Phillips Brewing Company Phantoma Pomegranate Dark Saison Saison at 6.2% ABV (C$6.60 at Hume Hotel Liquor Boutique, 650 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 30-Jan-2018, reviewed 3-Feb-2018)
Appearance: clear ruby brown with two fingers of creamy beige head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: molasses, Swedish berries, wheat, black pepper, light tart, weedy grass, hint of smoke. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, mild bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration lightly tart finish. (4/5)
One thing you might notice to be completely absent from my description: pomegranate. Not that that’s particularly surprising, given that it’s a pretty mild flavour, so I’m chalking up the red berry flavour to the missing pomegranate. Both it and the molasses are mild and even-handed, but the base beer just doesn’t taste very Saison-ish. Pleasant enough, I suppose, but a bit of a kitchen sink of flavours. (15/20)
7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
