Dave's BrewFarm Simcoe Single Hop Saison

Simcoe Single Hop Saison, Dave's BrewFarm, 6.9% ABV.

Brilliant golden appearance, lightly hazed, with a tight ring of white foam atop.

Earthy, malty nose, fruity and sweet. Apricot, apple and pear. Belgian yeast is funking things up in this. Bright and beautiful.

Taste: Zing! An instant blast of hops, well-matched with malt, covered up in yeast. A three-pronged attack. Hops jump, then fade, malt takes over, and it's an intriguing mix. Becomes sour in the middle, then returns to sweet. More citrus fruit qualities emerge, more than the other fruits mentioned above.

The malt component is pale and lean, allowing the hops and yeast to shine, and it's it's combination I've never encountered. The hops are shining brighter now, and the body remains light, pale, smooth. An ever-evolving ale, this.

One thing about Simcoe hops. I have a friend who hates them, because they remind her of the byproduct of feline urinary elimination. Or, in other words, cat pee. She won't drink Surly Furious, for instance, because of the Simcoe among the four hops involved. Hyper-sensitive, you could say. In this showcased of a saison, the yeast must tame that part of the beast. Just a guess, though.

So what's the Farmer say? "Pale, Rye and Ashburne Mild malts, and hopped with three additions of Simcoe hops. Fermented with French Saison yeast."