Beer of the Weekend #605: Peace Tree Saison Blanche
I was insanely busy this week. Needless to say, beer will be consumed and football will be watched this weekend.
The beer of the weekend is Saison Blanche, brewed by the Peace Tree Brewing Company of Knoxville, Iowa.
Serving type: 22-ounce bottle. No freshness date.
Appearance: Pours a hazy, rusty amber into a tulip glass. A finger and a half of bubbly, eggshell-colored head settles fairly quickly, leaving a bubbly, spotted skim and a little lacing along the glass.
Smell: Funk was evident in the burst of air that escaped when I popped the cap. Up close in the glass, the farmhouse-style yeast funk predominates. It is not totally reminiscent of an old farmhouse, but there are hints of it. The funk is backed by caramel, pepper, clove, some toasted malt, light citrus, and the green, freshly cut wood of bush branches.
Taste: The mouthfeel is smooth and creamy and the flavor mostly mirrors the aroma, but the pepper spice vies for prominence with the funky yeast. Rounding out the flavors are caramel, clove, some toasted malts, citrus rind, apple, and freshly cut bush branches. (I do not know how else to describe that fresh, green aroma and flavor.) A funky bitterness leaves a lingering aftertaste. I should also note that there is no hint of alcohol.
Drinkability: This is tasty stuff that is not overly or obnoxiously funky. It offers a great set of flavors and aromas and the alcohol, though not necessarily too high, is completely masked.
Fun facts about Saison Blanche:
-Style: Saison.
-Price: $7.99/bottle at the New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City.
-Alcohol content: 7 percent ABV.
-Description via the brewery website:
-Saison Blanche is a seasonal that is available in late summer. It kicks off Peace Tree’s farmhouse-style seasonal series and is followed by Cornucopia (blah!) and Saison Noir. I will need to pick up a bottle of Saison Noir this year.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B+.
The beer of the weekend is Saison Blanche, brewed by the Peace Tree Brewing Company of Knoxville, Iowa.
Serving type: 22-ounce bottle. No freshness date.
Appearance: Pours a hazy, rusty amber into a tulip glass. A finger and a half of bubbly, eggshell-colored head settles fairly quickly, leaving a bubbly, spotted skim and a little lacing along the glass.
Smell: Funk was evident in the burst of air that escaped when I popped the cap. Up close in the glass, the farmhouse-style yeast funk predominates. It is not totally reminiscent of an old farmhouse, but there are hints of it. The funk is backed by caramel, pepper, clove, some toasted malt, light citrus, and the green, freshly cut wood of bush branches.
Taste: The mouthfeel is smooth and creamy and the flavor mostly mirrors the aroma, but the pepper spice vies for prominence with the funky yeast. Rounding out the flavors are caramel, clove, some toasted malts, citrus rind, apple, and freshly cut bush branches. (I do not know how else to describe that fresh, green aroma and flavor.) A funky bitterness leaves a lingering aftertaste. I should also note that there is no hint of alcohol.
Drinkability: This is tasty stuff that is not overly or obnoxiously funky. It offers a great set of flavors and aromas and the alcohol, though not necessarily too high, is completely masked.
Fun facts about Saison Blanche:
-Style: Saison.
-Price: $7.99/bottle at the New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City.
-Alcohol content: 7 percent ABV.
-Description via the brewery website:
Saison Blanche is an ode to the hot summer season and to those who labor tirelessly towards an abundant harvest. With a peppery spiciness and a silky rich mouthfeel imparted by the yeast, this aromatic, golden farmhouse ale serves to refresh you on those long summer days.
-Saison Blanche is a seasonal that is available in late summer. It kicks off Peace Tree’s farmhouse-style seasonal series and is followed by Cornucopia (blah!) and Saison Noir. I will need to pick up a bottle of Saison Noir this year.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B+.
