Fat Bottom Wallflower Spring Saison

Fat Bottom had a go, and it was not spectacular. BUT, a single beer does not define a brewery (except in the case of HiCu, which is exactly why I'll never buy another Magic Hat beer again). So, we move on to a saison - a strange beer to pick, if you are unsure about the market response to your beers. Instead, you would normally go with a reliable IPA and work your way out from there, like Lagunitas did. Still, this is what they chose, and I expect they did that for a reason.

When I buy a beer that is kind of off the wall, I am not usually all that surprised with the color, but this is a fairly standard saison, and the color is really strange. Yes, it is vaguely amber color, but there is a streak of strawberry red that has tinted it pretty well. The fullsome head eventually dies to a manageable patchy layer with the ring around the glass. The aroma is like a Sprite with flower pedals tossed in - all effervescence and citrus.

First sip is oddly smooth. It has floral hops and light citrus, but the usual bite, bitterness, or tartness isn't coming to this party. It's not that it has no taste, but it's very simple and quite enjoyable. It's like a light juice or something with a kind of simple zest and that's about it.

Tip-in is carbonation tingle, grapefruit, pear, and apple. The middle is a much stronger carbonation sizzle accompanied by the floral hops and the pear gets a little more centered. The finish is a slight tartness and then a trail-off of fruits and flowers.

Bottom Line: On a hot day (which the day I'm drinking it is) and after working in the yard (which I did) this is just complex enough to enjoy and just refreshing enough to quench.

3.5/5