I love this. Here is what I know about this beer: Nothing. I haven’t even texted Lackey for any insight. I’m pretty sure Saison de la Canneberg translates to “Cranberry Saison”, but that’s all I’ve got. I know Great Lakes beers well, and I know Cassel is a new Nanobrewery in eastern Ontario. And that is all. Mike Lackey from Great Lakes makes mean saisons, so I have high hopes.
Saison de la Canneberg — Great Lakes Brewery x Cassel Brewery
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From a Great Lakes Project X bomber, Saison de la Canneberg pours a hazy red, with a touch of brown to the center. Not beer-like copper red, but actually quite red. 1/4″ of loose head drops pretty quickly, but there is a ring, and some light foam on the surface supported by a pretty active carbonation. Aroma is immediately cranberries (not surprising), but there is a touch of lemon peel and some horse blanket funk. Some spices like pepper and allspice are there too, and something a little vinous. Kind of an oaky-grapeskin thing. Very intriguing. Taste is slightly tart right away, with a nicely fruity cranberry tang. Spices are there, and there is definitely some brettanomyces horse blanket funk now, mainly in the finish. There’s more of that vinous note, and I still think it’s got a nearly barrel taste to it, but Great Lakes is usually pretty consistent in noting when a beer is barrel-aged. The beer is quite dry, though I don’t think this is an effect of hops, rather of the yeast and brett. Actually, with the cranberries, this is nearly into the “bitingly” dry territory. The cranberry tartness offsets this somewhat, but it is a pretty dry brew. Refreshing and bright, with a fairly moderate carbonation, this would be such a killer beer for a porch and a book in the 30C+ weather we’ve been enjoying in Toronto. I kind of wish I’d grabbed more than one bottle of this. It’s a beauty!
Cheers to Great Lakes and Cassel Brewing!
Buy Saison de la Canneberg
Well, I know there were a few bottles in the Great Lakes retail store, but that’s about all I’ve got. Not sure about stock at Cassel Brewing. Harass them, and maybe they’ll make more!
Drink it With
Well, I said BBQ for my last review, and I will again, for two reasons, a) it’s the right call and b) it’s too hot to be cooking indoors! This time, it’s all about turkey. You might be surprised to learn this, but you can get turkey drumsticks for fairly cheap (the Asian markets I shop at usually have them for around $1.60/lb). Here’s what you’re going to do: make a simple marinade for the turkey using good mustard and melted butter 1:1. Mix this with some fresh sage and thyme from your garden (or dried if you must). Salt and pepper to taste. Smear this all over the turkey, then leave it in a ziplok for a few hours in the fridge. Either grill over lower heat (they’re pretty thick) or smoke over indirect heat for like 2-3 hours (depending on your drum sticks and your heat). Cranberry and turkey might seemed cliched, but eff off, it will be delicious. Trust me.
About The Breweries
Independently owned by the Bulut family, we produce our beer as it was done hundreds of years ago by using an open fire, copper brew house built in Germany in the early 1900’s.
Our small-batch brewing process allows us to carefully blend only the finest all natural ingredients to produce our award-winning beers. Our water, hops, malts and yeast are selected from local producers and those afar on the basis of but one criteria; quality.
http://www.greatlakesbeer.com/
Cassel Brewery is a new Nano-brewery in eastern Ontario. If this collab says anything, expect great things from these folks!
http://www.casselbrewery.ca
This would be such a killer beer for a porch and a book in the 30C+ weather
