Hennepin (Farmhouse Saison) - Brewery Ommegang

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

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.05/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

had a whole keg of this with the boys this week. pours a hazy bright yellow colow with very excited carbonation and a thick bone white head thats lasts forever. smells farmy, like wild yeasts and wheat malt. really funky nose with some spice as well. flavor is equally interesting and the yeast is the star. it has a bitter lemon rind component and a peppery barnyard finish. excellent saison. mouthfeel is magnificent. its effervescent carbonation and medium unfiltered body make it a pleasure to drink. the abv is a total sneak, and can really do you in if you arent careful. its not noticeable at all. overall another epic brew from ommegang.

Serving type: on-tap

08-24-2012 16:03:38 | More by StonedTrippin

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

CraftBeerTastic

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Ba Review #196
Served On: 07/23/2012
Glassware: Pilsner Glass
Labeled ABV: -
Date/ Code: -

Had this at Finbars (Rehoboth) while visiting Coastal Delaware on summer vacation.

Look: Poured a clear yellow. Head was a thin coating of white foam. Some lacing formed on the glass - nothing to write home about though. Carbonation bubbles were minimal.

Smell: A typical Saison aroma. Peppery coriander, clove, some faint banana and wet grass. Nothing real special was in the nose.

Taste: Again, very typical to the style. The coriander and funky Belgian yeast hit first with hints of sweet banana making up the middle. The finish was a long lasting mango or kiwi that faded into a clean aftertaste.

This was a textbook Saison in my opinion. I've had others that were very similar, but the level of quality is probably what sets this beer apart from the others.

Serving type: on-tap

07-24-2012 01:34:27 | More by CraftBeerTastic

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

psuKinger

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.5

25.4 ounce bomber, corked and caged, poured into my new Ommegang Tulip.

A: Huge bone-white head, well over 2 fingers worth. Perhaps the most visible carbonation I've ever seen. Hazy golden straw color. Reminds me of "beer champagne" in the glass.

S: Yeast, clove, and banana all come through in the nose.

T: Light bready notes with a sour lemon zest on the back end. Perhaps a hint of clove and garlic. A touch of pine bitterness on the back end to help balance things out.

M: Light and lively doesn't do this justice. A yeasty wheat beer that is still light and refreshing enough to truly be enjoyable even on the hottest of summer days.

D/O: Enjoyable from start to finish, and I get why so many suggest that this is a great summer beer. Sometime soon I hope to give it a go on a hot summer day. Until then, this was enjoyable, but it's still not something that I *crave* when the weather isn't hot.

Serving type: on-tap

07-19-2012 02:56:14 | More by psuKinger

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

RedBear84

Florida

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

poured into Sam Adams tasting glass. The beer has a light straw color with slight haze and light wispy head that disappears fast. There is a pronounced yeasty nose with a hint of lemon and much less sourness than some of this style. There is some tartness and a minor hop finish. Another fine Ommegang.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2012 20:37:06 | More by RedBear84

b11

3/5  rDev -28.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This was once one of my favorites, for a number of years. Now it is made in Belgium (as of June 2012) and it is a significantly different beer, not the same at all. I taste the following: hoppier and less sweet (the subtle sweetness of this beer was one of my pleasures), far less yeast taste (again, I loved this) and more filtered for sure, and less malt taste. It's as if the brewers said "let's make Hennepin taste more like Heineken". Very disappointing. I will not be buying this again (until they make it in NY).

If you doubt me please check this out yourself, the new label says "Product of Belgium" right on the front.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2012 23:16:07 | More by b11

Jesse13713

Ohio

3.93/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

An abridged review from notes.

Appearance - A light, bubbly clear yellow with fairly decent lacing. Golden-straw colored.

Smell - A sweet, zesty lemon-pepper smell. A bit of foul diaper-rash smell as well.

Taste - Traditional Belgian properties. Loved the beer from the bottle; the tap is the same. Fresh banana and peppery clove. Citrusy orange and fresh, faint hops.

Mouthfeel and Drinkability - A nice, light beer for summer. Easily drinkable and refreshing. A very nice saison and Ommegang offering.

Serving type: on-tap

06-25-2012 05:27:50 | More by Jesse13713

tlazaroff

Virginia

3.7/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Distinct buttery nose, but not diacetyl. It has a nice herb-like quality as if you were wandering through an herb garden. Somewhat barnyard-ish too. Very nice!

Pours out a dark hay straw color with a crisp white, fluffy head Lacing is spotty, but sufficient. Lots of visible carbonation supporting the head.

The flavor profile I can best use to describe this is dried wheat grass. It has a distinct earthy quality which is backed by herbal goodness. A little bit of black pepper on the finish rounds this beer out nicely.

Highly carbonated, moderate body, and a dry finish. Overall, I really like Hennepin. It's a quality saison and one that I will seek out again.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2012 05:00:01 | More by tlazaroff

estlinska

Arkansas

4.45/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle into a chalice glass. Pours a slightly hazy, golden yellow color. It was pretty dense appearing and had a good solid, rocky head with good lacing left on the glass. The nose is a wonderful, sharp spicy hop smell, with some yeasty/doughy background. There is a touch of fruit there too. The taste is great with lots of floral, spicy hops and fruit esters. I don’t get the banana some other folks talk about, more of sweet fruit. The palate is lots of carbonation which sort of takes over the rest of the body with a very crisp, dry finish. Overall, a very excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2012 23:51:04 | More by estlinska

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Cloudy lemon yellow color with a stalwart white capper. Looks purty in its own glassware. 4.5

Sweet lemon, peppery spice, chalky yeast, light damp funk, and some floral hops. Very classic. 4.5

Powdery yeast with lemon and apple esters, white pepper, medicinal notes, grassy notes, and fruity tang with some sweetness in the finish. Tasty saison. 4.0

Medium body. Light carbonation. A little booze-showy, to be honest. Slick and settling. Light tack. 3.5

I loved this beer far more back in the day. Since then, I've had a wide array of tasty farmhouse ales, but this is a trusty classic. 4.0

Serving type: on-tap

06-16-2012 04:28:34 | More by thecheapies

CloudStrife

New York

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

12oz bottle poured into a tulip.

A: Pours an extremely fizzy cloudy yellowish white with a 3 finger puffy white head. Tons of visible carbonation. Large bubbles form and slowly break up the head, but it sticks around most of the glass and leaves a little lacing.

S: At first I get belgian yeast, an orange and banana base with hints of coriander. Certainly some pale malts and some hops in the background.

T: Has a nice light fruit taste, banana with orange and spice. Solid hop backing gives it a nice finish. Very balanced ale that has wonderful belgian qualities. Alcohol is well hidden.

M: Extremely drinkable, thirst quenching. Crisp and refreshing. Light bodied with a high level of carbonation.

Overall one of my favs from the Ommegang lineup. Would be enjoyed by anyone who likes beer with flavor. One of the more belgiany saisons I have tried.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2012 22:04:47 | More by CloudStrife