Dry Hopped Saison – New Image Brewing
Black Friday was a beautiful beer holiday for me. I got to visit a few different breweries up north and relax after what has been a busy last couple of days, weeks, months etc. When I laid out my original plan I put New Image at the top of the list because of their Melanoidin can release – 16 ounces of Imperial Coffee Stout with Madagascar Vanilla Beans and Maple Syrup, a superb offering by the way.
But just before release day came New Image added in another can release – Machine Language – a Dry Hopped Saison. This saison is freshly hopped with Hallertauer Blanc and Motueka Hops (New Zealand Hops) and then finished with Brettanomyces – there was no way I could pass up such a unique offering.
Tagline:“But unlike that flip phone stuck in the back of your desk drawer, it doesn’t become obsolete with time. Age it longer for more brett funk. Time to compile your executable and insert into your beer interface system.”
Visual: Vibrant but deep gold to straw color – hazy. Pours with a robust and fluffy head.
Aroma: The first thing that hits your nose is the funk of the brett – funk that isn’t quite sour and leads you down a path towards something almost tropical in nature (pear, peach maybe pineapple). As you linger you find a hint of hops behind all of that – for a moment you wonder what style of beer you about to sip.
Taste: This beer is a mind bender with the number of different flavors that pounce on you at once. It’s a light, fluffy saison but there is the brett funk waiting to get you in the background and then just when you think you are safe the distinctive New Zealand hops pop out although not with overwhelming authority. The mouthfeel bursts with carbonation but it’s still smooth allowing you work through all the flavors of each sip. This beer is an adventure, a tasty adventure.
ABV: 6.5%
Overall Beer Rating: 10 out of 10 spades
Hard 12 Brews 
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