Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

Draught pint at Redbones on 6/10/06.
A frothy, fairly well-retained slightly off-white head sits atop a dull golden body, medium-low clarity and gentle effervescence seen in the liquid. Some moderate lacing left in patches up and down the glass.
The nose is a clean Belgian yeast, VERY spicy, with touches of dusty/cobwebby minerals. Some light esters provide very dry nectarines and lemons that keep things mostly snappy otherwise. Malt is gentle, but definitely well felt. Graham cracker notes dabbled throughout pale malt sugars and a very herbaceous finish, not really bitter or pungent as some saisons are, but more gentle and full of light floral notes. The aroma is lasting, with a medium to medium-high strength.
In the flavor, the yeast builds up quickly, adding plenty of spicy phenols, notes of light citrus and other yellow fruits that do enliven the palate, but a slightly dull, sugary base malt-like note seems to smooth things out and sweeten things a bit too much, as some light breadiness tugs at the palate on the finish. Breadiness is not very delicate in a beer and I look for clean, well-attenuated malt character in a saison. Not that this is underattenuated, actually it’s quite well-done (though tending too sweet overall), but the light breadiness, wherever it comes from is just a bit too heavy. But the spiciness from the yeast is delicious, as is the engaging carbonation (very well done for a draught saison, which is always more difficult, IMHO) and medium-full body. No alcohol is apparent.
Not as much of the Shed "House character" in this one. A gently hopped saison, and for that, I think some will be turned off, but the beer is definitely well made and full of character.