Saison: First Taste

A sneak preview of saison was uncapped at the Farewell to Burners cookout in Oakland yesterday evening. Just as the sun tucked itself behind the vacant building and the air cooled off from boiled prawn-pink to a more comfortable pollution-purple, ten tasters reflected on the fresh summer ale.
(I have been listening to more NPR lately, and if this were a radio doc, here is where there would be audio tidbits of people clinking glasses and saying things like, "mmm I love hoppy beers!" and "the citrusy aroma disappears in the middle of the sip" and "this tastes like summer!") Alors.
The extra-carbonated deep gold colored brew produced a glorious head after decanting. The aroma was lightly spiced and citrusy, flavors that blossomed on the front of the tongue and gave way to a full but light as meringue malt middle, which then gave way to a very hoppy and just toeing the bitter line finish. Suffice to say it took superhuman powers of restraint not to plow through another round of bottles.

Capping up Kazoo Oakland

The British Summer Ale, "Mister Squinty" went down smooth at a solstice party in June, kegged in the backyard and quaffed magnanimously with fruits and cheeses.

Bottled the as-yet-unnamed Saison last weekend, came out the color of the Harvest Moon and the little uncarbonated sample sip tasted like the chalice of ambrosia standing in Venus' silk pillow-strewn Canary Island vacation rental.

Kazoo Brews are moving to Portland, OR...
just as soon as the Saison is sufficiently bottle conditioned to serve on the midmove picnic