Helios Ale is a Belgian farmhouse ale, or saison with 7.5% ABV from Victory Brewing Co. and is available year-round in 22 0z. “bomber” bottles. Saisons generally produce a strong, fruity profile with varying levels of tartness and funk, some parallel the crisp, clean finishes of dry wines.
This ale pours to a cloudy, pale, golden-yellow color with a large, fluffy white head that dissolves very slowly. There is an undeniably tart aroma with notes of citrus, it’s quite reminiscent of fresh squeezes lemons and their corresponding zest.
The best way to describe Helios’ flavor would be subtle and subdues, some saisons can be extremely dry and funky, this is not the case here. There are some notes of malty sweetness initially with a bit of cracked black pepper and earthy grain.
Helios makes for an interesting combination for saisons lovers and dabblers alike. The slightly higher than usual alcohol content means that going at this bomber alone will definitely produce a legitimate buzz. Then there’s the subtle flavor which means it’s approachable to those who shy away from some of the more tart offerings.
