Beer Review: Schlafly Saison Ale

What to say about Schlafly…they are a brewery I am still unsure of at this point.  I really enjoyed their pumpkin ale, but I think I am generally just undecided about them right now.

About the brewery (from the Schlafly Web site)
In 1991, Anheuser-Busch had brewing plants in 12 cities and produced enough beer to fill 28 billion bottles. That same year, a burned-out building on the corner of 21st and Locust Street was resurrected as the city’s first new brewery in over five decades and Schlafly Beer was born. Unlike its much larger neighbor, The Saint Louis Brewery is dedicated to the notion that a local brewer can once again thrive in America’s brewing capital. And, although the brewery has grown steadily since its inception, it remains dedicated to the local market, brewing a wide range of traditional beers that pay tribute to the area’s great history.

According to the bottle:

This fruity, complex Belgian-style ale is amber in color, medium-bodied and offers a distinct, tart character contributed by the Belgian yeast.

The Pour
This pours with a very small, loose and short lived head that is only about 3/4 of a finger thick.  It doesn’t appear to be super effervescent, and the beer itself is a medium amber color.

The Nose
The nose is one of sweet maltiness and caramel, with a hint of sour fruit hiding in the background.  It may be hints of sour raspberry. There are also slight citrus hints as well, such as lemon or grapefruit (leans more towards lemon).

The Taste
This is actually more effervescent in the mouth than it appears on inspection.  The sourness is the most noticeable aspect, which was a good thing, because I had just tried Biere du Boucanier and was surprised at how much I enjoyed its sour character.  This was a slightly different sourness though…it seemed to be a lighter bodied sourness, if that makes sense. The Biere du Boucanier had a sourness that was almost tangible.  There are some hints of sour raspberry on the palate. This is a medium bodied beer with a slightly oily mouthfeel.  There are very very subtle hints of sweetness in the beer too, though these are really just ghosts of sweetness floating across the palate.  As the beer warms, the Belgian yeast is more noticeable, and almost wants to give the beer a wheaty profile.

Overall
I had cracked this beer open with the anticipation of a sourness similar to that of Biere du Boucanier, but didn’t get it.  But this is still a good beer, with interesting character and appeal.

Recommended
Not really yes or no….give it a shot if you have your eye on it. It’s not at all a bad brew.  If you’re looking for a good typically Belgian beer, get something actually Belgian.

Price: Not sure…was part of an auction package

ABV: 6.2%