A New Brew for a New Brew Year: The Season for a Saison.

This weekend I tapped my keg, full of a new brew for me. A Saison (Saison of Love).

I have tried a few Saisons from a bottle in the past, but it is usually a style I wouldn't pick if given the choice.

However I thought I try to brew my own, based off what I read in a recent BYO Magazine article and also the idea of not worrying too much on fermentation control, as at the time, around brew day, we were having some very hot days & evenings.

I'm very pleased now this has come out, I'm still fine tuning my keg setup but the outcome was very successful. The recipe was modeled off the Firestone Walker Opal and was additionally dry hopped.

 I gave wifey a taste tester and she then asked for a full glass of it, after which I went to cook tea (a 5 of your 5 a day Thai green curry - was yummy too!) during cooking all I kept hearing squeaks over Gilmore Girls of how nice the beer was.

That was enough approval of the beer I needed, even though wifey has small tastes of my brewed beer she has never had a full glass (or even two) before. So certainly has proven to be a drink for non beer drinkers.

My detailed report: A yellow color with 2 & 1/2 fingers of white head that leaves some good lacing. The spicy funky yeast of the saison was the prominent smell, with some malty wheat notes. The taste matches the smell, with light citrus coming through at the end but doesn't overwhelm. Compared the bottles I've had in the past I my brew certainly compares to the commercial equivalent I purchased from Tesco.

It was stronger than the other recent brews I've done but actually tasted the lightest, I had 3 glasses before I knew it.. Would I do this again.....Yes......Yes......Yes! (4/5)

It is difficult to compare it to if its better than my G.E.B pale ale because of the different styles, however they are both my best brews to date - given how clunky my all grain brew days I'm pleasantly surprised.

It would be interesting to see how it ages in the keg, as I'll probably wont have any this weekend due to the Victorious Festival. So it could be a few weeks until I get another real taste of it.
The last beer I had in the keg didn't last the one night (I did take it to a party people!!).

Until Next Time.....Happy Brewing