Name: Barrique-Fermented Saison
Brewery: Hallertau (Auckland, New Zealand)
Style: Saison
ABV: 5.3%
Source: the Golden Dawn (Ponsonby, Akl)
I had to stare at this photo for a full five minutes (and then eventually put it into Photoshop and lighten it up), in order to figure out what it was. Eventually I recognized the blue picnic table and remembered that oh yes – this was that cracking little Saison I drank at Golden Dawn on Saturday.*
It was a little hard to taste the beer because it was so dark (sounds weird but it’s true), and because a girl sitting near me was blowing smoke in my direction, but I tried not to act like a grumpy old man about it and enjoyed the beer as best I could.
It was pretty classically saisony, with aromas of lemon, bread, bubblegum and gentle spices, but also a little oak from those barrels. In the mouth it was fresh and creamy, lightly sour and very refreshing. There were actually quite a few similarities between this and the Funkonnay, which could never be a bad thing.
Though I do actually like Golden Dawn a lot, it wasn’t quite the right setting for a delicate saison. Still – I’m yet to find a flowery meadow or sunny barnyard with beer on tap, so for now it will just have to do.
*Again, sorry for posting out of order and for being so hopeless with remembering what I drank. I’m hoping this is coming across as a charming Zooey Deschanel-type kookiness rather than signs of a mental deficiency.
