Southampton Saison Deluxe

Corked and caged 750 ml bottle as pictured, thanks to a trade with hopdog(you’re the man!). Served into a Duvel goblet, we have a hazy body the hue of ripe banana skins. Body is animated with tiny bubblies. Hefty vanilla head is very sturdy, eventually stabilizng at 2 cm, and becoming rocky and pitted. Lacing is of the island chain and satin bedsheet variety. Aroma is coriander, white pepper, cirtusy lemon, with a cornucopia of idyllic pasture notes. Earhty and herbal hop and yeast characteristics roll you around in the grass, evoking thoughts of a mountain pasture in springtime, teeming with sheep. Some are freshly shorn. Lovely! Medium body has a spritzy and velvety feel. Taste is intense and relaxing. Dry herbal bitterness benefits from the subtle hop and yeast profile. Mild spicing seems to be coriander, white pepper, and mint. Citrusy lemon is enhanced by a note of tangerine. Orangepeel bitterness joins for the finish, as does a dirty note of baked sheep dung and recently shorn wool. Exceptional in all respects. Rivals the better Belgians of the style. Whee!

Pours a clouded gold with the most ridiculous head I have seen since I can’t remember. Almost 5 fingers. Nose is like smelling an angels wings. Sweet and smooth with a great yeast presence. Flavor is good, but seems to be a bit too short on the initial punch. Earthy flavor with a yeast and slight sugar presence. Very earthy overall. Straw seems to be there as well. Very rustic overall. Feel is smooth, even though there seems to be a huge amount of carbonation in there. Extremely drinkable. Side by side with a saison from the other side of the pond, I seriously doubt anyone would be able to tell the difference in a blind test. It’s just damn good. Enough said.

This came from a caged and corked 750ml bottle. Poured into a tulip glass, this had a massive head and left stickly lace down the glass. Sunflower yellow color. Aromas of Belgian yeast, spices, perhaps some coriander and black pepper? Slightly sweet smelling as well. Very nice flavor. Nicely balanced between sweet malts and hops and yeastiness. Mouthfeel was just right. Full bodies but left a clean palate. Overall, a very nice brew. One of the best saison’s I’ve had. Recommended.

Holy fictional son of a made up deity, a Sly Fox bottled 75cL that isn’t filled to the very top and undercarbonated. I’m so happy I need a new pair of pants! Pours deep golden with big fluffy white foam that, much like Carrot Top, just will not go away. Lacing so pretty I wanna pour it over a nice pair of legs. Big musty aroma, little bit of lemongrass, smells like something I wanna lick. Bone dry and yet still lots of malt there, perfect example of how to abuse a good yeast, I fucking love it. Great bittersweet finish.

Bottles courtesy of hopdog. Cloudy golden yellow with huge soapy/frothy head. Great lacing. Yeasty bread up front, slight farmhouse funk going on. Very floral with plenty of light citrus, mostly lemon in the background. Flavor is all over the place. Yeasty sourdough bread, lemon, grass, flower petals, slighty sweet pale malts, faint hop bitters near the finish. Creamy smooth mouthfeel, just the right amount of carbonation. Finishes very dry, leaving you begging for more. Very nice beer overall.