Beer – #901 – Craftwork – Saison Zest
Craftwork Saison Zest. Craftwork, quietly making a bit of name for themselves. Also it’s Sunday and that means I have a vinyl record to play.
with a big rocky head
This is a 500ml of a beer, 18 IBU, 205 ish calories a serve, it does have a 7% ABV, and that makes it 3 standard drinks. Also another cap for the cap jar, which I will write about at some point.
Brewed by Craftwork in the style that is a Saison and they’re based in the lovely Oamaru, New Zealand
Saison Zest is the farmhouse ale made in the French speaking, Wallonian province of Belgium. Traditionally it was a refresher for tired and thirsty farm labourers. Saison Zest is a modern interpretation, a stronger full flavoured brew. Orange of hue with a big rocky head, aged for two months in the bottle.
Zesty and sharp hair cut
We’ve chosen a simple grain bill that showcases Gladfield’s superb malts and added Orange Zest.
Paired with floral and citrusy hops, our saison yeast imparts massive character and a dry finish.
We believe Zest will refresh and sustain the farm worker or office shirker. Enjoy in moderation, it’s stronger than it seems!
Unfiltered and unpasteurised in the traditional manner, for full flavour.
So, What could possibly go wrong?
Zesty and fresh, an aroma that you could only associate with Saison beer. Sweet almost cider-like.
Bright orange pour, dazzling orange really, an a bright white head of a nice density.
Aroma in the glass is that familiar sweetness, and then also something else, like orange pith perhaps. IT’s also quite peppery and that can catch you out.
That has a really rich and full malt middle, which is a stand out thing. It doesn’t appear to be well bookended though.
I really did let it sit a while in the glass to warm out, and that seems to have done a bit of a trick in balancing the body out somewhat, ending in a beer that it quite refreshing really.
For a really small batch brewer though this is pretty decent, and it leads me to want to try the other beers they have, which will happen over the next few weeks I’m sure.
The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 7 of its things from the thing. This needs a bit of lift in the bookends to the sweetness for me. Left to warm it becomes better but it still lacks punch and then also looses those things that make a saison what it is.
The double dip review
- Where did I get it? Liquorland in Forrest Hill had a small stash.
- Am I enjoying it? I ended up shaded towards not.
- Would I have another? Yes from this brewer of course.
- Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? This one? Not enough of a wow or standout that would make it anything special, so probably not.
Music for this: ” David Bowie ” and “Rare” An Album of music from RCA
Rare (often known as Bowie Rare) was a compilation released by RCA Records to cash in on David Bowie for the 1982 Christmas market. The artist’s relations with the company were at a low
I have this on Vinyl and I can’t find an online link to the music, but the link above will give you the track list if you’re of a mind.
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 
I went to a local brewery a couple of weeks ago. They had three different variations of a Farmhouse Ale. I asked for samples of two of them. I did not order a Farmhouse Ale. These have the taste of a beer gone bad to me. It’s the problem I have with Belgian style ales and other beers brewed via the open fermentation, wild yeast approach. They just taste off. I brewed my own beer for a few years. A lot turned out well, some didn’t. The batches that didn’t turn out taste a lot like belgian ales, farmhouse ales … whatever you want to call it. Just not a good profile for me.
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They can be very musty and dusty with sourness not like a cider. They’re not like a full on sour ale but some kind of weird half-way. I don’t like sour beers, I think they’re a dash done.
And you can’t like every beer.
The music though made up for it, Bowie in Italian and German isn’t half bad. And then I found a live Album of ‘The Jam’ which isn’t half bad and seems to have held up well.
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