Today, we wrap up Sideswipe Brewing’s trio of tasty new brews (previous reviews) with their Coop Looter Saison – a beer that promises a sleek and earthy experience of wheat and Belgian malts. Since Sideswipe has been on fire like an NBA Jam slam dunk, I know that promise is going to come true.
We are first greeted by the aroma – a potent yet whispy hand of tart fruits and mild earth. Like a gentle touch, it draws us closer – revealing mellow notes of fresh apples and lemon juice that mingle over a bed of wheat malts. A smooth and constant dusting of spicy Belgian yeast and malts slides out from behind the wheat – adding a hint of dried leaves and straw to create a mild layer of earth. It’s a dry aroma, filling the nose but fading before you can fully explore every layer.
But fear not. Whatever you’re unable to experience in the aroma, you’ll have a chance to discover within the taste. Actually, you won’t have a chance – from the minute this beer hits your tongue, potent flavors take over your mouth whether you were ready for them or not. At first, dominating layers of slightly roasted malts will create a base that leans a bit bolder than other saisons. This flavor is quick, but it ensures that you will immediately take your second drink in order to confirm the flavor (we’ll call this double-tapping from now on. And as we all know from zombie movies, double-tapping will keep you alive). After that initial boldness, the spicy Belgian yeast and wheat malts slide into place – tossing a subtle spice-drop bomb onto the center of your tongue that swirls amongst every other flavor. The spices aren’t huge – in fact, they’re quite elusive as they constantly pair up with other notes to deliver a shifting taste experience.
Falling in from the top are notes of tart apples and lemon juice, and even a banana or two. The apples and lemon add an ultra-mellow layer of crisp sweetness (as well as a touch of freshness), while the faint banana notes add an even smaller tropical sweetness, in addition to what I like to call “Essence of Banana Bread”. It’s a mild bready-spicy-banana blend that acts as a bridge between the layers of fruit and the malty base. Just another reason to love banana bread. Behind the fruits, notes of dried leaves and straw sneak into the party, bringing earthy vibes that wrap around the spices and fruits while maintaining a dry crispness that almost lifts the entire taste from your tongue after a few moments. In fact, the only lasting flavors are mild hints of apple and wheat malts, gently lingering at the back of the tongue. The entire drink is capped off with the smallest hints of caramel sweetness – noticeable only if you look for it, and only if you let the beer warm up to a bit below room temperature. You’ll need time and patience to experience everything this beer has to offer, but it’s worth it.
Coop Looter Saison lives up to its name. Like a sly fox, the flavors of this beer show up and disappear in the blink of an eye, leaving only subtle indications from drink to drink. Despite that, for the few glorious moments that this brew is on your tongue, you’ll experience layers of complexity and shifting flavors that run the gamut from rich malts to dried straw. Like Sideswipe’s other two beers, Coop Looter rocks the party with a mouth-filling power that shows just how much these guys love to make beer. So should you happen to see those red, green, and yellow labels of pure awesomeness on your next beer run, buy them. Buy them all! The sooner they’re all gone, the sooner we’ll get to experience the next round of Sideswipe tastiness.
