Hemel
Schilling Beer Co.

 

 

This is an outstanding low alcohol Saison. I had it with an outdoor lunch of hummus and pita chips and was surprised how tasty it was! Poured from a 16 oz can into a 12 oz.iced tea glass, this beer featured a big white frothy white head with good retention and some patchy lacing. Aroma and taste featured some lemon, lots of yeast and the characteristic dankness and horseblanket funk found in good Saisons. Mouthfeel was a bit light, but I'm not discounting that since so many Saisons are @ 7.0% .abv and this one is 4.9.
%. I was really impressed with this take on a Saison.

16oz can in a tulip.

Light golden color with a very dull haze. It's still pretty translucent. Four fingers of big, rocky whit head with superb retention. Chunky lacing. Nose has a good pithy and lemony snap up front, musty yeast and clovey spice, green and oily hops in balance, and a super dry grainy/crackery scent. Similar in taste with a pithy citrus lemon and tangerine attack, plenty of musty and spicy yeast character, a little herbal and green hop oil, and an uber dry cracker malt base. Very light bodied with a dry and subtle creamy but airy texture. Very well carbonated with a lot of scrub. Mild grippy hop tannin. It's exactly what you want: playful and flavorful, but in a small and supremely drinkable package. A delight to drink.

 

 

 

 

 

From a 16 oz. can marked 041221. Sampled June 25, 2021.

The pour is yellow in color with a fading off-whit head and a bit of a foggy appearance.

The aromas include apple, pear, apricot, white grape, clove, coriander, anise, and toasted white bread.

Light-medium smooth body.

The taste is sweet and then all those herbal and meaty fruit elements roar in to overtake all sensations. A very nice Saison.

 

Can from the Packie,
Pours a lightly hazy dark yellow color with a thin bubbly white head that persists. spicy earthy nose with faint bready honey pomme fruity maltiness. Nice saison.

16 oz can into a tulip glass.

Pours a cloudy straw color with a massive effervescent white head. Stubborn retention with some sticky cobweb lacing.

Aroma brings notes of white grapes and lemongrass with a little bit of grain and banana esters. Herbal and spicy on the back.

Taste is malty and grainy up front; lots of dough and wheat bread. There's plenty of bubblegum and banana flavors, as well as some white grape juice, lemon, pear, and cracked pepper. Grassy and herbal finish.

The feel is light bodied with moderate carbonation. Creamy and smooth. Not right for the style.

Overall, a very nice, highly drinkable table saison. It's fruitier than expected, like Elton John's wardrobe, and the carb is way too low, but otherwise a very nice beer.

Schilling specializes in traditional European styles and they seem to brew in fairly small batches. I bought one can of this last week, and then picked up an additional two 4-packs yesterday. I found it to be flavorful, and a very good example of an American-made saison . It's light-bodied, balanced in tartness/sweetness, gently dry-hopped (Hallertau Blanc), and very drinkable! This would make an excellent "session beer".

 

can date smudged
Pours a white fizzy foamy almost 1 finger head with moderate retention, a touch of lacing, semi hazy light pale color

Nose brings doughy wheat/malt, bready, a bit grassy straw, bit of fruity esters, lemony, some tree fruit, cereal, light phenol spices, hint of vanilla

Taste brings more cereal grain, bready, doughy, wheat, a little creamy like wheat, straw, light floral herbal hops with a med-lighter bitterness, light fruity esters, lemon, pear, citrus pith, light phenol spice notes, a bit more vanilla and honey notes, dry finish with med to a bit higher bitterness, more hops late

Mouth is med to a bit lighter bod, higher carb a bit effervescent

Overall nice solid table saison, easy drinking, dry finish, nice hop content, enjoyable

Can. Pale straw slightly hazy with ring lace and small island. Lemony peppery grassy aroma. Medium light sweetness apricot fruitiness with peppery fairly dry finish. Light soft body. Carbo is a little low for style. Excellent.