Definition of sage:
Noun
1. An aromatic plant (Salvia officinalis) of the mint family, with grayish-green leaves that are used as a culinary herb, native to the Mediterranean.
2. A profoundly wise man.
Sage is not typically a word that one associates with beer unless perhaps one is speaking of another with a deep well of knowledge on the matter. However, the minty spice is featured front and center in our Beer of the Week which is Utah Sage Saison from Epic Brewing Company in Salt Lake City, Utah.
22oz brown bomber retails for $7.99. Craft paper label with simple green and white design.
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME: 7.5%
COLOR (0-2): Golden orange and somewhat clouded. 2
AROMA (0-2): Big bouquet of sage with pepper hits you upfront.2
HEAD (0-2): Bright white color. Thick with plenty of volume and excellent lacing. 2
TASTE (0-5): The taste is again heavy with sage and pepper which is balanced nicely with floral sweetness, citrus, and a little lemon tang. Malt flavors are mostly bready with earthy tones. Medium bodied with good carbonation and mouthfeel that’s on the watery side. Quite drinkable. This beer has a very complex flavor profile and there’s a lot going on here. For the most part it all really comes together nicely and creates a unique and delicious taste experience. 4
AFTERTASTE (0-2): Sage and other flavors of spice follow through well. 2
OVERALL (0-6): A beer using sage as its most distinguishing flavor is definitely not something you see every day. And it’s easy to imagine that such an unusual mashup could go disastrously wrong. However, in the case of Utah Sage Saison the experiment turns out to be quite successful. There’s just the right amount of sage to infuse flavor without it overpowering everything else the beer has to offer, which is a lot. This is a unique beer that you be wise to explore if you have the opportunity. 5
TOTAL SCORE (0-19): 17
