Anchor Saison Spring Ale

This 7.2% ABV saison style ale is from the Anchor Brewing Company of San Francisco, California. It uses lemon, lemongrass and ginger.

The beer pours copper in color with a relatively short head of white to off-white foam. The aroma is filled with yeasty esters, lots of banana and clove, sweet and flowery. The lemongrass, lemon and ginger are present, but quite subtle. The taste follows the aromas, but adds a peppery finish, with some bite from the ginger. The more you drink it, the hotter the ginger gets in the finish. It drinks sweet, then peppery, and finishes mostly dry, with a moderately bitter finish. There is also a lingering note like strong tea. It drinks with a crisp carbonation that matches the sting of the ginger. I wasn’t impressed by the aroma, but the more I drink it, the more I like it.