Bison Brewing's Saison de Wench {Beer Tasting Notes}

When I saw this at Whole Foods this evening, I was mesmerized. First, the label was pink - I rarely see that on a beer; second, it's a Saison - more on that later; and third, it's from Bison Brewing.

I drink, and enjoy, anything from Bison. Anything. Their honey-basil ale is a perennial favorite. And I always wait anxiously for the holidays when I can track down their gingerbread beer.

The first word that comes to mind when I tried Saison de Wench: haunting.

Named for The Beer Wench, Ashley Routson, Saison de Wench starts with a perfumey aroma of rose petals. It's not heady, old-lady. It's subtly floral, but unmistakable. It's goes down smooth and then more earthy notes emerge. And it finishes with a bite of lemongrass that lingers on the palate. Haunting.

Jake and I battled over the bottle. I probably should have opened two. Here are the brewing specs...for the geeks.

Farmhouse Ale Brewed with Botanicals

ABV: 6.0%

IBUs: 20

Hops*: Sterling

Malts*: Two Row, Carapils, Wheat, Munich

Botanicals*: Roses, Hibiscus, Lemongrass

*All Ingredients 100% USDA Certified Organic

Food pairings I found: curries, ceviche, goat cheese, burrata, charcuterie, roasted chicken, truffles, salads, and fruits. We went with the roasted chicken: Roasted Honey-Basil Chicken.

I'm so glad I discovered this. It's a new favorite!

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