Baladin Wayan

Brewed by Le Baladin
Style: Saison
Piozzo, Italy

Bottle: Dirty straw, very cloudy, huge rocky white head, clingy lacing.   Herbal nose, strong notes of Pepper and Black Currant.   Smells a bit like wild Blueberry bushes as well.   Herbal like peppery flavor, very soft wild Blueberry and black Currant notes.   Not floral like other Saisons.   Body and mouthfeel are full to moderate.   Lingering sweet peppery notes, minor black Currant.   A definite different take on the style.   Fairly tasty, but not what I expected.   If you are looking for floral spices, this is not your beer.   Pepper, Blueberry bushes, and Black Currant are the order of the day.   I still enjoyed it tho!

Hazy yellow body. Green pepper spice and yeast in the aroma. Peach fruitiness and lime rind flavor. Refreshing. Dry minerally finish.

Blind tasting at Sombeast’s house

This was among the blind samples tried before the process broke down about halfway through. Among the mystery saisons this was my third favorite. While it was not an amazing example of a saison it had certain unique characteristics which set it apart from the rest. I may look for some other Baladin beers based on this release.

Aroma / Appearance - The golden carbonated body bounced around the glass. As it did so hints of apple sauce, spice and honey dew melon wafted into my nose. It reminded me a little bit of a clean white table wine.

Flavor / Palate - Too much carbonation overwhelms the palate but as soon as it passes a summer snack greets the taste buds. Honey and watermelon are the heart of a chewy thick mouthfeel. Overall it is relatively balanced and vinous with a dry finish. I’m glad to have tried this one - I was thinking about spending money on a bottle at one point.

Saison #3 consumed ’blind’ at the Pewaukee tasting. Cloudy pale yellow. Aroma dry, yeasty, tart, mild, a little bit of mustiness. Medium bodied, a bit of pineapple in the flavor. Mild sour fnish. Very light and refreshing. The more I drink this, the more it appeals to me.

The beer pours to a very hazy yellow straw colored body with a lasting thin white head. The aroma is simple but very good smelling. Some light banana/star fruit/pineapple, and pale malt. The palate is refreshing and very clean. Moderate-light mouthfeel.

Sampled @ Aofoxxy’s Labor Day Gathering. Nose of mostly wheat overtones. I got the yeast shot, looks like a frappucino. Small amount of zing on the tongue. The palate is watery, flat, and creamy. I’d like to try a better sample someday.

Bottle courtesy of Duane. Copper, white head, highly carbonated. Soft pale malt aroma up front. Flower petals, yeast and faint fruit in the background. Flavor is very yeasty. Tropical fruits, (pineapple and orange), mixed with some spice and bready backbone. Finishes very clean though. Well done!!

Pours cloudy orange with golden yellow hues. Large white head forms, leaving in its wake cobweb like lacing and teeming carbonation. The aroma is just enormous lemon zest, along with coriander, hops, chamomile, light lavender and a good helping of yeast. Malt profile is interesting, in the nose it’s so subdued, while in the flavor it’s spicy, refreshing, not grainy at all. Flavor is more yeast and lemon, orange hints coming through in the backnote. Finishes very light and crisp, short. Palate is lively and easygoing and very easy to ponder over. I really thought this was an amazing beer for one reason alone: The climatic differences of Belgium and Itlay are far apart, tasting a saison made with that spirit in mind, from Italy finally, brought to life a whole new mode of thinking for me. This beer is lighter and more citric than a traditional saison, but would also be more likely to be consumed in warmer climes, at least if it were consumed in its country of origin. A well planned and executed take on a classic style. Excellent work Baladin.