Who Sais Americans can’t make a good and authentic Saison? Truthfully, this is sort of a hybrid ale. I guess you could call it a Sour Saison, Sally. Don’t mistake me when I tell you that this beer is sour. Sour ales that I’ve had previously were pretty stinkin’ sour; this is a more restrained version. The Bruery is one of those companies that is just now starting to make a name for itself. Make no mistake about it, they are very much about Belgian beers. And why shouldn’t they be? Isn’t it okay to pick one thing and do it exceedingly well than to be all over the place and do nothing well? I think so. If you’re going to pick a place, Belgium is not a bad choice for all its variety and complexity. If you wish to familiarize yourself with Belgian styles of beer, here are a couple of links.
Like many Belgian brewers, the Bruery does not pasteurize its beer and also do 100% bottle conditioning, which means that they allow the yeast to do the carbonation in the bottle–hence, the reason for the thick bottle. (Here is a link to something I wrote about bottle conditioning.) Needless to say, there is a distinct yeast bite and freshness to the Bruery’s products. I’m already a fan. Now for the review.
The Pour: Saison Rue (Rue being the last name of the founders of the company) poured with a cloudy blond-orange body and a foamy, but not cloud-like, cream head. Typical of a bottle conditioned beer, there was plenty of brightness despite the haze. Very nice looking.
The Nose: Since this was a Saison, there was some spicy yeast on the nose. It seemed more powdery than herbal in approach. The sourness was restrained on the nose but certainly still present. I suppose that I would call the sourness a woody/wood-like tannic type. Of course, the typical candy sugar sweetness was noticeable in this Belgian style beer. What else would one expect?
The Taste: As might be expected, there was a very fresh and bright quality. The beer was active, clean, full and luminous when I sipped it. The combination of carbonation and sourness tingled on tongue with each sip. The sour acidity was very nice. Again, the sourness was very restrained but still very much a part of the character. Once the beginning powdery yeast, residual sweetness, sourness and touches of spice resided, a distinctly grainy quality really popped through this Bruery selection. One the whole, it was very well-balanced.
Overall, I think this beer is simply wonderful. It had everything that I expect from a sour ale with just the right balance and quality, which can be hard to do in this style. I highly recommend that you give this one a try if you can find it.
Mike’s Rating:
Overall Satisfaction: 
Among other Belgian/Belgian Style beers: 
I have HATED other sour ales we’ve tried in the past, but I LOVE this beer. Great balance and terrific grainy finish — I would definitely drink it again (no bottles left at BevMo in Pasadena, but there were several at the Whole Foods on Arroyo). I think it’s a great “bridge” beer for this style for those who maybe consider a more traditional sour a little too extreme.
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That’s my girl. Sorry fellas, she’s taken. Who knew that this beer caterpillar would become such a lovely butterfly. She is right about it…that was part of my mentioning its restraint. Thanks Andrea!
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[...] as soon as October): IN, OH, WI, NC, SC, IL, FL, KY Go out of your way if you have to. Their Saison Rue is a must try. But the real treats happen at the Bruery itself. Their exclusive in-house beers [...]
Delicious. Absolutely delicious. The sour character is subtle but there nonetheless. Additionally, I detected a sweetness the reminded me of other Belgian golden ales. I will definitely be going back for more of this beer, and will try a few more of the Saison style.
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Glad you liked it. I wish you could try their brewery only stuff. If you make it down this way you should
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