Yeti Super Saison from BeerBazaar

The Yeti, the abominable snowman of
the Himalayas, has lived in man's
imagination for hundreds of years.

The BeerBazaar Brewery in Kiryat Gat (with pubs and retail outlets in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv) has introduced a limited edition Saison beer named Yeti, the abominable snowman of the Himalayas.  They actually call it a "Super Saison," spiced with additives of orange peels, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice.   

Whatever the recipe, it works.

But first, a quick review: Saison beers were traditionally brewed in the French-speaking regions of Belgium in the winter, for drinking in the spring and summer.  (Saison, as you might have guessed, means "season" in French.)  They are in the category of "farmhouse ales" because, well, that's where they were brewed.  The farmers generally used whatever ingredients they had at the time of brewing: Different grains as well as herbs and spices.  Therefore, different Saisons could smell and taste very differently.  Modern Saisons, however, tend to be fruity and dry, of moderate alcoholic strength, with low to medium hop aroma, and medium-high hop bitterness.  

Yeti is a "Super Saison" from
the BeerBazaar Brewery in
Kiryat Gat:
Flavored with additives of
orange peels, cinnamon, ginger,
nutmeg and allspice.

Yeti is "super" because the additives reinforce the traditional hop and yeast aromas and flavors.  

It pours out clear and golden orange.  The spicy aromas are prevalent -- with cinnamon and cloves (a yeast phenol) in the lead.  The taste is on the sweet side, with flavors of bread and rich malt, spice on the tongue, cinnamon and pepper.  My drinking partner Moshe and I weren't able to pick up any orange flavor, but he tasted some "melon."           

Yeti has a medium body, and you can feel rather than taste the alcoholic warmth.  (Alcohol by volume is a healthy 7.5%.)

Moshe pronounced that Yeti is a "great beer," and compared it to a "spiced holiday lager."  I said that the Saison quality comes shining through, and is even enhanced by the fruit and spice additives. 

Yeti was brewed in limited quantities, so it may not be currently available at the BeerBazaar outlets and online store.  But experience has shown that Brewmaster Lior Weiss may decide to bring it back sometime in the future.  Whether it's here and now, or there and then, I recommend you buy it and try it.