Mix HOP
Brasserie Saint-Monon

 

 

 

Hazy orange color with white head. Aroma has sweet malt and sugar with some floral hops. Taste has some sugary sweetness with lots of bittering hops on top. Light body, really dry, high carbonation. Not bad but the sugar plus hops don't mix that well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Poured into a tulip glass a bit below cellar temperature. I failed to note the use by date -- sorry, thought I captured it in a photo -- but the bottle was bought in Brussels 6-8 months ago, and a fresher bottle might be slightly better (although it was cellared semi-carefully). Very amber, a deep pale-ale color, rather clear-looking. Foamed on the pour then dissipated almost completely. The label says "dry hopping," but the nose says, not a tremendous amount. Orange flower in the nose, but herbal more than flowery, and clean-smelling more than herbal. (Strange to say clean-smelling, but think of a very lightly perfumed soap.) Some toast. The taste is sweeter than expected, given the name, with some caramel, apricot and citrus zest. Hops comes in late but more as spice, coriander and a pepper character, rather than just bitterness. The label says there are five hop strains, and the effect is a subtle one rather than an American-style hop bomb. Feels thin, quaffable, but without being quite quenching. A different choice, not a favorite, but maybe a good session-starter.