En Plein Air
Rockmill Brewery

Pale golden brew poured in a tulip at Rockmill. Dusty hay, subtle clove, plus stone fruit on the nose, with a crackery malt bill and a saison style yeast aroma. Dry brew brings hints of pepper and citrus through the palette. Refreshing, clean, moderate hop presence. Agreeable and quenching on a spring afternoon.

Poured from 12.7-ounce cork+cage bottle into a tulip glass. Nice "POP!" when the cork was removed. Not a gusher, but a very tentative pour yielded a full four fingers of fluffy white head that hung around forever. Beautiful dark yellowish-orange color, almost like a polished carnelian. Poured cold, there were definite floral notes among the light malt, citrus, and spice in the aroma. The typical Belgian yeast funk was noticeably absent. The characteristics of the aroma carry over to the palate, with the floral notes offering a nice complement to the citrus and spice. The bitterness is quite assertive. Finishes dry and a little astringent. Overall, this is a very good beer and worthy of the label.

375ml bottle poured into a tulip
A: Hazy light brown with a very frothy two-finger head
S: Yeast up front, grains in the middle and earth/herbs towards the end
T: Matches the nost. Yeast, grain then herbs
M: Medium-bodied, grainy, just a hint sweet
O: I love most of Rockmill's beers and this one is certainly solid just not hitting a home run

 

 

 

750 ml caged and corked bottle, 060915 is stamped on the back label so I assume that's the bottling date. Served in a Unibroue tulip, the beer pours a hazy golden/orange color with a 2 to 3 inch white head that took a while to settle down. There's also a good amount of lacing. The brew smells like citrusy hops (grapefruit, lemon peel), hay, earthiness and a general fruity pear-like aroma. Taste is similar to the aroma, there's grapefruit, lemon peel, grass/hay, bready/grainy malt, yeast, herbal earthiness and an apple/pear flavor noticeable. There's also a nice lingering bitter finish. Mouthfeel/body is light/medium, it's very well carbonated but also easy enough to drink. I think it's a good, enjoyable brew, definitely worth trying. $13.99 a bottle.