Saison Season

Heartland Heavyweights: Apricot Au Poivre Saison
Nebraska Brewing Company
August 12, 2011

Lots of pepper rises from the nose, but refreshingly, it isn’t alcoholic pepper. The common lemon of saison is muted by the apricots used in brewing. Cream rises up from the ice-cream-thick lace.

The body is barely malty and very clean. The apricot nudges at the palate, never assaulting it. The fruit profile is off the charts for a saison. Hops are nonexistent. Fruit is everywhere, mostly orange, pineapple, lemon and a tangerine backing up the apricot. It’s sometimes amazing how the introduction of one fruit can add so many facets to an ale. A nice burn of pepper and sharper apricot rises on the finish, coating the palate in tart fruitiness. Their use of actual apricots and no puree impacts the flavor immensely. Puree cannot compete.

The apricot really rounds out the saison characters. A lot of the roughness native to other brewers’ versions melts away thanks to the fruit. Nebraska Brewing aged this in chardonnay barrels, a welcome change from craft brewing’s man-crush on whiskey barrels. That contributes to the roundness of this ale; the fruit could easily run off the rails, but barrel aging and bottle conditioning improve its already drinkable nature. Apricot Au Poivre turns a little sour at times, but never unpleasant.

Apricot beers receive faint attention. Nebraska Brewing makes a statement for their presence in saisons. I must quibble with the price ($18.99 for a capped 750 mL). Ingredients like fresh apricots and tools such as chardonnay barrels don’t come cheap.

However, I cannot argue with an excellent, innovative saison, especially from Nebraska.

Unloading on Ovila: Sierra Nevada Ovila Saison
Sampled: Aug. 4, 2011
This is the second ale in Sierra Nevada’s Ovila series, which will benefit a reconstructed abbey in California, making these technically abbey ales produced in America. Despite its attempt at a rarity, Sierra Nevada clearly copies an American classic. I’m starting to doubt Sierra Nevada’s Trappist-inspired series, if only because I’ve tasted this ale before. Hundreds of times before; Ovila Saison could be cloned directly from Ommengang Hennepin’s recipe.

The nose is rich in burnt citrus above a creamy mousse, with hints of pepper and other herbs. It drinks pretty close to Hennepin, albeit at a slightly lower alcohol content (7 percent ABV). Grainy textures emerge in a body which at times seems exceedingly light. Lots of lemon permeates the body. It doesn’t really advance the bouquet’s flavors in the way I expected it to. The finish grows crisper as the pours continue. Very dry, the finish almost crackles like crushed grain on the tongue.

While part of Sierra Nevada’s well-meaning series to bring a Trappist abbey to California, I can’t shake the similarities to Hennepin, one of my favorite beers.

Sierra Nevada might have created a well-mannered clone. If given the choice, I’ll stick with my Hennepin for $2 less a bottle, unless a later sample changes my opinion. But I cannot shake that Hennepin taste in Sierra Nevada clothing.