Pelican Saison du Pelican

Brewed by Pelican Pub & Brewery
Style: Saison
Pacific City, Oregon USA

2009 750ml bottle. Pours a hazy golden orange with a huge white head that lasts forever, very effervescent. Aroma is spicy, peppery, orange peel, Belgian yeast. Flavor is caramel malt, bread, spice, mild black pepper, some light citrus, yeast and a little salty.

750ml mail ordered from the source. Very bright pour, a slightly darker hue than the pale gold I generally expect from the style. Big-ass bottle conditioning = a sticky, frothy head that resists settling down. Down, boy! Nose is tangy and a bit gamey, rather than dry and yeasty. More of a malt presence in the taste than one expects, but the carbonation and hops definitely give it the herbal kick as you get closer to the finish. As another rater suggested, there is a salty, almost seafood-y presence here that’s quite understated but pretty interesting.

On tap at the brewpub. Pours clear dark gold with a scant white head. Fruit, pepper and resiny aroma. Honey lemon taste with a tart and lightly floral finish.

Great Pac NW Hwy 101 Family/Beer Trip 2009 – Astoria Brewing Co. Astoria, OR
Aroma: Great malt and hops aroma with a fantastic fruit aroma coming off.
Appearance: Golden yellow in color, Clear with a light head.
Flavor: Awesome malty and hops flavor the spices and candy flavors from the sugars are awesome. There is a sweet fruit like quality to this beer.
Palate: Dry Sweet Finish, with a Great Mouthfeel.
Overall: A super saison. Darron and the boys know how to brew.

Despite the breweries namesake, Pelican Brewery is not located in Florida, but instead they can be found in Pacific City, OR. At this particular tasting, there were quite a few Pelican Brewing beers, but out of them all, I was only able to taste their 2008 Saison. I am not complaining in the least, though from the rave reviews I heard afterwards, I missed out on a great barleywine by the name The Perfect Storm. But, there is no use in sulking over that which is said and done. Instead, I am going to focus on their Saison, yet another fine Belgian-style beer which always brings a smile to my face and a spring to my step.

The skies are the limit, but this Pelican has decided to settle in my glass and forsake the freedom of the blue horizon all in the name of my supping pleasure. He preened his feathers in soft cloudy hues of orange and yellow speckled with small flakes. A small head scatters into tufts of white while a gentle spring breeze carries his nose straight to mine. Coriander, oranges, pineapple, and freshly mulled wheat soothe while my mouth waters in anticipation. My first quaff is clean and frothy with a chewy mouthfeel, if not a bit on the weak side overall. Freshly picked oranges are peeled before my very tastebuds which revel in the contrast of their succulent inner meat and subsequently dry, lightly acidic skin. Coriander abounds while some lemon peel helps to dry the top of my tongue. As I delve deeper into my 2008 Pelican Saison, I am having doubts as to whether or not this is truly a Saison. As I sup the last drop in my glass, I am pleased and underwhelmed at the same time.

Saisons were originally an agricultural beverage brewed to non-exacting standards with whatever ingredients were most handy and available on the farm at that time. A rustic drink which varied from batch to batch with a few common threads tying them all together. This is why I feel I am presented with a bit of a conundrum concerning the 2008 Pelican Saison. It was very tasty, but was it a Saison in the modern sense? Or is it a Saison in the more traditional sense which, at its heart, is rustic and simple? Neither is wrong, so I shall leave it up to you, the beer drinker with a thirsty palate and open mind to taste the Pelican Saison for yourself and decide.

Viibrant gold boy with a Brussels laced head. Effervescent grassy spiciness in aroma. The smells of fields and herb garden fill the nose. Spritely. Zingy body with easy herbalness. Some wintergreen creases and well developed breadiness that fits nicely into the palte. Efferevescent, yeasty finish. Near pitch-perfect.

Pours a slightly hazy straw color with a nice thick white head. Mildly perfumed floral aroma, sweet rich grains. Slight grainy taste, clean and floral, mildly peppery on the back end. A nice saison.