Goose Island Sofie Belgian Style Saigon 2017

This beauty presented itself from the shelf at Dan Murphy in Mona Vale.  750mL cap seal, coming in at 6.5%, $20, the label advises to keep for 5 years to develop. Bottled on 20DEC17.

Don't know about you, but I find cellaring beers very difficult. Managed to hang on to a Thomas Hardy Vintage Ale for a year, but that was definitely an exception. And for the purpose of illuminating you, dear reader, this will not become one either.

Hazy pale apricot in colour, with rocky white head.  Citrus and spice on the nose.  Good light to medium mouthfeel, with an easy bitterness at the back. Flavours of citrus, musk, and Saison funky goodness.

Best description is a funkier version of Witbier. I tried to sell it to Libby as a cross between Champagne and Hefeweizen.  She likes both but is unconvinced by this one. More's the pity, because I think it's pretty good.  The spice is still lingering as I'm typing this, and my last swallow was after the last paragraph....

Beer review: Bridge Road Chevalier Saison "le printemps"

Guide to review scoring is on the post Beeradvocate Ratings Systems

 Unless otherwise specified, these reviews are my own.

Bridge Road Chevalier Saison Saison / Farmhouse Ale 6.0%

B / 3.75   look: 3.5   smell: 3.5   taste: 4   feel: 3.5   drink: 4

Stamped "le printemps" which according to the web translators means "the spring".

a) Pours a white pillowy head, almost whipped egg-white. Cloudy orange, with good bubbling. Looks nutritious.

s) Sherbet/citrus, some wit-like spice, wursty/fleshy yeast, wet hessian/hay.

t) Rosewater/turkish delight, some funky farmyard, some lactic cheesiness, late grapefruit note, and bitterness like lemon pith. Complex and interesting, and an improvement on an earlier tasting (2008 B-).

m) Light and dry, like a cremant champagne, refreshing and easy to consume.

d) Like an aged, if not past-it, sparkling wine, but easy to drink; not for everyone, but lovers of lambics, sours, and wits should find it enjoyable.