Beer Review: Fair Isle Brewing – Renee Saison
Style: Oak-Aged Blended Farmhouse Ale
Hops: Krush & Dolcita
Aging: Average of 3 months in neutral oak puncheons
Brewery Location: Seattle, Washington
Seattle’s Fair Isle Brewing has long been a benchmark for rustic, oak-aged wild ales, but Renee showcases a beautifully vibrant side of their blending program. Positioned as their foeder-aged standard farmhouse ale, Renee is intentionally captured young, aged for just three months in neutral oak puncheons to let a modern, new-world hop profile shine. The result is a spectacular intersection of classic farmhouse structure and bright, contemporary hop expression.
Appearance
Renee pours a gorgeous, gently hazy straw-yellow, looking every bit the part of an authentic artisanal saison. A lively, effervescent column of fine carbonation feeds a dense, fluffy white head. Head retention is wonderful, leaving an elegant, webbed pattern of lacing down the sides of the glass.
Aroma
The nose is a beautiful departure from older, funk-forward wild ales. Thanks to the choice of Krush and Dolcita hops and a shorter stay in the wood, it bursts with bright new-world character. Immediate aromas of zipped citrus peel, fresh white peach, and soft apricot leap forward. Underneath that fruit juice layer sits a clean, crackery grain bill and a pleasant, gentle hint of young, rustic farmhouse character from the house mixed culture.
Palate & Mouthfeel
On the palate, Renee is brilliantly lively, crisp, and refreshing, carrying a light-to-medium body. The natural conditioning provides a fine, prickly carbonation that dances across the tongue.
The flavor profile leads with a sunny, juicy splash of tangerine and stone fruits. The three months spent in neutral oak puncheons show up beautifully in the texture rather than the flavor—there is no heavy, tannic woodiness here, just a soft, velvety rounding out of the mouthfeel and a faint whisper of vanilla oak that perfectly cushions the bright, hop-forward top notes.
Finish
True to the farmhouse tradition, the finish is bone-dry, snappy, and wonderfully clean. A tight, refreshing wave of moderate hop bitterness balances a faint, mouthwatering lactic acidity. It leaves the palate entirely refreshed, with a lingering note of citrus rind and soft spice.
Renee is an absolute triumph of timing and blending. Fair Isle successfully captures a fleeting, beautiful window where punchy new-world hops, soft neutral oak, and a young house culture exist in flawless equilibrium. While it is incredibly bright, vibrant, and rewarding to drink right now, the live Brettanomyces in the bottle means this beer will continue to slowly evolve, trading its initial hop punch for deeper, rustic funk over time. It is a mandatory pickup for anyone who appreciates the cutting edge of modern farmhouse brewing.
Please Note: To ensure absolute freshness and optimal storage temperatures, all craft beer arrivals are sold exclusively in-store and are not available for online ordering.
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