Category 12 Brewing Unsanctioned Saison: This beer is brewed in Victoria, BC to a strength of 6.9% abv, using their house Belgian yeast and 27 IBUs of Zythos hops. Unsanctioned Saison also features Pilsner, Belgian Caravienne and Rye malts according to their website. I’m always game for a good Saison style beer and this had gotten some great reviews from other bloggers I follow, so I decided to pick one up.
Aroma and Appearance: It pours a clear golden colour with one finger of foam and a surprisingly low level of carbonation. The aroma consists of clove, pepper, coriander, with some grassy and floral hop notes.
Flavour: Fairly big on the spicy cloves and floral hops upfront, this beer mellows into some cereal grains and mild lemon pepper in the middle. For the finish, its got lots of hay and yeasty notes with a bit of cayenne pepper spice not on the aftertaste.
Overall Impression: I have a high appreciation for spicy Saisons and this one lives up to that appreciation and deserves a shout out.
Rating: Excellent at 8/10, it is a well put together saison that hits a lot of the right notes.
Food Pairing: I had this with some brie cheese, stay tuned on that on as it was very, very tasty and I’ll review the pairing shortly!
Category 12 officially opened its doors in December 2014 and i’d say so far it looks like they have a bright future in the BC craft beer scene. Here’s a little TV featurette on Category 12 for your enjoyment.
West Coast Beer Geek 