Saison D'Erpe-Mere
KleinBrouwerij De Glazen Toren

 

I had this on draft 8/7/23 @ the Hopleaf.

Cloudy yellow appearance.

Nice white head; frothy lacing remained.

Lemon, mild clove, banana & faint orange peel notes in the nose.

Creamy, medium mouthfeel.

Lemon, cream & dandelion flavors up front; mild wheat notes on the finish.

Big, hoppy & bold; I'd have another!

No can date
Pours a large foamy frothy 2+ finger head with good retention, rocky head, soapy lacing, hazy cloudy pale peachy orange color

Nose plenty of cereal grain and some doughy bready malt, a bit of bubblegum and fruity esters, fair spicy phenols, citrus, a bit of apple and pear pome fruit, orange cake with some vanilla icing

Taste doughy creamy malt, bready, a bit cereal, lots more orange cake, cake batter, vanilla spice, fair spicy phenols in general, citrus esters, orange, a bit of lemon, bubblegum esters, bit more pome fruit as well, spicy hops, med bitterness up front, then hops getting herbal as well, more citrus and spicy hops on the dry finish, finishing with a higher spicy hop bitterness

Mouth is med bod, a bit creamy, higher frothy effervescent carb

Overall nice Belgian saison.

De Labirratorium. En Leo Punta Umbría Deluxe. Elaborando temario de opos. En copa shaker. Agradable saison con un toque funk comedido pero presente y carbonatacion presente pero no molesta. No sorprende pero tampoco defrauda

Poured into a tulip glass from a 12oz. can with the following statement on the label: Cold Shipped - by tank container - And Canned - FRESH - In Oxford, CT. No date or date code on the can.

APPEARANCE: The color is a gorgeous yellowish orange with an eggshell-white, fluffy, pillowy, two-finger head that leaves rich lacing as it falls. The head seems locked in and here to stay throughout the whole glass - I expect a hefty dose of mustache foam. The beer underneath is bursting with bubbly activity with hundreds of streams of tiny bubbles seen racing towards the surface.

SMELL: The first word that comes to mind as I stick my nose in near the foam is 'zesty'. Subtle orange peel and lemon zest comes through with a sneaky spiciness behind it. A little subdued, but inviting.

TASTE: There's a lot to sort out here. Above all, the most noticeable trait here is bitterness, which as an American consumer, I am not completely used to in a Saison. The subtlety of the aroma is not matched on the palate. There is nothing subtle about this, but it is enjoyable. The second sip allowed me to get a lot more orange and lemon zest after the shock of the bitterness stole the show in the first one. There is what I want to call a green olive-ish flavor, but it's not quite that. The can has a quote from Michael Jackson referring to a "pithy, gin-like, bitterness". I sort of get that, but more juniper-like than pithy. And yes, there is a botanical vibe of gin stashed away somewhere in the back of the sip. Each sip is allowing my palate to perceive a lightening of the harsher flavors and a longer, stronger dose of the citrus, mild spice, and pleasant hop flavors.

MOUTHFEEL: Medium to Big bodied. The bitterness manifests as a dry finish, but not necessarily a clean one. There is a mouthcoating of hops, zest, and gin-like botanicals at the end of each sip. There is also a very, very subtle base of sweetness lurking beneath the dry bitterness.

OVERALL: This one grew on me quickly. At no point did I dislike it, but it shocked my senses at the start and it took me a while to sort it all out. This is a very nice, complex, and delicious variation of one of my favorite styles. I can see it not being for everyone, but I do enjoy it. Will seek this one out again.

 

 

Poured from 1 pint 9.4 floz bottle to tulip glass.

L: massive soapy white head, at least three fingers. Head “icebergs” and leaves a large amount of lacing. Beer is pure yellow straw in color. Large bubble carbonation.

S: Fresh and citrusy. Classic hay aroma for saison. Lemony. Grass to an extent. Yeast. Toasted bruschetta. Not very barnyard or musty. Plenty going on but a dainty and light aroma.

T: Herbal with citrus fruit. Clove, a bit of malt. Some barnyard funk. Bubblegum? Light cracker malt.

F: light-medium body. Medium-high carbonation. A light and fresh mouthfeel with hops washing over right at the end. Very nice.

O: A lighter saison. Crisp, refreshing, with the hallmarks of other classic saisons. Lighter on the barnyard funk. Good beer.

 

 

Very nice. Slightly fruity with a rough finish.

Pours a cloudy straw yellow, big 3" soapy white head, excellent retention and lacing. Nose is dough, hay, black and white pepper, fresh cut flowers. Taste is floral, herbal, citric, doughy. Very complex, but not challenging. Finish has some light booziness. Mouthfeel is crisp but not thin. Very enjoyable, and nice to find canned.

750ml bottle, undated, poured into a 16oz tumbler glass.

The beer pours a bright blonde color, straw hues, cloudy complexion with a very large foamy white head, 3-4 inches tall that has immense retention and lacing. The aroma is welcoming, lots of crusty bread, peppercorn, clove, fruity yeast, bubblegum, grassiness and some of the familiar "horseblanket" mustiness. The flavors are very good, clove, grass, funky yeast, bubblegum, straw, biscuit base with a nice lingering peppercorn bite. The mouthfeel is bright and crisp, medium body feels smooth yet finishes with a nice dry kick.

Verdict: A very good saison from De Glazen Toren. A definitely classic for the style and a benchmark for others to achieve, the balance is great and it remains very approachable and sessionable. While it's not pushing any boundaries, it continues to set the standard.

 

11.2oz undated bottle poured into a becher glass at fridge temp 6.5% ABV. The beer pours hazy, soft peach & yellow with abundant bone colored head. The head recedes slowly to a rocky cap and leaves plenty of lacing. The aroma is rustic yeast, citrus and soft malt. The taste is funky & sharp featuring semisweet malt, plenty of yeast character (clove approaching rubber) and some floral & mild citrus notes. Mild bitterness. The mouthfeel is thin bodied with tons of carbonation and a dry finish. Overall, good.