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Saison that’ll make you grin like the grinch after coming round to the idea of Christmas. “I’ve been dreaming of this recipe since the early summer and got brewing late summer to give the Saison yeast and grains of paradise as long a time as possible to condition in tank. It certainly was worth the wait for that extra well rounded smoothness. “Hazy, translucent and dark ginger hues sit heavy in the glass. A thick foamy head emits smells of sticky banana bread drizzled with fresh lemon juice, cracked toffee apples and a dusting of that Saison pepperiness. There’s a pleasing contrast between the beer’s fructose sweet chewiness from the plum puree (67g/l) and the almost bone dry finish (FG: 1.002). There’s also that thickness coming from the spelt and wheat malt— the contrast works in a way a dunkelweizen keeps you guessing at where it’s going, but without the chocolate. “The contrasts, however, work in tandem and come together in the finish. When tasting there’s a lush breadiness and the spiciness comes to the fore but never overwhelms: a key goal when brewing a saison, even a strong winter version! The spice is complex: clove from the wheat & spelt, and pepper and ginger from the very modest grains of paradise addition (3g/L at the very end of the boil). The spicy esters from the Saison yeast and English hedgerow hops Goldings, Endeavour and Bramling Cross also bulk up the complex, but moderate, heat. “If you keep sniffing you do get plum on the nose. There really is this super pleasant pairing between sweet tangy plums, fruity esters and farmy alcoholic dryness buffered by the fiery spicy character. The taste journey goes: thick plummy chewiness, to a straw floor of a dry Belgian farmhouse, and finishes in a spice shop off the Vicky Road with the snow starting to fall outside.”

9.2%

330ml bottle Contains barley, wheat, spelt. Vegan?: Yes. Less