@NewBelgium Prickly Passion Saison

At some point in the not-too-distant past I procured a 22 oz bottle of New Belgium's Prickly Passion Saison. It has been sitting in one of my beer fridges for quite awhile and I sort of forgot about it. A few days ago, while looking through my beer inventory I discovered the bomber and thought, "wow, I should drink that with Easter dinner." And so, when it was almost time for Easter dinner, I popped it open and poured it into my New Belgium globe glass.

It is, of course one of the New Belgium "Lips of Faith" series of beers. It does not disappoint.

It pours golden amber in color with a beautiful, thick just-barely-off-white head. It is nicely carbonated, almost sparkling in its effervescence.

It has that great Belgium phenolic farm-house wet-blanket aroma typical to saisons. It has a bit of a lemony zest aroma with quite a bit of pear and perhaps from clovey banana. There is a nice underlying bready malt in the nose as well.

The flavor starts off with lightly tart pear and prickly passion fruit surrounded with the bready malt flavor I picked up in the nose. The middle brings the farm-house yeast flavor. It finishes off with a pit of prickly tartness, some clove, and maybe just a bit of lemony zest.

There is dry light mouthfeel. The considerable carbonation along with the tart flavors Probably make it feel more light in body than it actually is.

This is an 8.5% ABV beer, but you cannot tell from the taste or smell. I usually think of saisons as lighter alcohol, so this one has the potential of sneaking up on me.

Overall, I really like this beer and I thought it was great with my Easter dinner. I may have to think about brewing a saison or two this summer to enjoy as the sun goes down in the cooling evening.

Go BlackHawks.