Minoh Autumn Saison is a 6% saison from Minoh Beer, based in Minoh, in Osaka, Japan. It’s part of their limited autumn lineup, and can be found in both bottles and on draught. It’s unknown whether it’s a one-off batch as it is our first time to come across this beer from Minoh Beer. At the time of writing, it is also unknown what hops went into making the beer, but they did at least use saison yeast.
Minoh Autumn Saison : At A Glance
Basics
- Alcohol : 6%
- Style : Saison
- Hops : Unknown
- IBU : 34
Sale Information
- Availability : Limited autumn seasonal
- On Sale : From October 2021
- Size : 330 ml
- Price : From 560 yen
Aroma & Taste
- Notable Aromas : Rich malty aroma with some light phenols. Slight caramel note when warmed up.
- Notable Tastes : Smooth though no bitterness. Subtle peachy phenols with caramel malts.
Minoh Autumn Saison : Aroma and Taste
I have to admit, I was very surprised when I poured out Minoh Autumn Saison – it was deep amber brown colour with a large frothy off-white head on top. This was nothing like the saisons I’ve had in the past and I can see why this is called an “autumn saison”. Brewers have been playing around with beer styles for a while now – think golden stouts, and no IBU IPAs – so why not play around with the saison style? The aroma was a rich malty one, with caramel being the strongest aroma throughout, though there was some phenols from the yeast too – can’t get rid of that aroma! In terms of hops, there was nothing of note but then Minoh Autumn Saison was about the malts and yeast.
The body started off being very smooth with no bitterness at all, and carried on that way throughout drinking. In terms of flavour, Minoh Autumn Saison was all about the malt – a rich caramel flavour during drinking, followed up with some peachy flavours from the yeast. It was a most peculiar experience to be drinking a saison that was so full-bodied in terms of malt flavours when I’m used to them being quite dry. The lingering caramel flavour, along with the peach phenols, was an interesting aftertaste but I wasn’t in a hurry to drink more.
Minoh Autumn Saison : The Bottom Line
They say not to mess with the classics, and while Minoh Autumn Saison is a decent twist on a classic style, it’s not something that I am in a hurry to try again. Glad to say I have tried it though.
Minoh Autumn Saison : Where to Buy It
Minoh Autumn Saison can be bought online at the following places: