Hennepin (Farmhouse Saison) - Brewery Ommegang

colforbin73

California

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

ommegang is a treasure of a brewery -- one that american's should actually be proud of -- a brewery that makes flawless beer true to the traditional styles of belgium. while other american brewers have crafted unique beers in a truly american style -- ommegang brews beer that can stand up to any in the world on the merits of craftsmanship and adherence to the specifications of traditional style. for me, HENNEPIN is at the apex of american brewing. i associate this beer with baseball and more generally late summer and fall.

the pour is very delicate -- you need to pour slowly and carefully, the brew has a champagne level of effervescence and gives off a big foamy cloudy white head that sticks to the glass all the way down. the aroma betrays the spices used, coriander, orange peel, and ginger. but unlike a spicey winter warmer, the spices provide just a background hum. the yeast is pronounced in the aroma...

the taste is crisp, clean, a little sweet, maybe from the corn used along with the pilsner and pale malt. coats the throat and warms the belly after a few sips.... this is fantastic saison and would be perfectly at home at a wide ranging harvest festival, with a crisp salad of apples, walnuts and goat cheese, a roast pig, a spicey butternut squash soup and a pear and raisin torte for dessert.

what a beer!

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2012 00:16:36 | More by colforbin73

acevenom

Louisiana

4.35/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle labeled best by 2/2014 and bottled in 2/2012.

Poured into a goblet. Pours hazy pale golden with a thick soapy white head. I can detect plentiful streaming bubbles in the beer. The head retreats slowly. There are aromas of biscuit from the malts as well as those typical spiced and fruity Belgian ale aromas like coriander, lemon, and pear. The beer definitely is spicier in the taste that in the nose. The coriander is more intense and it's somewhat peppery. Those fruity flavors are more intense, being pear forward. The hops on the back end provide some bitterness for balance. The body is medium with strong carbonation. The finish is very dry. For the style, this is solid. Those expected notes really come through and it deserves an A for that even if this is not my favorite style.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 16:04:51 | More by acevenom

fmccormi

New York

4.33/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Straight pour from 12oz pry-off bottle to a 25cl Duvel Single tulip; bottling date of April 11, 2012 and a freshness date of April, 2014 printed in black ink on the neck of the bottle (“PKG ON 04/11/12 BEST BY 04/2014”).

Appearance (4.0): This pours a tight, two finger head of bone white foam that dies relatively slowly, and leaves some sporadic lacing on the way down—a few suds, a few legs, a few fat splotches of lace scattered around the glass. The body is hazy and honey-colored, kind of a soft shade of orange. Aside from not having a lot of head or lace, this is a nice looking saison.

Smell (4.0): Coriander and light clove come out first—very nice mix of spice character for the style, not heavy-handed like a lot others. The malt has a strong biscuity character, very pale, rustic, and bready. There’s a fruity, musty character at the back, dominated by pear and wet hay. There’s a very floral, somewhat grassy scent that can get lost in that estery finish, but it’s there and very nice.

Taste (4.5): Starts out much spicier than the nose, with more coriander and a good dose of white pepper and just a bit of clove, too. The fruitiness is more pronounced here, with a sweet, juicy pear and apple character. It finishes with a relatively mild hop component, just a bit of grassy bitterness and a moderate hop spiciness. There’s a surprisingly nice mineral character in the finish, too.

Mouthfeel (4.5): It’s got a body that’s just about exactly medium weight, with a nice, all-over tingliness that moves into a lush, foaming carbonation, and it finishes very dry.

Overall (4.25): This is a really solid saison—always has been. Considering how light and dry it is for something of this strength, you can get a very good sense of the yeast character in this beer, which I like. It’d be nice to have some more head retention, but it looks good enough and has a nice nose, with a very good flavor and feel. It’s not transcendent at any point, but as classically styled saisons go, it’s well rounded and well done. Hennepin is a very solid, reliable beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2012 01:45:17 | More by fmccormi

hosehead83

Ohio

4.88/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from a "corked and caged" bomber bottle into a wine goblet.
Cloudy, straw-gold in color, with a bright white head of voluminous foam.
Aroma-Spicy Belgian yeast, pear, honey notes.
Taste-Pear, golden apple, spicy Belgian yeast, white pepper. Wonderfully effervescent, 'tingly' mouthfeel. Spicy,refreshing, earthy hop notes, crisp, peppery finish. "Gulpable" but be mindful of the 7.7ABV. Rustic,classic Farmhouse style. Excellent!

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2012 19:07:14 | More by hosehead83

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

3.48/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle into a tulip, aged for over a year

A: Pours a slightly hazy golden color with almost three fingers of active head.

S: Nutmeg, clove, and banana upfront, this beer is quite spicy. I get a bit of prunes as well, if I closed my eyes I might think this is a quad.

T: Similar to aroma, I get spices and dark fruits. Certainly on the sweet side for a Saison, but this beer stays balanced. I also get some lemon. This is different than any Saison I've had. Decent, but odd for the style.

M: Thick for the style with high carbonation.

O: This beer is fairly tasty but really odd for the style. It's also been aged for over a year, so the yeast has really taken over the beer. Decent.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2012 00:49:29 | More by coreyfmcdonald

Danny1217

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Hazy golden color with a big, fluffy, white head. Good head retention. Floral smell. Some yeast and spices as well. A bit subdued on the nose though. Thick Belgian mouthfeel. A bit dry, with some bold flavors. Clove, lemon zest, and a bit of a floral hop taste. Nice.

One of the best saisons I've had, though I have admittedly tried very few.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2012 21:22:25 | More by Danny1217

Scotchboy

Idaho

3.8/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured into a New Belgium Globe.

A: Pours gold, and hazy from yeast remnants...bright white soapy head if a few fingers tall and retains decently...ok lacing as well.

S: Full of Belgian notes, can't mistake that; funk, distant rotten fruit, barnyard, banana, grain, faint white grape and malt sweetness.

T: Follows the nose, funk light musty quality, Belgian yeast, light fruity ester quality with phenolic notes, grains, light spices...clove & pepper.

MF: Light full with fuller carbonation, soft and right in line for the style.

O: Its a decent saison, but it seems run-of-the-mill for something that gets so much love. Still, it is a solid example of the style and easily drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2012 19:40:48 | More by Scotchboy

DeltaGolfSierra

Tennessee

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

Color is golden, with a large billowy white head that lasts and lasts. Scent is primarily fresh cut grass, with some freshy baked bread too. The taste features lemon, biscuit, and earthy grass flavors, along with a bit of tart apple. The alcohol definitely makes its presence known in the taste - it is almost wine-like. Excellent mouthfeel, even though it is light-bodied. Nice complexity, and a fine drinking experience.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2012 01:08:32 | More by DeltaGolfSierra

sweethome

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Golden pour - nice inch head - off-white. Nose of fresh cut hay and yeast.

Carbonic entry, again, hay, grass, yeast and straw. Nice bite to this beer. Flavors are upfront. Fresh. A nice food companion. I tasted this with crackers and sharp cheese - held up quite well.

A very well done saison - a bit pedestrian compared to belgian syle (I was just there), but hits on all charachteristics, fresh flavors and decent depth.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2012 23:51:57 | More by sweethome

aasher

Indiana

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

12oz bottle. This beer pours a very light bodied and bright pear juice gold in color with a highly carbonated and active two finger bright white head. The nose is light and yeasty. It has nice white orchard fruit character, like sweet apple and pear. The flavors follow suit. It has a light, slightly sweet fresh fruitiness to pair with the light and off dry Belgian yeast. It's very well rounded and has great flavor. It drinks light in body with a little too much carbonation for a saison, in my opinion, but it really doesn't detract from the beer at all. This is a light, easy drinking saison and you don't detect any of the 7.7% at all. I can't believe I waited so long to try it.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2012 01:17:26 | More by aasher

PeterM

California

3.9/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Clean pine-wood color with and beautiful rich 1-2 finger white head that coats the glass with heavy lacing

S: Pine-y sharp with esters. Not my favorite kind of smell, though it could be appropriate for this style.

T/M: Hoppy, sharp, citrus-y and pine-y (sensing a theme here). Unexpected body, leaving a nice coating and a slight astringency.

O: though this is not my usual choice of beer, it is surprisingly satisfying. I would drink it again if I was looking for a lighter kind of ale with character. Even now I am still curious about it and would definitely try it again.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2012 03:46:55 | More by PeterM

tut2528

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: golden in appearance, pours about 2-3 fingers worth of pure white foam, huge carbonation, and enormous lacing.

S: similar smell to a hefeweizen. I pick up a lot of lemon citrus, cloves, mild peppery spices, and yeast. Mild hops with a very slight hint of mango, burn of alcohol is present.

T: similar aspects as the nose (lemon zest, peppery spices, cloves, mild hops). In addition, there is a very nice tart funkiness along with mild alcohol presence. As it warms up, I find more orange peel coming through. Nice complexity.

M: medium bodied, leaves a nice tart/funkiness on the teeth that is quite desirable. Hops are also more noticeable after the finish adding another nice component to this brew and the carbonation is spot on for this brew

O: I had tried this one along time ago and wasn’t a huge fan. But now with a more developed palate, I can appreciate this style and this offering by Ommegang. All around this is an excellent offering for this style and the complexity is rather high. It has a high drinkability and has a great finish that works well during a hot summer day.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 20:31:47 | More by tut2528

Hopswagger

Oklahoma

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

P:  Slight haze in a pale golden furiously carbonated body. Topped with a thin airy white head that fades quick to a silky white top. 

S:  Delicate nose of rustic earthy yeast, spices, timid funk, apples, apricots and a subtle sweetness. 

T/M:  Medium body and prickly carbonation deliver a powdery and semi dryness to the palate. Taste follows the nose with robust spices, a dash of tart lemon and a touch of medicinal flavor in the back of the throat. Once warmed a sting of grain alcohol and subtle white grapes grace the palate. 

O:  I really liked the mellowness of this complex masterpiece. The rustic flavors and balanced tart and sweet is very succulent.  A solid saison. 

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2012 16:22:24 | More by Hopswagger

jondeelee

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Hennepin opens with a slightly musty nose bursting with lemon, orange, and banana fruit esters resting atop a thick bed of wheat bread, floury baguette, biscuit, and toast crust. The musty aroma that overlays everything reminds me of the interior of grain silos or hay barns, being clean and natural. This blends with just a touch of sour, where grapefruit rind and lemon peel notes mix with a hint of fermented apple cider. As a whole, the nose is balanced and nuanced, several notes coming together to blend well and nicely represent the Saison style. The nose is just a touch lighter than it could be, lending the beer a slightly watery first impression, marking one of the nose’s few weaknesses.

On the tongue, the beer opens with a huge banana and clove blast, the latter ingredient somewhat surprising because it wasn’t overly present in the nose, and these are almost immediately joined by the grapefruit and lemon rind/fermented apple cider sour note. The sourness is very light, providing a mere shade of countering effect to the beer. Lovely full-grain and baking bread notes, including wheat and rye, form a nice base, adding both yeasty baking goodness and peppery notes. Further fruit notes include berry, apricot, and orange, the beer being nicely sugary. Towards the end of the mouthful, as the sugars die off, the banana/clove and sour notes increase slightly, as do the breads. The aftertaste is largely a continuation of the main mouthful, though with fewer sugars, and lingers on the tongue for a long time. Mouthfeel is medium-light to medium, and carbonation is medium to medium-heavy, causing a burning sensation on the tongue and soft palate.

As a whole, this is a very nice Saison, bearing all of the common flavors in decent quantity and nuance. The beer does seem slightly more watery than the 7.7% ABV would imply, but at the same time, the relatively high ABV is very nicely hidden, creating a strange contrast. Furthermore, the banana/clove and sour notes slightly overly dominate, especially if several sips are taken in quick succession. Still, this is a very nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2012 18:08:34 | More by jondeelee

CanuckRover

Ontario (Canada)

4.2/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I'm a sucker for saisons and whenever I'm confronted with an American beer menu I have to order a Hennepin, no matter what else is on offer.

Pours straw yellow with a bit of cloudiness. Nice lively white head that settles to about a finger within 5 minutes.

Yeast and spice on the nose. Peppery. Almost a hefe-like aroma with complex yeast-hop-malt-spice character.

Belgian yeast is the boss here, making it clear where the influence lies. Clean grain mingles with complex spicing producing a drying beer.

Bit too carbonated for my liking.

In the Saison Dupont vein. I usually go for milder saisons, but I can respect the bolder flavors of Hennepin.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2012 02:17:20 | More by CanuckRover

inlimbo77

Delaware

3.58/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz, don't see a date on the bottle
Beer Scene chalice

A: Pours a cloudy, pale yellow gold color. Full finger of bright white head. Nice carbonation it appears. Some light white lacing will be left.

S: Smells like that traditional Belgian yeast strain. Some citrus notes. Light crisp hops.

T: It's an interesting Saison. It's like a blend of a wit and Saison in my opinion. You get some of that banana, some coriander from the yeast similar to a wit. But the nose has some traditional Saison notes. The carbonation almost makes it creamy and silky.

M: Light leading to medium.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2012 14:01:58 | More by inlimbo77

TheRealBigC

Nevada

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

Pours a dark golden color, chunky white head with excellent retention. Grainy smell, a touch of sweetness as well. Nice delicate spices with a touch of honey. A mild fruity tart profile and dry finish. This is the most popular Saison on BA, and for good reason. It's got a great taste and warmth from the alcohol but remains remarkably drinkable. A Belgian noob will find this accessible without sacrificing flavor.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2012 04:48:58 | More by TheRealBigC

CureTheRadio

1.43/5  rDev -65.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.5

I almost wonder if I had an infected bottle because this is one of the worst beers I've ever encountered. It is worth mentioning that saisons are hands down one of my favorite styles. It was poured out of a 12 oz bottle purchased from a roughly 55 degree cellar room at a local wine store. No dates on bottle. It was poured into a SA perfect pint. [don't judge me!]

A- Not impeccable. Odd for the style but not out of the question. After all saisons are neat because of the variety. Dark and quite clear for the style. Almost a burnt orange kind of color.

S- Malt overpowered most everything else. After tasting I found the smell to be unworthy of analysis. Vanilla and earth were most prevalent next to the malt.

T- Tastes like chewing a dry pack of Brett. B. and a handful of Maris Otter. With no water. In the desert. Again malt is overpowering, and the end leaves one with a sticky flavor somewhere between dirt and the smell of a dairy farm. Esters are very detectable but abrasive and unpleasant. In all fairness, despite the flaws it is somewhat balanced. I found it to be strangely acidic. There did not appear to be any residual sugars. I love funky beers but good god damn... This must have been a bad batch. Bad beers shouldn't make it to the shelf.

M- Thick and velvety for a beer of it's color/gravity/strength but mixing with the taste it just feels gross. It is sticky and slick, lingering on the back of the tongue for some time.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2012 21:01:34 | More by CureTheRadio

Vec2267

Florida

4.2/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - cloudy, straw yellow, abundant white foam, nice lacing

S - quite pungent, very spicy, coriander and ginger

T - coriander, pepper, lemon, ginger, very dry

M - well carbonated, medium in body, crisp and refreshing

O - very complex, very balanced, lots of bright fresh flavors

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2012 00:27:06 | More by Vec2267

Bung

North Carolina

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

12oz. Clear effervescent gold pour, rocky white head.

Aroma, staggering citrus, mustiness, white peppercorn. The faintest biscuit behind.

Taste, not as citrusy, a little more clove and sweeter biscuit or cornbread. Strong yeast and herbal hop notes. Pretty good balance of sweet, bitter, refreshment. Somewhat of a wheaty type flavor, though not the clingy body.

Nice carbonation tickles the tongue. A lighter body, just barely warmth from the alcohol.
Pretty darn good.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2012 03:00:42 | More by Bung

cfrances33

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 750ml bottle into a tulip.

Pour: Clear orange with two and fingers very fluffy, sticky white head. Nice lacing

Smell: Lemon zest, Belgian yeast, biscuit, slight funk.

Taste: Wow. Belgian yeast, biscuit, citrus, pineapple, hay funk are so harmoniously combined in this beer. Biscuit and lemon linger on the palate.

Mouthfeel: Slight carbonation, but really just crisp and dry. So refreshing.

Overall: I think this might be my never-fail, go to beer. I really am never let down, it is both fulfilling and drinkable, and it combines what comes best in so many different styles that it truly is a no brainer if you want a Saison. Do not be deceived by the shelf availability of this beer: it will beat many of the best.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2012 01:33:15 | More by cfrances33

Sirwootalot

Minnesota

4.88/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Poured into a tall pilsner glass. The beer has a thick, chunky, and very foamy head - some bubbles are large enough to be iridescent, and the whole thing has the look of ocean spray frozen in time. The nose is redolent of lemon candy, wheat fields, and a tiny hint of exceptionally tidy barn. Upon tasting this beer, I involuntarily exclaimed "oh my fucking god" - It's utterly sublime. Juicy fresh-squeezed lemonade accompanied by hints of carrot cake, white peppercorns, and maybe even a tiny tinge of nose-searing russian mustard. As the taste develops, the strong alchol notes and the copious phenols kick in, with a taste very much like banana bread or fried plantains. It's like a beer equivalent of a gruner veltliner, in all of the best ways imaginable. Despite the high alcohol, it goes down almost more like juice or 7-up - it is just fiendishly drinkable. It leaves a sticky, starchy and very dry feeling in your mouth after a while, which of course just makes you want more.

Overall, this is one of the best damn things that has ever entered my mouth, beer or otherwise - and hands-down the best Saison i've tried (though Surly cynic comes close). I originally wasn't planning on reviewing this beer, but it was so ridiculously good that I felt utterly compelled to share the experience.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2012 03:08:12 | More by Sirwootalot

WeedKing4

Ontario (Canada)

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

Picked this up in Buffalo. Pours a bright, hazy, golden yellow with lots of white head. Tastes slightly of lemon and grass, with a faint spicey finish and the typical belgian pale ale mouthfeel. Very nice overall and the alcohol is well hidden in this one.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2012 02:54:30 | More by WeedKing4

LadyM

4.58/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I'm new to this style and I just LOVE it! I've recently really become a big lover of Belgians and this one is wonderful in that it's not quite as strong, but has a delicious, full Belgian taste and smell. I find it tangy and crisp, not as sharp as an IPA. Perfect with food, not as filling as hefes, great for a hot summer day.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2012 04:12:02 | More by LadyM

FondueVoodoo

British Columbia (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Clear apple juice colour with some minimal but rapid carbonation bubbles. Frothy 3 fingers of white head that settled to a thin cap.

S: Up front floral and grass notes with sweet hits of lemon peel and coriander. Also some yeasty sweet bread and light malts.

T: Less sweet that the scent with yeasty bread and grassy earthiness. Taste of mild malts and a crisp clean dry finish.

M: Clean, crisp and dry with a upfront sting of carbonation. Maybe a little heavy carbonation, but that's my personal preference.

O: This dry brew is easy to drink, easy to enjoy and easy to pour another. The mix of malts and hops with a dry finish makes this a refreshing treat, uncomplicated and straight froward.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2012 02:16:55 | More by FondueVoodoo