I’ve been a naughty boy. I’ve done things that no one should be forced to do, nor should they accept doing. What I’ve done is unforgivable…but all I can hope for is to make peace with myself. What I have done is settled for common beer. I’ve become comfortable with simply walking to the corner store and buying a six pack of beer that is decent but doesn’t excite me like a beer should.
But now, the cycle is broken! I made the trip to a good beer store and spent some time studying the shelves. I’ve reacquainted myself with my forgotten brethren. And best of all, I picked up some really good beer. This month’s Beer of the Month is a new one from a Chicago brewery. It’s Poivre Rose Saison with Pink Peppercorns from Pipeworks Brewing Co.
Poivre Rose pours a cloudy yellow/orange with a bit more orange than yellow. It has a great fruit aroma I picked up even before I poured it into my tulip glass. As I poured it, I watched the white head burst forth leaving a large cap on my glass.
The aromas I got from this are varied, but upfront I picked up some raspberry and yeast. Inhaling deep in the glass, I even got some strong carbon dioxide which tickled my nose. I could tell there was a bit of plastic phenolics, but it finished with lively blood orange zest and honey.
This beer pours with a ton of carbonation, but the mouthfeel isn’t thin or prickly like one would expect. Based on how large the head was, I thought it was going to be very highly carbonated. This was not the case at all. In fact, I would say the the impression of low carbonation led to me enjoying the fruity, peppery and herbal flavors in this beer even more. What I loved about this one was how you can really taste the malt character as it warms. It has a bit of sweet pilsner, but I believe there may also be more darkly kilned base malt (like a Vienna, for example) in there as well. I also believe I taste a bit of wheat which may be adding to the excellent head retention of this brew.
Over all, Poivre Rose is a very enjoyable beer. And at 7.7% ABV, a bomber is just what I need at the end of a hard night. This is yet another feather in the cap of a new brewery which is very quickly showing locals what great beer tastes like.
I can see Poivre Rose pairing very well with a creamy goat cheese or light pork dish. If you enjoy this, give Saison Dupont, Jolly Pumpkin Bam Bière, or New Holland Golden Cap a try.
And don’t forget to let us know what you think of this one. Leave a comment below!