Worker's Comp - Two Roads Brewing Company

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.55/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75

12oz bottle into a Duvel tulip. Thanks to vonschplieffen for leaving half a sixpack in my fridge.

A: Pours a brilliant, clear burnished gold body beneath an inch and a half of frothy off-white head. Retention is very good (if not quite great), and lacing is similarly impressive but not overwhelming. As beautiful as this beer is with its outstanding clarity, I usually enjoy Saisons that look a bit dirtier.

S: All right, all worries about it being a dumbed-down take on the style are immediately defenestrated as soon as I catch a whiff. This is a seriously intense, spicy, phenolic aroma. It's got some great minerality, a bit of understated earthiness, and plenty of fresh-ground peppercorn. Excellent.

T: Starts out spicy, then mellows a bit with some bready malt and just a hint of green apple fruitiness. The earthiness returns on the back end, and things close out with an extremely dry, spicy finish. The aftertaste is tart and so dry it's borderline chalky, but this is a minor quibble. It's delicious.

M: Fairly light-bodied and frothy. Nice and lively, but slightly prickly.

O: Excellent Saison, period. Doubly excellent since it's such a sessionable ABV. Triply excellent because it's a $9 sixpack. I'll be drinking lots of this beer.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 01:21:45 | More by woosterbill

Durge

Connecticut

3.75/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A very pale yellow color with virtually no bubble activity going on, looking almost like a urine sample. The white head quickly dissipates to just a flimsy few scraps floating around on top and minimal lacing. The nose picks up a pilsner-esque wheat/cereal grain with a skunky oak edge. The flavor delivers a relatively light cereal grain, skunky bread, almond and light lemon-rice. It's a solid theme that goes down easily. The body is medium-light and the feel is effervescent and very refreshing. Though the looks are pedestrian at best, the flavor and feel makes this an easily recommended lawn mower choice with personality.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 07:12:25 | More by Durge

tigg924

Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap at their tasting room

Appearance: minimal head, minimal carbonation, gold in color, clear

Smell: lemon, hay, and straw

Taste: lemon, hay, straw, honey, and light pepper at the end

Mouthfeel: light body, funky and sweet, moderate carbonation, semi-dry

Overall: I love the flavor combination here. Of all the Two Roads beers, this is my favorite. This one is nice, light, and complex. Amazing on draft and it still holds up well in the bottle. If I want a six pack saison, this is the beer I would go with.

Serving type: on-tap

12-26-2012 16:19:42 | More by tigg924

Boto

Connecticut

3.86/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Draught: This one pours a hazy straw yellow color. There was about a finger of a foamy head that lingered awhile and left some good lacing. The nose is good: mainly peppery and some spices (clove?) with some wheat. Also notes of some faint fruits. The taste is pretty good. Fairly typical of decent saison. Wheat, some fruits, grassy, no real sweetness, spices. Definitely worth having another one.

Serving type: on-tap

05-18-2013 19:35:38 | More by Boto

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A-Pours crystal clear and bright yellow. Glowing and clean. Mild, white head. Thin lacing.

S-Smell is interesting. Belgian bubblegum, more yeast and a defined American malt. Also some bright florals.

T-Better than the aroma. Along with the bubblegum and spice is a very deep cracker maltiness. After, comes a long grassy streak. Well hopped; I even get some tropical hoppiness too. Flavor intensity surpasses what you'd expect in a sub 5% ABV brew.

M-Light, crisp, bright and easy drinking. Dry with some mild bitterness. Inviting carbonation.

O/D-My first Two Roads experience. This was pretty cool. They put they're own mark on the Saison style. Light, well-hopped and very easy drinking. I will definitely give the rest of Two Roads' brews a shot.

Serving type: on-tap

01-03-2013 03:00:26 | More by VelvetExtract

Gambrinus1184

Connecticut

3.93/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12-ounce bottle into a Chimay goblet at the Red Stone Pub in Simsbury, Conn.

A: Hazy, golden yellow color with a thin, wispy veil of white carbonation, this saison has ample carbonation and a pale shimmer, though it leaves little to no lacing on the glass.

S: Tropical fruits and peppery esters fill the nose, along with mild citrus rind and a hint of herbal, grassy hop aroma.

T: Flaked rye and crackery malts add a dry, fruity sweetness to begin, settling into a spicier and more tropical fruit flavor, accompanied by dried melon and tangerine notes. The white peppery, finely spiced flavor accentuates the mild, bittering hops. The finish is dry and bright with a sharp spiciness and semisweet fruity ester flavor.

M: Thin to medium bodied Saison with a sharp, crisp assertive spiciness to deliver light, rounded fruitiness. Finishes dry on the palate.

O: A light, very easy drinking Saison at only 4.8% ABV, this would be a quenching beer of sustenance after working in a field, or office chair, all day, particularly during the warmer months. It lacks a certain malt depth, and tart citrusy nature somewhat indicative of the style. However, it's spicy and very palatable, which will win over the likes of the Belgian wit crowd.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 03:19:28 | More by Gambrinus1184

KTCamm

New Jersey

4.3/5  rDev +10%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Twelve ounce bottle poured into a pint glass.

Pours brilliant golden yellow with thick inch of white foam. Like a snow drift. Strong citrus yeast nose. Wheat too. Taste opens with a wall of citrus, tart, then drops off leaving some yeasty tasting remnants. Lemon stays on the tongue with some minor bittering. Extremely refreshing. Damn good saison, nice job by the new guys on the block in Stratford CT.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 14:42:42 | More by KTCamm

sinstaineddemon

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - a hazy honeyesque yellow color, a scant few streams of carbonation keep a ring alive, all thats left from a thin filmy white head

S - spice notes reminiscient of true Belgian Saisons, clove, nutmeg, corainder and such. Lemony citrine notes as well as candied sugar sweetness.

T - This much hops was not evidenced in the aroma. A decent hop profile arises and surprises. Balanced nicely by the aforementioned candied sugar qualities.

M&D&O - a decent sessionable saison style beer, representative of the American Saison. Noticeably lacking the funk a true saison, but a tasty beer in the styles American form nonetheless. A good start to a new CT BreweryA

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 02:05:09 | More by sinstaineddemon

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

3.83/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Poured from 12oz bottle into tulip. Pours a golden clear with about 2 fingers of head. Nice bunky belgian farm aroma, slightly fruity. Nice and dry finish. Overall, a nice drinkable saison. Easy and mild. A tad thin and generic, but a nice intro to farmhouse.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 00:44:37 | More by DrinkSlurm

jaxon53

Connecticut

3.93/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Finally some more beer from Connecticut. Served to me in a tulip, at New York Pizza in Plainfield. Let's see what Two Roads has to offer...

A: Two Roads Workers Comp Saison pours out a bright, slightly hazy golden yellow color. Looks like quite a lively beer, tons of bubbles were floating to the top of the glass. Poured from a tap this beer yields about a finger and a half of bright white, bubbly head. Head is short lived. Fades into a small white ring around the glass.

S: Nice fresh floral aromas. Grassy hop presence hidden behind some pepper and sweet malt. Hints of rye. A little yeast mixes in to round out the nose.

T: Mimics the nose pretty well. Faint citrusy fruit with some light notes of pepper. A touch of hops hit the tongue for a second. The malt flavors don't really stand up to the other flavors, but does offer a bit of balancing sweetness. Spicy.

M: Just about medium bodied. Crisp and dry. Light and easy to drink at 4.8 percent ABV.

O: Not too bad. Tasty, above average brew. I'll take the road less traveled again.

Serving type: on-tap

12-25-2012 18:16:39 | More by jaxon53

rdilauro

Connecticut

3.24/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

This is the second Two Roads beer I've tried. For starters I have never been a big fan of Saison/Farmhouse Ales. But I continue to taste so I always have a broader knowledge base when I talk to our customers.

The beer poured clean with a substantial head. The bouquet brought me back to flashbacks of all Farmhouse ale's I've tasted. Spices were definitely present. First sip, yep Farmhouse.

But one thing I noticed over other Farmhouse Ales, I've tasted was a pronounced spice.
No question that it was coriander, very similar to what you will detect in American wheat beers.

I loved cilantro, but not a big fan of coriander.

There was nothing fundamentally wrong with this beer, its just something that when given a choice of different beers, it would not be the top of my list. (nor bottom)

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 18:39:50 | More by rdilauro

Sam21

Connecticut

3.81/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

12oz bottle into tulip. No bottle date.

A- Clear golden body with a creamy white head. Retention is okay with some lacing.

S- Simple, yet appetizing. Subtle fleshy pineapple and mango mix with light citrus fruits, Belgian yeast bubblegum, and spice. The rye is noticeable, adding a subtle tone to the back.

T- Light pineapple, mango, and orange begin. The transition into the finish is clean, sweet, and features a wonderful balance of spice. The flavor profile is nicely structured, simple, and balanced. I can only imagine that this is what a saison is meant to be, in a more traditional sense.

MF- Medium-bodied, creamy, and smooth. The oats definitely show their face in the mouthfeel adding a wonderfully appealing round body.

O- This is a great saison for what it is. This is a drinkable, approachable, and balanced beer. It features all of the classic characteristics of a saison with the drinkability that is often lost on ABV. I really enjoyed this beer and feel that Two Roads really hit their mark.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 01:31:37 | More by Sam21

CharlatanSin

Connecticut

3.99/5  rDev +2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The new guys in town. Poured from a bottle into a tulip. The beer is a light golden straw color with just a little bit of haze. Not much head, though; what's there is white and leaves a bit of lacing. The smell is quite nice. Flowery, hay, some sweet fruit, and a little of that yeasty funk.

The taste is a bit spicier that I'd expected. Cracked pepper? A definite nice grainy bitterness that combines nicely with the Belgian yeast sweetness. Toasted white bread. A little bit of funk. Some noticeable fruity hops, too. Very nicely balanced. Mouthfeel and carbonation are both medium.

The word on the street is that this beer packs a lot of flavor for a low ABV, and I find that opinion to be justified. It'll make a really nice summer outdoor brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 02:50:50 | More by CharlatanSin

Thads324

Connecticut

3.9/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a pale yellow, much like an aal with a thin white head. Perfectly clear. Fizz disappears to nothing very quickly.

Aroma is heavy on Belgian yeast, faint black pepper, fresh grass of an open meadow, cane syrup, and a very tiny bit of musky mushroom. Strong aroma all around, very nice.

Starts a bit light, then comes a sharp wheaty and yeasty dance off. Husky grains and light flavors of honey malt. A bit of pepper, grass, and spring greens. Finish is sharp, leaving no aftertaste.

Light bodied and well carbonated. Dry finish.

A pretty good saison that would better suit a late spring day or summer evening. Not bad at all.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 23:47:47 | More by Thads324

nebula1999

Connecticut

3.23/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured on tap at Barley Vine in Bristol, CT.

Slightly hazy yellow beer with thin white head.

Aroma is fruity and spicy. Tropical fruit and a sharp pepper note. Some hops as well.

Taste is again fruity and spicy, dry. Some citrus in there as well. Lacks a firm maltiness that would make this more enjoyable. But still, not a bad saison. I would pass on it again though.

Serving type: on-tap

12-23-2012 15:55:11 | More by nebula1999

talkingpoints

Connecticut

4.6/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Probably my favorite offering from Two Roads love the name and the alcohol level from a worker who wants to drink a couple and not be dizzy after the first beer.

This beer had the hazy saison look with a golden hue and the aroma was white pepper laced with a mild cross between a lemon and a grapefruit peel.

The taste was a light hop tang that transformed into a carboninated malt on my back palate. I seen the workers of America rising up and consuming much of these if they are indeed on Workers' Comp.

The need for more session beers instead of overtly high heat alcohol sugar bombs need not overstated. Two Roads is on the Road to producing amazing craft beer, when you pay more you expect more, I wasn't disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 21:23:55 | More by talkingpoints

dpianka

Connecticut

4.33/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

date of tasting: 3/19/2013
place of tasting: Barley Vine
beer: Worker’s Comp
brewery: Two Roads
type: Ale
style: Farmhouse Ale
glass: mug
temperature of beer: 45

Appearance: color is similar to a honeycomb or canola oil. Head froths up quick, yet dissipated just as quickly, it was thin and ended up looking like barely beaten egg white. Bubbles are few and sit around the edge of the glass.

Smell: Like a farmhouse. Sweet, slight herbal, almost shampoo like. A bit of pine and hibiscus. Not bad balance slightly more hops which is what I would expect for the style.

Taste: apple sauce really quick up front then flowery-hibiscus, slight rose and heavy clove.Hops are there yet not huge, good balance.

Mouthfeel: Not bad, neither smooth nor coarse. Slightly dry and medium to heavy bodied. tingly lingering carbonation that traps that flavor in and lingers on the tongue.

Overall Impression: Not bad, the clove was huge but not unpleasant. Just different I suppose. A good beer overall. I could see myself drinking this watching the snow melt and waiting for Spring to come.

Food Pairing: hotdogs with relish. Taleggio cheese and parmigianno crackers. Grilled swordfish. For dessert, rum braised mango and some kind of vanilla cream

Serving type: on-tap

03-20-2013 01:54:44 | More by dpianka

cdicanio

Connecticut

4.05/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

It pours foamy, but settles without much head. There is a robust clove taste, but it's not overpowering, compared to how it can be with many winter ales. There is no sweetness to this beer; it's crisp with a pleasant mouthfeel and an almost buttery clove flavor.

I'd pair it with any grilled meat, as the crispness pairs well with some charring. It also would be paired well with something spicy, e.g. chiles poblanos or peppery chicken.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 22:43:19 | More by cdicanio

horsehead717

Connecticut

3.54/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pale, hazy yellow; lots of head that dissipates quickly.

Aroma: Coriander, pineapple, pilsner malt, pepper, very faint barnyard.

Taste: Lemon, pepper; pilsner-like aftertaste, but with more hops.

Mouth-feel: Light; lots of carbonation; slightly dry.

Comments: A nice, refreshing beer for a spring or summer day. I think I'll have another. Oh, it's only 4.8%; I guess I'll have two more.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 05:08:53 | More by horsehead717

RADRACING

Connecticut

4.18/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

Served in a traditional pint

Appearance was nice straw gold with a slight orange hue to it

Smell had nice spicy phenols. Slight pepper note as well. Good citrus notes. Good pilsner malt smell

Taste is very thirst quenching and dry. Typical for the saison style. Citrus with spice and pepper notes

Mouthfeel is smooth to light cream with a sharp bite to the tongue that lingers.

Overall a very refreshing highly phenolic brew. Glad to have this available year round. Can't wait it crack one open during warmer months

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 01:23:35 | More by RADRACING

Adlar2789

Connecticut

4.13/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

I was at the Two Road's opening event in Stratford a few weeks back to represent the Beer, Wine & Liquor store that I work at in Danbury, CT. The past few months I have been drinking more and more Saisons and I have found myself falling more in love with them each day. The Worker's Comp is easy to drink, not too high in alcohol content, full of taste, and in my opinion is a solid beer to release as a brewery emerging into the beer world.

It was discussed that night, and I agree that Two Roads brewery is going to help Connecticut get on the beer map, and hopefully they continue to have success, as well as, brew new styles of beer that will satisfy consumers all over.

Serving type: on-tap

12-26-2012 21:02:40 | More by Adlar2789