St. Feuillien Saison - Brasserie St. Feuillien

gotweid

Michigan

4.8/5  rDev +24.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

From the corked bottle into a weizen glass poured the hazy golden orange beer with a large, clunky, chunky, thick, white head that seemed to last & last. The aroma was a light combination of malt, grain & fruit with a little funk that disappeared. A yeasty, warm, fruity, malty, & wonderfully complex taste is pleasing. Thought I noticed a touch of tart? Slightly dry mouthfeel and so, so easy to drink. If I could only drink one beer for the rest of my life I would be happy with this one. It's that good.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2010 01:59:10 | More by gotweid

brewerdrew

Maryland

4.6/5  rDev +19.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 750ml into a Corsendonk Glass. Very Beautiful strong white head with a bit of a haze which was perfectly acceptable for the style of beer.

The smell is fruity with a slight yeasty bite,

The taste was very clean & crisp with front end fruit notes standardly expected with the Saison style.

All in all a great rendition of Saison. I have had few that match this version.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2009 03:04:31 | More by brewerdrew

brentk56

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Ah, those Belgian masters of good looking beer - this one pours a cloudy apricot nectar color with a massive head that leaves clumps of lacing

Smell: Lots going on in the aroma, with husky grains, stone fruit, melon, white pepper spice and a hint of honey

Taste: Rather Germanic in a sense, with a bready opening and some grassy hops in the back; in the middle, however, there is a lot of Belgian character, with melon/stone fruit, honey/candi sugar, and white pepper/herbal spice; after the swallow, the peppery/herbal flavors and honey sweetness linger into the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium body with rather high carbonation

Drinkability: Not a classic Saison, but a very interesting beer that blends qualities of various Belgian styles (BPA, BIPA and Saison) with a pilsner; the result is a bit sweeter than typical but overall, this beer is very, very good

Thanks, mrmiles, for putting this into my Secret Santa package

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2011 21:31:38 | More by brentk56

jayhawk73

Maryland

4.45/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- Pours a beautiful medium gold color with a perfect two finger white head. Nice carbonation and lacing. This beer is a looker.

S- Apricot, peach, some hops, slight hint of malt. Very sweet smelling, but not overly so. This beer smells wonderful, and hopefully the taste will be similar. Maybe a little yeast smell as well? If so, it's in the background. Great smelling Saison.

T- Great tasting Saison! This is exactly what I like about this style. Very drinkable at 6.5%. The fruit and spices really come out in the taste. Very smooth, but a crisp edge to it. Very balanced- this beer is put together extremely well.

M- Very smooth, but a crispness, also a earthy vibe all in one. Not heavy, and very easy to drink. This beer is great anytime, but I imagine it's the perfect warm weather beer.

O- This beer totally hits the spot for me in the category. I don't drink a ton of Saisons, but I do enjoy them. This is definitely in the top 2 or so that I've personally tried. Very nice... Worth the pickup if you're in the mood for it!

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2011 00:13:36 | More by jayhawk73

CZs

Maryland

4.44/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Poured cask into 8 oz tulip. Light orange / amber color - a nice surprising contrast to all the other straw-colored Saisons out there. Nice 3 fingered, creamy white head. Highly carbed, but not on the same effervescent level as a lot of Saisons.

Smell: Complex candied citrus fruit, canteloupe. Sweet clementine. Maybe some slight Special B mixed in there - something slightly heavier smelling than just light or citrus fruits.

Taste: Again, a nice contrast to all the typical highly effervescent Duponts of the world. Orange over lemon. Various levels of sweetness over pure breezy farmhouse tartness or pure black pepper without being overly sweet. This differs from the session Saison or those making a Saison with a 15-25% Witte like grain bill. I love that it bucks the supposed trend of what an "authentic Saison" should be - I love Dupont, but this is more true to the spirit of Saison in my opinion - less guidelines, more variety. It is a black sheep in a great way. I probably like it more than most Saison enthusiasts do, and would compare it to the Southampton Saison - also an amber-like Saison.

Mouthfeel: Medium high carb, malt forward, in the middle of crisp and silky. I would guess the body is somewhere between 1.010 - 1.014

Overall: If you want to switch up your Saison experience without going full-on Dark Saison, this and Southampton are where its at. Not everyone has to drink a 3-5 SRM, lemon spritzer every time they want a Saison. Again, I respect the classic Dupont and enjoy it many times but I equally respect its orange brother.

Serving type: cask

04-21-2013 19:35:02 | More by CZs

KKB

Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A – Very nice looking body, murky golden amber with some sediment floating around inside, a big, extremely tightly-knit pale white head giving it a retention that is downright impressive.

S – A real fruity aroma hits you first and it’s somewhat tart and a little musky/funky. There is a melon fruitiness, and pepper-esque spiciness with a slight honey in here as well. It smells very interesting and really rather nice.

T – The taste is less intense than the smell indicated it might be, but it’s pretty dang nice nonetheless. Really light honey, pepper, fruit, some grass and bread with some slight hops lingering in the background to give it a really delicate and complex taste—it is actually quite wonderful.

M – The mouthfeel has a medium body with very good carbonation and a smooth, robust quality to it that is just outstanding. Seriously, one of the best mouthfeels I have ever had. I normally don’t place too much stock in the mouthfeel but it really is out of this world.

O – This is a fine, quality Belgian Saison, one of the best ones I have ever had. It is subtle and complex and refined, and the flavors are so interesting and compliment one another so well. Highly, highly recommend this. It is divine.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 03:55:00 | More by KKB

MarvinSnyder

West Virginia

4.4/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Notes from 5-11-10 - poured into a tulip glass - 1PT corked bottle

Appearance: Pours gold with light brown highlights. Plenty of carbonation after the pour provides a nice long, lasting head.

Smell: This beer features an aroma of honey, spices, and grass with additional hints of both fruit and yeast character.

Taste: Very clean and crisp with fruity notes. There is also a taste of both clover honey and lemon present. All of these elements become more pronounced as the beer slowly warms. This beer has a slight yeasty bite and a dry, wine-like finish.

Mouthfeel: High Carbonation. The mouthfeel is thin, but frothy and gently rolls over the palate.

Drinkability: Very drinkable if you like this style. Initially, this beer has a slight tang at the end, but that dissipates as it warms.

Comments: I really enjoyed this beer, but I'm a fan of this particular style. In my opinion this beer is extremely underated and underappreciated.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2010 21:29:57 | More by MarvinSnyder

RoyalT

Ohio

4.4/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance - This is a beautiful gold in color with a light orangish tinge and a big white head that came up on an easy pour and showed great retention.

Smell - The funk is prominent at the nose but not offensive and I don't catch any sourness. The malt is very light and I'm picking up a stiff hop backbone.

Taste - The sharp, funky mold is tightly-melded to a big sweetish flavor. The sweets are light citrus with a bit of honey but otherwise not overly sugary, just a nice natrual sweet taste that rightly balances out the funk.

There's also quite a big hop bite here as well. It's leafy, like endive, with an earthy character that lingers from stem to stern. The hops, natural sweetness, and moldy funk are in perfect balance here.

Mouthfeel - This medium-bodied Saison is properly carbonated and has a strong, bitter aspect that pushes the limits of the style. It plays well in the cheeks and is quite intense without offending the senses.

Drinkability - This effort by St F lacked the sourness of some examples of the style so if you're looking for that this will disappoint. If you're open to other leanings though and appreciate what is obviously a patient brewer working with high-quality ingredients then this is a must-try.

Personally I thought this was a home run. The hopping is very stiff, the funk mild but intense, but most of all the sweetness that balances the other two sharp aspects of this flavor profile was very pure and natural. Too often you get that cheap, sugary sweet flavor in pretenders of the style but here this is high-quality, natural sweetness that salivates the mouth and balances out the other players in this ale.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2010 00:45:37 | More by RoyalT

gfreed

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev +13%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A very pleasant saison all around, beginning with a puffy head and a cloudy, orangey iced-tea mass below. Looks very inviting. The aroma is rather scarce: just a bit of flowers and a little citrus, not much more than that. Don't be mislead, however: this is a very tasty saison. Plenty of oranges, lemons; just enough bready flavors to add some thickness to the taste. Dense body, light carbonation. Mildly hoppy with a diminutive, even polite, sting at the end. Not overly aggressive or muscular, just a good, plain saison. Buy several.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2009 22:23:05 | More by gfreed

Kraken

Maryland

4.33/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Reviewed 10/6/09

Poured from a corked and caged 750ml bottle into a dogfish head snifter. Soft pour, yields a very nice 3/4 inch of off white head. Head exhibits fantastic staying power. Color is a very cloudy amber yellow.

Nose- Some light European hop. Slightly astringent. Green apple.

Pallate- Very nice. Lemon zest, some peppery spice. Green apple tartness. Very crisp and refreshing, creamy. Lemon zest becomes more prevalent as it warms. Strong yeast presence. Very Good.

Mouthfeel- Very active, tart and a bit dry.

Drinkability- Very Good. Its been to long since my last visit to the style.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2009 01:58:45 | More by Kraken

VMWhelan

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750mL bottle into a tulip.

Pours a golden color with a big frothy white head.

Smells fruity, mostly orange, backed up with a huge sweetness and some spicy belgian yeast notes. Expected more funkyness or fruity sourness to it, but maybe I was wrong. This is the first saison I've had that's actually brewed in Belgium.

Belgian yeast dominates, giving a biscuity flavor, backed up by some fruitiness and ends with some spicy pepper.

Mouthfeel is medium with high carbonation and a dry finish.

Drinkablity is great. At only 6.5% this is easy to drink a whole bottle. A whole lot of flavor and exactly what I look for in a Belgian brew.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2011 22:29:48 | More by VMWhelan

viaingo

Maine

4.33/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Type: Saison / Farmhouse Ale
Color: Very light in color. Nice golden sight.
Body: highly carbonated. Very light body overall. Lots of suds.
Head: Super thick. The pure white head was very thick and lasted a long time. Although it tasted amazing!
Taste: Very sweet and fruity. You can even taste honey. At the very end can you taste the bitterness in the hops. Creamy texture overall.
Aroma: Very dry. You can smell it's sweetness.

Overall this beer was something nice and easy. I easily finished the bottle and didn't have to sip it. This is definitely a great Sunday funday beer. For you Mainers out there, you can obtain this beauty from RSVP.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2011 01:56:43 | More by viaingo

lacqueredmouse

Australia

4.26/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

250ml bottle purchased from Red Bottle Alexandria in Sydney.

Pours a pleasant burnished golden colour, with some flecks of disturbed sediment. Head is a moderate, fine white, which sits as a solid ring and bubbly film atop the glass. Carbonation is lively, forming in rapid streams through the glass. Looks good.

Nose is extremely pleasant: dusty and earthy, with a rugged wholesomeness. This is contrasted with a pleasant lemon and pepper spice character which provides life to the earthiness. Some floral notes come through as well, and the piquant spicy characters take on a crushed herbal aroma as it goes on. Overall, it's a really lovely aroma.

Taste is also very good. It has a solid basis of malt, with a creamy honey tone underneath. This is bolstered by a savoury, earthy flavour from the yeast, which morphs into a respectable drying, vegetative character towards the back. Everything is extremely smooth, though: the characters transition seamlessly into one another, and the back fades with a supple, haunting delicacy into the finish. This is a really excellent Saison.

Feel is gorgeous, smooth but light, supporting those silky transitions from flavour to flavour.

Wow. This is fantastic stuff. Smooth, clean, drinkable, approachable, but with loads of flavour. The craft is deeply apparent here: there's no harshness, no imbalance, no awkward flavours to detract from the whole. This is just plain good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2013 05:05:19 | More by lacqueredmouse

Seanniek91

New Hampshire

4.25/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Served from a 11.2oz can into a Hill Farmstead stemed tulip. Fridge temps.

Appearance- Hazy orange with quick half-finger head that left some nice lacing behind.

Smell- Musty yeast, peppery lemon rind, light earthy hops, wheat malts. Nice "standard" farmhouse aromas.

Taste- Muted, musty hops. Lemon and floral flavors intermingle. Some musty, mildly peppery yeast notes. Very clean. No tartness at all.

Mouthfeel- Quick heavily carbonated bubbles and a nice light body. No heavyness or viscosity. Crisp and clean.

Overall- Nice, clean, refreshing saison. Probably the best saison to come in a can.

Serving type: can

06-05-2013 15:48:33 | More by Seanniek91

drtth

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a stemmed tulip glass. Glass of cold water on the side to sip from periodically.

Appearance: As served the beer is a slightly hazed apricot/peach color with a ¾” creamy off-white head that recedes to leave a layer over the liquid and lots of foam and lacing clinging to the sides of the glass. Sipping leaves some modest lacing for much of the beer, even after the head has receded to just a ring around the glass.

Smell: The aromas include notes of citrus and white pepper with some grassy, earthy touches along with a bit of apricot and peach.

Taste: As expected from the nose, the flavors include a bit of white pepper and citrus (lemon and tangerine), some apricot and peach along with a touch of grassy bitterness which blend quite nicely with some sweetness from the bready malt.

Mouthfeel: The mouth feel is medium bodied and slightly creamy and prickly from the active carbonation. The finish is medium long, mostly fruity and sweet with a nice dry bitter ending.

Drinkability and Overall Impression: I found this one nicely drinkable with its combination of fruity and spicy character. My overall impression is that this is a well-made beer worth having again. It also seems a bit different that most of the saisons I’ve tried but I like what I’ve found in this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

08-03-2011 18:53:49 | More by drtth

jamie2dope

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Grabbed this beer tonight at Downtown Wine and Spirits in Somerville. The cork on this beer shot right out as soon as I started loosening the cage, but luckily there was no gushing, and the cork didn't break anything! Color is a clear gold, with an active head that starts off large and frothy, and eventually dies down to a small lacing. Lots of carbonation can be seen in this one as well. Fresh grains, tropical fruit such as mango and pineapple come to mind in the smell, as well as some pepper and a slight medicinal funk. More of the same come through in the flavor, with quite a bit of carbonation. I wouldn't go so far as to say it is over carbonated, but dialing it back might be a good thing. I was also surprised that the ABV on this one is as low as it is. I fully was expecting it to weigh in at the eight or nine percent alcohol region. Overall this is a really well made Saison. Looking forward to trying their collaborative beer with Green Flash next.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2011 03:02:05 | More by jamie2dope

matt20102

Michigan

4.2/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from champagne bottle into pilsner glass with thick head. Aroma is very clean and ambiguous but with hints of light malt, subtle but spicy hops. The flavor is exceptionally clean with a very pleasant tart that is reminiscent of fresh citrus but without any lemony flavor. The head remains throughout the entire glass. This is a very 'sprizy' beer which is quite refreshing; although immediately filling, this is due totally to the effervescence, not the malt. It would pair very well with grilled vegetables or hamburgers.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2010 01:25:42 | More by matt20102

champ103

Texas

4.2/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the Hey Merchant in Houston, TX.

A: Pours a cloudy/hazy yellow color. A tow finger white head forms with good retention. Rings of lace are left behind.
S: A musky barnyard funk in the nose. Dusty, cellar like. I love it. Some hops in the mix. Spicy yeast that has some phenols. Bread and biscuit. Lots of layers that are great.
T: Follows the nose with a nice basement like funk. Some lemony fruits and slick hops in the background. Finishes with some bread and biscuit malts. Very nice.
M/D: A medium body and carbonation. Fairly crisp and refreshing. Very easy to drink. One I can quaff all day, every day.

An excellent traditional Saison. Very enjoyable and spot on for a traditional version of the style. Something I would highly recommend.

Serving type: on-tap

02-16-2012 02:29:47 | More by champ103

Beer4Baltimore

Maryland

4.18/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750 ml bottle, corked, caged, dated: 05/10/13
A - hazy orange-yellow with a thin effervescent head that lingers as a lacy coat. Extremely fine bubbles like champagne.
S - lightly fruity and slightly bubble gum yeasty with a touch of spice. Nothing overwhelms.
T - sharp crisp biting tart that comes and goes very quickly. A very mild sweetness that lingers throughout. Wish the tart lasted longer. Was hoping for more grassy tones as well but still is a pleasant drink.
M - high carbonation with a light body despite the malty slick feel.
D - an easy drinking saison that does not overwhelm on any characteristic aside from the very high carbonation which nears unstoppable.

Overall a nice refreshing albeit light saison.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2012 20:54:29 | More by Beer4Baltimore

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.15/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thoroughly hazed, amber-hued, light yellow at base of glass, with a large, proud, and creamy white head holding court on top.

Aromatics: a little sour, then a little sweet, some fruit, citrus, apricot, peach, then creamy and smooth. Again...beautiful fruit, mild, mellow, lovely.

Taste: zesty blast on the tongue, fresh flash of fruit, funk, and sour, ...then, again, all is well and cool. Juuust right. Firm, not meek or watery, and solid. Solid, spritz-y, some peppery spice, mixed always with citus-y feeling. Damn good, this is. You can drink it, and it rewards you for the effort. Pleases the tastebuds, as it trickles down the throat.
Nice stuff, if I can say it prosaically once more.

Serving type: on-tap

09-06-2009 10:16:25 | More by feloniousmonk

benfons

Belgium

4.14/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

75cl bottle

A: Nice hazy, orange colour with a nice fluffy white head.

S: Orange and pineapple, some yeast

T: the orange and pineapple are still there, as is the yeast, but this is combined with a nice hoppy finish that gives it some bitterness.

M: quite a lot of carbonation, medium body, quite dry

O: this is a pleasant beer, with some nice balance

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 20:18:58 | More by benfons

vdamico

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 750 ml bottle purchased at State Line Liquors in MD, into a 16 oz Bodum Cantina pint glass (two layers of borosilicate glass that prevent condensation and keep the beer cold).

Appearance: this beer poured a hazy pale orange-amber, with a two-finger head that dissipated slowly.

Smell: classic saison, light on the funk .

Taste: a rich, classic saison taste, with a touch more sweetness than a Saison DuPont drinker is looking for. If you want great saison flavors and wouldn't mind a touch more sweetness than is usual for Belgian saisons, this is the beer for you.

Mouthfeel: rich and full, with nice carbonation tickling the tastebuds all the while.

Overall: I will buy it again, but it's hard to imagine switching to a more expensive saison that overdoes the sweetness (again, this is a SD drinker writing).

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 00:47:24 | More by vdamico

Brenden

Ohio

4.13/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Saison in a can? Yes, please, and thank you to St. Feuillien.

A thick and cloudy but still bright orange-gold color, this saison looks the part. Tight bubbly activity continues the entire time, serving to substantiate a thick head of almost pure white foam after it drops from just over one finger. Patchy and spotty lacing is at the light to moderate level.
At first a note of something sulfuric sneaks out, but it needs only a few moments to warm for it to really come together. It does have an herbal, floral and spicy presence to it, showing a bit more hops presnce than many of its counterparts would be so bold to. Coriander finishes it out.
Gently hoppy, the underlying floral notes almost set the foundation, but they balance well against bready malts and a sturdy citrus sweetness. Combined with a note of coriander, some perfumey notes, and a very gently peppery nip, and you've got a nicely complex, balanced, and well-rounded beer. The more I drink it, the more it comes together.
With a nicely robust body that's somehow still light enough, and certainly bright enough, to enjoy on a hot day, it seems like a year-rounder to me. It never loses it's gentle crispness, and carbonation is prefectly done. It keeps it full without filling and very smooth to boot.

Serving type: can

05-14-2013 19:51:25 | More by Brenden

lordofthewiens

Maine

4.1/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A pleasure to drink. In my tulip the beer was a hazy orange color with a medium-sized white head. Wonderful aroma, earthy yeast, citrus, a little spice. Nice funky yeast taste, orange, a little clove. The beer does have a tang to it, and was most enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2009 02:10:49 | More by lordofthewiens

Macca

Australia

4.1/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This pours a cloudy bright orange with an ok white head that drops down to leave a slight covering.

An intense spiciness on the nose especially pepper. A bit of lemon too. Smells great.

Spiciness not so much on the palate but it's replaced with green apple and citrus. Finishes very dry.

Medium bodied, well carbonated.

A very nice saison.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2011 08:00:04 | More by Macca