Stone Saison
Stone Brewing announced the arrival of this 6% ABV Belgian-style saison back in April of 2014, but this is the first time that I actually got around to picking up a few bottles and seeing what it’s all about. And, as one would expect, this is not your typical example of the style. Stone Saison is not overly hoppy or infused with some incredibly esoteric ingredient as the brewery is wont to do on occasion.
The problem I have with Stone Saison — and this is a personal preference — is that there is just way too much spice presence on the tongue. Within the golden depths of this beer, the company has added lemon zest, grains of paradise and Stone Farms-grown lemon thyme and lavender. Now those ingredients aren’t out-of-this-world and aren’t exactly atypical of recent takes on a saisons, but their impact here is just a bit too up-front for my liking.
Appearance
The beer pours a sort of pale, muted amber in color with a persistent cap of dense white foam.
Aroma
Light fruits, soft yeast, distant spices, grain, biscuit, light flowery notes and a touch of barn funk lingering in the background.
Taste
A solid amount of spices (lavender, clove, thyme) are quickly followed by grain, yeast, a light hop tingle and a soft funk. There’s a bit of a peppery character that lingers for a good long while in the lightly drying finish. The brew is light and softly crisp on the palate.
Overall
Stone Saison is not a bad beer, and I am sure that there have been legions of fans quaffing it since it launched. For me, there’s just too much going on with regard to the spice and herb blend. Their presence overwhelms the base character of the beer. That said, I do particularly like that peppery bite that lingers after each sip.
Rating: 3.5/5
