Saison Dupont - Brasserie Dupont sprl

Morris729

Texas

4.85/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours a hazy golden color with a very thick and creamy white head with very good retention. The head eventually dissipates into a smaller, rocky head that sticks to the sides of the glass while drinking. Very fruity aroma with notes of clove and nutmeg. The body is light to medium with a creamy mouth feel. Fresh fruit comes through up front in the taste with notes of banana and berries mixed with a tangy spiciness. Finish is dry and crisp. Drinkablility is almost infinite. This is one of my favorite Saison style brews.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2002 20:32:51 | More by Morris729

marburg

Michigan

4.85/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

If I were a beer photographer -- a food fluffer or something -- I would photograph this beer for virtually every photo I ever took. It's proud, expansive, clingy white head is THE posterchild for head on a beer. And oh yeah, that hazed gold-orange liquid with fairly vigorous carbonation isn't too bad looking either.

First aromatic impression is made immediately following the loud "pop" of the cork -- bits of almost-lambic funk hit the nostrils before anything else. Followed by a lemony, peppery, wet feel muted by yeast.

Fruity and peppery from the get go. Finishes lightly bitter -- kind of a farmhouse straw sort of bitter -- and with a bit of dryness. Seems a bit different with each sip. Bitterness evolves into an alcoholic intensity.

An excellent brew.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2004 00:52:03 | More by marburg

Jon

Illinois

4.85/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

75cl bottled 2002.

This aged bottle really shouldn't have surprised me, but it did.

Hazed goldenrod with one of the most expansive heads I've seen from a two-year-old bottle. Thick, chunky rings of lace permeate the tumbler glass. Unreal.

Herbal, grassy, yeasty, and funky lambic-like aromas fill the air. Dried apples and trails of earthy hops linger, as well.

Still hoppy after two years in the bottle. The flavor of this beer, to me, is best described as a blend of a superbly aged Cantillon Iris and an aged and softened Orval with a trace of DeRanke XX Bitter. Essentially a blend of the hoppy beers of Belgium with age. Wonderful. Hoppy, earthy, citric. Fruity yet dry on the finish with apple and clove hints.

Wonderfully carbonated; smooth and elegant. Full-bodied, but seemingly light.

To say this saison is refreshing would be an understatement. Fresh Saison Dupont is fantastic... world class. Two-year-old, bottle conditioned Saison Dupont is really something else. While I didn't think this bottle would hold up extremely well, it more than exceeded my expectations.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2004 02:44:42 | More by Jon

GeoffFromSJ

New Jersey

4.85/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Not only of my favorite beers, one of the best beers of the saison style.

This beer is downright fabulous for matching with food. Goes great with spicy, Asian foods, bbq. For more on this, check out Garrett Oliver's tome on matching beer and food.

Poured golden with a wonderfully thick head which wouldn't go down.

Typical Belgian spices with much more flavors going on. Hoppiness in there to give it a refreshing finish.

Can't get enough.

You should try to have a 750mL bottle of this and Hennepin on hands at all times for any BYOB you may go to.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2005 14:46:05 | More by GeoffFromSJ

Cresant

Kentucky

4.85/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured this undated 375 ml green bottle into a Tripel Karmeliet glass. On the cork was printed - 2005.

Crisp white head was four fingers tall. Body was the color of grapefruit juice. Cloudy from yeast. Lacey. Cap of foam lasted throughout the drink.

I got a whiff of Sprite when I uncorked this bottle. Aroma was floral and perfumey (in a good way). Mildly earthy smell presented later.

Straight from the beer refrigerator the taste was tart. Sweetness intertwined with the pleasant tartness. Apple cider. The beer almost doesn't warm because I was drinking it so quickly. Fast because of the interesting and complex flavors and because it was so tasty and quenching. Hops asserted themselves somewhat when it did warm. Grapefruit pith hints in the long tangy finish.

Mouthfeel was zesty, mouthfilling, yet only moderately carbonated.

Very enjoyable beer. Very drinkable and interesting. I am becoming a big fan of saisons.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2006 23:37:28 | More by Cresant

kenito799

New York

4.85/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

750ml bottle poured into pnit glasses to share.

Golden brew carefully poured raises an astonishingly gigantic rocky, chunky head of foam that recedes slowly,. lac everywhere, beautiful. Aromas are fantastic, a lemony-herbal-spicy kaleidoscope of aromas, hit of funk, wonderful. Crisply effervescent and light on the tongue...just a gorgeous, fantastically drinkable, refreshing and crisp yet beguilingly complex brew. Lemons, apples, chamomile, coriander, wheat grass. A lovely interplay of sweetness up front giving way to a dance between tartness and bitterness that Makes the palate sing. One of my all time favorites, I am so happy to finally try this. It won't be my last...

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2008 13:49:36 | More by kenito799

Troy518

New York

4.85/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from a 375ml bottle into a belgian style glass from Ommegang. Yeasty, earthy, sour aroma. Creamy mouthfeel with tons of carbonation. I could hardly get this poured before the bubbles started pouring out of the bottle. Taste is smooth with earthy and spicy flavors with a dry malt backbone. Aftertaste is a bit more bitter than Hennepin in my opinion. Will definitely purchase again.

($4.99, 375ml, Oliver's Bev., Albany, NY)

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2008 02:46:24 | More by Troy518

washburnkid

New York

4.85/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Thanks to a very generous dgb3 for this bottle!

A: Massive frothy white head over a hazy light golden yellow. Sediment is floating all around, and there's wonderful retention as well as patches of fluffy lacing.
S: Grainy, musty, and sour. A nice balance on the nose of earth and fruit (specifically sour apple and pear).
T/M: Spiciness is notable right away. It's very prominent on the palate. Other flavors that come in after are a very mild tartness and some fresh grain. Straw and dirty funk. Bitter herbals wait until the end of the sip for their big entrance, but they sure are prominent! Mouthfeel is light and very very crisp.
D: Shared this beer with my dad and some fruit flies. It was so so tasty and refreshing. I can't wait to get my hands on more!

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2010 03:47:18 | More by washburnkid

gwguest

Kansas

4.85/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a brown 11.2 oz bottle into a Boulevard Tank 7 tulipish glass. No bottle date to be found.

Pours a hazy golden straw body with a tremendous white head. The foam is comprised of tiny bubbles that just refuse to die. As the foam slowly dissipates, it leaves behind the most beautiful rocky shape and sticky lacing on the sides of the glass. It's an agonizing wait to drink this beer, but it's beautiful to look at.

The aroma is just as stunning. It's just kaleidoscope of grassy, lemon, tart, musty and yet somehow fresh aromas that dance in and out. It's difficult to pin one aroma down before the next one is fluttering past.

Finally getting to drink this, it's just as fantastic across the palate as it is the nose. There's a much more discernible hop contribution on the palate than in the nose. A lot of the same flavors from the nose show up in the mouth along with a little black pepper taste. This is fantastic.

Mouthfeel is predictably light and 'scrubby' from all the carbonation. Refreshing and light.

Drinkability wise, I could drink a ton of this. However, there's so much happening that I really think that my palate would fatigue after two. That probably wouldn't stop me from having more.

Overall, this beer blew away my expectations and really makes me want to get a few more saisons under my belt. However, out of the 10 or so that I've tried, this one is by far my favorite. Fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2011 20:04:21 | More by gwguest

cbutova

Massachusetts

4.85/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On-tap at Armsby Abbey.

A- Served from the tap into a signature DuPont slim glass that appears to hold about 12oz. Massive fluffy white head forms and has great retention. Each sip reveals distinct rings of lace.

S- This aroma basically defines classic Saison yeast to me. A great balance of fruity, floral and peppercorn spice notes. Certainly a bit of light malts and bread behind the yeast.

T- Follows the nose but some more complexity adds on here. Yeast lends a plethora of flavors like floral, spicy, raisin, pepper, coriander, herbal, banana and clove. It all blends very well. Like bread, cracker malt and hops balance it out. Hops are spicy, herbal and earthy.

MF- Dried out light body with smooth silky carbonation. Nice clean bitterness in the palate.

A true classic that took me long enough to review. Compare all Saison to this. I would have to say the tap was missing slight skunk the bottles can have.

Serving type: on-tap

08-03-2012 21:57:54 | More by cbutova

Beerenauslese

California

4.88/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours a hazy, lemony gold with an ample head that dissipates to a fine layer, leaving curtains of lacing on the glass.

Smells malty with lemon, spices, and sugar.

Tastes of honey and lemon, very nice balance of tart and sweet. A nice bit of bitter hoppiness in the long dry finish.

Body is light and carbonation is moderate, giving this a creamy mouthfeel.

This is one of the classic saisons of the world, and it is tasting very nice from the present bottle. In the past, I may have had some skunked bottles that have tasted much more bitter. This is light, fruity, and just delicious.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2010 02:11:29 | More by Beerenauslese

vfgccp

New York

4.88/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

750ml. Bottled in 2010, drank in early 2011

A - Pours the color of opaque hay, with a thick, creamy, white head. The head settles into rocky peaks, and holds up with fantastic retention. Great lacing throughout the drink.

S - Lemon, bananas, chewing gum, pine, lemongrass, thyme. Some earthy straw on the backend.

T - Lemon zest, soft malt, and candied ginger up front. Honey-like sweetness. Some pine and orange rind mid profile. A touch of tangy toasted marshmallows in the finish.

M - Outstanding smoothness and balance. Medium body. Well carbonated. Semi-dry finish.

D - Great flavor and a super smooth profile. The carbonation is refreshing, and the body doesn't force you to do too much heavy lifting.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2011 22:34:45 | More by vfgccp

PRpitmaster

Puerto Rico

4.88/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

pours a nice golden honey color, with a great head. smells of honey and spice, also hints of orange peel.
an explotion of fruity, and spicy herbal notes coat your palate, the carbonation refreshes and leaves a nice mouthfeel.
overall a great beer, too bad I don't have regular access to it, I wish I could drink it more often. Definately one that I will search for again and enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2011 16:42:17 | More by PRpitmaster

nortmand

Virginia

4.9/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Now that I've tried a variety of Saisons and can truly interpret what I'm experiencing, it's time for a re-review.

Pours about three quarters of a huge, fluffy marshmallow head. Beer is cloudier as you get to the bottom of the glass, but rich golden hued either way. Leaves incredible checkered lacing.

Rich, spicy yeast dominates the smell.Coriander is the dominate spice.

Lightly spicy flavor. Yeast characters and a bit of alcohol. Leaves a tingling bitterness way in the back of the throat.

This is a very fine beer, and is everything a saison should be. Hugely flavorful, but so indescribably drinkable at the same time.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2005 01:39:09 | More by nortmand

Rudgers73

New York

4.9/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured into my Duvel tulip. The cage comes off and the cork almost flies out. The beer (poured slowly) fills about 1/4 of the glass and a huge billowing head takes up the rest. The carbonation is raging from the bottom laser etching supporting this beast of a rocky, soapy head. This is one magnificent looking beer. The smell really indicated how dry this beer is going to be. Smooth and spicy, there is yeast, citrus, and sweet bubblegum aromas. I have to wait a few minutes- even though it is in a tulip glass- to drink the beer because the head it so retentive and thick.
The flavor is very complex: The initial sip is incredibly dry and bitter, but after it sits on your tongue for a while the sticky-sweet, buttery flavors bleed out. There are flavors of grapes, melon, wheat, and bitter orange mixed within every sip. The aftertaste is like taffy with an overall earthy taste throughout then entire sip. Definite Belgian candi sugar, and lots of it to dry this out so much. Prickly and tingly give an effervescent mouthfeel that makes you want to keep sipping. As the sips continue there is more of a grapey-hoppy flavor. I can taste pure and fresh Goldings hops as it warms up which adds a certain metallic effect that is amplified by the dryness. As the beer goes from bitter, to sweet, back to a metallic bitterness it shows many dimensions. I am still staring at a big chunk of head that remains on the side of the glass for the entire session- crazy...
Overall, this is one unique and amazing beer. I wish it didn't cost so much because I feel that I should have a few before I can really grasp what is going on with the drink at different temps. It changes almost dynamically as temperature increases and the drink progresses.

Awesome beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2007 01:04:41 | More by Rudgers73

drperm

Virginia

4.9/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

This beer to me is akin to my first real crush as a youngster -- simultaneous feelings of giddiness, slightly embarrassed pleasure, poetic inspiration, delusions of heroic greatness, and a sense of being in love with the entire world.

There have been times when I have been brash enough to declare it my "single favorite beer," which, of course, flirts with bullshit, yet also flirts with Truth.

The taste and mouthfeel are completely quenching, and beg for another sip to follow. (and another, and another...) The long, complex, dry finish is perhaps my favorite single element.

Try this alongside a good (homemade or otherwise) crawfish étouffée, or other flavourful Cajun cuisine; also with Thai food (anything with peanut sauce and lime). You won't be disappointed with the pairing.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2008 18:05:25 | More by drperm

wolfinthemirror

Oklahoma

4.9/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Bright golden straw color, cloudy, with an enormous, sizeable white head that wants to stick around until the end of time. Absolutely beautiful in the glass.

Smell is a bit funky and skunky and in a good way, it leaves you guessing about the beer. There are some citrus notes, and really earthy, spicy yeasts nipping at my nose.

The taste really goes far and beyond the misleading smell. This beer is packed with flavor, full of citrusy lemon zest, and bright, tangy, slightly sour hops. An absolutely, amazingly perfect beer. If there were an ideal summer beer, this is surely it.

This ale is really crisp to a T. Very refreshing, more dry than sweet and saturating. really brightens the pallet with a complex array of flavors ready to be introduced to the senses.

Outstanding drinkability, i don't think I could ever have enough of this. Get this if you can you will not regret it, you'll drink it again and again.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2010 08:22:26 | More by wolfinthemirror

OStrungT

California

4.93/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This beer pours a cloudy golden yellow, with a very thick, fluffly white head. The head fades very slowly leaving very thick laces. This beer has a slightly clove like aroma. I detect bananas, and a citrus aroma also. I also smell some lemon. It has a slightly hoppy aroma also. The alcohol is not apparent in the aroma. This beer has a stromg lemon taste to it. It has hints of pepper to it also. I can taste bananas also. The clove flavor is hidden, but if you look for it, you will notice it. This beer finishes dry. I think this beer tastes great. It is crisp and refreshing. It is light bodied and it goes down very smoothly. This beer is carbonated to perfection. It leaves a citrusy aftertaste. I think this beer is very drinkable. I could probably drink about a gallon of this beer by my self. If you ever see this beer, you need to get it. I will definately buy this beer again.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2005 22:10:11 | More by OStrungT

twiggamortis420

Texas

4.93/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours a mildly hazy, light orange color with a huge, billowing white head. Fine-bubbled and long lasting, leaving plenty of sheet lacing on the glass.

Lemony, fruity, yeasty and zesty all describe the nose of this beer well. Grassy hops smell like hallertau to me. The overall aroma is kind of like a freshly opened bag of sour patch kids candy, maybe a few SweeTarts thrown in there as well. Just a bit of the expected farmhouse funkiness. The best saison I have ever smelled.

Refreshingly tart with a light malt presence and grassy hop notes. I could almost use a bit more funk in here, but then it would not be as refreshingly delicious as it is right now. Tastes a bit like chewing on a fresh hibiscus spring flower. Terrific beer, A+ all the way. I have bought more than a few Saison DuPonts over the years, and it seems to be a pretty fragile beer, as some off-flavors can make an appearance in some bottles. Why do they continue to use these green bottles?! But there is nothing quite so good as a perfect bottle of this liquid nectar. Nearly the perfect beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2009 19:21:04 | More by twiggamortis420

markleyc06

4.94/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

My ratings say it all. This is THE quintessential saison by which all other saisons are judged. Under style guidelines for saison....it should simply read "go drink a saison dupont".

A- Beautiful cloudy straw gold color with a massive soapy/frothy head!

S- Truly the pinnacle of this beer. Zesty citrus fruit esters with some grassy malts that blend together with a funky belgian yeasty smell that leaves you with something you just cant put your finger on, but you know you love it!

T- Just like it smells. Zesty citrus with a hearty pilsner malt backbone that blends together just right.

M- Second best part of this beer. Lots of carbonation but also a dry zest in this finish leaving your palate with a lingering "can't put your finger on it" taste that just makes you want to have more.

Overall- This is the most classic saison you can have as far as flavor and smell. Although it is high in alcohol for a "traditional" saison like was made in olden farming days of Belgium. But, nonetheless it is everything a saison was meant to be, which is: Thirst quenching, easy to drink, and extremely tasty. Truly one of the best beers out of belgium.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 19:10:23 | More by markleyc06

Greggy

Minnesota

4.95/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A- A very nice thick head that has enormous staying power. After finishing the entire brew, there was still a 2 finger head in my glass. The body is a nice hazy orange with nice sediment.

S- A get just the lightest skunk note but after that a very nice thick clove, grassiness, and some nice hops. The horse blanket isn't enormous on the nose, but it's there. Coriander and pepper spice also greet the nose. There is a distinct pear and apple note as well. Complex and delicous.

T- For a beer of only 6.5% this gem has a thick mouthfeel that sports notes of earth, hay, pear, light fresh apple, clove, yeastiness and a nice hop bite. The finish is long, dry, and complex.

M- A nice medium carbonation works well scrubbing the palate. The finish is wonderfully dry.

D- This is my answer for: "if you could only drink one beer for the rest of your life." Linked up nicely with the seafood quesodilla I was having at the time.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2008 02:24:15 | More by Greggy

WCBCFrank

Pennsylvania

4.95/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Saison Dupont pours a foggy yellow - lots of super active carbonation! It bubbles up in a goblet releasing tons of banana, citrus, candy sugar aromas, and begging you to taste! Like a top-notch champagne, it bursts with flavor in the front and finishes delicious dry in the back. It is an earthy, complex and utterly delectable beer - highly recommended!

For the novice: A world-class beer to impress your in-laws with. Pay attention to the pour, don't rush this. Use a goblet or a wine glass.

Personally: Anytime Saison DuPont is on a menu, I almost always get it. It is simply one of my favorites.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2009 20:17:21 | More by WCBCFrank

trevorjn06

Washington

4.95/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This beer pours a yellow/golden color and is sparkling clear with a thick white head. As the head recedes it leaves a nice lacing on the glass.

The aromas are Pilsner malt, a mild tartness, apricots, peaches, yeast, mild spiciness and some earthy hops. From the smell you can detect how dry the beer is, it still has sweet fruity aromas but the malt and overall nose is quite dry.

Taste follows the nose quite a bit. It starts with crisp malt and yeast with some spice, this transitions into the fruits, peaches and apricots with some citrus. The finish is long, pleasantly dry and fruity with a touch of tartness.

Mouthfeel is fairly light with moderate to high carbonation.

Overall this is a very complex beer that is refreshing, dry and extremely complex. I have had many bottles of this and since it is bottle conditioned each one is different, though quite good.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2010 17:45:07 | More by trevorjn06

Fcip78

Pennsylvania

4.95/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Saison Dupont is standard of the style and a classic. All beer people should taste this at least once.

It pours a nice light yellow with a perfect white head (laces nicely in a glass). PLenty of big citrusy dry notes in the nose, then you take that first sip - Wow! Super yeasty, crisp and dry flavor and a nice finish. A world-class super-beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2012 02:40:52 | More by Fcip78

horndecker

New Jersey

4.97/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

One of my favorite things about this brew is that there seem to be slight variations from bottle to bottle, all of them good. Of course this could be my imagination and what I had for dinner that night, but still....

Poured from a 750ml corked and caged bottle, a classic label, a huge unruly pillowy off white head gets all rocky and lasts forever. Cloudy golden hue with a spinning flume of carbonation up the center.

The first whiff is funky old socks mixed with that orange poked with a few dozen cloves that makes your closet smell nice. Spice and citrus follows. As does farmyard funk.

The taste is citric, oranges, malt, spice, then a bitterness, herbal and satisfying. Occasionally a little smoky, just a hint.

Lovely stuff.

Drinkable, yes.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2004 05:17:49 | More by horndecker