Mykonos Mikonu Blonde Saison – 5% Abv
A well-made saison is a work of art—a neat balance of pale malt and spices with a bit of fruit for interest. We’re less thrilled about some of the directions that brewers on both sides of the Atlantic have taken the style. Too many versions are over spiced and have additives no Belgian ever put in beer.
(used for educational purposes)
Worse yet, while traditional Saisons may have a bit of sourness and some funk from farmhouse yeasts, those yeasts were not the sort of aggressive Bret wild beasts of today’s breweries. Sometimes the key to making a good saison is not what you do, but what you refrain from doing.
Mykonos’s saison refrains from most of the capital sins of more adventurous brewers. It does include wheat malt, which is not traditional, but the yeast is credible and the beer is refreshing on a hot Athens afternoon.
We sampled it at the Local Pint in the Chalandra area of outer Athens. The Local Pint is the best of several good beer bars in and near Athens, but not the easiest to get to. We’ll have more on it later in a “Just Go” post.
Tasting notes: The yeast dominates the taste of this golden not-quite-wild ale. It’s chalky, somewhat sweet, with just a bit of an autolyzed edge. Fruits, a touch of the tropics, and a bready malt lurk in the background.
Food Pairings: The somewhat astringent edge to the beer helps it hold up well to a variety of foods. Souvlaki is almost too easy a call, but it will do well with any grilled meats on a summer day. [Beer Review # 0114 20170906]
NEXT- SEPTEMBER 8– WE’LL FEATURE THREE NOTCH’D FANDOM OF THE HOPERA- AN OUTSTANDING IMPERIAL RED IPA
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