autumn on the farm or in the woods; hops are slightly grassy too which is a good compliment to the spice notes - in fact the whole range of fairly diverse flavours end up pairing well; medium body and easy drinking

Overall: a complex, friendly, delicious saison; you would think they've been brewing it for years
Sep 26, 2012
Photo of WeedKing4
Reviewed by WeedKing4 from Canada (ON)

4.08/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
First glass of the 750ml pours a clear golden with a good amount of head. The second glass was nicey and hazy with the golden colour as well. Tastes of slight spices with a bit of banana cloves and some slight citrus with the finish. Very refreshing overall and drinks down very smooth. Been impressed with their anniversery beers. I just wish they were more available.
Sep 25, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by Molson2000 from Canada (ON)

Sep 21, 2012
 
Rated: 4.5 by JohnPowell79 from Canada (ON)

Sep 21, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by ThinkAgain from Canada (ON)

Sep 12, 2012
Photo of peensteen
Reviewed by peensteen from Canada (ON)

3.97/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Lightly hazy orange blonde colour, about a finger of white head, some lace. Smell is spicy and yeasty, corriander, banana, lively citrus in the way of orange and lemon, fruity, a little bit of baked bread and candy/bubblegum. Taste is yeasty and spicy, tropical fruit and citrus, more lemon and orange, clove, pepper and corriander, lightly sweet with some tart points, spicy finish. Medium carbonation, medium body with a fairly good feel. Solid stuff here, a nice spicy saison that was quite drinkable.
Sep 04, 2012
 
Rated: 3.5 by bigox420 from Canada (ON)

Sep 02, 2012
Photo of jrenihan
Reviewed by jrenihan from Canada (ON)

3.8/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Beer is light blonde, slightly cloudy. Moderately sized white head. Decent retention and lacing.

Nose is full of banana- seems like lots of wheat. Floral. Spices, includng coriander and what I assume is grains of paradise given the label, but frankly I am not sure what those smell like! Comes across like a spicy hefeweizen to me.

The yeast comes across more in the nose, bringing out the saison qualities more. Light fruits, a bit citrusy, with spices. Coriander for sure. Spices linger in the aftertaste.

Medium bodied, moderate to high carbonation.

Overall, pretty good. Not exciting, but tasty. Would like a bit more emphasis on the yeast and a bit less on the spice, but enjoyable.
Aug 31, 2012
25th Anniversary Belgian Saison from Great Lakes Brewery
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 32 ratings