Collective Arts Brewing Collective Project / Papaya Saison Saison at 6% ABV | 27 IBU (C$2.70 at Oak & Vine, 473 ml, bottle date 3-Aug-2016, acquired 1-Apr-2017, reviewed 9-Apr-2017)
Appearance: opaque pale gold with one finger of fizzy white head settling rapidly to a think skim, patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tropical fruit rind, wheat, stone fruit, light earthy funk. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high bitter, moderate tart, moderate sweet, light peppery spice. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, lively carbonation, drying short duration astringent and lightly spicy finish. (3/5)
I was pretty leery of this, but the fact that it was Collective Arts meant I was willing to take a flyer on it – and, oh my goodness, no regrets. Pretty darned solid in general, but for the price? Might be unbeatable. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not perfect: in particular, there’s a mild astringent edge (I attribute it to the papaya) that, though not entirely unwelcome, is almost vegetal or gourd rind in character, making it taste much more bitter than the IBU rating would suggest. Still and all, very approachable and enjoyable. (14/20)
7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
