Saison Du BUFF - Dogfish Head Brewery

ToddT

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Cloudy golden yellow topped with a medium off white head. Head fades slowly to a cap and leaves a little spotty lace on the glass.

S- Rosemary is dominate, but there are notes of sage and a hint of floral hops as well.

T- Rosemary dominates the taste as well, but it tones down some at the middle and allows hints of sage and parsley to come through. There is a umami taste in this as well and that is a first for me in a beer. It's not unpleasant, but it was unexpected. The finish is slightly peppery and savory.

M- Medium in body and well carbonated has a little fizz to it.

O- Unique beer, I don't think I would want a whole lot of this but it does push the envelope of what beer can be. The 6.8% ABV is not over the top but the strong flavors rule it out as a sessionable beer, it's more a one and done beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2012 04:30:59 | More by ToddT

kylehay2004

Florida

3.88/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Enjoyed by flashlight after power was knocked out but tropical storm Beryl.

A: large three finger head on a slightly hazy golden body with crimson hues.

S: lots of tropical fruits including pineapple grapefruit and lemon custard. On the sweet side instead of musty. Light on the yeast presence.

T: lots of tropical fruit, black pepper zest and herbal spice. Little yeast involvement.

M: light to medium body and moderate carbonation. Moister finish than most in the genre

Overall: perfect degree of sweetness. Varies from yeasty and stronger herbal presence of other of this style. Very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2012 01:00:45 | More by kylehay2004

HalfFull

California

3.15/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottle poured into a wine glass. This version of du buff befuddles me a bit. Same nose of hops and spice is evident but I guess the spice is a bit too dominant at this point.

Taste is spicy and citric yet with a limited yeast presence. Sweet and wheaty in texture and with a bit of coarse bread.

Sweet lemon bread on the finish, decent feel and finish.

Nice, but certainly not up to the standard of a classic saison.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2012 07:29:28 | More by HalfFull

CHickman

New York

2.48/5  rDev -34.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Pours cloudy yellow gold color with a 2 finger foamy white head that was full of bubbles and faded very slowly, leaving nice spotty lacing and a creamy layer on top.

Smells of herbs up front, like a spice rack; after a few more sniffs I could make out thyme, rosemary, mint, parsley, allspice or cumin and other floral herbs and spices. There was some elements of biscuit, yeast and bread, but the herbs dominated the nose and made the whole smelling experience off – it does not smell like beer at all.

Tastes like a Belgian initially, with thyme, rosemary, pepper, coriander, parsley, light floral hops, yeast, grass, hay, straw, toasted grains and vegetables; like the nose, the herbs seem over the top and were too much for my liking – this tasted better than it smelled, but it was too spicy and herbal to be refreshing.

Mouthfeel is very smooth with very light carbonation, a light/medium body, and a semi-dry earthy herbal finish that was spicy and trailed off with a very complicated mix of herbs and spices.

An interesting experiment, but not what I expected and another beer I’m glad I tried but I would not try again unless it was a food pairing designed to compliment this beer. Each sip had sensory distortion as the aroma coming up through my tulip glass just blasted me with herbs and kept the overall experience out of synch. Gotta support the cause and the craft beer movement, but these misses are like collateral damage in the war to keep the beer machine flowing. One and done on this collaboration.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2012 04:45:13 | More by CHickman

sinstaineddemon

Connecticut

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

A - this collab pours a super pale yellow and wells up over two fingers of rocky billowt pure white head fed by huge amounts of carbonation

S - funky and spicy up front, distinct wheat aroma. can definitely pick out the sage and rosemary, but the thyme and especially the thyme I can't discern

T - spices come through big, really big in the flavor, some pleasant candied sugar sweetness which is then immediately balanced by a light hop profile

M&D - smooth and sharp all at once, great flavor amalgam, spices are not for the uninitiated

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2012 03:25:00 | More by sinstaineddemon

BrownNut

Florida

3.23/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Pillowy white head that holds out for quite a while, basic gold beer color.

S - A bit of saisony sweetness with hints of pizza herbs. Smells more like basil than parsley, sage, rosemary, or thyme. Also a little mild armpit.

T - Tastes like it smells, with a little more of a salty quality. The balance between the classic saison sweetness and the savory herbs is well struck. It's not that it's necessarily a taste I want, but those two tastes come together at perfectly equivalent levels on the head of a pin, so it seems expertly done.

M - Light-medium, not much to say.

O - As with a number of Dogfish beers, it's interesting but I'm glad I only bought one in a pick-a-six instead of a whole fourpack. I don't really want another. With that said, this might pair nicely with Thanksgiving dinner. I think it would complement turkey and dressing, though I'm not sure I want it to pair quite as directly as it would.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2012 22:17:08 | More by BrownNut

mdcrouser

Missouri

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

Looks like a pretty standard saison - a cloudy golden glow with a thin layer of white head.

The herbs are punchy - the sage and thyme both stand out to me. Beneath, there's some farminess and floral hops - in combination, it's like standing in a meadow, soaking it in. The saison portion is great, while the herbs are a bit much, giving me some pause before drinking.

The herbs are pressing - not to the point of dislike, but to really challenge the pallete with something wholly unique. Like rolling around in an herb garden, with the saison pushing through after the initial herbs. Balances out pretty well though.

Light and popping on the tongue, closing pretty well.

Definitely unique, but with an odd attraction to it. Enjoyable, but only in limited doses.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 03:06:06 | More by mdcrouser

atr2605

New York

3.9/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-pours a cloudy pale straw color with a white fluffy head with very good retention
S-spicy, sweet malt, wet hay
T-starts off with soft sweet malt and leads into a peppery spice, finishes dry with the flavor of the herbs
M-medium bodied
O-really interesting beer. went into it a little skeptical but it is well balanced and complex.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2012 02:19:23 | More by atr2605

BostonHops

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

12oz bottle served in an oversized wineglass.

pours a hazy straw yellow with a big 2 finger creamy white head. fairly decent retention; somewhat spotty lacing.

wow, intriguing nose: opening with citrus (lemon), the parsely, rosemary, thyme, and sage are also showcased. some perceptible yeast notes. really nice aroma.

hmm, interesting flavor as well, though not quite as palate-arousing as the nose suggested. parsely, rosemary, thyme, and sage are present and accounted for - maybe a bit too boldly for my taste - along with citrus and floral hops. definitely on the bitter side; not picking up on much of a malt presence - maybe a touch of sweet malt in the background, but muted... some peppery notes. crisp, lively mouthfeel.

overall, not a bad beer, don't get me wrong - definitely unique and worth a try - but in the final analysis not my particular cup of te- er, beer. the strong herbal characters and bitterness wear on me after a while.

originally reviewed: 10-29-2010

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2012 22:57:01 | More by BostonHops

TheHopHeadGirl

District of Columbia

3.93/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This beer alone tastes different then when you are eating. It tastes so much beeter when you are eating. It has parsley, sage, rosemary & thyme. What a fantastic mea or summer beer! I really love this beer (and usually prefer hoppy beers). $10 a glass @ pizza parisisio in dupont circle. The first time i had it was @ churchky so i knew it would be a great pairing for my luncch!

Serving type: on-tap

05-15-2012 19:27:57 | More by TheHopHeadGirl

Hopfenpeter

Maryland

4.05/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a crystal mug, the color of the beer is a attractive hazy gold, and a white, two finger high head. Nice lacing.
The smell is what it makes thus beer interesting. Lemony hops are overlaid with rosemary and parsley flavors.
Tasting the beer, the same flavors hit the front, but starting in the middle, there comes a little heat into the flavor, just like you get in a beer brewed with peppers. Yet this is very mild, it follows thru the end.
Very drinkable and refreshing beer! Typical Dogfish quality!!

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2012 01:08:57 | More by Hopfenpeter

mrasskicktastic

New Jersey

3.65/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A - Hazy golden brew with a moderately sized white head. No lacing.

S - VERY strong herbal aromas - thyme is immediately obvious, rosemary and sage are underneath. As it warms a bit, I can smell the parsley. There is a hint of lemon zest . The aroma is much nicer than I would have guessed.

T - Horse sweat, sage and thyme. The slightest bit of parsley crispness. A bit of honey malt. Aftertaste is intense, hints of the other herbs, but dominated by a parsley bitterness along with a bit of medicinal.

M - Foamy, smooth and very, very refreshing.

D - Better than I ever would have guessed. It is worth trying. I would assume the other two breweries' versions are roughly identical. I certainly would drink it everyday, but it is refreshing in the heat for sure.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 03:12:41 | More by mrasskicktastic

xensure

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12oz in to a tumbler.

Pours clear and golden with a full finger of head head that quickly falls to a thin layer on top of the beer. However there is beautiful lacing that remains on the glass.

All I can get in the nose is parsley. I really can't pick up anything else. The parsley is fully over whelming.

You get the parsley in the bringing and the end. The hops are able to stand up to the high herbyness of the parsley. The malt is able to balance out the high herb flavor but I would like a little bit more complexity from the malt.

Overall This is a good beer. I would like to try the other two to see if the different breweries have different flavors even though it says they have the same recipe.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2012 00:39:05 | More by xensure

wembly13

West Virginia

3.45/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Very lite golden color. Clear, very little head.

S: Notice a lemon smell right away. The ingredients stand out, you can smell the parsley and sage.

T: Right away you get the lemon flavor and yeast. You slowly get the spices added into the taste. Very attractive taste, not to over powering, you taste the whole beer (parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme).

M: Medium body, but extremely smooth and crisp.

O: Very satisfied. I can't wait to have again. Not my usual favorite type of beer, but Du BUFF will definitely be added to favorite list. The lemon and spices work amazingly in this beer without being to over powering. Highly recommend.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2012 00:19:15 | More by wembly13

Halcyondays

California

4.35/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle, I finally get to try the DFH version.

A: Pours a clear deep gold with a soft white head, with very good retention. Leaves a big flicker of lace with some spots.

S: As with all the Du BUFF variations, this is great. Gorgeous sage dominates, with some wild greens, herbal of course, honeysuckle flower, with a hint of lemongrass and clove.

T: A bit more classic saison flavours than Stone or Victory as I remember. Lots of lemon zest and yeasty peppery flavours upfront with the most noticable hop character of the 3. Grassy with a bitter parsley finish.

M: Soft yet prickly carbonation. Light to medium-bodied, refreshing. Lingering herbal aftertaste.

O: Like the other Du BUFF's, quite good and tasty. They all have their own uniqueness, glad I finally got to try the last of them.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2012 01:35:21 | More by Halcyondays

harrymel

Washington

3.08/5  rDev -18.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Bottled recently: 2012

Pours light yellow and carries an etched surface of white foam and residual spots of lace remain. Slightly yeasty, coriander, thyme and rosemary dominate this one for me. Flavor is substantially more belgian yeast and herbal character. A bit of a nutty hint from the yeast. The herbs are primarily parsley and thyme with burnt sage and some bitterness in the midpoint. Thin bodied with subdued carb and semi dry finish. Decent beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2012 08:36:00 | More by harrymel

kojevergas

California

2.6/5  rDev -31.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

12 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a conical Guinness pint glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are above average. Bottled 2012.

Served refrigerator cold and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a one finger white colour head, quite thin, without any cream and of poor (~30 second retention). Colour is a clear yellow. Appears overcarbonated. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show.

Sm: Lemon peel, spices, honey, fresh clean barley, and sugary clean malts. A mild strength aroma.

T: Lemon peel and spices over top a clean malted barley foundation. The spices are interesting and somewhat subtle. Not a full-bodied or well rounded beer by any means. Hints of straw. Simple and somewhat bland, but enjoyable for what it is. No real layering. No yeast or alcohol come through.

Mf: Smooth and wet. Too thin. A bit watery. A bit undercarbonated.

Dr: It's alright for what it is, but I wouldn't get it again. Somewhat drinkable but unremarkable. A bland saison. Dull and boring.

C-

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2012 05:06:18 | More by kojevergas

thydarkprevails

Illinois

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

I'm excited about this one. Poured from a bottle into a duvel tulip. Pours a dark golden yellow with 2 fingers of white head that slowly shrinks to a pinky. Nice lacing. Aroma is total parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. Light bread qualities are there but tough to find. I feel that if I was drinking this any colder than 45 degrees I'd miss it. Taste is the same herbs mentioned. There is also a grassy citrus quality and the Belgian yeast is there too. Medium to thin mouthfeel. This beer is different and really good. I imagine it would be perfect with lamb chops.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2012 12:31:59 | More by thydarkprevails

Cyrano41

Virginia

2.78/5  rDev -26.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I had this one in a pint glass. Poured with a thick 3-4" of head. The color was a really nice, murky yellow. I knew this wasn't the saison I was looking for when I took a whiff. Instead of the spicy fruity tones of a saison, I got hops. The taste was more of the same. DFH does hops. I was intrigued to see them produce a style that traditionally leans more on spice for flavor. But with DFH and Stone on the label, it had to be hops in the bottle. It isn't a bad beer, it just isn't a good saison.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2012 01:49:15 | More by Cyrano41

kangarooAdam59

Maine

4.28/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Into a pint glass:

A: nearly clear light golden colored body with a white foamy head that left columned lacing (I've never seen that before). A whole lot of rapidly rising carbonation was seen rising.

S: centered around the parsley and some sweet malts. The sage, rosemary and thyme were more in the background.

T: seemed to be more with the thyme with the parsley, sage and rosemary more in the background. There is a light sweetness in the finish.

M: light, sessionable, good carbonation was felt. A mild creaminess chimed in.

O: I haven't had many saisons, but I think this is one I could go to as far as saisons. This may be not something I could drink all of the time, but actually be my go-to saison if needed.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2012 01:15:03 | More by kangarooAdam59

projectflam86

Ohio

3.23/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle

A- Pours a nearly clear light golden color with a thick white foam head that leaves great lacing.

S- Holy cooking spice! I had no idea that the parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme would be so noticeable but they absolutely dominate the nose. I'm not sure if I like it just yet...

T- Not quite as overbearing as the nose but the spices still lead the way on the palate. A light sweetness in the finish with a snappy alcohol presence. Still hard to taste anything but the spices.

M- Light bodied with good carbonation.

O- I think I liked the idea more than the execution for this beer. The spices seemed to overshadow the delicate flavors of the saison beneath.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2012 01:10:28 | More by projectflam86

brentk56

North Carolina

4.45/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a hazy golden color with a very modest cap that leaves a few squiggles behind

Smell: Very herbacious, with sage and rosemary dominant; pithy as well, with a spicy character

Taste: Bread, lemon and spices, up front, with the sage and rosemary assertive; by mid-palate, the pithy hops add another dimension; after the swallow, the pith and the herbs and spicy yeast all blend together to make for a layered finish

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with spritzy carbonation

Overall: Having been so disappointed with the Stone version a few years ago, I was delighted with the brew that Dogfish has put together here; the spices blend together nicely rather than dominate and the mouthfeel is light - just perfect for these warming days

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 23:47:09 | More by brentk56

stephenjmoore

Maryland

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- A cloudy pale golden body with a thin white head.

S- A lot of herbs on the nose with sage and parsley leading the way. Some spicy yeast notes as well.

T- The herbs come through along with some citrus and spice notes.

M- Light bodied with a somewhat murky mouthfeel. The aftertaste is very good though.

O- I remember the herbs coming through a lot more in the first batch, but still a very good and unique beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 22:36:20 | More by stephenjmoore

BigPlay1824

New York

4.38/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed in a DFH Pint glass

A: pours an extremely hazy golden color with a nice amount of carbonation bubbles and a two finger head which is pure white and very fluffy, it lingers nicely enough but dissipates at a rather noticeable pace before leaving a very nice amount of spiderweb-like lacing on the glass
S: this one threw me off right from the get go, the scents were incredibly familiar and reminded me of the vegetable garden we've always had at my house during the summer, i cant really place it but i might smell like the soil or the tomato plants, not sure, im also quite positive im getting a whiff of marijuana which i don't oppose, overall it is incredibly earthy and herbal, ive figured out that the scent is what i would compare to oregano
T: well you can definitely taste what i would call oregano up front then moves in a nice lemony sweetness which evens it out quite beautifully, the spiciness comes back in on the tail end and lingers nicely on the palate
M: smooth, slightly thick, low carbonation tingle, leaves the mouth with a distinct dryness
O: this is a highly drinkable brew and really stands out as a taste in a saison that i have yet to see, often times i find them incredibly peppery and have yet to find the more herbal spices i saw in this one

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 00:21:34 | More by BigPlay1824

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2012 vintage. Corsendonk tulip washed and ready.

Three to four-fingered head on the pour. Left 2oz and some yeast in the bottle for now. Sunny, golden blonde color with a cream-colored head that looks like beaten egg whites. 4.0

Sprigs of this and sprigs of that. Seriously, complex herbal aroma crossed with white peppercorn and saison yeast. I can pick up the rosemary and sage more than the parsley and thyme. Smells green fresh and a little prickly. 4.5

Sage, peppery yeast, rosemary, pale grains (on the sweet side), green herbs, bean sprout, and yeast esters. A hint of Band-Aid and grated orange zest. Very interesting. Nice piquant finish. Long-lasting herbal flavor. A very satisfiable and unique saison. 4.0

Feels pretty crisp with moderate carb. A little gluggy for a saison, but it's not like the body is syrupy or slick or oily. Just medium. Hardly the notice of strength. 3.5

Not my favorite American-made saison, but a solid experiment. Second year in a row that I've tasted Dogfish Head's version without ever giving the other two a try. I'll keep looking. 4.0

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2012 03:37:16 | More by thecheapies