Poperings Hommel Bier (Dryhopped W/ Saphir Hops)
Leroy Breweries

 

On tap at PreFunk. Light hazy orange,/golden pour. Slight, silky off white head. Light citrus (oranges) aroma, followed by malty, hoppy flavor, short, sharp, bitter finish. Creamy Belgian texture brought to an abrupt end by the dry hopping. Nice.

Nestled inside one of the world's most prominent hop growing regions, the Popperings Hommel Beir brands have been synonymous with floral aromas, spicy bitterness and impeccable balance. Its cocoon of Saphir hops is sure to give the ale a new citrusy and tangy character to complement that balance.

Pale straw in its color, the lightly golden accented ale sheds a rich lather and captures a whole host of aromas to draw the nose and to captivate the senses. Leading with tangerine and tangy lemon, the lightly grassy, herbal and bready scent plays out with honeysuckle and orchard blossom in the background. Its early taste is sweet, confectionate and candied, akin to pez candy and sugar cookie.

Yet once the ale settles on the middle palate, its floral and whimsy character drifts away and the ale begins to dry. Fueled by racing carbonation, the flavors turn decidedly wine-like with riesling-like underpinnings and a firm grassy hop bite. Complementing lemons, pear and melon lurk in the recesses while a balance of white pepper and soft clove keeps the taste in check.

Trending bitter, spicy and herbaceous, the white wine character continues to elevate and gives the final taste a tangy acidic cleanliness to both flavor and texture. Its medium-bodied texture remains creamy and mildly doughy despise the hop bitterness and acidic tone. An afterglow of floral hops and citrus return in aftertaste and pulls the session full-circle.

 

 

Poured into a small snifter. Pours a light apricot yellow amber. Aroma of sweet malt, light fruit and very light generic hops, slightly spicy. Taste is light fruit, sweet malt and hints of Belgian spicing. Finishes somewhat dry with malt, stone fruit and bittering from hops and spices. Medium bodied. Interesting flavors, but rather subdued. Flavor hinted at further complexity, but everything was too subtle to pick up anything else. Lighter and less aromatic hops than a domestic dry hopped ale, but nicely balanced and pleasant. Regret that I couldn't try this side by side with the regular Hommel to see what difference the dry hopping made. I will try to sample a bottle of the standard Hommel to compare. Glad to have been able to sample this uncommon beer.