Saison Tasting

Hoping to duplicate my surprisingly successful saison (my fourth ever brew), last month I brewed another saison from the same Brewing Classic Styles recipe. I do not however expect the results to be the same, since there has probably been quite a bit of variation in my ingredients (due to the way the LHBS sold grains) and process (due to my poor fermentation temperature control) between the two brews. Nevertheless, I will be happy if this attempt is as good as my previous one.

Appearance: Hazy golden copper with a thick white head that dissipates but leaves a thin layer of bubbles over the beer. This bottle was only in the fridge for around 8 hours, so the chill haze may be reduced after more time in the fridge.

Aroma: Fruit of some kind. A combination of bananas and other yeasty esters, maybe plums. Some sweetness in the smell.

Taste: Fruity and a bit phenolic, but not unpleasantly so. A slightly "hot" aftertaste and almost a slightly sour or funky note. Slight sweetness. Kind of refreshing. A slight hint of noble-hop bitterness with attendant earthy notes.

Mouthfeel: A little bit too heavy for the style. Could use some more carbonation in my view. Not as spritzy as the style is supposed to be, but my wife and other taster did find it refreshing.

Overall: A light, fruity beer with yeasty notes and a moderately refreshing quality. Not spritzy, but well carbonated. Slight funkiness from the yeast phenolics. Pleasant, but not great. Needs a lighter body and it should be drier.

For Next Time: Control the fermentation temps better to get higher attenuation and thus less sweetness. More carbonation to get a more spritzy mouthfeel.