I am starting to plan potential brewery stops for my next trip to Maine, which happens in a couple of weeks, and it is tough to even narrow it down to a shortlist. There are always old favorites I want to visit again, new places I want to check out for the first time, and breweries with limited distribution that I can only get when I visit Maine. One brewery that has been on my need-to-check-out list for too long is Oxbow Brewing. Their original brewery in Newcastle is a little off the beaten path so I haven’t ventured out there, and they have a newer spot Portland, which is high on my list for the next time I visit the city. Fortunately, Oxbow is now readily available in the Boston area, and I get to sample their delicious and interesting beers on a regular basis. One new-to-me Oxbow beer that I recently grabbed is Saisontino, a dry-hopped saison brewed in collaboration with Birrificio Italiano. I love dry-hopped saisons, when well done the flavors from the yeast and hops can meld into an amazing beer, so I was excited to give Saisontino a shot.
Oxbow Saisontino pours hazy pale yellow with a massive white head. The aroma features grassy and floral hops along with fruity and spicy yeast. The yeast leads the flavor, notes of peppercorn, apple, and coriander. The hops complement these flavors with touches of lemon, herbs and earthy notes along with a crisp bitterness. Some pale bready malt rounds out the flavor and adds some balance. Saisontino is light and easy-drinking, sessionable at 5% ABV. The finish is bone dry with just a little lingering yeast and hop flavor. This is a really nice beer, plenty of flavor, good balance, light and refreshing, perfect for summer. Hoppy Boston score: 4.5/5.
Previous Oxbox Reviews:
Hoppy Boston 
