Saint Somewhere Saison Athene

Brewed by Saint Somewhere Brewing Company
Style: Saison
Tarpon Springs, Florida USA

This could be one of the worst saisons I’ve ever had. It was a first though. I’ve never had a beer that had the aroma of cotto salami, yet here it was. How the hell does a brewer get that? I mean, it’s pretty awful (the beer, not cotto salami). The aroma aside, the beer pours out an orangish color with a bit of floaties swimming around. Slightly sweet and spicy on the palate, there really is little else to say about this beer. Just a really poor example of a saison.

(bottle shared by Joebrew) Pours light hazy gold with a white head. The most dominant smell I get is a freshly baked cinnamon roll. There’s not much else going on in the aroma, but the cinnamon roll scent was definitely pleasant enough to warrant an 8. The taste doesn’t live up to the aroma, there’s a little bit of sweetness there and some cinnamon, but all of the flavors are rather muted. Medium mouthfeel.

Small sample at OSLO and Guerde’s tasting on Friday, 5-23-08. Pours a pale, effervescent yellow. Sour, dry aroma features salt and lemon scents. Dull flavor. I’m not getting a lot out of this beer in terms of taste. Forgettable palate. Much better aroma than flavor in my opinion. I may have been suffering from burnt-out palate by this point in the tasting.

thanks drewbeerme for the oportuinty to try this beer...well I thought it smelled like a lemon soda with a bit of ginger ale mixed in...the mouthfeel was fairly light and spritzy though I think this was a bit sweet for the style it was drinkable....but not something I would seek out again.....the flavors were of grainy malt and lemony gingeryish....and finished sweet

Tasted at the May Northern California Beer Tasting. This saison poured a cloudy copper color from a corked 750 bottle. Large sized white foamy head. The aroma is sweet, yeasty and spicy. But there was some beef or meat in there as well. Definitely not a good thing for a beer. A medium bodied saison. The malts were fruity and sweet. The hops are earthy. There was something just not right here, the beer was a train wreck of flavors. Spices, fruit and yeast were OK. The lunchmeat flavors weren’t. ODD. Need to re-sample if possible. Mouthfeel is full. Finish is clean. Aftertaste is beefy.

[Bottle, thanks for sharing Joebrew!] Pours hazy gold with a white head. Aroma was yeast, light funkiness and cinnamon. Taste is definitely dominated by the cinnamon, with a little malt. Medium mouthfeel with a fairly long finish. Quite an enjoyable beer, even if the cinnamon was maybe just a bit too strong.

OSLO and Guerde’s Memorial Weekend Tasting, 5/23/08. Courtesy of Joebrew. Cloudy yellow color with a thin head. Cinnamon aroma. Guerde was adamant it smelled like cinnamon rolls; Joebrew was equally adamant it smelled like pot. A little barnyardy, too. Lots of wheat, cinnamon, mint and the barnyard flavor. A pinch of orange. Very spicy, and very good.

My Bottom Line:
Rosemary and lemon peel spiciness levitate atop the pear-like esters of this soft and quenching Saison. These Saint Somewhere products have a compeliling house character.

Further Personal Perceptions:
-Sturdy foam lingers atop the cloudy blond.
-The finish is not as spicy as the high-flying aroma, which is appreciated.
-Carbonation is prickly yet peaceful.
-The body is lean and well built.
-The spice bouquet is quite complex and could even include lemongrass, orange peel, coriander seeds, tarragon, etc. This is somewhat reminiscent of Pizza Port’s old SPF 45 Saison.

Bottle. Thx Jason!