Songbird Cuvée de Printemps is a 7% Belgian strong ale from Brewery Songbird, based in Chiba, Japan. It’s part of their spring seasonal lineup and can be found in both bottles and on tap when on sale. Songbird Cuvée de Printemps is brewed using a large, but unknown, amount of wheat and dried Styrian Golding hops too.
Though listed as a saison, it’s most definitely a strong ale.
Songbird Cuvée de Printemps Aroma and Taste
I’m not one for complaining about beer styles, though I’m sure others would disagree; however, Songbird Cuvée de Printemps was sold to me as a saison, hence why I ordered a small glass of it. It came up a hazy golden colour with flecks of brown in there, all topped off with a frothy white head that collapsed quickly into a thin ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass. It had a potent Belgian funky yeasty nose, like most beers from Brewery Songbird, along with a fruity estery backend of pears and what appeared to be persimmons coming through in the end. How on earth that came through with the hops and yeast is beyond me but it was impressive.
I only wish I had ordered a full pint of Songbird Cuvée de Printemps after finishing it. The flavours swirling around were well balanced and smooth – nothing stood out above anything else, but the yeasty fruitiness with a snappy pear flavour was soothing and the 7% alcohol was warming – almost seemed a waste to be drinking such a beer in spring with the cold winter behind us. The aftertaste had a hint of bitterness, but the fruitiness came through to ward it off.
Songbird Cuvée de Printemps The Bottom Line
As Brewery Songbird get older, and more experienced, their beers improve and you can’t go wrong with Songbird Cuvée de Printemps
