Thelma
Brasserie Thiriez

Reddish amber tone, earthy floral aroma. Lots of lacing, three fingers of foam.
Pepper phenolics and hibiscus sweetness.
Smooth and medium bodied.
Overall, a very nice saison with a unique flavor profile.

so freaking heady! been too long since i had a new one from these guys, i think about their yeast nearly daily. winter pepper changed my life, if you havent had that beer and you are a saison drinker of absolutely any persuasion, go source it! this is also made with pepper, a type i had to google to learn its a wild one from madagascar, i think perhaps as the only source, called voantsy, pretty epic! hibiscus also in this, less malt than winter pepper, but i can really respect the apparent love for pepper by this brewery, so cool! a bit more contemporary packaging on this one too, kind of looks like a hawaiian shirt. the beer pours subtle pinkish red, not way intense looking on the hibiscus, with a head that fills as much of the glass as the liquid does, pure white in contrast, very fine and very minimal yeast sediment as i pour it lower and lower, does not cloud this much even as the bottle is emptied, decent head retention, tons of bubbles, well conditioned, came close to gushing when i opened it. the nose is so cool, dusty to me, white peppercorn to my apparently limited sensory knowledge, but this pepper is immediately unique, hibiscus way way back, subtle red raspberry and rooibos tea, general perceived staleness but in an endearing way, this is not oxidized, and a bitterness that i can smell but it never comes in the taste. the yeast here is just elite, it seems mature and well refined but also wild and weird, wow. the flavor is even more interesting than the aroma, more hibiscus for sure, and early, a note of ginger type spice before more familiar black pepper comes in, drying even as its still in my mouth, sharp for just a second but not really acidic, insane fresh ground peppercorn finish, pink peppercorn floral almost perfumed character with the flowers, wicked combination, long linger. the grain is light but gives structure, the carbonation rules, and the level of uniqueness and interest here is addicting, an almost chili heat minutes after each sip, comes and goes and comes and goes and comes and goes again, just profound really. curious they call this a double saison at this strength, but never mind that. this feels playful and serious at the same time, and it is fermentation forward, driven, despite having crazy ingredients in it, which at the end of the day, is what the best beer really is for me, personally speaking. adore the yeast here, duh, but the rest of it is smart and clever and fun, a monument to what is possible and a grotesquely high standard to match for anyone coming next in this realm...

An excessively foamy pour delayed completely emptying the contents of a brown 11.2 fluid ounce bottle into a clear pint glass. Although this is at room temperature, wheat in the wort can do this. Beneath the off-white foam, that carries just a tint of the color of the liquid, is a reddish-brown brew, rather dull and opaque. The aroma isn't as pronouncedly yeasty, nor wheaty as many in its style, but it is only faint. There's a little resemblance to sour cherry, but that may just be the influence of its look. It is very drinkable, as the body is very good for a Saison. No doubt the yeast contributes to that, but this doesn't taste overly yeasty, like some. The peppercorns add a welcomed extra taste layer to the typical Saison character, without any extra heat that could bother a sensitive palate, although it does accumulate and complements the finish nicely. Perhaps Saison purists will dislike this, because it doesn't really taste like one. But, for the average beer drinker this should suffice as a pleasantly tasty and nicely bodied brew. Even the glass lacing was good for a Saison.