As I mentioned in a previous post, when I reviewed The Civil Life’s American Brown Ale, I was in St. Louis over the Thanksgiving holiday and stopped at a couple of breweries. The second brewery I stopped at was Perennial Artisan Ales and picked up this growler, along with a few other bottled beers. Now that I’m home, I finally got a chance to sit down and evaluate this beer.
Location: Enjoyed a pint glass from a growler, at home, in Bloomington, IL.
Numbers: 5.2% ABV, ~ 154 Calories
Appearance & Aroma: It was fairly clear and mostly golden in color with a red hue. There’s a decent white foamy head, which leaves some nice lacing on the glass. The aroma is very, very floral, almost smelling like fresh flowers.
Taste & Feel: The body is light and the mouth feel is crisp. There’s a slight honey-like sweetness up front, followed by a big floral hop bitterness. The floral hop bitterness grows and the aromatics are quite noticeable in the very dry finish. There are hints of the peppery-saison flavors mixed with the floral bitterness, but are in the background.
Food Pairing: I would pair this with something that is also light and crisp, and would complement the floral and bitter flavors. Therefore, I would go with something like a lightly buttered and seasoned fish.
Overall Impression: I was very surprised by the floral flavors and aromas brought out by the fresh hops. The bitterness slightly eclipsed the saison flavors, but it was still very good. Overall, I found it to be a very complex and flavorful beer, yet light, refreshing, and very drinkable.
My Rating: 
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