Sometimes it's nice to have your thoughts confirmed – even if you didn't think them in exactly that manner. Confused? Then let me explain...
When making notes on Green Gully's core range saison, the word honey cropped up twice: once when commenting on the comment of the malt character – "softly sweet honey biscuit malts don’t get much of a look in up against the drying, spicy yeast / hop combo"; the other time when describing the beer's appearance: "hazy golden honey appearance." And it turns out the beer is brewed with a little local Phillip Island honey too.
Luke Smith's intention in doing so was to dry it out a little and make it more approachable for drinkers unfamiliar with the saison style. It's definitely contributed to the former, with high carbonation and a fine bead adding to the beer's lean, dry character. There's still plenty of saison yeast elements in place for those looking for them, however, as it's a little peppery, floral, herbaceous and earthy, with a touch of citrus blossom to boot.
As rustic as a beer called Natural Farm Ale should be.
James Smith
