Fleur Rouge
Ethereal Brewing

 

 

 

Belgium's most moving target ale, the saison washes over the Ethereal brewery with a spice and herb quality that's transformative, modernized yet rustic and traditional.

The Fleur Rouge pours a gentle ruby-pink translucence and with a soft wisping cap for a captivating and striking appearance to the eye. Spicy and floral in its scent, a waft of potpourri comes with rose pedals, rosé wine, pepper and dried citrus. Grain-forward in taste, the dry barley and wheat character is wafer-thin and comes with a tangy, candied zest.

Springing to life on the tongue, the beer's moderate carbonation is both creamy and bubbly on the middle palate. Its bright bubbly action highlights the tartness and peppery flavors that lead with pink wine, peppercorn, curry, coriander and paradise seed. Hibiscus additions do more than turn the beer pink, it adds a fruit and floral taste that trends strawberry, rhubarb, lemon, lime and apple-like before finishing with flower pedal and tea-like taste.

Medium-bodied, the beer's less than turbulent carbonation allows the sweetness to linger and the flowers to add a light film on the tongue, seeming candy-like and creamy. Cleaned up considerably by the sharp tartness and peppery character within, the ale manages a spice-forward taste over that of citrus or the orchard.