Beer – #689 – Tuatara – Solstice
Or more correctly Tuatara Solstice Spiced Saison. If only the summer would arrive this might have been the perfect beer for a holiday weekend. And Lo! Sunday turned up with Sun, and now I’m so looking forward and here we go.
Solstice has always been a pagan festival
From the fill your own station I have the one litre bottle of beer with 5.2% ABV, and 22 IBU things, and only 156 calories a serve size. This the equivalent of 4.1 standard drink units in NZ.
Brewed by Tuatara Brewing Company in the style: Saison and they are in Paraparaumu, New Zealand
Solstice has always been a pagan festival. A time to worship the Sun God and bring the ceremonial jandals out from the darkest recesses of the hall closet.
I worked in the garden and I’ve earned this
In ancient times Neolithic man raised huge stones to observe this astronomical event. We’ve decided to celebrate the Solstice each year by raising a glass of a new beer.
This time we’ve chosen a Spicy Saison with ginger and kaffir lime. It’s the perfect way to finish a long day of sun worshipping. Made in collaboration with Liquorland, this year our Solstice is the dawn of a new Saison.
Taste: Solstice 2015 embodies Summer, the inviting warmth of fresh ginger is complemented by a refreshing zesty finish that the addition of kaffir lime leaves delivers. Hops: Pacific Jade Yeast: French Farmhouse Ale Look: Golden in colour with cloudy hue Aroma: Spicy ginger on the nose, with refreshing citrus notes.
So, what could possibly go wrong?
Aroma is a mixed thing, I’m hoping that was lime and not kosher pickle, which reminds me to go get the cheese.
Colour is a rich brown, Pour is fantastic with an off white almost orange tinged head that just looks a picture on it’s own. There is much more of a lime aroma in the glass as it blooms.
Then the taste. Bitter kiss then a big mouthfeel of ginger and a peak of lime as it washes over the tongue. Aroma has settled to that Saison funk that is on it’s own quite nice, and you get that before the refreshing and light beer that follows.
A proper glass of beer later I’m still getting that ginger note and the lime, and it was at the point that I began to frown, because they don’t settle down and seem to become more forward, hiding the bubblegum funky thing that I might enjoy in a Saison style of beer, (bubblegum thing aside).
It is a refreshing and easy to drink beer though, and I would suggest on point with the style and reason for the style a refreshing summer ale of lowish ABV that can be drunk without a fuss and fluster., except this one has a bit of a trick in the lime and ginger.
I’ve been snacking on the cheese and picked and crackers whilst I’ve been listening to the music and drinking this and they’re all in tune, not all over each other, the beer seems really ideal for foods, I know it’s only cheese, but.
You could get used to that ginger heat kick that this has, you could get used to the lime bringing sweeter layer that brights up the palate. You could. As beers go then this is pop, in a number of senses, and not rock ‘n roll
The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 9 of its things from the thing.
The double dip review
- Am I enjoying it? Yes, it’s a lovely day for a lovely beer.
- Would I have another? Not sure this is a session beer, and one might just the wake up and refresher you need.
- Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Yes, because it’s a but of a party, looks great, and the taste is consistent and whilst this is ginger lime spiced it seems fairly food neutral.
Music for this : ” Beirut ” who have a new album ” No No No” naturally on the Spotify Beirut is an American band which was originally the solo musical project of Santa Fe native Zach Condon, and later expanded into a band.
SAISON
Fruity esters dominate the aroma. Clarity is good with a large foamy head on top. The addition of several spices and herbs create a complex fruity or citrusy flavor. Light to medium bodied with very high carbonation. Alcohol level is medium to high.
A life just as ordinary 