Saison Du BUFF - Dogfish Head Brewery

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.98/5  rDev +5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a two finger white head that fades very slowly leaving a good lace. Almost clear amber color. Good carbonation and medium bodied. Savory nose and flavor follows - sweet and savory, not a fan of saisons but this is one of the best. $3.50 for a 12oz bottle from Tully's Beer and Wine Wells, ME.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2012 22:42:11 | More by jdhilt

buschbeer

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle
Served in a pint glass

A - It is golden amber with gold highlights. An inch of off white head was perched on top.

S - It smells like floral potpourri. It is actually quite pleasant. The spices come through nicely.

T - I am pleasantly surprised by the flavors. I get lots of floral and spice tastes. The usual saison flavors are masked by the spices.

M - Moderate with biting carbonation.

O - This is a unique experience. The closest I can compare it to is Rosee D'hibiscus. I would call it more of a herb beer, since that is the dominant flavor.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 19:36:41 | More by buschbeer

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle: Poured a cloudy dirty beige color ale with a good foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of spices including spices with solid rustic malt backbone and some nice fruity floral ester. Taste is a great complex mix between some rustic malt with some great notes of sage with nice floral undertones. Thyme and parsley are harder to detect then the other ingredient. Body is full with good carbonation. Solid offering that I would love to have regular access to.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2012 17:23:17 | More by Phyl21ca

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

3.78/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

355ml bottle poured into tulip 9/10/12 cheers liamt07 of sending me the bottle

A pale golden yellow with lots of tiny bubbles popping up from everywhere, thumbs width of foam sits for a minuet leaving some random lace

S ginger and pizza spice, throw some tomato paste in here and were laughing, some citrus and farmhouse yeast, I don't get the spices listed on the label on their own but they all mesh together and somehow it works, when I think about it WTF dose Sage smell like?

T lemon rind and bubblegum on top of what I smell, a little booze and the nose had more going on and the flavor takes a small step back

M light bodied with the pinprick bubbles working well, not quite creamy but lively and a little slick on the finish with a strange aftertaste of herbs and farmhouse yeast, just a faint burn

O I didn't want to like this beer but it kinda grows on ya, strange concept but it sorta works. its different and I always like something different

perhaps this just reminds me of Mama Mia Pizza Beer, interesting concept and I can't remember why I recognize parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme in that sequence, song lyrics?

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2012 05:23:53 | More by wordemupg

dananabanana

Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Hazy, straw gold. One-finger head, bright white.

S: I can smell the herbs in this from clear across the room! Big wheat scent mixed with the herbal scents. I'm not that great at picking out the individual scents, but I think the rosemary dominates. There is a clean note as well, maybe that's the parsley.

T: The flavor is too intense at first sip. My tastebuds go crazy and I really don't know what to make if it. I adjust after a few more sips. Citrusy, maybe lemon. Again, I'm having a hard time comparing the parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. However, there is a definite herbal flavor.

M: Highly carbonated. However, it begins to dull after awhile.

O: Interesting to try, pretty good even, but I wouldn't buy it again Unfortunately I haven't been able to find the other two, but I'll keep looking.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2012 22:27:11 | More by dananabanana

Oakenator

Pennsylvania

4.48/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

One of the trio of Saison du Buff's brewed. This one ranks in the middle for me but still an excellent brew. Pour is golden yellow with a slight cloudiness to it. Good head and lacing on the glass. Smells is of spices and other citrus fruits. Taste is heavy spice - a good saison and the strongest of the 3 in the spice category. Hops are very floral. Specific malt is harder to detect. Excellent brew.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2012 23:02:42 | More by Oakenator

Teleweizen2

New Jersey

3.8/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - pours a hazy gold color into a dogfish snifter. Over two fingers of thick bubbly white foam which slowly dissipates leaving gobs of lacing on the glass.

S - delectable aroma. Strong aroma of an Italian herbal blend. Notes of white flour crackers and lemon zest give the nose a round and full presence.

T - light crackery malt flavor with just a hint of doughy bread. Strong herbal notes enter along with a brisk lemony acidity. Lots of sage and thyme and surprisingly a touch of thai basil. Some light notes of orange pulp in the background as well of some hop character in the way back. Long finish with a lingering lemon flavor.

M - medium near full bodied. Creamy texture. Medium carb.

O - i am a sucker for herbs. The smell is just awesome. It makes me think of pizza and sunday gravy etc. but alone the flavors are strong and a bit too much. This is a great food beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 03:58:51 | More by Teleweizen2

MCDuhamel

Ohio

3.28/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a chalice at cool temp. Golden/pale amber, very little head, a few bubbles lazily drifting up. Fairly clear. The nose is vegetal and floral, and quite pronounced. The flavor shows typical saison notes (a little bit of sulphur, grainy malt) and a leafy, hay-like quality. The finish is quite dry. There is more carbonation prickliness than seems likely from the pour. Light-bodied, despite a reasonably high alcohol content. A very interesting experimental beer of the "garden" saison type. I'd drink it again, but one at a sitting seems about right.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2012 22:46:03 | More by MCDuhamel

TBoneJones

Texas

4.18/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Small head over a light yellow, slightly hazy body with fast bubbles.
Smells nice and spicy, tangy, subdued funk. Reminds me of an antique outlet, maybe weathered indoor upholstery.
Tastes crisp with a unique bitter aftertaste. Rosemary really stands out here.
Interesting, even with the blatant rosemary it gave me the impression of being like a cucumber herbal/medicinal aftertaste. Even though I like this for its unique flavor, I'm not sure it would be in regular rotation for me if it were available in my state. But I would try it again as it's a solid collaboration brew; in a way it made me think of the cucumber saison by Cigar City. And that's refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2012 18:36:23 | More by TBoneJones

Maxwell

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

The beer pours a hazy yellow-orange-gold with a light soap bubble head that dissipates quickly and leaves little clouds of lacing on the sides. This is another dehydrated piss-looking beer, and it has some lovely carbonation seen through its murky interior. The beer smells richly biscuity with some lovely subtle spice notes which must surely be parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. The spices give the nose a slightly minty cool feel, and there is some wet citrus floating at the edges of the smell, which suggest oranges and lemon. The beer tastes surprisingly bananay with the esters, and biscuity with strong citrus undertones. The spice is much softer in the taste, leaving a hint of mint in the aftertaste mixing with the bread and banana esters to suggest a wheat malt backing. Mouthfeel is superbly clean and refreshing, making this an excellent summer beer. The mouth is only barely kissed with saliva after the beer passes, and is ringing with a slight spicy burn that helps to beg for more beer. Carbonation is bubbly and frothy in the mouth which helps the flavoring feel fresh in quick and the mouth, and probably washes away some of the more brutal bite from the spices. This beer reminds me more of a spicy wit than a saison but that isn’t a bad thing. Overall it is a fantastic summer sipper and a lovely collaboration by Dogfish Head, Stone, and Victory. If I can find the other two I will definitely try them, but I’d say Dogfish Head has done this beer well to their company’s name. It is a quirky saison that is more of a wit and definitely worth a sip.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2012 22:48:03 | More by Maxwell

Blackwolf

4.53/5  rDev +19.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz Bottle into a tulip.

A- Rich golden color. There was a lot of head on this saison but it settled quickly. The lacing wasn't to sticky but good none the less.

S- Wow! The aroma of this beer is deep in herbal spice and everything nice. Sage and a lavendery thyme intoxication fills your head when you take a deep whiff, the rosemary isn't subtle but not overpowering. Smelling this beer is the next best thing to smelling a bouquet of some wild flowers. A piney hop tickle and a splash of citrus is also evident.

T- Malts hit ya quickly, bittersweet citrus and a very herbal backbone. It has a very balanced hop blend that is playful with all the herbs and spices. There was a piney smell, but a grassy taste to these hops, the finish is great though, and the taste sticks around just long enough. Tasty.

MF- Light body and smooth. Just enough carbonation in it (medium to medium-heavy), and it gets kinda dry at the finish. It's a refreshing and interesting feel.

O- Two words: "Almost Perfect." This is a great Saison/Farmhouse. Not anything more needs to be said. This made it into my top 5 collab beers, and I still have two other versions to try still (Stone, Victory). You can't be disappointed with this ale.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2012 07:16:32 | More by Blackwolf

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.65/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle from CJ's Potsdam NY for 4$

Appearance – Hazy amber colour with an average size fizzy off-white coloured head. There is an average amount of carbonation and there is some fair lacing. The head lasted for around 3-4 minutes before it was gone.

Smell - Grains/wheat, rosemary/sage/coriander

Taste & Mouth - The beer has an average amount of carbonation. I can taste grains/bread mixed with rosemary/coriander/sage and some light citrus. There is also a bit of yeast flavour and some tea notes. It ends with a slightly bitter herbal aftertaste.

Overall – Not something I'd reach for very often, but an interesting tasting beer. Lots of herbal/spicy notes going on.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 00:03:23 | More by spinrsx

PhantasIPA

Delaware

3.98/5  rDev +5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The appearance of this beer is a light golden color with moderate cloudiness. There is minimal head when poured in a glass and moderate lacing as you drink.

The smell is a powerful combination of herbs and pine, followed by a hint of citrus.

The taste is really nice! Not just your standard pine flavor but a combination of herbs (rosemary, basil, pine) with a nice sweet citrus finish that tastes like pineapple.

Mouthfeel is very smooth. There is a noticeable carbonation but it doesn't "scratch" your throat. The taste lingers very well on the tongue.

Overall this is a unique and quality beer, worth a try or a 6-pack if you're bored...

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2012 23:29:37 | More by PhantasIPA

zeledonia

Minnesota

3.8/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tasted 23 July 2012, reviewed from notes.

Pours very clear golden yellow, apple-juice color. Tons of visible carbonation. Two-finger head with great lacing and good retention.

Smell is quite herby, with a big burst of characteristic saison yeast aromas. Flowery and nectary, too. Lovely.

Taste is quite earthy, with no spice and very little yeast flavor. Tons of sage, with some other herbs thrown in. Herbs galore.

Mouthfeel is good: medium-light body, lots of carbonation.

A nice saison, in the upper-middle tier of those that I've had. Very herby, and especially sagey, which isn't surprising, given the additions. But it has the soul of a saison.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 22:49:07 | More by zeledonia

kagent777

Utah

3.8/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked this one up while visiting some friends in Beverly, Mass at Bogey's. (great shop!) I poured this into my beer goblet after 20 minutes out of the fridge.

Appearance: Slightly hazy light golden beer with a massive white head that leaves great lacing. Very inviting beer.

Smell: Open the bottle and I get yeast phenolics instantly. Huge clove smell along with sage and rosemary. I am not sure about the parsley and thyme. A biscuity type of malt smell is noticeable, too.

Taste: Malts up front, followed by sage and the other spices with a bit of clove. I pick of a bit of lemon zest, maybe from the hops? Interesting and well done, but not something I would want to drink every day. I am sure this would go great with some food, but I am not sure what, maybe Italian.

Mouthfeel: No issues here the body is light to medium with a fairly strong carbonation. The finish is fairly long and dry.

Overall: Paid 3 for this bottle, very interesting beer with unique tastes. Wonder how different the other versions are.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2012 03:42:24 | More by kagent777

Dankuel

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a Brandy snifter glass. A very calming gold color to the beer, some head, moderate lacing.

Smells very interesting. The mintiness of the sage is at the helm, followed by the woodsy aroma of thyme and rosemary, and a smooth background of parsley.

The maltiness of this brew is complimented nicely by the spices. The parsley comes out a bit more. Definitely taste the mintiness of the sage, some woodsiness to from the rosemary and thyme lingers after.

The mouthfeel is about average, smooth going down, a crisp minty bite at the end.

Overall, very interesting beer, glad I tried it.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2012 22:40:16 | More by Dankuel

twaddlac

Ohio

3.33/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A- Jaundice yellow with a large, soapy head. I wish things thing would go down sometime soon so I can drink it.

S- Very lemony and can smell just a touch of the thyme and parsley.

T- Hit up front with citrusy hops, sage and thyme. Finishes with a strong bitterness and rosemary. A lot of bitterness throughout and I'm not sure how I feel about it. Didn't really notice any parsley.

M- Light body with decent carbonation.

O- Very interesting and I think you should taste this, but I couldn't drink many

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2012 20:58:29 | More by twaddlac

ckollias

Maryland

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed this 12oz bottle out of a Beligan tulip glass.

A: Pours a clear golden ale with a nice frothy white head that slowly dissipates down the side of the glass leaving a full trail and ending in a solid lace.

S: Hoppy citrus aroma with a bready background.

T: Great blend of hops, citrus, and malt. Has a tangy bitter bite to it and finishes crisp!

M: Medium body and medium carbonation.

O: I was really impressed by this brew. Very refreshing and hoppy.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2012 01:56:13 | More by ckollias

MadScientist

New York

3.53/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pale gold with excellent clarity. A long lasting white head that settles to a half finger of foam that leaves some lacing on the glass.
S: Moderate orange and rosemary/piney aromas dominate with fruity undertones. Moderate sage and moderately-light thyme aromas comes through with a earthy character. A moderately-light soft malt sweetness in the middle. Light spicy aromas come through but to light to tell if that is hops or yeast. There is a light citrus hops aroma mostly of lemons. There is moderate bitterness that continues through the off-dry finish.
T: a very unusual herbal, fruity and lightly spicy combination. The Sage rosemary and thyme flavors dominate the taste with an orange and spicy flavors coming in next.
M: Medium-light bodied with a moderately-high carbonation. there is a drying sensation on the palate.
O: Although the flavors are decently balanced, I've found when cooking that parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme isn't the best combination and the same hold true here the just don't get along that well. The saison character is a bit muted which is to be expected with the herbs taking center stage.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2012 00:23:35 | More by MadScientist

ithacabaron

California

4.2/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a slightly hazy yellow, burnished and full. A big, foamy head soon settles down into an easy cap. Decent lacing.

Smell is a riot of flavor; one of the best smelling beers I've had in a long while. Yeast comes through off the top, with the herbs close behind. Sage is the predominant flavor; the parsley and thyme are both there, but considerably more muted. The rosemary is nearly invisible. All in all though, it's a beautiful aroma -- I could be satisfied just smelling this one for a while.

Taste is a bit more one-dimensional. Where the aroma was a shape-shifter, always on the move, the flavor of this beer does one thing (a very intriguing thing, mind you) well, and that's it. Nice bitterness on the sides of the tongue and on the swallow. A drying finish keeps things from getting cloying. Notably, this iteration of SDB seems hoppier than its cousins from Stone and Victory.

Mouthfeel is fine and well. If anything, it could be a bit fuller; I really like my saisons foamy.

Overall, SDB is easily the best of Stone's collaboration beers. I've bought a few bottles, and I'll surely buy a few more. Nice job.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2012 00:58:31 | More by ithacabaron

SouljaSaia17

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is my first collaboration beer. Although it was a little pricy for $2.50/bottle, I felt it was worth it, lets see!

A: Looks a light golden color, something along the lines of an adjunct lager. Has a little honey tint to it with not much head but some fine bubbles.

S: Nice floral aroma with some coriander, lemon, clove and biscuit. I also get a hint of honey and some spice as well.

T: I get a little lemon and coriander taste at first,which is followed some clove or parsley. Flavor is complimented by some varieties of spice, a dash of honey, and is followed a little hop bitterness and a dry, yeast aftertaste.

M: Mouth feel is sweet and earthy, very moderate carbonation which enhances the spices. Very drinkable.

O: This is a very unique Saison and was well worth the price. I will have to try the Victory and Stone versions of these. Very good collaboration by three top quality brewers!

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2012 02:41:19 | More by SouljaSaia17

chefhatt

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

when poured, it has a hazy golden color body with a 2"head that lays down quickly to a thin lace around the edge. The smell is like straight out of a herb garden, rosemary and sage dominate then the tyhme and parsley come after. The taste is like the aroma, spicy but just like the smell, rosemary and sage dominate the taste also. The mouth feel is nice goes down nice and easy. Overall this is a good beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2012 02:59:58 | More by chefhatt

CFHMagnet

Ohio

3.53/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A normal pour yields 2 fingers of white head. This dies down over the course of a couple minutes, leaving me a little foam on top and a lot of froth around the glass. Some lacing tries to cling to the glass but never beats gravity.

Whew, this smells like a spice cupboard. Parsley and thyme are quite aromatic, and the sage and rosemary are noticeable upon searching.

Grainy malt seems to be intermingled with the spices. The spice flavors are mingled a little too well for me to call them out, but they are there and strong. A little hop bitterness on the end cleans it up and provides a good finish.

Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied. The carbonation is very light. It partially coats the mouth but isn't too sticky. Enjoyable feel.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2012 16:54:05 | More by CFHMagnet

Cresant

Kentucky

3.43/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Served this 12 oz. in a footed tulip glass. No date. The body was cloudy, pale golden which cleared some as it warmed. The head was plain white.

The smell was lightly fruity with a distinct but subtle yeast presence. Floral. Celery?

The taste was herbal. Lemongrass? Earthy hops. Nice.

The mouthfeel was medium bodied with good carbonation. Easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2012 12:55:55 | More by Cresant

mooseo

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle into flute.

A - Pale clear gold with a creamy, bright white head.

S - Rosemary immediately hits, with other grassy, herbal aromas filling the nose.

T - A complex array of spices dominant throughout. Rosemary, sage and thyme are most prevalent. Bready, doughy malts provide a solid backbone. Slight hints of yeast, pine, and floral hops show up as well. Finish has a light bitterness and spiciness.

M - Light and refreshing. High carbonation, slightly dry finish.

O - A very enjoyable, spicy saison. Drinkabilty is high, flavor has a nice richness. This is a beer that would pair extremely well with chicken and other meat dishes.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 23:31:28 | More by mooseo