2017 Advent Beer 21:La Debauche Saison

It's the winter solstice today - the longest night of the year. A dark day calls for dark beers, to my mind at least, so at my team's Christmas dinner tonight I tried two from Lacombe's Blindman Brewing: their Triphammer robust porter and Ichorous Imperial stout, and they were both splendid.

Their darkness stands in stark contrast to the hazy golden yellow of tonight's saison from La Debauche in France. It is quite frothy, building to an almost stereotypical head. Scents are mild, which is not that unusual for a saison; a bit of yeast, a hint of mustiness, some floral notes.

Fairly crisp for a 7% ABV beer, and very smooth, with a bitter finish that could make this a decent quencher (as dangerous a notion as that might be). There's traces of spice, like coriander, but all in all, a fairly unremarkable beer. On the other hand though, the pretty, semi-gothy label is a nice fit for the longest night of the year.