Songbird Saison

This saison pours from the can light in color, somewhere between pale straw and light gold, with excellent clarity. A brilliant white head forms quickly but fades away just as fast, never to be seen again. The aroma is strongly of pilsner malt, wheat, grass, hay, and corn. Graininess dominates the subdued and hop-free aroma. As the beer warms, light phenols and fruit esters appear, but overall the yeast character of this beer is quite clean. The flavor follows suit with the aroma, as a dry, grainy, cracker-like flavor mixes with some lightly floral and spicy hops. Bitterness is assertive relative to the beer’s light body, and there is a very subtle malt and white sugar sweetness but no caramel flavors. The finish is extremely dry, minerally and slightly chalky. Although the finish is certainly tart, there is little perceptible acidity and the carbonation level is low, particularly for a saison. The light body and clean flavors make this a highly sessionable table beer that’s particularly enjoyable on a warm day. More effervescence would help improve the mouthfeel and perceptible aromas.