Sierra Nevada Brown Saison

Brewed by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Style: Saison
Chico, California USA

Imperial draft served on tap at Binnys South Loop (Chicago, IL). Pours a brownish dark amber, almost mohagany, light haze, small offwhite head that dies to a film, clings. Aromas have faint belgian yeastiness that seems a bit muttled down, toffee and brown sugar come in a bit touch of dark fruits. Light barnyard funk underneath. Initial takes on a decent belgian feel that is muttled down, yeast and light barnyard, taken over by toffee, caramel, and vanilla with a touch of paint thinner shocker of boozines at the end. Creamy mouthfeel, touch bitter and a bit of a bland finish. It is almost as if the darker malts rob this beer of it’s personality, humping it into the mediocre bucket and letting it off easy at the end of the night. Creative, but not a great overall effort by SN. Not awful, but I had hoped for better.

On tap @ Maproom. Pours brown with a white head. Had the usual saison aroma. Spicy yeast in the flavor (and aroma) with some fruit in there as well. Decent brew though.

on tap at hopleaf a few months back. pours auburn with off white head. nose of toffee, dough, and gin. strong gin taste with spicy yeast profile, some dark fruit, dry and slightly sour in the finish. a unique take on a saison that doesn’t add up for me.

On tap at Coles. Pours an amber/brown clear body with a thin light tan head. Candy like aroma with some faint hoppy notes. Started off nicely with a good blast of flavor. Good sweet/malty balances. Finished way too tart and kinda harsh. Not really much "brown ale’ notes or saison if you ask me. OK.

On tap at Ciceros. Pours a light and transparent brown with a big head and mildly sweet aromas. Flavor is an interesting mix of watery brown sugar, figs, a little lemon and funk. Nice enough, but not outstanding.

Draft at Jerry’s. Dark amber with good, creamy tan head / Sour malt and banana nose / Light to medium body, somewhat sour, with good balance and hop dryness on the finish / Flavors of sour cherry, banana, dry hops, toast, and caramel / Has a delicious sour ale character.

I didn’t find a lot inspiring in this beer. To say it tasted like a sour version of American Brown Ale is about the best I can do. They did a good balance between those two flavors. But I was hoping that some interesting flavor notes would emerge out of the mixture of the two. You know, "the whole being greater than the sum of its parts". That didn’t happen.

Draught at Toronado SD. As I overheard a fellow imbiber comment "I think this beer tasted like white wine, bread, and cranberry juice," I couldn’t help but agree. The finish is vinous and tart, with a sour fruit quality that meshes well with the bready malt flavors. The dark brown-red color is nice, capped by a large white head. Nectarines, berries, and tart apples pop out of the aroma. The body is lean and dry with smooth bubbles. I was a bit skeptical (this being my first Belgian-style beer from SN, but I would have ordered a couple more of these if I could have.