Avec Les Bons Voeux - Brasserie Dupont sprl

Beerenauslese

California

4.5/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I've had this several times before without reviewing. But I bought 6 bottles in the summertime from my local wineshop for next to nothing and now it's time to reap the investment.

Clear yellow gold body, poured in a flute to a three-quarter inch, dense sudsy head. Moderate head retention, but after a few minutes, dissipates to a ring and cap, with a little sticky lacing.

Nose is light malts, quite aromatic with spices--a little coriander, maybe ginger--and tropical/citrus fruit notes, light brown sugar, noble hops and a little alchohol.

Tastes of tropical fruits and tangerine, an earthy yeast character, balanced by light bready malts, coriander spice, and a little butterskotch/brown sugar. Long bitter hop finish with lots of orange rind and a touch of pepper. With the light malt structure, the alcohol is much more evident than in a usual saison.

This is very nicely carbonated and has a very creamy, moussey mouthfeel.

This is a nice orange-spiced saison, and with a 9.5% ABV, it is a winter warmer and definitely a good beer for the holidays. With the orange acidity, it will cut through the heavy cookies and fruit cakes. But I could drink this beer whenever I want a fruity higher ABV saison. It was a good decision to scoop these in the summertime, my only question is why did I wait till the holidays to crack one open?

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2011 03:06:47 | More by Beerenauslese

doughanson78

Washington

4.55/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle poured into a tulip.

A: Straw yellow with a good amount of haze. Two and a half finger, flufffy off white head that has great retention and lacing.

S: Very nice funkiness. Nice Belgian yeast coming through along with apples, peach, lemon, and a slight coriander spiciness.

T: Exactly like the nose. A slight tartness upfront with the apples. The yeast, spiciness, and other fruits come in the middle along with the start of the funkiness. Finishes with an awesome funkiness and clove like flavor.

M: Light body. High carbonation that is just right. Very crisp and super dry.

O: Awesome Saison. Definitely becoming one of my favorite styles. Give this a try.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2011 21:11:56 | More by doughanson78

scottyg354

Pennsylvania

4.83/5  rDev +15%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Light copper golden. Nice fluffy head. Decent lacing.

S: Bread, Lemons and Spice. Slight alcohol.

T: Oranges and Bread, some funk. Slight warming from alcohol.

M: Smooth and fluffy. Medium carbonation.

O: Good beer. The standard in my opinion for the saison style.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2011 20:54:03 | More by scottyg354

jdavin

Washington

2.5/5  rDev -40.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 1.5

Skunked. From here on I'm going to stop buying beers from Brasserie Dupont, unless they're on tap at a local pub. Dupont bottles their beers in green glass bottles, which are well known to transmit higher levels of light wavelengths that cause light-struck or "skunked" beer (often associated with Heineken, another green bottled beer).

This beer, and most other bottles I've bought from Dupont have been skunked. It doesn't matter if you got it from the best bottle shop in the country, since they're travelling all the way from Belgium through a distributor in NY it's almost inevitable that they'll be exposed to light along the way.

It's a great mystery why Dupont persists in bottling their beer in green bottles. The only reason for a brewery to due that is if they care more about tradition than about quality.

On tap, Dupont's beers are excellent. In bottle, they can still be decent but not worth the $10+ to enjoy a tarnished defective beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2011 05:15:21 | More by jdavin

FortSmithHops

Arkansas

4.47/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Ryan Feero wrote this review with collective input from Aaron Mastropaolo on behalf of Fort Smith Hops for the honorable Arkansas Beer Blog. Cheers!

In 1970, as a special treat for the loyal beer lovers of Tourpes, Belgium, the historic La Brasserie Dupont farm-based brewery crafted a marvelous saison style beer. Prophetically inscribed upon the bottle a French phase, “Avec les bons Vœux de la brasserie Dupont” greets its recipients with warming best wishes for the New Year. This friendly warmth is carried on through the winter brewing months in order to bring beneficiaries into a bright new summer or harvest. Bons Vœux falls delicately into the reemerging saison/farmhouse ale category with an exceptional 94 score from Beeradvocate. As 2011 comes to an end there is no better way to bring in the new year than with a perfectly poured Bons Vœux. A votre santé!

The pour is a cloudy gold and orange blend that yielded a popping 1 and ½ finger head. The fluffy white crown subsided somewhat quickly like the anticipated ball drop at Times square. Surprisingly minimal lacing remained, and the initial effervescent nature of the pour quickly diminishes to medium carbonation.

The nose brought forth an immediate burst of lemon zest and fruity bubblegum followed by a delicate apple pie nuance. At the onset of the pour, the presences of floral and earthy hops were spotted until the head receded. Another whiff brings a beautifully balanced malt medley dancing to an ode to orange! Suddenly a familiar aroma of tantalizing cloves enters the scene to remind you of the spice blended saison style.

Disclaimer: This is truly the first farmhouse ale type beer that either taster has tried; therefore, we are slightly unable to pinpoint the usual “funk” or hay taste that might be associated with this style. Now shut-up and read about how good this stuff tasted.

A hearty mouthful of Bons Vœux overtakes the senses and seeks to confuse with complex subtleties of citrus fruit, balanced malts, low hoppiness, and a peppery finish. The 9.5% alcohol content is a misnomer as you notice how perfectly smooth this beer washes the palate without burning. A lingering apple tart flavor and fruity acidics seem to compliment the clove in masking any unwanted alcohol harshness. The mouthfeel emerges as light to medium bodied with superb drinkability.

Drinking Dupont’s saison style Bons Vœux is guaranteed to bring best wishes to you and all you share it with! Available in a 750ML bottle, there is plenty to pour in a few glasses; however, you will be tempted to keep it all to yourself. Hell, there’s always next year for sharing!

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2011 04:36:21 | More by FortSmithHops

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

4.58/5  rDev +9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2008 vintage, 750ml poured into a tall tulip

A: Pours a brilliantly clear golden color with three fingers of long lasting, fluffy head. Amazing retention and lacing. Perfect.

S: Musty funk mixing with a nice citrus quality to produce a very refreshing, yet complex aroma. Spices eventually come in after the intense funk and citrus to add even more complexity. Nutmeg and peppercorn are most prominent for spices reminding me of a nice Belgian Quad.

T: Spices take center stage here, again reminiscent of a Quad. Nutmeg and peppercorn are upfront, now with some clove i didn't detect in the aroma. A nice citrus aspect comes in after that, finishing with a musty funk.

M: Medium thickness with very high carbonation. Great for the style.

O: Very, very impressive. Such a complex beer with so much going on, but in a fairly easy to drink beer. I could use a touch more of the citrus I originally got in the aroma, but I'm splitting hairs.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2011 04:42:43 | More by coreyfmcdonald

draheim

Washington

4.28/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750mL bottle (L112008 13:43) poured into a Hennepin glass. Pours a slightly hazy golden color w/ a creamy white head & bright, effervescent carbonation. A beautiful beer to behold.

Aroma is wonderful saison spice, lemon, and Belgian yeast. Simple, clean, elegant. Some floral & herbal notes emerge as it warms.

Taste is peppery, citrusy & a little tart/funky. Carbonation provides a smooth, creamy mouthfeel and a crisp, clean finish.

Overall, another world-class saison from Brasserie Dupont.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2011 21:28:15 | More by draheim

Pintofbrown

Iowa

3.98/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The caged and corked bottle is always a little imposing isn't it? I poured this one into a tulip.

Appearance- The head froths to three-fingers. It is very pillowy with nice mounds of bubbles in the white cap. As the head recedes it leaves behind chunky, spidery lace.

The body is a cloudy, bright gold.

Smell- Ah that sweet, funky yeast. How one craves that smell. And this saison is full of it. There is a real citrus quality to the nose, lemon mainly. There is some hay, sweet corn, and apple as well.

Taste- There is some coriander and clove that comes through. More of the funky yeast lasts long into the finish. Citrus is not as big here. It still has that grassy, hay flavor to it.

The finish also has some of that sweet corn taste. It is pretty complex.

Mouth feel- It is medium bodied and rather watery. It is not really lifting the drink off the tongue. Where I think saisons should be a little more crisp like a cider.

Overall- It is a very respectable saison.I would have liked more going on on the palate that wasn't just so straightforward yeast character. More fruits or grain, something. The feel is also a little off. I would certainly have it again.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2011 23:40:44 | More by Pintofbrown

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

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

pours a golden yellow with some haziness. Its well carbonated and has a tall massive foam cap thats quite dense, but leaves littt]le lacing. Aroma is funky laced with pale malts yeast and earth. Taste was similar to a tripel in that it was semi-dry and spicey but also had some saison aspects like corrinder and lemon juice. Thin on the paleete. Not a lack of alcohol i can detect. It's almost ten, thats pretty good. All in all not bad, I would need to drink a few more ( on different occasions) to settle into it.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2011 12:45:19 | More by micromaniac129

Levich

Massachusetts

3.43/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 750ml bottle into a goblet.

Pours a honey amber color with a frothy head that settles to about 1 cm. Slight lacing left on the glass.

Aroma is spicy with faint hints of apricot and peach.

This is a dry Saison with no sourness. It has a spicy alcohol taste with herbal undertones and finishes with a slight hoppiness.

Mouthfeel is smooth and light. It erupts into a foam at first, but as you drink, the foam explosion dissipates.

Overall, a good strong Saison.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2011 00:29:34 | More by Levich

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a tulip.

A: Pours a slightly hazed gold with 3 fingers of creamy, white head that dissipates slowly. Moderate-heavy carbonation and very lively.

N: Beautiful Belgian funk wafts up along with big pear and lemon notes. There's also caramel, light grains, hints of bubblegum and and apricot and perhaps some banana and coriander.

T: Grass, hay, pear and a nice earthy funk upfront. Lemony citrus follows along with golden delicious apple and light grains. Finishes dry with yeast, coriander, some banana and hints of clove.

M: Light-medium bodied, crisp, dry, tingly and a little sticky. Also has a strange kind of chalkiness to it. Surprisingly warming. :)

O: Very funky and very earthy with dominant fruit flavors of pear and golden delicious apple. Good amount of coriander in the finish. Alcohol extremely well hidden. Very welcoming and warming Saison. Certainly makes a great beer for any season.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2011 02:11:12 | More by justintcoons

GJ40

North Carolina

4.45/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Sampled from a 750ml bottle in a chalice.

A – Light golden with a slight haze and a sturdy white head. A gentle but constant rise of fleeing bubbles.

S – Fruitier with some citrus at the start. But later a funk emerges along with some spiciness (black pepper).

T – Slightly funky and fruity and a bit hoppy. Crisp with brief perceptions of sweetness but dry overall. The nearly 9.5% alcohol is well hidden. It comes across more as a richness. Very nice.

M – Very light and airy as a barrage of bubbles releases with every sip.

O – A rich and complex beer. It’s one that keeps you thinking with every sip.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2011 22:07:58 | More by GJ40

Kooz

New York

3.65/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bomber into a standard pint glass. This beer pours to a wheat/straw color with a foamy white head that has some staying power. But the first thing you notice about this beer is the smell--it's wheaty and yeasty with a hint of orange, and is very pleasant. Taste is wheaty and malty--textured with some spices and an aftertaste of spicy orange. The sharp initial sip is balanced by the creamy mouthfeel and the lingering citrus taste. The one criticism is the 9.5 abv is noticeable.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2011 23:21:03 | More by Kooz

rvdoorn

Netherlands

4.22/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Look: the beer pours a hazy peach orange color with a large white head
Smell: Earth, leather, citrus and spices (pepper)
Taste: Fresh grass, leaves, citrus and some sweet malts.
Mouthfeel: Chewy and with high carbonation
Overall: Nice beer, but will never be my favorite

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2011 20:54:49 | More by rvdoorn

Nuke77

Tennessee

4.15/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Light orange/amber pour with a great lacy head. Aromas of melon, cotton candy and candied fruit. Taste follows the expected Dupont profile. Though feeling light in body at 9.5% alcohol this one is a thumper. Very good though for my palate I prefer the regular Saison Dupont.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 20:11:13 | More by Nuke77

spicelab

Australia

3.45/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Opaque light orange with a large fine-bubbled white head. Leaves behind touches of lace and a slightly raised ring. Slow steady bead visible around the edges.

Yeasty and malty. Sticky marmalade, floral spice, grapefruit, honey, rockmelon, honeydew and candy floss. Bit of booze, which unfortunately seems to muddle rather than sharpen the aromas.

Taste follows the nose. The booze makes for robust, although again not distinct, yeast driven flavours. It also contributes a hot finish which has no place in a Saison in my view.

This is the strongest of a string of similar offerings, being - in ascending order of ABV: Saison Dupont, Cervesia and La Biere de Beloeil. While the charisma of the Dupont yeast strain ensures it's a yummy beer, I can't credit a single positive attribute that the higher ABV contributes. Instead, it merely lowers the drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 07:33:59 | More by spicelab

Brent

Kentucky

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

Nice layering of flavors in this beer - traditional yeasty funk in moderation, some breadyness offset with a bit of acidity. Apple notes, a bit green at first, fading to Golden Delicious toward the end. A little pepper finishes up with some bite from the alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2011 15:57:52 | More by Brent

siradmiralnelson

Iowa

4.25/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 750ml corked and caged into Tulip.

A. Pours a massive 4+ finger head. Thick lacing. Great retention. Color is a hazy golden yellow.

S. Big Saison aroma. Yeast, mustiness, citrus, some funk. Sweet malt. Lemony citrus smell. Really nice saison smell.

T. Nice. Really pretty sweet malt base. One of the sweeter Saisons I have had. Lemony citrus, and belgian yeast flavor. Really great flavor. Makes me appreciate why I like this style so much. A little musty saison flavor, but not much. A little sourness on the finish.

M. Medium/light bodied even for 9.5%. Well carbonated. Lingering sweetness on the tongue.

O. Really nice Saison. Sweeter than most. I am partial to the style, but this is a good beer for sure.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2011 22:51:56 | More by siradmiralnelson

joemcgrath27

Alberta (Canada)

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

A - nearly fully hazy golden, two fingers of white head retained very well
S - lemon citrus and yeasty aromas, herbal quality with a light metallic aroma
T - big fruity yeast with strong perfume like flavours, some fresh grains and light leafiness
M - big carbonation, finishes very dry with some ABV bite
T - a big beer all around, champagne like feel and flavours, a very fine example of this style

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2011 05:12:41 | More by joemcgrath27

StJamesGate

New York

4.43/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Hazy sunshine with creamy white froth. Big wildflower nose with lemon peel and a bit of beeswax - fresh and gorgeous.
Pale crusty breads malts, a hit of Belgian candy sugar, yellow plum and a hint of orangeade, then grass and a touch of anise from the hops.
Lemon sorbet finish and peppery linger. Light, fizzy, crisp and soft, with no burn somehow.

Lots of herbals! Deep, but without much in the way of yeasty funk or wax. A superior saison.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2011 16:08:48 | More by StJamesGate

Buggies

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A rather explosive opening these saisons tend to be. Have your glass ready...

Pours a hazy golden yellow color. Big booming fluffy white head. Aromas of citrus, mostly orange maybe. Nice background aromas of floral hops too. A hint of yeast, though muted.

Tastes good. I get a lot of flavors from the yeast. Mostly spice and a little fruit. Nice citrus notes as well. Finishes dry with a little bitter bite to it. Alcohol is warming, but not too much.

Overall, nice tasting beer. I was expecting a little more in the way of flavor. Or perhaps this beer could be a little better with a sour funk.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2011 19:40:53 | More by Buggies

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

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

This beer poured out as a slightly hazy looking yellowish color with a fluffy white head on top. The smell of some light barbyard aromas are in there along with some funk and floral breadiness. The taste of the beer is yeasty and has a light amount of lemon to it. The mouthfeel is well carbonated and bubbles up a lot in your mouth. Overall this beer is quite good. Definetly worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2011 02:56:29 | More by Knapp85

OnThenIn

Ohio

4.28/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: The cork actually flew off when I opened the beer, which I was not at all expecting. When poured, the beer had a gigantic fluffy, white head on top of a hazy, darker straw yellow with orange hues body.

S: Funky and citrusy with a bit of hay. Very interesting and just overall delightful.

T: Earthy and spicy with a nice touch of sweetness that is nicely balanced with bitterness or maybe even slightly outweighed by the bitterness. The alcohol is present on the finish and there is a slight lemon funk as well. I can dig it.

M: It is light to medium bodied with great carbonation. Absolutely wonderful.

O: If I told you this beer was anything less than fantastic, I would be lying. Absolutely buys this beer. In fact, buy multiple bottles or even cases. Just great.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2011 01:10:32 | More by OnThenIn

DoktorZee

Alberta (Canada)

4.22/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bomber into a schooner. Didn't note the best before date as this was in a group tasting.

A - pours a golden, cloudy brew that appears highly carbonated. Very fluffy head that dissipates quickly with little to no lacing.

S - lovely citrus (lemon), yeast and floral notes on the nose.

T - nice bitter attack with an underpinning of spiciness and pepper. Resolves into a delicious floral character that goes on and on.

M - very light with sharp carbonation. A real thirst quencher.

D - very drinkable, but also a bit boozy. If you're up for the power, it won't let you down.

This is an excellent Saison and an exceptional summer beer. Quite delicious on all dimensions.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2011 18:28:43 | More by DoktorZee

dasenebler

Maine

4.58/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

375mL, corked n' caged, purchased in Belgium. Best before January 2016.

Pours a glowing, cloudy orange with a nice, billowing head. Doesn't retain quite like I'd expect, though the lacing is nice.

The aroma is pungent and funky, with a sturdy hop presence.

Bitter, with a dry, slightly Bretty bite to it. Hop flavor is there too, in the form of mellow citrus and leafy bitterness. Really rindy and earthy. Hay and grain flavors come through a bit. Alcohol is present too, but about right for a 9.5% ABV brew. Mouthfeel is huge, fluffy and creamy. Great beer.

It is my humble opinion that this is one of the best Saisons available. If you see this beer, buy it. Lots of it.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2011 16:43:19 | More by dasenebler