Victory Brewing Selene Saison
Selene Saison was brewed to be the dark, “celestial sister” of victory Brewing’s bright and sunny Helios Ale. The black saison is more than just a roasty, funky ale, however. The introduction of rye and a combination of Brettanomyces and Blaugies yeast strains take the brew in a much different direction than I expected when first cracking open the bottle. It’s quite an interesting beer.
The typical notes of cocoa and a soft roast are present as expected for a black saison, but you can also add a wildly funky character and lingering sour tartness thanks to the yeast combo in usage. The spicy, peppery rye keeps things earthy and lively. It’s that soft, funky tartness however that really makes this beer rather intriguing. It permeates the flavor smoothly without fully distracting from the base flavors, lingering for a long while in the lasting finish.
Selene Saison is an engaging beer. Without that sour tartness that mingles with roasty notes and spicy rye, it would still be a good black saison, but would probably get lost in the mix of its peers. It’s been a while since I’ve had the brewery’s Helios Ale, but from what I remember and the notes found here, the duo would make for an interesting tasting.
This is a review of a promotional sample.