Hennepin (Farmhouse Saison) - Brewery Ommegang

JMScowcroft

Vermont

4.61/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Ommegang Hennepin - 1 Pint 9.4oz - Bomber

Look - Resembles a sparkling champagne, golden and lightly carbonated. Full, foamy head.

Smell - Hops and citrus, can definitely smell the coriander and ginger and hops.

Taste - Refreshing and tart with citrus overtones.

Mouthfeel - Very drinkable, another stomach warmer, another one that's hard to tell it is such high alcohol content, which is a good thing.

Overall - Amazing brew, seems like a Summer beer but it was hearty enough to also enjoy in the Winter. Another solid brew from Ommegang!

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 17:20:53 | More by JMScowcroft

kojevergas

California

3.64/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

I've taken a long time to get to this one, but I'm glad to finally get to it. I've educated myself on saisons recently with a lot of Fantome, so I'm confident I can give this the fair review it deserves. 7.70% ABV confirmed. 12 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap acquired at a local bottle shop and served into a New Belgium stem-goblet in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are through the roof given its reputation.

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

Not paired with food.

A: Pours a two finger white colour head - disappointingly thin - of slight cream, and great retention for the high ABV (~4 minutes). Body colour is a hazy pale yellow-gold. Thin minimal lacing. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Nontransparent. Translucent.

Sm: Crystal malt, brett yeast funkiness, heavy lemon esters and lemon zest, lemongrass, rustic spicing (perhaps cilantro and clove if I had to guess), and pale malts. Maybe a bit of light white pepper. The lemon citric zest is pure and fragrant, evoking a fine dry champagne. Pear effervescence. Honey. Pale grains. A moderate strength evocative aroma. I can't wait to try it. Yeasty and inviting. No alcohol is detectable.

T: Delightful lemon citrus esters and lemon zest; these notes are dominant. Complementary funky yeast as well with notes of clove spice and maybe even a bit of banana and phenol. Some light biscuity character. Crystal malt. Dry pear and champagne notes. A hint of sour green apple - but not to the extent you'd see in a patersbier. Pale unobtrusive malt body. Rustic spices seem primarily yeast-derived. Refreshing and a bit tangy. Some honey. Perhaps some light fermented pineapple. These bright fruit esters also seem to come from the yeast. Little malty sweetness - just enough to aid the balance. I quite like it. What's sorely lacking is white pepper; a quality saison should always have peppery qualities but this one lacks them. Still, it's a balanced and well-layered saison. No alcohol comes through either, and it manages to remain refreshing. It doesn't lack complexity, but saisons are a complex style, and more could certainly be done. Maybe my Fantome consumption has driven up my expectations.

Mf: Smooth and wet, with some effervescent dry champagne qualities as well. Excellent carbonation and thickness, complementing the flavour profile and coaxing out the more subtle flavours. Good palate presence. Refreshing and enjoyable.

Dr: Drinkable and enjoyable. Hides its high ABV well. A quality saison from Ommegang, but it drinks a bit too much like a witbier with its heavy reliance on lemon notes. Still, I quite enjoy it and I'd definitely get it again if I was in the mood for a domestic saison. It's a fine offering and a fairly priced one. Lives up to its reputation. Very refreshing. Bravo, Ommegang.

B

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 05:45:14 | More by kojevergas

DenverLogan

Colorado

4.56/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Cloudy white gold color. Long lasting head of mixed small bubbles and lace on a chalice glass...poured from corked bottle. Aroma of grass, bread dough, citrus. Taste changes significantly as the beer warms/opens up...floral hops, amber malts, black pepper...subtle notes of sour apple, soap, alcohol, clove, lemon rind. Lively carbonation with a crisp, enticing finish. Overall very flavorful with farmhouse yeast esters offering many flavors. Good alone or with various foods. Darn tasty!

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 04:40:46 | More by DenverLogan

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle poured into an Ommegang tulip.

Appearance
Cloudy straw/gold with 3-4 fingers of fluffy white head. Excellent retention with low carbonation.

Nose
Pear, apple, dough, lemon, hay, clove, pilsner malt and a hint of potpourri.

Taste
Pear, golden delicious apple and lemon pith. Pilsner malts, wheat and doughy bread. The yeast is very spicy and quite funky. Dried hay, potpourri and hints of barnyard. Clove, black pepper and coriander. Finishes with grassy noble hops and a suggestion of apricot.

Mouthfeel
Medium bodied, crisp, dry and refreshing.

Overall
Very complex and easily accessible Saison. Definitely one of the better American renditions of the style.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 19:01:43 | More by justintcoons

Hex92

Virginia

3.95/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Its been several year since I last tried this beer. I remember that I liked it, but I am not a fan of saisons so I haven't been tempted. This was included in their Christmas pack this year and I am glad it was.

It seems like most of the saisons I have tried are made with Brett yeast and/or are too dry for my taste. The hennepin is like a tripel, very flavorful, none of the other weird flavors that seem to be common with saisons.

I poured it into a st berdnardus goblet and it looks great in the glass. Nice thick white head. Creamy mouthfeel. Nice flavor. I will have to pick this up more frequently.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 03:09:16 | More by Hex92

kangarooAdam59

Maine

4.28/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Best by September 2014:

Into a pint glass:

A: light golden yellow/orange body yielding a white, foamy, two finger head that slowly died to a film coating the top of the body. Normal haziness for the body of a saison appeared. A fair amount of carbonation is seen rising.

S: coriander and pepper up front coming through in a rustic sort of way.

T: peppery taking those previously mentioned flavors and making it slightly crisp yet tart and balancing with a slight orange peel in it.

M: medium with a dry aftertaste and finish, some acceptable harshness on the tongue, this is fairly drinkable

O: this one makes me glad I keep trying different beer styles because for a long time, I didn't like saisons, if there any saison that has pulled me into this style, it would be this one.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 00:43:24 | More by kangarooAdam59

damndirtyape

Ohio

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

12oz bottle, bottled on 07/03/12. Can't exactly read the best by date, some of it is unreadable. Served in a tulip glass. Despite a careful pour, some sediment came along.

Appearance: Cloudy golden yellow with a dense white head. Persistent sheets and strands of lacing. Held up to the light you can see the sediment suspended in the beer, along with bubbles coming up nicely through the beer. I suspect this would be an amazing looking beer had I been able to keep the sediment in.

Smell: Yeast, orange peel, herbal leafy hops. Quite nice.

Taste: Delightfully tart orange peel up front, followed by grains, coriander, hops, and a crisp but satisfying malty finish. Complex, but oh so very good.

Mouthfeel: Effervescent is indeed a good way to describe this. The carbonation is not fizzy, but does a nice job of gently scrubbing the palate clean, and yet leaving some of that orange peel and hop flavor behind without it sticking to the teeth.

Overall / Drinkability: Dangerously drinkable - I wish I had another one to try right now. Went very well with Tuna casserole and overall is a great beer. Fantastic in all categories. I will have to get it again to see how it is when I pour even more carefully next time leaving the sediment behind.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 00:07:59 | More by damndirtyape

tviz33

New York

4.08/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750 mL bottle, served in a tulip glass.

A- Pours a hazy yellow body with a white soapy two finger head and minimal lacing. This looks tasty.

S- Yummy bananas, clove, and citrus. Of course there is the usual aroma of Belgian yeast, which works really well here.

T- Really, really nice. Reminds me of a good tripel. Orange and lemon come first, with banana and spice following. FInishes a bit boozey, but not intolerable.

M- Light bodied and pretty spot-on with the mouthfeel. Slightly creamy, well-carbonated, and crisp.

O- This one is certainly refreshing and clean. I will be enjoying one or many in the future, as it is easy to consume multiples of these.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 19:27:35 | More by tviz33

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.53/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

a cloudy light yellow in color, 2 fingers of detergent like head, lots of visible carbonation. smells of yeast, lemongrass, very bready. the taste is pretty funky.. farmhouse yeast, has a slight skunkyness to it, which is a common thing in this beer (had it plenty of times before on tap and bottle, first time sitting down to review it). lemongrass and yeast are the main hints in both nose and mouth. medium body, high carbonation and creamy feel.

a nice saison, but a little too much like a witbier for my liking. could use more hops to balance out the overwhelming yeast flavor.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 03:40:51 | More by facundoCNB

Larryken

Massachusetts

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

Ommegang has done it again with this great example of saison, nice medium carbonation, golden wheat color, substantial head and crisp taste. very well balanced taste, alcohol is hidden and this would be a session beer but for it's 7.7 ABV...one of my favorite saisons. The label says they are part of the Duvel family.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 01:23:29 | More by Larryken

xmorgan

California

5/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Had this on daft at "Joes Corner" in Niles,ca
It poured a dirty reddish tornado that filled the air with straw and grassy elements.
I pauses and think of families of workers, being refreshed with a similar beverage.

I found this quit drinkable and it is too hard to pin this style so Enjoy!

Serving type: on-tap

12-11-2012 09:40:06 | More by xmorgan

TheMultiYeast

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

It's about time I got around to this bottle. Pours hazy golden bright yellow with a big foamy white head. Nice lacing.

Smell could be noticed as soon as the cork went flyin..Phenols and spice, banana, mild floral hops, herbal qualities, white pepper, really light funk, heavy on spicy yeast, some citrus in there

More spice, sweetness, fresh grass, some bitterness with a nice dry finish.

Full bodied saison right here. Big flavors and dry finish. Love it.

A beer that calls itself the True Belgian-Style Saison? It better be good.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 05:06:39 | More by TheMultiYeast

Lordquackingstic

New York

4.4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

First review in a while, time to get back into this. 12oz bottle poured into a snifter.

A: Hazy light honey yellow with a colossal white head that clings to the sides of the glass as if its life depended on it. Too bad I'm going to devour it; it has zero chance of survival.

S: Spicy bananas and cloves, rye bread, lemons. I personally don't like how saisons usually smell, but this one smells a tad better than the rest.

T: Refreshing ginger and orange peel comes through first, backed by a nice hop presence. The bananas and coriander come through nicely as well.

M: Crisp and robust. Very refreshing.

O: This is damn near close to perfect for a saison in my books. Light and refreshing with lively flavors. I'm so glad this brewery is close by and comparatively cheap. They really put out high quality stuff at a great price (at least around here, I know it's way more expensive in other counties/states.)

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 21:24:59 | More by Lordquackingstic

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.43/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into an Ommegang flute glass. Pours a light golden amber with a massive white head with great retension and chunky lacing. Aroma is very fruit forward with orange, stone fruits, pear, light sweet malt and a hint of spicing. Flavor follows aroma with sweet pear, peach, bannana, sweet malt and Belgian spicing, finishing slightly dry with the saison yeast flavor finally making its presence known. Very flavorful and refreshing. Light bodied with excellent carbonation and mouth feel. The wild yeast element seems a bit tamed down from Belgian saisons, but the other flavors are so great that it hardly matters.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 04:09:47 | More by LiquidAmber

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

4.23/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-pale golden color with a nice fluffy white head and good lacing

S-citrus, funk, yeasty biscuit, earthy, spices

T-orange and lemon, pepper, clove, yeasty funk, earthy with grassy notes

F-medium body with moderate carbonation, crisp and refreshing

O-a delicious farmhouse ale from Ommegang in the classic Belgian style, will be enjoying a lot more of these in the future

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 17:26:42 | More by MDDMD

ummswimmin

New Jersey

4.23/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I've had this bottle for a few months now. I wanted to follow the Stone Black Saison with a much better tasting saison, and I knew this was a really good one.

This looks like the best example of a saison. The beer is that wheat coloring with a lot of head on the pour. It is cloudy, as you would expect.

The smell is spot on for a saison. You get that horse-blanket presence in there. I like the wheat and the sour. There's also a little sweetness there.

The flavoring is well balanced. I like the sour, the banana, and wheat in there.

This is one of the best saisons out there. I recommend this beer thoroughly.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 02:32:38 | More by ummswimmin

bshirley

Texas

4.73/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance: very light, yellow straw, some small and some large bubbes

Smell: sweet and slightly alcoholish, a little corn

Taste: very sweet, wine, apple, pear, light clove, alcohol phenols linger

Mouthfeel: super creamy

The belgian yeast on display here is wonderful.

Serving type: growler

11-29-2012 00:57:51 | More by bshirley

BradtheGreat7

Ohio

4.23/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Ive had this many times. But This review was taken from notes during a tasting- early summer 2012

12 oz brown bottle(bottle conditioned). Ommegang style label thats quite classy in appearance. Neat story and photo of brewery on the side of label. Poured into an stemmed Tulip style glass.

A - straw look to the color. A cloudy yellowish gold with good efferescence. Fluffy white head that's truly Belgian in Look. Head resides after a few moments leaving a decent ring of lace.

S - Crisp aroma that has some good fruitiness to it. Unique Belgian like yeast whiff with notes of spices.

T - starts with hints of orange fruitiness that quickly makes way to banana and clove spices. Peach, oranges, big banana, clove spices, delicate pepper spice. Just a good fruitiness to it with the spices doing a nice job of being noticed. The yeast strain is pure class in this flavor. A semi bitterness in a refreshing finish. Good complexity while keeping its balance in check.

M - this has a good crisp, clean mouthfeel that's overly enjoyable. I find this very easy to drink and a good farmhouse ale to enjoy any time of year.

O - I love the saison/farmhouse style and ive had many from its home country of Belgium. For a long time now American brewers havent truly understood this style of ale. Ommegang don't pretend to brew in a Belgian style but they actually do brew solely in a Belgian style. They give American craft junkies a true Belgian saison brewed and bottled right here in the United States and Hennepin holds true to the authentic farmhouse style. If you want the best American made saison then this is the one. American brewing has needed a farmhouse ale to give the great Belgians a run for their money and Ommegang's Hennepin is that saison we can call our own knowing it can compete. Pure class

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 15:41:01 | More by BradtheGreat7

KKB

Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A – Pale gold body that is almost champagne-esque, gorgeous translucent white fluffy head, carbonation that flows rapidly from the bottom, overall a very good looking saison.

S – Apples, pears, yeast, a spicy element, perhaps a slight pepper, little bit of grass, lemon and wheat as well. Very fine smelling, and complex to be certain but very clean. I am thinking this girl is going to taste very nice.

T – Top notch. Very good. It comes on initially with the apples, white grapes, pears and then progresses into the spicy elements of light clove, some pepper, and a very nice yeast as well. I’m not really getting the hops right now but this could be owing to the fact that this bottle is about a year old. I waited a while to drink it because it was recommended to me that I wait 6-12 months and it seems that this has suited the beer very well. The taste definitely warrants some comparisons to Duvel, but I would say that it is unique and has a broader complex of flavors. This farmhouse saison is clean, fruity, spicy and well-balanced. A fine brew.

M – The mouthfeel is really just great. It’s luscious and smooth because of the amped-up carbonation. The body is medium and it has a very dry finish.

O – What a great beer. I actually totally was not expecting to enjoy this as much as I did. I love the Saison style to begin with (who am I kidding I love just about every style), and I love Ommegang Brewery so perhaps I was being naïve in thinking I wouldn’t enjoy this, but I really really like it. Maybe the best Saison I’ve had to date.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 05:18:54 | More by KKB

Ozapftis

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -22.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Quaffed from a bomber I did things best left unmentioned to obtain

A: A light straw color. Straw like. When you really look at it, the word "straw" comes to mind.

S: Citrus, orange specifically, possibly mandarin. Accompanying the citrus are the delicate notes of a particularly randy sow making friends with species of all types in the barnyard. Truly exquisite.

T: Taste follows the nose. Something like what a secretly welcomed sexual assault of an orange on a clove would taste like.

MF: The MF is consistent with orange/clove sex assault and delivers as anticipated. Glorious day!

O: Quite good. By the end of the bomber my curiosity was satiated. It will be a year or more before I have to, well I don't want to unsettle those bits of yeast right now. So quaff able. I quaffed this bottle so hard, in positions illegal in both Pennsylvania and Utah.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 23:53:40 | More by Ozapftis

fx20736

New York

4.43/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 750ml bottle into a chalice, served cool.

Hazy Lemon yellow with a thick cotton candy white head, a nice shawl of lacing.

aroma of tart apples, white grapes and band aids.

Mouthfeel is light and soft with an underlying prickly carbonation.

Taste: pale malt, white wine, tart apples. Finishes long and dry.

Notes: complex, interesting, well made, excellent.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 16:45:33 | More by fx20736

SHODriver

California

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

A: poured into an Ommegang glass to a cloudy deep yellow to light orange with a three finger fluffy white head that is slow to recede
S: smells a bit fruity and also has notes of lemon zest, grass, and a nit of must along with a bit of pale malt aroma. a bit of spicy yeast comes through as well
T: spicy yeast, clove and banana comes through, some fruity esters, grassy and a bit musty, lemon zest as well with a cracker flavor from the malt. aftertaste is fruity with a bit of peppery yeast and some lemon zest
M: mouthfeel is a touch under medium with ample and effervescent carbonation, slightly drying finish
O: a very solid beer that is quite tasty. a very nice example of the style with good complexity and flavor notes.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 04:09:41 | More by SHODriver

PhantasIPA

Delaware

4.43/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The appearance of Hennepin is a light-golden, almost orange color. It is very cloudy and pours with a solid 1.5 inch head. It leaves a nice lacing against the glass.

The smell is a solid wheat scent in the beginning. Hints of cloves, bananas and spices follow closely. It has a very hearty smell.

The taste is fantastic! Really nice balance between the wheat barley, brown sugar malt, bananas, cloves and spices. Balance is a difficult thing to properly achieve, especially with a beer this complex.

Mouthfeel is smooth and crisp and leaves all of the flavors against the tongue after every drink. It is carbonated but finished smooth and dry, giving you the hint that you should drink more!

Overall this is a really solid, well balanced beer that has complexity, drinkability and strength (7.7% ABV). A must try if you are looking for a quality brew.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 00:30:56 | More by PhantasIPA

TownDunkel

Texas

4.35/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Hennepin - awesome label had to try the good stuff

Appearance - apricot orange with a good hazy texture to it

Smell - Fresh wheat, light fruit, and overall great beer scent for a wheat beer

Taste - Exceptional! Light and tasty that grows into a hearty thirst quenching after taste. Has hints of some seasonal fruit, but none to distinct that it takes over the flavor.

Mouthfeel - I wish it had some more carbonation to keep the great flavor going.

Overall - A nice, nice beer

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 01:51:44 | More by TownDunkel

GeckoPunk

Connecticut

4.33/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Really diggin' the Belgian funk!
Light and crisp
Wet Hay, Barnyard Funk, HorseBlanket, Grassy
Not excessively malty or hoppy
Smooth and quite sessionable...

Copied from stxp:

appearance: whitish gold, champagne, high carbonation, slightly hazy

smell:slight butterscotch, belgian yeasty, bubble gum, banana, some phenol

taste: cloves right up front, slightly bland phenols in the middle, alchoholic on the end, slightly dry finish, almost no hoppyness

mouthfeel: starts a bit thin, gets thick in the middle due to high carbonation, creamy, alcohol punch only comes out right at the finish

overall: love the ommegang belgian yeasts, great clove spicyness, minimal bitterness, smooth despite almost 8%, very drinkable

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 16:34:37 | More by GeckoPunk