Two Front Teeth Holiday Ale - Spring House Brewing Company

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.68/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This was a very different and very intresting beer indeed. Cracked upon last night during the NYE tasting, this one was served right at cellar temp and poured into a snifter, consumed on 12/31/2009.

The pour was nicely done, rich color, a hazelnut brown look to it with a nice little off white head of foam that sat on top for just a little while before dropping back down and not leaving much at all in the wake. Aroma is very medicinal at first, but warming seemed to mellow that out a great deal. Some nice touches of light fruit bouncing around as well as a nice touch of sweet almost caramel like tones as well. Nice smooth body, light enough to be enjoyed but still carrying a bit of weight to it and the light carbonation seemed to lend itself quite well to the overall approach of it. Again a bit too medicinal, with the cough syrup like flavor getting in the way of really exploring the depth of it, but underneath there are some nice touches of fruit, hints of light apricot and warm roasted nut flavors that seem to cling on as the taste faded out. Alcohol was decently hidden as well.

Overall a different beer then what I was hoping for, but it was pretty decent, Nothing crazy but pretty decent.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2010 05:17:11 | More by mikesgroove

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes.

Pours an amber brown color with an off white head that creates some pretty good lacing. Nose brings spice, cherries, pears, and green apples. Some pale malt and light grain. Taste is quite nice and fits the holiday bill well. Nice spicy mouthfeel with good carbonation and body. A good seasonal treat.

Serving type: on-tap

10-26-2010 21:14:26 | More by Thorpe429

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A growler filled at the brewery on 29-Nov-08.

A: The saison is a hazy amber color, tinged with bright golden highlights and a pale reddish hue (thank you, cherries). Little head at this point in the ale's life.

S: The nose is fragrant with slightly tart cherries, anise and coriander. I was surprised to learn the the breadth of aroma (outside of the cherries) are driven by the yeast strain only, no spices were added to the ale.

T: The tart cherry flavors are the first to cross my palate, sweetly sharp with a nice finish. Behind the cherry, the yeast throws out more pepper and licorice. Candi sugars add a sweet balance that sits nicely atop the pale malts. There is some booziness but, for a beer this big, it is well hidden amongst the cherry and yeast flavors. Tart flavors abound, cementing this as a good farmhouse ale.

M: Cherries and the Belgian yeast are potent together. The roughness of the flavors makes this work as a farmhouse ale (otherwise I'd call it a BSPA). A nice 'winter warmer' by Spring House.

D: At nearly 10%, this is a big beer. The taste is impressive, flavorful and deep. A perfect compliment to the Christmas season.

Serving type: growler

11-30-2008 23:01:29 | More by akorsak

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

From a growler filled at the brewing. Poured into a goblet.

Pours a clear (but quite effervescent) copper color with about a 1/2 finger of fizzy brite-white head. This peters down pretty quickly into just the thinnest wisps in the center and slightest outer ring cling that leaves a small smattering of lacing behind. The aroma is sharp cherry tartness that hits the nose first, followed by a strong smelling mix of Belgian yeast and candied sugars with an underpinning of warmth that gives the nose an almost medicinal quality at times but does not become unpleasant.

The taste is one again tart cherry that blasts the palette first but then blends into some more sweeter cherry character, as well as saccharine candied sweetness underneath, and a nice dry yeasty feel in the finish. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a moderate carbonation that gets a bit more syrupy as it warms. There is also some definite alcohol beef that just borderlines on stinging at times but then pulls back before it gets too distracting.

I really liked what was going on here from a Saison perspective and the addition of the cherries gave it a welcome festive punch. I'm still not quite sure what to the make of the higher ABV. On one hand, this packed just a bit too much beef to make this absolutely enjoyable but on the other hand, it still handles what it has very well, keeping this a pleasant holiday sipper. It's just maybe a growler was a bit too much for this sitting.

Serving type: growler

12-14-2008 18:31:22 | More by Kegatron

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

First had: on tap at the Taproom, Lancaster, PA

Served in a snifter, a hazy amber color with a small creamy cap of white head. Definitely a nice looking beer. Bready yeast in the aroma, toasted grain and grain alcohol, some fruity esters, but not really identifiable as cherry, even though I knew from the description that's what it was. A wave of blandness greeted my palate with this one. Bready malts, yeast, alcohol grains and quite a bit of boozy burn; cherries were in there somewhere, but more of a light essence than a balanced and melded flavor. I think this beer was young and hot when I sampled it...I like my wife for those reasons, but not this beer! And speaking of my wife, she seemed to like this one a lot, but for me, it just wasn't appealing at all. The booze flashed off any other flavors that might have been present. Medium body, and really just not ready to drink yet. Probably would be good with a little age to it, but I don't have any bottles, so I wouldn't know.

Serving type: on-tap

11-25-2012 08:32:27 | More by Rifugium

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Transcribed from undated notes.

The pour created a finger of bone-white head with low retention. Color was a deep golden-yellow with NE-quality clarity despite Keasey not having filtered it. Clarity through floculation! Nose had a slight mustiness under an intense odor of cherries. Mouthfeel was medium with a definite sour cherry bite on the tongue accompanied by a yeasty dryness. Finish was very dry, almost white wine-like.

Serving type: growler

07-28-2010 16:45:51 | More by woodychandler

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Draft offering at the Spring house Taproom. The brew pours a hazed yellow cokor with a creamy white cap. As the suds fade, a full wall of lace sticks to the glass.

The aromatics are fruity with a touch of fresh grain character. This is juicy smelling almost with a citrus sort of zip like mango. It isnt until the brew warms up that it seems to come from more of a cherry inclusion.

The taste is borderline vinous instead of cherry-like (not that its an issue.) It has an inclusion of herbal hop bitterness to balance and some belgian candy aspect almost lemony in flavor with a finish that is sweet.

This is a med bodied brew with a modest level of carbonation. Overall a fairly nice offering that is unique and outside the realm of style (like most Spring house offerings.) Its not a favorite saison or holiday offering but I would not be against having it again sometime.

Serving type: on-tap

03-12-2013 15:24:09 | More by stakem

tpd975

Florida

3.93/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Picked up at Capone's. Matt you rock!

A: Pours a nice golden hue. Small white head. no retention or lace.

S: Light fruit, mostly cherry, with subtle apple. Light spice and Belgian Saison yeast.

T: Lightly funky, sour cherry and yeast and mild pepper subtle booze.

M: Medium in body, smooth, nice spicy finish.

D: Pretty good American version of the style.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2009 20:56:57 | More by tpd975

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured via growler on 12/19/08. Thanks to Deuane for sharing!

A - Clear medium amber body with one-finger bubbly white head and modest carbonation. Head retained well and flared up with each swirl of the glass.

S - Chalky, funky aroma with some cinnamon and spicy notes. Cherry? Not yet, although there are subtle hints of sweet and tart.

T - Initial flavor is a blend of spicy, funky and tart. The cherry character is very subdued. There is also a mild boozy aspect. The funky sourness of this ale isn't overbearing at all and works in concert with the spiciness of the yeast.

M - Medium body with vigorous carbonation resulting in a spicy, tingly sensation on the palate. Whle there is virtually no bitterness, there is a touch of funk in the finish.

D - My first brew from Spring House, and I found it to be a solid saison. While I didn't get a lot of cherry from this, this is quite a tasty saison with equal parts tart and spicy.

Brewslut's Quote of the Day:
"It smells like burnt wood."

Serving type: growler

12-21-2008 16:41:45 | More by ffejherb

Deuane

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to LargeSarge for a bottle of this.

A-Golden kissed copper with a small white head that reduces to a thin ring and left no lace.

S-Spicy and chalky up front with light cherry notes and some apple/pear in the background.

T-Again with the chalky flavour--more pronounced than in the aroma. Spicy yeast zip with a nice cherry tartness following. Malt sweetness is quite subdued and merely an accessory to the spice and fruit.

M-Medium in body, smooth, with a nice spicy, dry finish.

D-Well, despite the ding on the taste I didn't have a problem downing the entire bomber on my own. The flavour grew on me as it warmed. Certainly never felt like a 10% ABV brew! An interesting beer that is worthy of a try.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2010 14:31:42 | More by Deuane

oline73

Maryland

3.63/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I had this on-tap at the brewpub in Lancaster. Served in a sample glass.

Appearance: Pours a clear amber color with a red hue. There is a mild amount of off white head that goes away completely.

Smell: Sugar cookie dough. Some almond and vanilla extract, quite sweet. This smells great.

Taste: There is some sugar cookie dough, but there is a fruit cherry notes as well. This one approaches cough syrup a bit too much. Not bad, but a letdown after the smell.

Mouthfeel: The body is on the thick side and syrupy. The carbonation is fizzy with a dry finish.

Overall: The smell is just awesome. The taste is a bit too bitter and boozy. Oh well, not bad.

Serving type: on-tap

01-10-2012 04:57:17 | More by oline73

srandycarter

California

3.95/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

First off, I have to say this was one of the most difficult corks to pop I have ever encountered.

A - Pure honey, not much head leaves to ring, some sudsy lace around the edges.

S - PERFUME. I feel like some hottie just walked by. Floral with a hint of the heat. Very pleasant.

T - Smell part two. Very floral, perfumed, with that Belgian yeast attribute and malt as an accent. Sweet but not cloying.

M - Thinish. Carb ok, balance not what I was looking for. Mostly thinner than anticipated.

D - Unique collection of sensations and fun. But, would tire after a glass or two.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2010 05:12:22 | More by srandycarter

aerozeppl

New York

4.33/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Hophead101 for sending this via growling at the moon.

A:Fairly hazy orange color with very little head. Not much lacing to speak of. The beer almost has a two tone color when held up to the light. The bottom of the glass is quite dark while the top is fairly translucent.

S:You get bret and cherries. The cherries are quite pronounced. Quite a bit of funk. It always works well with cherries.

T: Follows the nose. Cherries a touch of tartness and a little bit of spice. This beer really does need to warm up to shine. It is a totally different take on a saison. The finish is bone dry so I think there might be a touch of bret in here but who knows with a saison.

M: Very dry. Also very light which is great for the style and ABV.

D: I spent the evening ripping down a drop ceiling in our new home and was drinking this. Was it wise to drink such a big beer while on a ladder? I don't know. I was doing small glasses and I am alive so I think I made the right call. Thanks again to hophead101 for a great beer. Worth checking out.

Serving type: growler

11-19-2009 03:43:45 | More by aerozeppl

DIM

Pennsylvania

4.53/5  rDev +19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

a: This was a slightly hazy golden color that showed just a hint of cherry red. It poured with a short lived white head.

s: Lots of cherries here of course, but the neat thing is their dual nature. Fresh tart cherries leap out of glass, but there is also a funky, peppery, yeasty cherry underneath.

t: As with the smell, the cherries are both fresh and tart while at the same time they have a dry, yeasty quality. The finish is quite dry and leaves spicy, peppery notes in it's wake.

m: The carboantion is lush and creamy while the body is big, bordering on syrupy. Perfect.

d: This beer is dangerously drinkable. There isn't a trace of the 9.75% abv to be found in this until you stand up. I really hope the Spring House keeps stellar seasonals like this coming.

Serving type: growler

12-02-2008 21:23:03 | More by DIM

craytonic

District of Columbia

3.28/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Apperance: Clear amber-tinted pour, little head, just a bit of lacing.

Smell: Very crisp and clean. Light citrus hops and a faint maltiness with some spices and green apple.

Taste: Citrus hops, yeast, white pepper, crystal malts and green apple. A bit of booze. I never got much cherry.

Mouthfeel: Creamy, carbonation is a bit off

Drinkability: Very drinkable for 10%

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2010 03:35:52 | More by craytonic

Amalak

New York

3.23/5  rDev -15%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I had off a cask at Muggs Tavern in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
A- It is gold with a few streams of bubbles that leaves a white head and no real lace.
S- Malts are all I'm getting, just a hint.
T- It is very sour. It has a lagery taste with a vegetable rye aftertaste, but not in the way I normally like. Kind of flat. Not impressed.

Serving type: cask

07-28-2010 17:40:20 | More by Amalak

Tucquan

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on 2011-12-10 at the Spring House Taproom in Lancaster, PA

A - Light mahogany with a 1-finger white head and mild lacing.

S - Yeast, sour cherries, spice.

T - Similar to the smell with sour yeast, grain, cherry and an undertone of anise. It isn't very malty and there is certainly a warming presence from the alcohol but it goes down smooth. The aftertaste is of sour dough bread and lingering bitters. Finishes pretty dry.

M - The mouthfeel is light to medium as is the carbonation.

O - A nice offering for the holiday season.

Serving type: on-tap

12-15-2011 10:42:29 | More by Tucquan

colts9016

Idaho

4.18/5  rDev +10%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass at 45 degrees. This bottle is 2009 vintage.

Appearance: A two finger head that is frothy and foamy with poor retention. The head left some lacing on the glass. The color of the beer is amber with copper orange color. The clarity in the beer is hazy by the yeast.

Nose: The aroma on the beer is a very strong fruity aromas, orange, lemon and a touch of grapefruit. The malt is toasty and caramelized with peppery phenols.

Taste: The malt is feathery and toasted malt with a nice strong fruity ester that are orange, grapefruit, and lemon. Other flavors are yeast, peppery phenols, caramel, honey, and floral esters.

The mouth feel is carbonated, crisp, and clean.

Overall: The body of the beer is medium light and the finish is medium. This Saison is very flavorful crisp and very easy to drink a very good session beer I would not mind a couple more beer. I am glad that I let this beer is age, it gave the beer some refinement. I was disappointed with head other than that a solid beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2011 03:21:25 | More by colts9016

Patrick

Massachusetts

3.4/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a medium amber color with a thin white head that has decent retention, but nothing great. Not a whole lot of lacing either.

S: Smells of sweet cherry, almost like cherry extract though the brewer states he uses fresh cherries. Faint Belgian esters and alcohol fill out the rest.

T: Sweet cherry flavor up front followed by a bready and estery middle. Some alcohol is noticeable, but it should be this beer is huge. The finish is full of cherry juice flavor, kind of artificial tasting.

M: Alcohol, medium bodied even though this is a saison, slightly sweet, well carbonated.

D: Good beer, the cherry really gives this beer a lot more body than a saison should have, not a bad thing, but this is almost a Tripel or Strong Golden Ale.

Serving type: growler

11-25-2009 23:12:50 | More by Patrick

orangesol

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Served on-tap at the tasting room. Reviewed from notes.

A - Pours amber orange with a small white head leaving small amounts of lace on the glass.

S - Smells of cherry syrup, spicy yeast, clove and some bready wheat.

T - Starts off with a ton of syrupy cherry flavor that never really goes very far. Hints of bready malt and yeast combine with some spice to finish things off.

M - Surprisingly large body with moderate carbonation. Slick, sticky feel from start to finish.

O - Not really a fan of this one. I can see what they are doing but not really my style.

Serving type: on-tap

08-01-2012 01:51:03 | More by orangesol

BeerImmediately

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had this on draft, then in a growler, and also from a bottle... just for good measure.

Consistently pours with a very short head that fades quickly over a cloudy orange body. No real lacing to speak of.

Aromas are like no Saison I've ever had before - rich, sweet cherry, chemical/plastic, and earthy notes in the finish.

Flavors are wild, too. Cherry cough syrup, seasonal spices, grassy hops / light funk, and a touch of lemon peel in the finish.

Mouthfeel was light on the carbonation and a tad syrupy, but not what you might expect from nearly 10% ABV.

I like sweeter beers, so enjoyed this a lot - and it was consistently the same experience across all 3 serving types.

Serving type: on-tap

12-27-2011 18:48:50 | More by BeerImmediately

JamnesCameron

Illinois

2.7/5  rDev -28.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

A - golden body with a thin white head of tight bubbles.

S - Sweet malt. yeast, and pepper. Sweet citrus fruit (tangerine?) in the background. Cherry stone?

T - sweet malt, slight pepper, sweet marmalade and cherry-like. no hop bitterness.

M - thin, watery, not very "saison-like"

D - eh

nothing here that says saison or farmhouse to me.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2010 03:20:54 | More by JamnesCameron

nhindian

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Review from notes. Had at a Pittsburgh tasting a bit ago.

750ml bottle split and poured into a Stone taster.

A - Pours a dark orange, much darker than a typical saison. It is fairly clear as well. 1.5-fingers of of khaki-colored head with good retention builds before fading to a sticky lace.

S - The biggest note I'm getting in the aroma is apples and spiced cider. Speaking of the spice, it has a good amount of it in the form of cinnamon and maybe nutmeg? There is some pears as well along with the apple. The end of the nose has some soapiness to it.

T - The taste is reminiscent of a holiday candle or a kitchen cooking Christmas desserts in a condensed form. Green apple, pear, and a variety of spices come across the most, like a freshly baked apple pie.

M - The mouthfeel is medium- to light-bodied with high carbonation. It has an active, bubbly feel on the palate with a nice zest to it. The finish is semi-dry with a ripeness that lends some juicy fruit.

D/O - Drinkability is high. I thought this was a tasty saison that brought a different flavor profile than the typical lemon and citrus, and definitely had me imagining drinking this over Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. I will be looking to get another bottle of this especially for that purpose.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2011 03:13:12 | More by nhindian

ShadesOfGray

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Limited supply Holiday Saison(oxymoron, lol) from Spring House. Poured from a 750ml dark bottle corked and caged...silver skull on the label with the words Two Front Teeth hand written on it. Pours orange-gold. Medium size white head that doesn't last long; ends in a ring with little lacing. Aroma is very sweet with fruits, citrus, earthy...
Taste reminds me of Hennepin. Very crisp. Orange, grapefruit, oak, little booze. Great saison from a small brewery!

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2009 20:20:49 | More by ShadesOfGray

Ineedabeerhere

Connecticut

3.7/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Once again, thanks so much to Greg for the chance to try this one. You're the man!!

Pours a hazy golden color with a shade of amber. Study white head with excellent lacing and just enough retention.

At first, I thought this smelled really odd but couldn't quite pinpoint it. It's kind of sweet-ish with just the slightest allusion to its unusually high ABV. Some pale-ish malts with a nice belgian yeast character lends some orchard fruits... fuji apples and the cherries are here. Spiciness and some floral perfume. The taste mimics the aroma, beginning with a fruity sweetness initially followed by the yeast character leading to a semi-dry floral finish.

Low to moderate level of carbonation works here with a medium bodied brew, but it is a bit slippery of a mouthfeel. At first I thought it was very drinkable for its ABV, but found myself slowing down toward the end of the glass. Still a very nice beer that was a bit unusual to say the least. Glad to have had the chance to try it!

Serving type: growler

01-05-2010 21:56:02 | More by Ineedabeerhere