Saison Vos

The good folks at Sly Fox, nestled quietly in the western Philadelphia suburbs, have been brewing quality beers for close to 15 years, and they have developed a large, seriously loyal fan base. The Saison Vos, a stunningly well-conceived and executed version of the classic Belgian farmhouse ale, is but one in a long line of immaculate beers they produce. A surprisingly bright, saturated yellow beer, it fills the glass with an almost golden radiance yet maintains that light haziness expected in a saison. The aroma is lightly fruity and spicy, with notes of lemon, Anjou pear, ripe melon, black pepper and cinnamon all floating over a clean malt foundation. Tim offered praise for the soft creaminess of the malt aroma, as well as the “funky farmhouse” notes, while Rick keyed in on the hints of almond and pear in the nose. As with the aroma, the flavor was complex, including sweet malt, star anise, Meyer lemon and a faint earthiness. Lee found the beer initially sour, but noted that it faded quickly giving way to luscious malt accented by tinges of black pepper and eucalyptus. Meanwhile, Tom was suitably impressed with the bright malt flavor, distinctive farmhouse (“not funky”) character and dryness of this beer. While saison is an exceedingly difficult style to replicate outside of Belgium, Sly Fox has nailed it, and everyone should find a way to lay hands on this stellar brew.