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Saison Imperiale - Belgian Farmhouse Ale
De Proefbrouwerij (bvba Andelot)
- From:
- De Proefbrouwerij (bvba Andelot)
- Belgium
- Style:
- Saison
- ABV:
- 8.5%
- Score:
- 86
- Avg:
- 3.81 | pDev: 10.5%
- Reviews:
- 170
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jan 29, 2022
- Added:
- May 04, 2006
- Wants:
- 7
- Gots:
- 11
Brewmaster's Collection - Special Reserve
Mixed Fermentation - Saison De Flandres
Mixed Fermentation - Saison De Flandres
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by superspak:
Reviewed by superspak from North Carolina
3.29/5 rDev -13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.29/5 rDev -13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
750 ml bottle into tulip glass, no bottle dating. Pours very hazy very dark reddish brown color with a small 1 finger foamy off white head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Decent spotty lacing clings on the glass. The cork hardly popped when I opened it, probably pushing 4 years or more in age. Aromas of caramel, toffee, molasses, prune, raisin, toast, pepper, earth, and big phenolic yeast esters. Aromas aren’t very pleasant at all; very stale and unbalanced feeling. Taste of caramel, toffee, molasses, prune, toast, biscuit, raisin, earth, herbal, grass, and light yeast spiciness. Lingering notes of caramel, molasses, toffee, toast, biscuit, dark fruits, herbal, earth, and light yeast spices on the finish for a good bit. Pretty good flavor balance and complexity; but it feels more like a Belgian dark ale than a saison. Flavors were not as robust as I was expecting; no cloying sweetness. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a fairly creamy and slick mouthfeel that is good. Alcohol is very well hidden with pretty much no warming noticed at all after the finish. Overall this is a pretty solid dark Belgian saison. The aromas were pretty bad, but the taste turned out alright. Fairly enjoyable, if only they dated these bottles.
Aug 13, 2012More User Ratings:
Reviewed by mmilyko from Nevada
4/5 rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Funny how some beers can fool you. Struggled to get the rubber cork out of the 750 ml bottle. Uninspiring "pop" when I finally got it out (might this be flat?). Barely a trace of a nice head or any bubbles for that matter (yeah, maybe flat). Smelled very boring, maybe even a little sour (not a sour guy). Not expecting much at this point. Rolled it over my tongue, swallowed, and surprise, tasted great. A different kind of Saison/Farmhouse for sure, but bottom line, a delicious and enjoyable brew. Who da thunk?
Sep 24, 2021Reviewed by Beginner2 from Illinois
3.94/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5
3.94/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5
Ok. I get it finally... after eight of their beers. These guys are a great enhancement of already the greatest brewing tradition. (Of course, that is my bias.)
Do as I did: go on their website and read their Philosophy which they digest down to "The Point" (it has its own menu.)
In a brewing culture as rich and varied as Belgium's, they actually might be multiplying that richness with their strategy: find good recipes and apply science and make the recipe better. The issue really is whether there is a marketing network to carry this enhanced quality to a newer and larger market. But Proef gets to Chicago and that is good enough for me.
As for this ale: interesting and different.
I like renditions that are different, but not radical. This ale says: "We amped the sugar for a saison, darkened the malt and reduced the hops. What do you think?" An intelligent question that deserves a more intelligent review that I'm about to give: I like its moderation in almost every respect. It even increases the alcohol by at least 1% for a saison... and I don't even notice until the bottle is done. I promise a longer review second time around.
Jul 10, 2019Do as I did: go on their website and read their Philosophy which they digest down to "The Point" (it has its own menu.)
In a brewing culture as rich and varied as Belgium's, they actually might be multiplying that richness with their strategy: find good recipes and apply science and make the recipe better. The issue really is whether there is a marketing network to carry this enhanced quality to a newer and larger market. But Proef gets to Chicago and that is good enough for me.
As for this ale: interesting and different.
I like renditions that are different, but not radical. This ale says: "We amped the sugar for a saison, darkened the malt and reduced the hops. What do you think?" An intelligent question that deserves a more intelligent review that I'm about to give: I like its moderation in almost every respect. It even increases the alcohol by at least 1% for a saison... and I don't even notice until the bottle is done. I promise a longer review second time around.
Reviewed by pat61 from Minnesota
4.5/5 rDev +18.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.5/5 rDev +18.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
From a 750 ml bottle served in a craft pub glass.
A: Pours hazy chestnut with a lacy, persistent 2” white linen foam cap.
S: Ripe to slightly over-ripe fruit, plums, earthy hops, toast, alcohol, spice.
T: Fruit, light funk, plum and prune, darker malt flavors, subtle tartness, a hint of anise. M: Very creamy texture, medium body.
O: Darker than many saisons but the darker malt flavors play well with the yeast driven saison flavors.
Apr 02, 2015A: Pours hazy chestnut with a lacy, persistent 2” white linen foam cap.
S: Ripe to slightly over-ripe fruit, plums, earthy hops, toast, alcohol, spice.
T: Fruit, light funk, plum and prune, darker malt flavors, subtle tartness, a hint of anise. M: Very creamy texture, medium body.
O: Darker than many saisons but the darker malt flavors play well with the yeast driven saison flavors.
Saison Imperiale - Belgian Farmhouse Ale from De Proefbrouwerij (bvba Andelot)
Beer rating:
86 out of
100 with
218 ratings
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