Valley Brewing, Inc. Prairie Icon – Saison at 5.2% ABV | 25 IBU (C$4.09 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 2-Oct-2019, acquired 24-Jan-2020, reviewed 27-Jan-2020)
Appearance: clear pale straw with two fingers of rocky white head, excellent retention and heavy chunky lacing. (4/5) Aroma: lemongrass, clove, pale crackery malt, peppercorn, floral, honey. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate spice, moderate-low bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body, lively carbonation, off-dry mild bitter spicy finish. (3/5)
Not bad, but slightly too much emphasis on the peppercorns. I like spicy as much as the next guy – hell, more than most! – but can be tricky to strike the right balance, especially when the style is one primarily intended to be a refreshing thirst quencher. In this case it starts off as just that, but as the pint progresses the spicy pepper character lingers and builds, eventually making it less refreshing. (13/20)
6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
