2022 Vintage. 750 mL, Tavour purchase, the usual Bruery presentation. The Bruery’s marketing re: labels and 750 mLs still pulls me in – at least I recognize that fact!

Hazy, appropriately enough, orange body with a short-lived, initially decent but soon fading head.

Nose has a TON of orange juice. I mean it actually smells like artificial orange juice. Because of that, it’s a mild surprise when the beer isn’t quite as sweet as the nose might suggest. It still replicates the orange nose, and has a pleasing, fine carbonation, but it’s nowhere near as sweet as one might expect from that first whiff. The fine, brisk carbonation is my favorite part of this beer.

The lack of sweetness is actually a very mild tartness. The whole thing is fairly one-dimensional if I’m honest, and this lacks any ‘saison’ character for me. It drinks like a mildly tart, fruit beer and that’s absolutely NOT what I’m looking for with the word ‘Saison’ on the label. It’s hard for me to find any justification of the moniker; I hate when that happens in beers.

As it warms the beer opens up a little and the edge is taken off the citrus which I assume is the apricot coming through, but as an entity, it’s hard to specifically decipher. Spices? Mmm, maybe a touch of a Christmas like spice but for me it’s mostly muted. Any wood element from the foeder? Not much, if any.

I mean, it’s fine, and if you are seeking a little conversation starter as an aperitif or welcoming drink at a party, I’m on board. As a solid Saison as a strong example of the style, I just don’t think it is.