Brewery Bhavana “Piglette”

Style: Grisette
ABV: 4.2%

One of the perks of living in Eastern North Carolina is the proximity to so many great microbreweries. There are about a dozen breweries that we can hit within a 30-40 minute drive of Greenville, and we are only about an hour and a half from the Raleigh craft brew scene. As much as we’d love to be able to get out to Raleigh and Durham more frequently to enjoy the plethora of breweries at our disposal, it’s not always feasible. Lucky for us, a lot of these breweries distribute and we’re able to find their beers in local places like Jarvis Street Bottle Shop, Mpourium, and Tapped (although, we must confess this beer was purchased during a visit to Raleigh). This week, we enjoyed a selection from Brewery Bhavana in Raleigh, NC. “Piglette” is a grisette, which is a Belgian table beer that is a subset of the saison style. Grisettes have a history of being brewed as a refreshing option for Belgian miners after spending long days working in the mines, dating back to the late 1700s. They are characteristically light-bodied, crisp, and low ABV, making them a good option to quench your thirst. Brewery Bhavana is characteristically fantastic at brewing beer, making them a good option to enjoy this somewhat obscure style.

Joe’s Take

“Piglette,” poured from its appropriately colored pink can, was golden yellow and translucent in the glass. It was not fully clear, but also not entirely hazy and was capped with a fleeting bubbly white head. After a few moments the beer lost its foam not dissimilar to a soft drink.

The aroma of the grisette was light and subtle with hints of tart sweetness pulling through. There were also subtle hints of wine like grape and a bit of funk on the tail end of the sweet notes. Although gentle, the aroma was pleasant and indicative of the tasting to come.

“Piglette” had a mouthfeel full of bubbly carbonation that was augmented by the mild acidity of the beer. This led to a bright and almost sharp initial sip. Combined with the light body of the brew, this sensation made for a crisp and refreshing drinking experience. The beer was slightly drying and that only aided the desire to take another sip.

Like the aroma, the flavor profile featured notes of white grapes and a white wine like character. There was mild acidity and a hint of citrus, like a squeeze of lemon had been put in the glass before my tasting. I also detected a mild barnyard like funk that complemented the acidity of the beer. Typically, I find this flavor a bit too much for me but in this beer I think it really hit the mark and was balanced just right. Overall, the flavor profile was gentle and not overbearing which is on the mark for the style that was invented to be the working man’s refreshment.

“Piglette” was an overall enjoyable beer and a stark contrast to some of the beers I have been drinking lately. If you are looking for a crisp, refreshing beer that isn’t a lager I would point you toward this. The low ABV, bright carbonation, and gentle yet refreshing flavor profile make this an easily drinkable beer. I’m glad we grabbed a 4-pack.

Nick’s Take

My glass of “Piglette” showed a very pale gold-colored beer with a light collar of foam that lingered for just a bit. I didn’t notice much (if any) lace inside the glass, but that perhaps could be attributed to my constant swirling of the beer. I wanted to get a good look at this grisette under the light and really analyze its appearance, as I’ve had maybe only one other grisette in my life. I was very much interested in learning more about this style, and Brewery Bhavana’s iteration in particular.

I continued to swirl the beer inside the tulip glass I borrowed from Joe, as I moved into collecting notes on the aromas. Notably, “Piglette” was subtle in the aroma department, but I realize that’s probably not a shock – grisettes are lower in ABV and are rather dry, light beers traditionally, so this can contribute to less volatile aromas. I did pick up what smelled akin to white wine and white grapes. I don’t know if it’s weird to say a beer smells dry, but this certainly did. I didn’t get much of a whiff of funk that can often be attributed to farmhouse ales and saisons, but there was some tartness on the nose that may have been my perception of the funk.

I was ready to take a sip of this beer after staring at it and smelling it for a few minutes, but I was not prepared for the punch in the mouth when I put the glass to my lips. Seriously, I’m not sure why Joe came over and hit me in the face while I was trying to taste this beer…(kidding, of course!). Jokes aside, the carbonation was crisp and it seemed elevated by the beer’s light body. Each sip thereafter produced the same sensation and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I could see why this style of beer would be refreshing after a long day of work. It is rather dry, however – again, something that is standard for the style.

In terms of flavor, is was quite similar to the aromas I was picking up. Definitely a similar vibe to a dry white wine but less bitter or tannic. There was also a level of tartness I perceived, though it was relatively mild. I found the overall taste to be a bit light and lacking, but I wouldn’t expect a full-flavored beer that clocks in at a mere 4.2% ABV and doesn’t rely heavily on hops.

Overall, “Piglette” serves as a nice option if you’re looking for a light beer but want to go after something other than a pilsner. There was considerable carbonation and crispness, a little tartness/funk, and a light body to easily drink a pint of this. I’d likely stick with one pint in a sitting, however, as the dryness can be a bit much after awhile. This was a solid beer for quenching my thirst and I’d like to give it a shot as a pool or beach beer while out in the hot sun.