First, a Quiz

Have a look at the beer at right. The photo isn't the greatest; I took it with my cell phone. Nevertheless, it should be functional for our purposes. Now, upon visual inspection alone, identify the style of beer. (That blurry quality on the bottom half of the glass is condensation, not haze.)

1. German pils
2. Saison
3. Kolsch
4. Abbey ale
5. Pale ale
6. Imperial stout

I'll give you a hint: it's not six.

Click for the answer.

The beer in the photo is MacTarnahan's Lip Stinger. If you answered an odd number, you had reasonable expectation of being correct. If you answered 2, saison, you have entered a philosophical thicket, for this looks like no farmhouse ale I've ever seen. I will post a fuller treatment of the beer (which doesn't look exactly like a review--much as Lip Stinger doesn't look exactly like a saison) in the next day or two.