Spuyten Duyvil
Brasserie Thiriez

 

 

 

not bad. Just not a grisette.

apparently brewed for the bar in new york by the same name, this is the first new beers i have had from these guys in years, and after liking everything else they make so much, i had to try this. its a light and rather subtle grisette style, bright golden and frothy in the glass, shiny and mostly clear, with a distinctive yeast profile that i know and love thiriez for. it smells remarkably hoppy for the style, higher alpha right away than i would ever expect in something like this, and it seems just off fully fresh too, the lightest bit of oxidation and hop fade creeping in here, combined with the spicy belgian yeast and a light honey cereal thing from the malt, simple but interesting at the same time, and the flavor is right there too. grassy and tea-like hops on this and some bitterness running through it. belgian yeast with notes of candy sugar, green pear, white grape, and saltwater taffy, white wheat, earthy minerals, and white table wine. hops linger longer than yeast esters or grain sugar in the finish, and this seems quite substantial in feel for its very modest alcohol content. overall this is nice and drinkable, very classic in a lot of ways, but i was hoping for a little more from it, it doesnt quite take me where their other beers do, not as rustic or distinctive, but its cool to try their famous yeast in a new context...