Stillwater Cellar Door

Name:                Stillwater Cellar Door

Style:                  Belgian saison farmhouse ale

Twist:                 Brewed with white sage

Strength:            6.6%

Pours a bright, cloudy gold topped by a massive three fingers of white foam that settles very slowly.  The lacing is pretty decent for the style.  It looks quite nice in my Duvel tulip, what with all the bubbles floating up from the laser etchings.

This smells great!  I have no idea what white sage is or what it smells like, but my guess is spicy.  In any case, there is a mild spicy aroma here which couples nicely with a lemon fruitiness.  White pepper, bit of must (fitting for the name), and pears round out an outstanding aroma.

It does not taste quite as complex as it smells, but it tastes pretty damn good nonetheless.  The sage, white pepper, and lemongrass aromas blend together into a more generally indistinguishable spicy flavor.  I was surprised to find such a distinct pear flavor here; some farmhouse beers have a bare whisper of pear aroma that gets lost in the usual farmhouse quirks of white pepper, lemongrass, and lemon peel.  I can taste it here though, barely but pleasantly.  That bitter lemon peel sensation common to all saisons is more muted here, and Cellar Door is much better for it.

The mouthfeel is absolutely pitch-perfect for the saison style.  It is light without being airy, dry without being arid, and with just enough acidity to be thirst-quenching without any tartness.  

An excellent summertime sipper. The switch to four-packs was a smart move too.  I can't decide whether I like this one or Stateside Saison, but either way Stillwater has the farmhouse style down pat.