The Sixth Beer of Christmas - √225 Saison

Packed so full of lemon that the aroma will waft through the entire room.

Summary

• Appearance: Hazy yellow/gold with hints of orange, a bit of lacing.
• Aroma: Big burst of lemon fills the room as soon as you pop open the bottle. Yeast and a touch of apple cider vinegar are also present.
• Taste: Strong lemon zest with the funk of wild yeast. Some white pepper and a bit of oak.
• Feel: Light with sharp carbonation. It finishes with a tart pear or granny smith apple feel around the edge of the tongue.

Stats

• Brewer: Brasserie des Franches-Montagnes
• Location: Saignelégier, Switzerland
• Website: https://www.brasseriebfm.ch/
• Style: Belgian Saison
• Alcohol Content: 5.0%

Prairie Artisan Ales - Prairie Standard

For the Eighth Beer of Christmas, we were drinking on Tulsa Time.

Prairie Artisan Ales
Prairie Standard

Or if you're a little more rock n roll, maybe you'd prefer this Sheryl Crow & Eric Clapton version.

This was another beer with a quick forming head that had me sipping it to prevent an overflow during picture time. Pure white, the big bubbles formed quickly and left chunky lacing as I drank it. If you pour the beer quickly, it's a clear, pale gold. However, they've left lots of great yeast in the bottom of the bottle. When you get it about 3/4's poured, stop and give the bottle a big swirl to pick up that yeast and then pour it in.* That will turn your clear beer cloudy and give you lots of little floaters. That's just extra flavor ... enjoy!

The aroma is full of lime with pepper and star anise. I couldn't put a name on that last one until Lisa opened up the spice cabinet and made me smell different things. Word of caution ... don't inhale too deeply when you're smelling a container of star anise.

Rather than lime, I tasted lemon zest as a major part of the beer. It's starts out lightly sweet, carries a wash of white pepper as most of the spiciness, and then finish with a bitter lemon zest. With a light body and crisp, effervescent sensation with each drink, don't be surprised when you're opening a second just before you finish your first.

This is a highly drinkable beer and the brewery is on my must visit list for my next trip to Tulsa.


Stats
Brewer: Prairie Artisan Ales
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Website: http://www.PrairieAles.com/
Style: Saison / Farmhouse Ale
Alcohol Content: 5.20% ABV
Interesting Note: At just over 3 years old, Prairie is pretty young. Until two years ago, they borrowed brewing time at Choc Beers in Krebs, Oklahoma. As near as I can tell from my searching, Choc Beer is brewed a Pete's Place, an Italian restaurant and brew pub. This is on my "to visit" list, too.

* For most of my homebrewed beers, I tend to avoid the "stuff" in the bottom of the bottle. However, if a professional brewer leaves something in the bottle, it's meant to be swirled up into suspension and enjoyed.

Southern Star Brewing - Walloon

For the Eleventh Beer of Christmas, we got our hands on an extinct species that has recently been brought back to life. Think Jurassic Park, but tasty and available in six-packs.

Southern Star Brewing
Walloon (a fabled grisette!)

I've had the good fortune of visiting Southern Star in Conroe, Texas, several times, but this is the first time I've had their Walloon. If you're ever there and they have Black Crack on tap, order a glass immediately. Well, call me first so I can head that way. Then order your drink.

Hazy and apricot in color, like sunset on a foggy day, the beer has lots of little floaties in it. Given the style (see more below in the interesting note,) this isn't a surprise. Brewed with wheat, floaties are expected. After filling the glass, the beer foams up with a half inch thick head of off-white bubbles which dissipate fairly quickly into random a random scattering of bubble islands atop the brew.

The aroma is both sweet and spicy, enough of the latter that it reminds be a bit of the White Rascal witbier we drank on the as the First Beer of Christmas. There's also a little yeast and long, uncut lawn in there.

The flavor it interesting. A bit of a grape juice & coriander start with bananas & cloves in the middle or the drink, The just lighter than medium bodied beer finishes with a sweet & yeasty taste that doesn't linger.

It's incredibly drinkable and thirst quenching. Although not too thirst quenching because I am wanting another one right now. I mean now. This very instant.

Psssst.

Ah, fresh glass. That's better.

Stats
Brewer: Southern Star Brewing Company
Location: Conroe, Texas
Website: http://www.southernstarbrewing.com
Style: Saison
Alcohol Content: 5.50% ABV
Interesting Note: The style is listed as "Farmhouse-Style Ale," which typically means saison. However, down the side of the can is a word that was new to me: grisette. According to Southern Star's website, this beer is not actually a saison, although saison is the closest style of beer that is currently in production. The style is actually a "grisette" which was brewed in the French region of Belgium where the Walloons live. It's nearly extinct at this point and doesn't even have a Wikipedia entry. I'd type that in, but I'm too busy getting ready to open another can.