Seasonal’s mid-year gambit outflanks the on trend with a quartet that educates and draws the drinker into a seasonally appropriate arc. Fluffy juice and milk, be damned! Following the brewery’s numerical system for naming their saisons, which began with one of the owner’s favourite numbers, 9, Saison No.10 delivers a more straightforward, archetypal yeast expression: banana, spice, lemony citrus and arid length that pairs best with winter dreams of warm air and real world lazy snacking.
So why not take this bucolic notion into the vineyard too? Scene set, now bring the notable LS Merchants Die Berghain Riesling lees to the brewery to embellish the aforementioned saison – hybridising the worlds of grape and grain into a parlay of elegant whimsy. Fruit influence carries the palate with a delicate lemon and floral harmony, cleansing acidity and tannins, all resulting in a balance and something more than the sum of its parts. For Farmhouse with Riesling Grapes, one plus one = three.
Moving towards the malt lead half, Otis 4 sees the Seasonal debutant reinterpreted with Talus, Mosaic and Idaho 7 hops, the former dominating with a grapefruit and potpourri nose atop a slightly sticky caramel malt base, with the beer now sitting at a more sessionable 6.4 percent ABV.
Which leaves a substantial cool weather coda – BARIS, a Starward whisky barrel-aged Russian imperial stout. The ex-wine then ex-whisky, now ex-RIS barrels still emote dryness, toast and American oak coconut, with the distiller’s remnants overtly imbibing the dark choc and espresso sauntering beast, a collab with Mane Liquor and Besk.
Guy Southern
Published May 25, 2021 2021-05-25 00:00:00
