Hennepin (Farmhouse Saison) - Brewery Ommegang

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

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

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

Digimaika2

Ontario (Canada)

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

(4.0) A: Hazy and golden with a very tall creamy eggshell coloured foam head with intermingled sporadic bubbles. Very good retention and lacing.

(4.5) S: Banana, pineapple/passion fruit, bubblegum, cloves, belgian-style yeast, pepper, and cane sugar. Very pleasant and enticing. Appropriate proportions of each aroma that come together extremely well.

(4.0) T: Similar to aroma with ripe and sweet tropical fruits coupled with spice including a bitter pepper taste. A refreshing taste of earthy dry grasses with some floral hints. Enjoying how the emphasis isn’t on the sweet side, but rather on the dry and bitter spice side of the spectrum.

(4.5) M: Medium bodied with a moderate/tingling carbonation. Chalky (in a good way) with a bit of chewy character. Lingering dry and bitterness. Wonderful stuff.

(4.5) D: A delicious farmhouse that really brings all the best qualities of the style together.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2012 03:29:20 | More by Digimaika2

BobZ

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into my Duvel tulip.

Appearance: Bright sparkling yellow with a big frothy head of about 3” which recedes to about 1/2”, an abundance of sticky lacing.

Smell: Citrus and spice with a bit of hoppy aroma.

Taste: Nice diversity of flavor, the citrus and spice are noticeable, there is no “piney” character imparted by the hops just the citrus and a pleasant bitterness in the finish. No “funk” really which is what I expected from a saison. A flavorful (delicious) pale ale is the best description of this brew. The alcohol is completely un-noticeable.

Mouth feel: Heavily carbonated which means it’s very clean and crisp on the palate.

Overall: Very good beer, as I’ve said extremely flavorful. In fact this beer has reignited my interest in the saison style.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2012 01:53:25 | More by BobZ

stxp

New York

4.18/5  rDev 0%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

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

11-03-2012 01:15:01 | More by stxp

JohnnyMc

Ohio

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

This was a fresh bottle brewed in Belgium not in New York!!

Pours out very bright yellow/orange with 4 fingers of white and fluffy head. Typical champagne type look.

The aroma has the typical Belgian Yeast characteristics; orange peel, lemon zest, coriander, bubblegum and yeasty, bready malt.

The flavor is very similar. Up front there is a ton of orange peel and coriander with slightly sweet citrus fruits, slight wet hay/grassy notes, white pepper spiciness, and yeasty notes. Very, very refreshing.

The mouthfeel is crisp and slightly tart and the body is light-medium. Hides the alcohol very well.

Extremely easy to drink, with nice flavors and pretty cheap too. Check this one out.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 03:20:42 | More by JohnnyMc

DannyHartman

4.48/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I want to first start by saying WOW !!.... I was told about this beer by a good friend (and NYU graduate) about a year ago, and have been looking for it since.... I finally got my hands on a couple 25 oz. bottles.... It was well worth the wait.

As I pour part of the 25.4 oz. bottle into a pint glass, a massive head of fizziness appears atop a beautiful and hazy yellowish/gold brew.... Though those little fizzy bubbles diminish quickly throughout the drink, they leave plenty of lacing behind.... There's also easily noticeable sediment rising throughout the drink.

I take a whiff, and I immediately get spice like that of cloves.... There's also fruity notes of banana, and delicious notes of bready Belgian yeast.

All the mouth-watering scents of the beer really come out while sipping it.... You feel everything on the palate the whole way through.... At first sip, I think it's definitely spicy.... There's also a lemon citrus taste, as well as fruits like that of apple or pear.... There's a perfect balance of overall flavor with just the right amount of a hoppy taste to it.

The mouthfeel is is the home run to complete the cycle.... Very full-bodied with moderate carbonation that releases all the flavors of the nose and taste, leaving a lingering aftertaste.... There's also a tingly feeling left on the tongue throughout and well after the drink.

Overall, the only thing that needs to be said is "I LOVE THIS BEER !!".... Amazing from first sight in the glass.... It's complex and deep scents to the delicious and complimentary taste and mouthfeel.... This is amongst the most perfectly balanced beers I've ever had.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2012 21:35:00 | More by DannyHartman

Willytee3

New York

4.65/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle into Captain Lawrence Tulip.

Pours a clear golden yellow with thick white head, equal to the beer depth. Pillowy, with thick lacing.

Smells of sweet Brett, banana, Honey and a touch of spice? Slight citrus and butterscotch.

Good Mouth feel, moderate carbonation. Creamy butterscotch with farmhouse brett and a touch of peppery spice with some banana, honey, and a hint of bread as it warms. A nice bitter comes through on the finish then fades nicely. Very clean beer, a touch of lemon with slight alcohol essence on occasion.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2012 05:11:53 | More by Willytee3

95stategrad

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

As far as I'm concerned, this is the Gold Standard for Saison/Farmhouse in the USA as far as mass producers are concerned. Some micro out West might have a better one, but as far as a Big Time producers, this is it. Everything is right on. Smell, appearance, and of course taste. It has the classic Belgian esters you get with the Farmhouse yeast strains. Everyone is out to make an "Americanized" Farmhouse/Saison by going big with the gravity or the hops or more unfortunately, both. True Saisons are not overly hoppy and are modest alcohol % with just enough hops to keep them from going bad too quickly. This one is a bit on the high side alcohol-wise to really be a real traditional Saison, but it is otherwise on the money. Saisons were brewed to refresh the seasonal field workers in Wallonia, and the brews were generally 3-5% so the workers could have one and still finish the job. 7.7% is a bit too high to be a true traditional Saison. Still, if you don't like this beer, you don't like Saisons.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2012 02:54:55 | More by 95stategrad

dbell23

Tennessee

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

Poured from a 750 ml. bottle into a tulip glass. Huge fluffy white head with large bubbles. Good retention and some lacing. Color is hazy slightly dark golden. Nice looking beer.

Smell is like Tripel light. Fruity, chalky, yeasty, spicy, and clean. All Belgian.

Taste is great. Slightly hoppy to start; mostly sweet, maybe green apple, with some mild hoppiness in the middle; and a crisp clean sweet finish. Really good taste. Refreshing just like I think a good saison should be. Complex taste.

Mouthfeel is good. Maybe a little more carbonation than I like but still good. Mouthfeel adds to the refreshing taste. As it warms it seems to smooth out a bit.

Overall a really good beer. Unfortunately I don't have a lot of experience with this style but I know what I like and I like this beer. Ommegang is a really good brewery. Most of their beers are like this one - very good.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2012 21:35:10 | More by dbell23

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

4.13/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750 ML poured into a snifter

This beer is hazy orange with a massive white head. Aroma is breaddy, yeasty, and spicy. There is also a nice lemon zest character to this beer as well as a slight dark fruit. There is a lot of wheat flavor and feel to this one. It is fruity, zesty and wheaty. The feel of the beer is highly carbonated at first but gets smoother and creamier over time. The dark fruit and the wheat flavors work well together and are constantly changing. The yeast adds a spicy character and feel to the beer. This is a nice offering by Ommegang and a solid saison.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2012 01:15:00 | More by TwelveOunces

GMB

Japan

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

Hennepin deserves its nearly perfect score at BeerAdvocate.com. It pours a beautiful hazy golden body that supports a nice, fizzy foam. I have seen more inviting heads on Saisons, but this one is lovely all the same.

The nose is very nice. Its sweet and fruity character is at the fore, but it closely followed by mild spices.

The taste is complex, but not as complex as some Saisons. Lemony tartness, pineapple, and coriander seeds dominate at first, but are immediately balanced by the malt's lightly roasted and honey-like characteristics. This beer's aftertaste is outstanding; spices (notably coriander seed and pepper) and roasted grain linger on the palate. Mild esters highlight the bouquet of spices and tart citrus by adding a warm base and floral characteristics. All this is nicely complemented by the beer's mild carbonation and full-bodied mouthfeel.

What makes this beer stand out is the distinctness of each of its myriad flavors. To achieve complexity without confusion is the mark of fine craftsmanship. I take my hat off to Brewery Ommegang for delivering an outstanding rendition of this extremely delicate and difficult style.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2012 00:36:49 | More by GMB