Saison Deluxe - Southampton Publick House

steelerguy

New York

4.13/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Clear (before sediment at bottom of bottle, very high carbonation, light golden color, huge head, lots of lacing. Beautiful beer.

S - Sweet and spicy. Sweet malts come though with a good deal of spiciness from the hops and yeast

T - The sweetness from the malt hits me first, but quickly get a lot of spiciness and even some lemon flavor. There is nice hop bitterness in the finish.

M - Finishes very clean, the high carbonation helps clean it up even more, with a little alcohol warmth at the end.

D - This is one fine summer beer. Very refreshing, especially for a 7.4% ABV, extremely drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2010 23:30:23 | More by steelerguy

dasenebler

Maine

4.35/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From a 750 this Saison pours a hazy, gold hue with an enormous, frothy head that towers over the glass when poured properly. Highly carbonated.

The aroma is of cakey, wheaty malts, lemongrass and a bit of barnyard funk.

A sturdy, earthy hop bitterness is countered by a bready base and sweet vanilla flavor. Pretty bitter and hoppy for a Saison. The funkiness is present, but not that pronounced, as the Saison trademarks of crisp and dry seem to prevail. Notes of citrus rind add to the complexity. Hugely effervescent and fluffy on the tongue. Not harsh in any way, just incredibly bubbly.

This is an excellent Saison, up there with the best American versions of the Belgian farmhouse ale.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2010 04:03:35 | More by dasenebler

Patrick999

Florida

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

Popped the cork on this one, it came out with some force, almost making me tip the bottle. Shows quite carbonated in a goblet. I think I need the Duvel tulip for this, in fact I think I'm going to switch glasses midstream, I need the carrying capacity of a large tulip here. Sunny gold body.

Aroma is mostly wildflowers and honey. I got a whiff of banana when popping the cork, but that seems to have subsided.

I think clover honey is a good descriptor for the dominant taste up front here. It's a strong golden ale with a lot of body to it. Honeyed sweetness shows up hard, but gets a decent fight from the flowery hops. Lots of peppery character in the finish, the black pepper builds and builds on the palate. I was going to complain about this saison being too sweet, but that would have been premature, as the pepper does tend to cancel it out and then some.

As others have alluded, you could be forgiven for thinking this is a Belgian Strong Pale - it doesn't seem to quite have both its feet in the farmhouse barn, so to speak. A hybrid of sorts, it doesn't quite hit the mark for either style, but it's still a good beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2010 21:59:40 | More by Patrick999

Bonhoeffer

Alabama

3.23/5  rDev -22.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Meh. If this were labeled a strong "Belgian Pale Ale," it might have made it to A territory with me. If that's what it was supposed to be, it would be an excellent example.

But it claims to be a saison, and it misses that mark by a wide margin. Saisons should be earthy and a bit funky. Farmhouse ales, people. Crazy ingredient and uncontrolled fermentation conditions in farmhouses along the Belgian/French countryside.

This is clean (by Belgian standards) and straightforward. Not at all what I want from a saison.

Also, crazy overcarbonated, which really dings mouthfeel and drinkability. Yes, the style should have high carbonation. But if you can't gently pour an inch of beer down a tilted glass without getting five inches of head, something's amiss. Makes it a pain in the ass to deal with.

I'd rather have a Duvel.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2010 23:19:21 | More by Bonhoeffer

sitarist

Ohio

4.08/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a slightly cloudy straw yellow...Lots and lots of frothy white head that finally falls to an 1/8" cap that leaves some patches of lacing.

Spicy, funkafied, with hints of ripe fruit...almost like a candied apple...it is however a bit medicinal...I smell ripe red apples, lemon, asiago cheese, band-aids, orange syrup, and spice.

Like the nose it has an array of flavors...Funky and cider like with a bit of cloying medicinal flavor...Ripe red apples and honey start off, it gets funky, with some black pepper, then the medicinal flavors kick in...band-aids and salve.

Body and carbonation are really nice...It is sticky, and it is warm on my tongue.

Id drink this again!!!

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2010 02:10:51 | More by sitarist

washburnkid

New York

4.7/5  rDev +13%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Picked up this 750mL bottle at the Publick House.

A: A big frothy head blows up out of the glass. The beer is hazy golden. Good retention and patches of lace.
S: Big aromas while opening and at the pour. Citrus-orange peel and hint of lemon. Spices include coriander. Very fresh wheat on the nose.
T: Somewhat dirty earthiness featured in flavor. An offering of bitter citrus peel that holds up to the more tantalizing flavors from the spice. Light and crisp mouthfeel brings out refreshment of yeast, and the bitterness really lingers. At the start of each sip, there's a huge sweetness. Wet grain mustiness with warmth and apples! Woah!
M: Light body, light carbonation, and drinkable to boot. I am a huge fan. This has exactly what I look for in a saison.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2010 01:17:06 | More by washburnkid

drpimento

Wisconsin

4.63/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Excellent beer! Belgians have a brewery hot on the tail with this one. Poured with a great, foamy, frothy, cream colored, long lasting head and lots of lace. Color is a hazy amber. Aroma is yeast, musty, lemon, malt, dried hay. Flavors much the same amplified. The complex bittersweetness is its most appealing characteristic. Body is mouthfilling and carbonation is perfect. Very satisfying and yet super easy to drink. Finish is like flavor and of medium length. Definite session beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2010 23:16:58 | More by drpimento

wedgie9

Tennessee

3.78/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tasted from 750ml bottle at Lush Roscoe. Pours cloudy pale yellow with a monster rocky white head. Nose of candy malt, light hops, yeast, and white flowers. The nose on this beer is super intense. The flavors are all hops and yeast (in a good way) with some candy and good bitterness. This is by far the most intense saison I have ever had. The body is fairly full with very lively carbonation and a long bitter hops finish.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2010 04:07:50 | More by wedgie9

mmmmmbeeer

Georgia

3.48/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.5

A - huge soapy head covering a nice golden hazy pour

S - very sweet floral with some citrus popping in. Maybe a hint of funk in the background but nearly what I would expect from this style.

T - the sweetness in the smell does not translate into the taste. this is a rather bitter beer with sour fruits.

M - nice carbonation and the taste quickly spreads over my palette. this is a good refreshing brew

D - while the mouthfeel is very refreshing, perhaps because I'm new to this style, I would call this a sipper.

I can only compare this to the Victory Helios being that's the only other farmhouse I've had before but I would definitely give my nod to the helios. I felt it was funkier and a bit more citrusy in taste

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2010 01:21:42 | More by mmmmmbeeer

Stigs

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle, split and served in Duvel Tulips

A - pours with a HUGE amount of frothy and sudsy white foam, sticking to the glass and taking forever to give enough room for more pour. the beer is hazy, bright gold in color with active bubbling.

S - slightly fruity with some lemon zest and apples, grainy and slightly musty, yeast with some soap. just a bit of funk and a fresh grassy hop finish.

T - very flavorful, strong pale malts and a funky spiciness. fruity in the middle with some pear, gala apples, and lemon. large amount of earthy grassy hops...think this might get a bit better with some time. ABV is detectable.

M - surprisingly thick body for the style, carbonation cuts through nicely and is very lively. fair amount of alcohol burn near the end, this is a sipper.

D - a little different in that its not refreshing like most Saisons, yet its flavors are bold and intense. still quite good, probably the best SH I've had to date.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2010 00:33:55 | More by Stigs

yourefragile

District of Columbia

4.2/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750 mL bottle picked up at Abe's a few weeks ago. Poured into a snifter after needing a corkscrew to get the cork out.

Pours a clear golden, slightly orange color with an initially massive foamy white head that settles into a finger thick, retentive layer of bubbles with lots of lacing. Aroma is very strong and Belgian sweet, with a surprising blend of apple, pear, honey, yeast, pale malt and clove. Not typical for the style, but very enjoyable. Full bodied with extremely active carbonation, almost to the point of distraction. Initially at cooler temperatures, this tastes like a more traditional, earthy and dry saison but as it warms up the sweet fruit and yeast, almost tripel like, takes over. Carbonation remains very fizzy in the finish and is distracting from the flavor. Mouthfeel aside, this is a great, unique, refreshing saison that should age nicely.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2010 02:05:32 | More by yourefragile

nickd717

California

3.9/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle via trade thanks to mikey711. I keep bringing Southampton beers to tastings, and while others keep telling poo-pooing this brewery, I think it is very legit.

Pours hazy golden with a nice lasting white head.

Aroma is good for the style - slightly funky with pale malt and floral hops.

Flavor is also great, with pale malt, barnyard, earth, and grassy hops. Tasty.

Nice palate - medium-bodied with medium-high carbonation.

Pretty good beer overall. Drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2010 22:21:08 | More by nickd717

Matthoc116

Connecticut

3.58/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a 750ml caged bottle, immediately hit with the citrus-y, yeast aroma expected from a saison. As others have mentioned, pours with a good amount of thin head (dissipates quickly with some minimal lacing), and a cloudy, golden color.

Immediate taste is lemony and refreshing, very similar to the aroma. Lingering taste is sweet, with a pronounced alcoholic bite. Especially for a saison, it finishes pretty harsh. Impacts drinkabilty a fair amount. Maybe that's the "Deluxe" part...

Overall, a good beer. I was influenced by liking other offerings from the brewery, specifically the Double White and the Biere de Mars (which I think are better efforts on the whole). Would like to try this again after storing in a closet for at least 6 months to see if it improved over time.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2010 02:25:19 | More by Matthoc116

billab914

Virginia

4.22/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a corked & caged 750ml bottle. Talk about a head! I had to pour a little bit at a time into my lost Abbey stemware just to keep the foam in the glass. The beer poured slightly cloudy and golden amber in color. The head settled a bit after some time and allowed me to finally get a glass full. After it settled down a bit it was a very nice looking beer with a full and lasting head.

The aroma has a moderate citrus, lemon peel flavor to it with a spicy, peppery, yeast smell to it as well. The citrus, spice and yeast flavors mix pretty well together and are pretty nicely balanced.

The taste is a lot like the nose suggests with a lemony citrus, peppery spice and a fruity yeast flavor. It has a little bit more of a fruity and dry finish to it which I liked.

The mouthfeel is in the lighter side and carbonation is above average. Drinkability is good, it's a very nice beer. I don't really have any complaints about the beer besides it was a little hard to pour with the overflowing head. Very delicious beer that I really enjoyed this afternoon.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2010 21:17:25 | More by billab914

glid02

Georgia

4.03/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Bottle purchased from Green's on Buford in Atlanta.

Pours a slightly hazy yellow-gold color with a two-finger rocky white head. The head slowly recedes into a thin layer on top leaving thick lacing.

Smells of crisp and slightly mineral-like light malts. Also present are good amounts of musty, wet hay aromas and hints of green apples .

Tastes good. Sweet and light malt flavors kick things off. They're quickly joined by musty and very faintly funky flavors that segue into light peach and heavy green apple flavors. Right before the end of the sip slightly leafy hops make an appearance and carry through to a mildly bitter ending.

Mouthfeel is OK. It's got a nice thickness however the carbonation is way too active. I had to let this sit and give it some swirls to let it even out.

Drinkability is good. I finished my glass without a problem and could have another without a problem.

Overall I was impressed with this beer and it could really be special if the carbonation issue were fixed. Still, it can be remedied with a bit of patience and is worth a shot.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2010 03:47:04 | More by glid02

prototypic

Ohio

4.28/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Saison Deluxe pours a straw color. It's very hazy and has a slight orange tint with light behind it. The head is enormous. It's four fingers deep, even with a very light pour. The head's a little off-white. Retention is very good, to say the least. Lacing was thick. Now if I can just get the damn thing to calm down.

The nose is good. It's very earthy and musky throughout. Fruit is likewise apparent. Apple, pear, and a little peach are noted. As expected, it's nice and spicy. Pepper leads the charge, but clove isn't far behind. Belgian yeast is in the mix. It isn't exactly strong, but there's plenty enough to work its magic. Alcohol isn't noticeable. More good news...it doesn't smell vegetal at all.

The flavor is actually a notch better. It's good. It's fruity and a little sweet up front. Apple, peach, and pear are all present. Spices follow. Pepper is the strongest. There's a healthy amount of clove, but not as much as the nose suggested. I'm sure there are others that this palate isn't identifying. Belgian yeast is noted and complements the other flavors very well. It is earthy and musky. I don't know if there's any Brett here or not. There are hints of funkiness, but they're subtle. Alcohol is blended well. Again, there are no vegetal flavors. This is really good stuff.

Saison Deluxe has a light-medium body. It's not far from smooth, but carbonation is a little too active for it to be smooth. That aspect needs a little work. Drinkability is good. This is a very tasty, easy drinking Saison. A 750 should be no problem.

Saison Deluxe is an impressive Saison/Farmhouse Ale. There isn't much to talk about in terms of weak points. Carbonation is about the only thing that needs to be addressed. It's too high. It performs very strong in all other aspects. I've had this bottle nearly two years and it's held up well. I don't know how common these bottles are, but if you see one, pick it up. You'll be glad you did.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2010 04:48:07 | More by prototypic

jtrem14

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The first thing that jumps out at you is the nice orangeish color. The head poured pretty nicely to about 2 inches thick, and retained itself pretty well.

The orange color is almost perfectly complimented by the orange citrus smell as soon as you lift the glass to your nose.

The flavor of the been is nice and fruity, but also has hearty bread flavor that you would expect from a Saison.

Good mouthfeel with a light amount of cabonation backed up with a slightly heavy body.

Really good Saison. I've had it a number of times now.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2010 14:28:19 | More by jtrem14

browncrayon

California

3.68/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

It literally took me about 5 minutes to get the cork out of this bottle. Maybe I was being too tentative in opening it, but I didn't want to lose a drop should it explode everywhere. After that five minutes, it poured a cloudy amber with a very large white and soapy head.

It smells very sweet, almost candied with the malts. There's a bit of lemon and earthy spice in there as well.

The taste is comparable in sweetness with the smell. It's got caramel notes, and is certainly much more malty than I was expecting. It's fruity as well, and the Belgian yeast adds a nice flavor.

It's medium-bodied and a bit sticky, though the carbonation is bright and prickly. Easy to drink, just short of refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2010 03:37:03 | More by browncrayon

laituegonflable

Australia

3.65/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours an orange-tinged yellow colour with voluminous beige head, sinking slowly but steadily, forming fairly sparse bubbling around the glass, and not leaving a lot of lace. Specks here and there but little more. Nice haze in the body with some floaties. Looks alright.

Nose is fairly pungent. A fair sour character with some fresh fruit and some notes of soil, lemon zest, some egg character even, like notes of cake batter. Kind of savoury, with sourness around the edge. Doesn't really wow me, but it does intrigue me. It's simple but enigmatic, and smells fairly refreshing.

Taste is really very sweet for the most part. Lots of cakey malt on there, plus some spicy notes of nutmeg and white pepper. A fair amount of fruit, I'd say orange juice and zest primary amongst them, with a nice tang peak on the mid-palate leading into a finish which has a nice hint of alcohol and some woody hints, pine resin and some herbs, like parsley and rosemary, and God, I don't know, the flavours here are quite unusual. There's a lot of complexity but no flavours really leap out. I guess orange is predominant, with some spice and maybe Benedictine liqueur. Probably the most liqueury beer I've had, quite heavy on the finish. Basically it's an interesting one but doesn't have a classic saison profile, it's too heavy, a little too sweet and not nearly enough funk. Maybe more accessible but I don't really care that much for it.

Fairly thick feel, with a nice foamy texture, a distinct alcohol warmth throughout, well-suited to the flavour but again not what I'd really expect from a saison.

The more I drink, the more I like this, but the alcohol is quite prominent for just 7.4%. I hate to repeat myself, but it just doesn't wow me as a saison. I hate to repeat myself, but it just doesn't wow me as a saison.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2010 04:47:10 | More by laituegonflable

lacqueredmouse

Australia

3.7/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a cloudy dark orange golden colour, with a maassively crackly and frothy head of white foam. It's like great chunky clouds rising in sculpted pinnacles in the glass. Lacing is really excellent, and sits on the edges of the glass in clumps of beautiful webbing. Some sediment in the body but otherwise looks really nice. Really wild, hearty and boisterous.

Huge funky notes on the nose - lilts of green apple, blue-veined cheese, and odd herbal notes of basil and capsicum. Some musty cellar characters as well. It's really nice - a suitable funk like some of the best Belgian examples - minimal acidity, but good barnyard. In fact, it's a rather different sort of aroma to what you usually get in a Saison, but I like the uniqueness.

Taste is clear, but a little too phenolic. Sharp notes of acetone come through the centre of the palate, which is otherwise quite round and smooth. Again, little acidity, and the funkiness besides the musty phenols in quite absent. Marzipan. Finish is quite round - a little acidity would have finessed the whole into something greater. Mouthfeel is very crisp and enjoyable.

I'm afraid I didn't like this as much as I feel I should have. I fear the slightly higher ABV may have harmed it - a saison feels like it should be a lighter style, not something that needs to be upped. Not bad, but I've had far, far better Saisons.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2010 04:13:17 | More by lacqueredmouse

NJpadreFan

New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Southampton- Saison

A- Golden orange with a slight of haziness. Small filmy head with no lacing.
S- Sweet and sour tartness. Citrusy fruits like orange and lemon with tart green grapes and a slight touch of buttery grainy caramel malt.
T- Sweet sugary tart fruits; grapes, orange, lemon, and apricot with a mild creamy caramel malt. Dry grassy hay/ straw hops with a musky funkiness finish this 1 off.
M- A blend of sweet, sour, and tart fruitiness with creamy malt and dry funky hops.

Overall- Good balanced tartness with the malt and hops. I enjoyed my pint but it soured my stomach later that day.

Serving type: on-tap

02-04-2010 21:00:42 | More by NJpadreFan

Mistofminn

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this last night after holding on to it for a little while. Thanks goes out to JoeyBeerBelly for sending me this back in September. Thanks Joe!

Pours a nice yellow orange color. The first glass is clear, and subsequent glasses get more hazy until the final glass which is intensely cloudy. Decent two finger pure white head with decent retention. It leaves some slippery lacing but not much.

The nose starts off very fruity, very nice start. Big citrus notes of oranges picked up fron the yeasts. Nice spicey hops in the finish. Lacks a defining funk, but still a very good saison.

The combination of spicey hops, fruity yeasts and bready malts make this a pretty good saison. Nothing too special, but a solid example of the style. Again, like the nose, the taste lacks the funk that might put this over the top.

Mouthfeel has a low carbonation, with a very smooth feel to it. Medium to heavy body, which I feel makes this unique enough to enjoy. Drinkability is pretty good.

A solid example of a Saison by Southampton. I would love to have this again, but not regularly because of the price tag and availability.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2010 06:13:22 | More by Mistofminn

BetterDarker

Massachusetts

4.4/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bomber poured into tulip

A- Clear orange-straw body (I left the yeast behind). Thick, frothy white head. Beautiful looking beer. A bit of lacing

S- Citrus, musty, bit of that farmhouse funk.

T- Fruity (banana?) and citrus, no malt. Mild tartness. Finishes with an earthy hop bitterness.

M- Light bodied, crisp and fantastic carbonation

D- Delicious, very drinkable despite the price tag.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2009 02:18:34 | More by BetterDarker

TheycallmeTim

New York

4.35/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 750 ml. bottle into a Hennepin flute. Bottle is about a year old--can't remember when exactly I laid it down.

A--Honeyed orange body with a one finger fizzy white head. Retention was considerable, lacing was superb down the glass. Lots of seafoam.

S--Make it funky. Whew. Some grassy hops back there, but mainly hay and horse. Plenty of barnyard going on. On top of that are some muted citric notes, some lemon and something even peachy maybe?

T--Peach and lemon give way to apricot. Three layers to the flavor profile. First, initial wave is all horse blanket and general funk. You can almost taste the cobwebs in the rafters. Strongest point of this beer, I think. Next wave is juicy and fruity, though not like the gum. Apricot laced with honey, backed by cereal grain. Lovely. Last wave is a sharp bitterness on the tongue that pulls it all back to gather your senses in for another taste. Well structured, complex saison.

M&D--Both are great. Mouthfeel is an easy carbonation with bright, snappy notes to keep it from being too thin. I'd drink this again in a heartbeat, though it ain't cheap here in Brooklyn.

Highly recommended. A classic take on the style from an American brewer. Masters Belgian yeast, and makes me proud to say I share the home state of this excellent brewery.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2009 00:03:23 | More by TheycallmeTim

plaid75

New York

4.22/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On draft at the brewery.

Poured a light copper hue with a one finger foamy white head. There was good retention and sticky lacing.

The smell featured an eatery yeast, a sharp citrus rind and some white pepper.

The taste consisted of a lightly sweet malt, earthy yeast and peppery spice. Doughy malt and some mint at the finish.

The mouthfeel was toward the fuller side of the style.

Overall a tasty and complex saison.

Serving type: on-tap

09-16-2009 13:44:48 | More by plaid75