Saison Du Swamp - Swamp Head Brewery & Tasting Room

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.93/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

750 mL bottle poured into a pint glass. Bottled 11/18/2011. Bottle #1038.

Appearance - Gushed when I opened it. Overflowed the glass. Slightly hazy orange yellow body. Huge white head and great retention.

Smell - Very bretty. Appley esters. Slight bready malt presence. Smells nice, if a little overpowered by the brett.

Taste - Apple esters strong here. Cider-like. Then the brett takes over. Very earthy, but still retains a fair bit of sweetness.

Mouthfeel - Pretty dry. Very highly carbonated. Medium bodied.

Overall - This is extremely bretty, but it's still good. Overpowers any subtlety that the saison had. Fresh, I feel this beer is too sweet. This is better, but a bit monotonic.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 22:01:17 | More by Alieniloquium

oline73

Maryland

3.83/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

Poured from the bottle into a tasting snifter.

The beer pours a cloudy golden color with a layer of off white head. The smell is a bit sweeter than I expected and it has a grape note to it. There is an herbal note behind the sweetness. The taste is also rather sweet with a strong grape like presence. Herbal notes also show up in the flavor, but I thought the grapey taste pushed everything else to the background. The carbonation was light and tingly. This was a good beer, but I would have liked the sweet flavors to be a bit more delicate.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 03:07:15 | More by oline73

kylehay2004

Florida

4.2/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Single finger head with nice lacing on a cloudy bright golden body. Aroma is very fruity with mild Belgian yeast, dishwasher detergent, grains and hint if candy sugar. Flavor is pretty spicy, banana, Belgian yeast, lemon grass and pepper. Less fruity than the aroma would suggest. Light to medium body and high carbonation with a dry finish. Very nice version of the style, actually one I would use to introduce a beer novice to a saison. I would like it to be a little fruitier.

Serving type: on-tap

12-22-2012 21:40:59 | More by kylehay2004

stakem

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle # 986 into a snifter. When the cap comes off, its a slow gusher. Pours a hazed light golden yellow color with a finger of white head that fades to a ring around the edge of the glass. Small fingers of lace stick to the glass.

The aroma is tart smelling with minor hints of lemon. Some sweet floral and herbal aspects. A wheat grain inclusion runs throughout with a minor touch of sulfur.

The taste is fruity and tart with lemon and floral/herbal accents. A modest bitterness lasts into the aftertaste couple with some wheat flavoring that is somewhat tart. A mild mineral/sulfur flavor with some grassy quality is evident across the back.

This is a medium bodied brew with a modest level of carbonation. Overall a nice take on the style. I enjoyed the tartness/lemony almost lactic quakity but it clashed a bit with the herbal bitterness that has somewhat earthy elementts at times. My biggest gripe with this brew was the price. For how much I paid, I wouldnt buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2012 18:32:07 | More by stakem

wisrarebeer

Wisconsin

4.45/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: slightly cloudy, yellowish-amber color, great creamy head
S: full nose, traditional saison with herbs, graininess, yeast
T: well-balanced, traditional saison, true to type, only knock is that it could have been a bit more spritzy in the taste and CO2, a bit of hop bitterness in the finish
M: an ever-so-slight tilt to the cloying side, could use a bit more CO2
O: very, very good

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2012 23:24:25 | More by wisrarebeer

RickS95

Indiana

4.1/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Yellow straw color, mostly cloudy and hazy. Lots of carbonation. Fluffy bright white head.

The smell really pops. Lots of funky Belgian yeast, lemon, pepper and pear. One of the best smelling beers I can remember, very close to a 5.

Only slightly fruity. Pepper is very prevalent. Honey is a nice addition. Spices are noticeable.

Spicy and sweet, lots of carbonation. Medium bodied. Very crisp and refreshing. Dry, slightly bitter finish.

I'd not heard of this beer or brewer before a trip to Florida. I was pleasantly surprised and impressed with such a good saison.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2012 03:49:14 | More by RickS95

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From BeerAdvocate magazine Issue #59 (December 2011):

LOOK: Light haze, bright golden color

SMELL: Lemongrass, yeast, celery, lemon rind, tea leaves, musty

TASTE: Dry, smooth, green banana peel, dried grass, spice, orange peel, chalky yeast, tropical fruit, mineral, custard

Described simply as a Belgian Saison brewed with rye and spices, the brewer’s expression wowed us on this one. Though the rye didn’t jump out at us, the overall dryness and endless complexities made this an absolute pleasure to experience. Saison fans, rejoice! Oh, but mind the impressive cork. You’ll shoot your eye out, kid.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 10:31:09 | More by BeerAdvocate

Avagadro

New Jersey

4.35/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Big thanks to Chris from Fermentation Lounge for sharing this gem with me.

A: Saison du Swamp boasts a straw colored body, a touch of haze, and plenty of lacing. The head of the brew leaves a touch to be desired, but overall an appealing brew.

S: The farmhouse funk of this brew is stunning, with herbal and earthy tones blending harmoniously.

T: A bone-dry body is marked by lemon zest, herbs, and farmhouse funk.

M: The body is very light on the tongue, with a touch of biting carbonation bringing it to life.

O: One of the best American Saisons I've come across, with all of the hallmarks of the great Saison duPont showcased with delicate balance. This brew is definitely worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2012 02:37:28 | More by Avagadro

Holland

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: pours a cloudy gold/straw color that's dull but has a nice bubbly head. Great looking carbonation.

S: smells of citrus and spice with some malt and sweetness. Not a super strong smell, but it was kind of cold.

T: taste is heavy on the yeast spice and esters. Much more fruity that I would have though, but it's not overwhelming and fits in nicely. Malt is slightly there but not a big part of this beer. Definitely a bit of funk, but just enough.

M: crisp and delicious with medium-heavy carbonation and a medium-light mouthfeel.

O: wish I had more of this stuff, but it was a tough buy at $15 at the brewery or $17 elsewhere in Gainesville. Great beer overall, and incredible to drink on a hot, humid Florida Saturday afternoon.

Serving type: on-tap

03-30-2012 18:52:56 | More by Holland

nmbr0ne

Florida

4.25/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into snifter from 2011 bottle.

Appearance: Golden yellow, opaque, decent amount of spotted lacing, thick white head.

Smell: Banana, slight funk, honey, subtle hint of vanilla.

Taste: Spicy, lemony, different from the smell, a little sweet in the middle of the sip yet finishes pretty dry.

Feel: Good carbonation, smooth, light, the slightest bit of slick on the tongue, but good.

Overall: Great saison in my opinion. liked it a lot. With the taste resembling the aroma more. The lemon zest taste threw it off a bit for me for some reason, but good nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2012 18:42:44 | More by nmbr0ne

Khazadum

Illinois

4/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bright papery citrus smell. Lemon without the zest. Little bit of light Belgian sweetness. Backend of sharp light acidity.

Flavor nit as amazing. Little sweetness, but fries out great. Low flavor retention, great middle of pepper... Thin thin thin body. Low carbonation even for a saison. Missing... Something to meld it all together. It opens slathered Belgian sugar but really breaks apart there.

Smelled so great.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2012 02:08:32 | More by Khazadum

Treebs

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks to Eric(Holland) for this brew. 750 ml bottle served in a Great Divide flute. Bottle # 1067, bottle in I think November of 2011. "Migrational Release".

A: Pours a golden yellow with a slight chilled haze to the body and some ribbons of apricot. The body is very lively and a fluffy, 1.5 finger head forms on the pour. It's pure white in color and lives some sticky, splotchy lace.

S: Sweet Belgian and funky yeast are first present with a hint of pepper. There is a nice citrus peel to the nose as well and it has a damp, musty finish.

T: Great musty basement and funk combine with a peppery yeast and a nice sharp citrus peal. Green apple skin and light hay add another layer of flavor. There is a slight honey sweetness to the drink that carries into the finish as well.

M: Higher carbonation with a light body. Very crisp and refreshing, the finish is extremely clean and cleansing. Drinkability is high.

O: A very complex and delicious saison. The flavors were very well in balance. The drinkability is great and I could honestly drink it all day. It didn't take me long to finish the whole 750, and on a hot day I bet it would go even faster.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2012 00:56:56 | More by Treebs

DarthKostrizer

California

4.2/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Ehammond1 for sharing this very nice saison

Look: Straw yellow with a 1/8 inch white head and no real retention

Smell: Pineapple citrus and a bit of funk

Taste: Like most good saisons it starts out very fruit with notes of banana lemon and other citrus fruits and finishes with a touch of funk and pepper spice

Mouthfeel: Thin body and ample carbonation

Overall: Great saison

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 07:38:57 | More by DarthKostrizer

lordofthewiens

Maine

4.43/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Probably the highlight of a recent trip to Florida.

Bottled Nov 2011
Bottle #0552

Hazy yellow, straw-colored. Small white head.

Great aroma: fruity and peppery, grassy and funky.

Taste of peach and apple. Still peppery. Still kind of barnyardy. A tiny bit of hops.

This was a crisp, inviting beer. I thought it was a bit expensive at $19, but well worth the price.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2012 19:46:05 | More by lordofthewiens

kbutler1

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle. Opens a little gushy. #1075. Pours a light cloudy yellow color witha nice white head. Pear, apple, slightly funky with a slight pepper note. Floral with some banana. Light/medium mouthfeel. Lots of flavor; pear, apple, pepper, and banana notes. No real alcohol notes. Very solid beer overall.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2012 16:53:44 | More by kbutler1

Chriscrundwell12

Minnesota

4.15/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle poured into a snifter, sharred with fellow BA's.

Bottle #1075

A- Pours a cloudy yellow straw color, nice lacing, off white layer on top.
S- Really refreshing aroma, nice spice, pepper, pear, apple, really refreshing aroma, nice fruity notes, slight funk presence.
T- Really nice tasting Saison, love the subtle funk that comes out in the taste, refreshing, fruity, pear, spice, really enjoyable.
M- Light mouth feel, refreshing, well carbonated, easy drinking for being 7.6 %, clean finish.
O- Really enjoyable beer, refreshing as I’ve already mentioned, would easily drink again.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2012 22:10:14 | More by Chriscrundwell12

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to maximum for this one!

Pours a white head. Color is hazed pale yellow.

Aroma: sour and spiced. Very funky. Pepper. Pears and red apple skins. Reminds me a bit of cynic. Some bready malts. Very fruity! Awesome.

Taste: I get the honey here. A little more sweet with a hint of booze. A lot of pepper and spice. Very Belgian flavored with a lot of yeast. Grape skins.

Mouthfeel: smooth and spiced. Light bodied with a good amount of carbonation. Ends a little dry.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. It fit the style well. Thanks Corey!

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2012 01:55:15 | More by mothman

ehammond1

California

4.38/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle

Acquired via trade
Thanks, whartontallboy!

Hazy, light golden color with a quickly forming, moderately sized near-white head that eventually lives lines and dots of lacing down the glass. Pretty.

The aroma is a combination of bright, floral hops, citrus elements, mild funk character, lemon, and black pepper.

The flavor follows the aroma very similarly, and the flavors are even brighter than I would have imagined after smelling this beer. The lemon, floral, citrus, black pepper, and funk notes come together marvelously well. This is delicious, fantastic stuff.

Medium bodied with moderate to high carbonation. Crisp. Incredibly drinkable.

The selfish part of me regretted opening this with so many people, as I would love nothing more than to sit at home with a bottle of this and drink every last drop. The other side of me was happy a small group of my very good friends got to drink an incredible, surprising, delicious, hugely drinkable saison.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2012 20:34:53 | More by ehammond1

rtaps

California

4.35/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

thanks to ehammond1 for this one

pours a nice golden color, with a white head with decent retention

has a nice aroma, bananas and spices almost sour like. but yet its a little sweet

taste kind of fallows the nose. banana like with a peppery spice with a lemon zest to it and its a bit bready

fluffy with good carbonation and smooth

overall this was a tasty treat

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2012 05:03:55 | More by rtaps

UCLABrewN84

California

4.4/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to ehammond1 for sharing this one at MrVonzipper's tasting!

Bottle # 261.

Pours a hazy light golden yellow with an off-white head that settles to an oily film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form on the glass on the drink down. Smell is fruity with pepper and spice aromas and a slight funk. Taste is fruity up front with spice and pepper flavors on the finish. There is a slight bitterness on the palate after each sip. This beer has a good carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good saison that is quite tasty and easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2012 23:19:34 | More by UCLABrewN84

inlimbo77

Delaware

4.03/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle (capped not c&c'ed) from the November '11 release. Bottle #0247. Served in a white wine goblet.

A: Pours a completely hazy light yellow color. I got one finger of bright white head. The swirl makes it grow to around 3 big fluffy fingers. Love that bottle conditioning. You get some lacing trails.

S: I definitely get some of that straw and wet hay hints. Not tons of barnyard funk or anything. I get some banana, white grape, and maybe some green apples notes.

T: Lots of those spicy notes hit you. I get that white grape fruitiness. It's really refreshing, although its super dry on the back end.

M: Light and airy. I wouldn't say this is medium.

O: Very solid little Saison. I like it a lot and wish I had another on. A nice replacement for a white wine for the summer for those none beer lovers.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 15:54:53 | More by inlimbo77

Gtreid

Florida

4.08/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at cigar city.

A: Pours a solid yellow color, with a thick collar that fades rather quickly and doesn't leave much lace.

A: Lemon, pepper, coriander, orange zest, and almost a grains of paradise scent. I get. Notes of base malts with a touch of honey sweetness.

T: follows the nose. Lemon and spice dominates, but the honey like sweetness gives this a nice balance. I am really enjoying the peppery flavor. Finishes dry and spicy with o hint of the abv.

M: Light body, maybe just a touch under carbonated, but pretty typical for the style.

O: I really enjoyed this. Again, the peppery component made this beer for me. Is it the best of the style, no, but it's up there. Recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

01-08-2012 13:31:43 | More by Gtreid

Shaw

Florida

3.58/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottled in November 2011. Bottle No. 0638.

Pours a cloudy pale yellow, almost white, even, with a bright white head about a quarter-inch thick.

Very earthy aroma, with sour notes of vinegar and mustiness.

The taste is dry and citric fruity, no doubt due to the use of orange peel, coriander and grains of paradise. Refreshing and easy to drink. I'm not getting too much funky flavors, but there is the flavor of grass and the great outdoors.

Nice smooth body that got heft too it: In other words, it isn't watery.

A good beer, and I'm glad I tried it. But I don't think I'll have it again. I can't say it's worth $18 a bottle. There are better options out there at a much better price.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 04:00:07 | More by Shaw

maximum12

Minnesota

4.35/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to moose3285 for introducing me to yet another brewery, one I hadn't even heard of yet. Big 750 ML corked-and-caged bottle. Split into two glasses. Bottle #854.

Pour is heady & fizzy, very light yellow with fast visible carbonation. Nose is very sweet, honey, spicy yeast, lesser sightings of banana & clove.

Saison du Swamp uses a lovely hybrid of all manner of goodness. The spicing comes out hard, but is quickly masked by the honeyed sweetness. Tons of layers. White pepper & pears. Sweet bread, light apples, maybe citrus. Nice graininess, lovely lightness on the tongue, one of the most pleasantly drinkable saisons in my experience.

This brew is like an archaelogical dig, with great tastes spilling out the deeper the heavy equipment goes. Just a masterful use of ingredients to forge one of the best saisons I've had. Excellent beer, thanks for the intro Mike!

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2012 03:28:33 | More by maximum12

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.21/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Shared by yourefragile. Thanks Michael.

The beer is clear and sunshine yellow with a small white head. The aroma brings wine, flowers, grass, wheat, dandelions, yeast. The flavor offers pleasant spice character with delicious saison yeast characteristics. Light bodied and smooth on the palate. Nice honey taste with white grapes. White grape juice with mild sweetness. Very tasty.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2011 03:43:03 | More by Huhzubendah