Dark Absinthe Saison
Brasserie Trois Dames

 

huge fan of trois dames here, i love what they do. never had a beer from the arizona wilderness guys, but i like the idea of foraged ingredients, and they are crazy people, got to party with them a few times. this had all the promise in the world, and while the beer itself is short of amazing, i love what they were shooting for. its a darker saison, but not black, looks more like a brown ale. it has a chocolate malt aroma for sure, and i get the fennel seed really prominently as well. i have almost no experience with absinthe, and absolutely none with the plant, so i have no idea what its meant to contribute, but it definitely has a vegetal bitterness. i didnt get all psychedelic though, too bad... the malt is a little powerful here, i think it crowds out the more delicate and interesting notes of both the plant and the yeast, although i like its lighter body for how much flavor it has, and i think it works really well with the fennel seed, which is robust all the way through. the yeast could be more forward though too, more bretty. good carbonation on it, and a lasting bitterness with the dry cocoa malt, a pleasant mouthfeel. interesting beer to say the least, but a weird one too. i wouldnt but it again, but its cool to see such a creative offering in the market.