Saison Du Row
Trillium Brewing Company

Pours a hazy golden color with a 3F stiff foamy head and heavy lacing.

Smells of bready yeast and cloves.

Tastes of bready yeast, tangy wheat and spicy rye, apples and cloves with a spicy, bitter finish.

Medium light body with light carbonation. Crisp, dry mouthfeel.

This is my new favorite saison. Outstanding complexity and assertive character.

 

Interesting story behind this beer regarding the relationship with Row 34 nearby their first location. I haven't had one from Trillium in a long time, never mind a Saison. From an 11.2 oz bottle with no date but I believe this was brewed within the last few months. Poured into a Spiegelau beer tulip glass.

Pours a golden yellow color with a slight haze and a two inch dense white head. The head settles into a quarter inch of foam that stays there during the drinkdown. Very nice beads and clumps of lacing.

Aromas of lemon, clove spices, grassy, a bit peppery.

Flavors of lemon and clove, some grassy hop notes. Nice flavor but not as funky as I would like.

Lighter than medium body, less "clingy" on the palate, very refreshing. Seems appropriate for this kind of beer.

Very good beer. I thought this drank more like a Belgian Pale than a traditional Saison. Still very enjoyable to drink nonetheless.

Picked up a single bottle at Curtis Liquors in Cohasset, Massachusetts for about sixteen dollars. My ninety fifth brew reviewed from these guys. No bottled-on date that I can decipher. Plenty in cooler, so definitely not retired. Solid.

 

 

From bottle at the brewery pours clear gold with thin white head. A floral aroma. Very carbonated and very dry. I as hoping for a bit more a papery flavor as advertised in the description.

Look - slight haze nice thin head bust last forever that takes over the rimming
Smell - floral grainy citrus slight tart but still Belgian
Taste - about the same as the smell, great balance of Belgian farmhouse
Feel - medium body slight fizz
Overall - outstanding

 

Pours a foamy frothy almost 2 finger head with good retention, fair soapy lacing, very clear golden pale color

Nose more saison like, some peppery spicy phenols, little citrus and pome fruit esters, doughy cereal malt, some sweetness, a bit lemongrass like,

Taste brings mild sweet doughy malt, cereal, Belgian blonde malt, straw, mild spicy hops, citrus and pome fruit again with mild fruity ester notes, a bit of the phenol spices with a hint of a peppery note, some bitter orange zest and orange slice in a cocktail like character, touch of perfumey alcohol, dry finish and a hint astringent

Mouth is med bod, high effervescent distracting carb, hint of warming alcohol

Overall not bad, more like a saison than the little Trillium was, but nothing too special

Moving right along with my Trillium haul from yesterday, we have their collaboration Saison with Row34. The open fermentation has me excited for this one, as I prefer my Saisons with a bit of funk. Let’s pop it open and find out what it’s all about

Pours a cloudy yellow gold with 3 fingers of fluffy white head that slowly fades to a cap and leaves decent lacing

There’s a great brightness in the nose, but still maintains an earthy vibe. I’m picking up on aromas of lemon zest, wet hay, crackery malt, earthy wheat, apple skin, wildflower honey, white pepper, and a touch of tannic white wine

It doesn’t have the same funk in taste which would usually be a negative for me, but it’s great as is. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting bready malt, pear skin, lemon zest, sweet honey, earthy wheat, white grape, wet hay, light banana, and orange zest. The swallow brings notes of bready malt, sweet honey, banana, lemon zest, pear skin, white pepper, floral hops, earthy wheat, and raw grain

A light medium body pairs with gentle tingling carbonation, resulting in a slick beer. Finishes mostly dry and refreshing

This is just damn good all around. Even for a Saison with not as much funk I can really get down with it

 

 

 

500 ml bottle.

Pours a cloudy pale straw color with a massive foamy white head. Good retention for the style. The head clings lazily to the glass as it dissipates.

Aromas of fresh pear, candied green apple, wheat, and faint lemon. There's also some coriander, banana, bubblegum yeast, stone fruit, cracked pepper, sweet dough, and a ton of wet grass. A complex kitchen sink.

The flavor is full of fruity esters and yeasty notes. Apricot, pear, green apple, banana and coriander. Some bubblegum yeast. Honey dough, cracked pepper, hay, wet grass, and spicy hops. A lot going on here.

The feel is medium bodied with good carbonation. Not really crisp, but has a nice bite. Extremely dry.

Overall, this is a great farmhouse ale. It's a wonderful balance between the rustic, classic saisons and the funkier, "wild" versions of the style.

 

 

 

This is a hard one. I have no doubt this would be an excellent beer but the alcohol hotness is a punch in the face for me. 7% and up IPAs are popular now so why shouldn't any 7% or plus beer be OK? Saison Du Row's 7.5% is way too excessive for me. It really gets in the way of the balance. Balance is key in a saison. There is an art to constructing a Saison. Everything must be in balance. Excessive alcohol may be hidden within a IPA's imbalance (excessive hops) but just too much alcohol hotness here. It's really too bad. This could be a really great saison. I got six bottles and I'll leave it at that. It was very good but just too strong for me. Your mileage may vary. I got six 500 ml quality bottles for my homebrew and meads out of the deal.