Saison Dupont - Brasserie Dupont sprl

Bouleboubier

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Even observed through its green bottle, it appears cloudy - once poured, a golden, cloudy liquid, highly carbonated as witnessed from the overly-voluminous fizzy, poppy, and spongy white head that thrusts up in the glass; foamy, rocky - looks like a cloudy champagne altogether, however, with excellent head retention and lacing

a floral, fruited, and distinctly "Belgian" bouquet - almost apple, grassy/herbal - sweet and champagne-like - stink of yeast and vaguely hoppy - slowly a medicinal, rubbing alcohol scent cuts through, however, not off-putting - fairly "straight-forward" aroma, if that makes sense

initially slightly tart and fruity as heck on the palate - alcohol delicately surges after - vaguely honey-ish malt develops midway, dragging with it a mildly grainy flavor - the excellent spicy (phenolic) and floral nuances from the interplay of the yeast and alcohol are the central focus - only slightly off-balanced toward the warm alcohol

it drinks light and effervescent, but not necessarily thin nor viscous in any way - pretty darn sharp and dry in the finish - tartness and carb spikes the tongue and causes a couple vicious belches - but this is insanely drinkable, though perhaps lacking a little body for my taste

I can see where this is considered a benchmark of the style - The bold spiciness and strong floral character throughout certainly sets it apart (as a style in and of itself) within the realm of Belgian ales - at the very least, Saison Dupont seems to stand as a base example from which variations and embellishments and experiments (could) spring forth

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2012 00:01:29 | More by Bouleboubier

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

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

Bottle dates L121118 poured in to Duvel tulip.

A - Cloudy golden yellow with 3 generous fingers of white head that slowly reduced to a finger. Good lacing.

S - Clove and Belgian yeast up front with some spice and bready malts rounding out the nose.

T - Mix of spice, cloves and Belgian yeast up front with a touch of bready malt sweetness and some floral notes rounding out the palate. A long, dry finish. Well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2012 16:09:33 | More by TheSevenDuffs

Lemke10

Wisconsin

4.4/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a hazy golden amber color with a thick pillow head that is very reminiscent of the Stella Artois commercials. Scent is grassy with citrus hints and an overall earthy smell. Taste is refreshing, full of flavor, and delicious that ends with a dry/crisp finish. A fantastically made farmhouse ale.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2012 17:35:54 | More by Lemke10

Hoppsbabo

United Kingdom (England)

3.68/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Peach colour. Bit of a foamy white head.

S: Belgian spice, no banana.

T: Typical Belgian pale ale flavour. Banana and spice are assumed rather than presented. Not very complex. Fizzy and sharp.

O: Not a bad beer at all but I can't imagine ever buying it again.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2012 07:19:37 | More by Hoppsbabo

KTCamm

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a champagne bottle into a Sam perfect pint glass.

Pours cloudy pale yellow, dirty blond-ish. Fizzy white foam. Heavy foam settles slow. Funky yeasty smell. Earthy. Taste is clean citrussy, very very dry. Light finish. Fades into a mild hop close. Light and easy. Excellent.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2012 19:23:51 | More by KTCamm

Vec2267

Florida

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

A - cloudy pale yellow, prodigious stick foam, beautiful stuff

S - musty (wet hay) at the pop of the cork (and quite a pop), coriander dominates as the beer settles

T - coriander, grain, ginger, fruity but quite dry

M - light and crisp

O - the musty funk adds a delicate twang to this beer, very complex, well integrated, nothing dominates

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2012 02:50:54 | More by Vec2267

kjyost

Manitoba (Canada)

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

Undated bottle acquired at Princeton Liquors in Maple Grove, MN. Poured ~4C into a wine glass. Warmed through sampling.

Pours a hazy yellow, that is slightly deeper than expected with a huge white head that leaves some solid lacing. Nose is lighter than expected with pepper and wheat being predominant. Taste is in the same vein, though a buttery slickness comes through too which negatively affects the mouthfeel. Strong & prickly carbonation, and a dryish finish. For a beer I have heard so much about, and in the midst of saison tasting, this beer just didn't do it for me. Nice, though not great, and I dare say I preferred 3 Monts over this.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2012 19:02:16 | More by kjyost

fields336

North Carolina

4.18/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

cork says 2011 so i'm going with that. SN Tulip
A: cork was popped, loud pop, the pour is effervescent and reminicent of champagne. HUGE 4 finger head on it. cloudy golden looking beer, with awesome carbonation from the bottle conditioning.lacing is great, head recedes slowly,

S: Sweet honey, pear or white grape skin, barnyard funkiness, wheat malt, earthy, floral, lemon zest, herbs, slight skunk (Green bottle) slight tartness

T: phenols from the yeast, clove, honey and herbs with a floral hop presence, slight skunk (Barely noticeable) and bready malt backbone. slight tartness on the finish,

M: Medium bodied from the wheat malt but a bone dry finish makes this one an easy drinker. Delicious

O: Highly recommended. this is on the top of my short list for summer beers and its easy availability makes it even better. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2012 00:48:11 | More by fields336

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

4.18/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

BB Oct 2014.

Cloudy golden yellow with a very large, full-looking white head. Good retention.

Smell is dry, spices and lemon, slightly funky horse blanket. Wheat.

Taste is like the nose. Tart lemon, yeast, spices (white pepper, clove), wheat, a bit of funk. Other light fruits: a bit of green apple. Dry. Good.

Medium bodied, high carbonation. A bit irritating.

Overall, a very good saison and a true classic.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2012 00:51:07 | More by jrenihan

foles

Australia

4/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beer presents awesomely in the 750ml corked bottle. Lovely pale colour with spritey carbonation. Nice flakes of yeast floating around. Nose is divine, doesnt get much better than this. Pure freshness. On the tongue I get dryness, apple skins, lemon zest, prickly champagne-like carbonbation on the tongue. Not hugely complex, but doesnt need to be.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2012 11:44:40 | More by foles

donkeyrunner

Massachusetts

4.3/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pale straw colored pour its dark yellow to marigold in my glass. Illustrious, large head gives a foamy bath to every surface it can cling to.

Smells like a hayloft. A hayloft, sunburnt skin and minty hop.

Tastes like wet hay and mint hops. Nice dry finish. Chewy and refreshing.

One of those archetypical beers that one can't consider the style without including this beer. Up there with Fantome.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2012 10:19:19 | More by donkeyrunner

BigPlay1824

New York

3.88/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Enjoyed in a tulip glass

A: pours a very bright golden color that is very hazy and has ample carbonation bubbles, pours with tons of head that is very large bubbled and pure white, lingers beautifully before dissipating and leaving a great amount of lacing
S: a very nice lemon zest note, bright, light peppery notes, grassy
T: very nice light and bright taste, not as peppery as many other saisons i have seen, highly drinkable, slight lemon note, definitely grassy, finishes slightly bitter
M: gentle carbonation, smooth, think but with a distinct character to it almost like i can taste the yeast in suspension, slightly dry on the finish
O: a really delicious and incredibly drinkable saison, extremely refreshing and beautifully balanced

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2012 01:36:33 | More by BigPlay1824

sethmeister

New Hampshire

3.65/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Hazy gold with a billowing white head. Patches of fluffy cotton candy lace.

Scent is funky horse blanket and hay with green apple, pear, cloves and white pepper.

Taste not quite as interesting as the scent. Very dry. Spicy - cloves and white pepper. Mild fruit notes, primarily underripe pear. Lemon. Very slight hint of bubblegum.

Clean, refreshing, impressively dry and easy to drink.

A classic but not my favorite saison.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 22:05:29 | More by sethmeister

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

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

A-hazy golden color with a fluffy white head and good lacing

S-yeast, Lemon zest, slight sweetness

T-yeasty bread, Lemon, hints of sweetness, nice funk

F-light to medium body with moderate carbonation, nice crisp mouth feel

O-a crisp and refreshing Saison with good flavor and balance

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 01:25:52 | More by MDDMD

Tilley4

Tennessee

4.75/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I can't believe I've waited this long to try this beer...

Beautiful pour with a frothy persistent white head that never leaves the glass... Lots of evident carbonation present... One beautiful beer...

Very vibrant earthy smell present... slightly citrusy in nature with an earthy funkiness in the background... Amazing aromas... Lots of yeastiness present as well... Just smells like a great hot weather ale...

Uber refreshing flavors of barnyard funk, lemon zest, a little hay, some yeast, a touch of booze... It hits the spot on a 100 degree day here in West TN... I only have one bottle which is probably a good thing... This is so delicious and refreshing I could get carried away with this... It's the perfect saison... Probably the best example I've ever had...

I loved this beer all the way around... A classic and one I won't pass up again...

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2012 22:25:09 | More by Tilley4

bubseymour

Maryland

4.35/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Huge head with light yellow body and lots of carbonation

s - smells like a heff. with lots of floral and bannana scents and straw

t - Excellent Belgian yeast flavors with moderate crisp dry finish and complexity throught the taste. Some sweetness but not too sweet like some other Belgian ales.

M - a tad watery but still very nice

O - A really nice refreshing beer. Good session beer as well. Very enjoyable and will seek out again.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 22:42:28 | More by bubseymour

Mora2000

Texas

1.78/5  rDev -57.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

The beer pours a hazy yellow color with a white head. The aroma has a good amount of skunkyness in it, with some wheat and grain notes mixed in. The flavor is unfortunately the same. This is yet another skunked Saison Dupont. This is the third separate bottle I have purchased in an attempt to rate this beer fairly, but after wasting $25+ on skunked beers, I have come to the conclusion that if the brewer is dumb enough to put a beer in a green bottle, they deserve a horrible rating if the beer is skunked. Other than the skunked notes, there is a little citrus and spice. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. Overall, a gross, yet I can’t say unexpected, beer. Shame on me for buying bottles three times.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2012 04:34:20 | More by Mora2000

BostonHops

Massachusetts

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

375 corked and caged bottle served in a snifter.

pours a slightly cloudy golden-yellow tone yielding a massive (3" at least) creamy white head. excellent retention and lacing in abundance. great looking saison. relatively fragrant nose opens with a waft of skunk, but as others have noted, this seems to dissipate quickly, paving the way for notes of citrus, apple, belgian yeast and some floral/grassy characters in the background.

more of the same in the taste. green apples, citrus, the yeast and floral presence. a touch of spice/pepper. nothing transcendent, but a very nice flavor profile nonetheless. crisp, medium-light mouthfeel with lively carbonation.

overall, a flavorful, crisp, and refreshing beer. not world class terrority but for me a great, easy-going summer brew.

(originally reviewed: 05-10-2011)

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2012 01:49:54 | More by BostonHops

mtlasley

Illinois

4.23/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A gorgeous pale golden color pours to the glass with a slight haze to it. Wheat colored in the glass with noticeable carbonation and a massive four finger head that lasts for days. A pleasant cloudiness to the head.

Up front on the aroma, strong Belgian yeast notes. Cloves, bananas and somewhat of a band aid scent. It's deeper than that though with notes of spice and an almost tropical fruit lingering in the background

Very Belgian tasting. Cloves, bananas and a slight fruit coming in. Almost like passionfruit but very faint. A slight tartness here with a green apple flavor but not in a negative way. Very tasty. Slight band-aid taste. No bitterness to speak of. It goes down extremely smooth.

Extremely effervescent. My first clue was the cork popping like a champagne bottle, my second, the massive head that never quits. It's so light and refreshing.

A wonderfully priced, super refreshing saison with a classic background. Really a great example of the style and something that's going into my regular rotation being a saison lover.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2012 03:46:43 | More by mtlasley

EkimGram

New York

4.08/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance: 330mL bottle poured into a Duvel tulip. Colour is a hazy yellow-orange with a thin wispy head. No visible carbonation.

Smell: A nice and mellow, musty yeast aromas is the most prominent backed by some malts that are sweet, and a certain, fruity tartness.

Taste: Very clean and crisp flavours of spice, yeast, malt, and bitter alcohol in that order. Aftertaste lingers as a bitter yeast. Finishes dry.

Overall: I was a little underwhelmed with the flavours of this brew but they weren't bad by any means. This beer is incredibly balanced and the whole thing develops as it gets closer to room temperature.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2012 04:20:31 | More by EkimGram

PorterLambic

Florida

4/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pours a cloudy wheat color with some orange running throughout. 1/2" white head with decent retention drops to a clumpy thickish film and ring.
Smell is tart with malt, citrus, spice and banana notes. Very well balanced and good complexity.
Taste is expectedly tart and crisp. Malt, spice (clove and pepper), citrus and banana notes with light hops mostly after the swallow.
Medium bodied with a big, sharp effervescence and some drying. A goodly amount of stickiness develops on both the tongue and upper palate. A good amount of warming from the 6.5 ABV. A very good beer for sure.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2012 23:32:35 | More by PorterLambic

BeerDocT

Georgia

3.33/5  rDev -20.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a chilled Duvel tulip glass.

-Appearance 3.5: Poured out a cloudy, straw yellow. Nice, inch-tall head that slowly shrank to a half-inch. Lots of carbonation bubbles present all over the beer.

-Smell 1.5: After I pulled out the cork, I was immediately hit with that baddest sign of all bad beer signs...skunky smell. I thought this might be the problem when I saw that Saison was in a green bottle, but I bought it anyway. Luckily, after the pour the skunkiness dissipated...for the most part. I could still slightly pick it out. Still, the yummy Belgian bouquets that were present were good, it was just hard to move beyond an unwelcome appearance by Pepe le Pew.

-Taste 4.0: Front is a nice visit from that famous, spicy, Belgian yeast. Middle is a very pleasant, smooth and subdued barley hit. Finish is all carbonation, a slight sweetness of the lightest caramel you can imagine, and a refreshing -almost undefinable-- citrus taste. Aftertaste is a subtle, slight sweetness.

-Mouthfeel 3.5: Above average. This brew is highly carbonated, but it really adds to the experience rather than detracts from it. Refreshing and thirst-quenching.

-Overall 3.5: Good, but certainly not "world class." I have to admit that the skunkiness factors into this, and why not? Should I give the beer makers at Brasserie Dupont a break on their idiotic decision to internationally distribute a very expensive beer in a giant green bottle? I don't think so. Good beer, probably would be better without the green bottle and unless I can find one that is not in a green bottle, I will not be buying it again.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2012 04:06:03 | More by BeerDocT

JerzDevl2000

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Picked up a bottle of this in Totowa since I had never tried this before. I loved the cork and wire mesh top and even though this took a long time to down, this was completely worth it. This beer had a gorgeous cloudy golden hue and the textbook Saison taste that I expected from this, to go with the sediment on the bottom of the bottle.

This had a great pour to it that went beyond what I anticipated. The hue was golden and perfectly cloudy with one of the strongest and long-lasting heads that I've ever seen on a beer - hands down. Once I let it settle a bit and took a sip, there was a lot to process here. Banana, clove, grass, and straw all quietly vied for my attention. Underneath all of this was a lingering sourness that faded into a very funky and earthy aftertaste. Between that and the body, this took quite a while to drink.

The alcohol was a bit strong in this but almost undetectable underneath everything else that was going on. While this style of beer isn't quite for the novice, anyone who is a fan of this style ought to seek out and enjoy this as soon as possible. It's a textbook example of the style and worth the sight and sensory experience.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2012 20:01:51 | More by JerzDevl2000

Wreckoncile

California

4.73/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 750ml bottle into tulip

A - Pours a hazy gold color with a fluffy 2 finger foam the takes some time to dissipate and leaves a little lacing around the glass. A touch of sediment found near the bottom of the glass upon pouring. Bright and beautiful appearance.

S - A strong lemongrass note right up front with a tart note of belgian funk to round out the nose. The pale malt smell lingers underneath that earthy funk throughout.

T - The lemon and grassy flavors dominate, but also a note of banana and even some white grape. The first sip was almost champagne like in its grape note, but the lemon and earthy/grassy flavor covers it quickly. A slightly tart finish with some trademark funkiness.

M - Dry, and yet crisp and refreshing. That champagne quality detected in the taste was even more apparent in the mouthfeel given the bubbly and dry aspect of this beer.

O - This is generally considered among the signature widely available saisons and for good reason. My only gripe with it is that its dryness prevents it from being that ideal thirst-quenching choice, which is what a "farmhouse" ale always strikes me as needing. But it's a trivial ding as overall this is a finely made saison.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2012 03:52:09 | More by Wreckoncile

MattSweatshirt

Texas

4.38/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thumbs up for the brown 11.2 oz bottle!

Golden yellow body with a huge bright white head. The bubbles are just going nuts on this thing and since I poured it into the Duvel tulip that is aiding it even more.

Lots of lemon, grass, and mustiness going on.

More lemon along with some more fruity flavor. It's got a bready malt character towards the middle. A light funk going on, but not as much as in the aroma so it super easy to down. Spicy and chalky feeling yeast.

Crisp and refreshing. Light body with a heavy dose of bubbles. Finishes dry.

This is a bad mutha...and it's even more awesome not having to deal with green bottles.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2012 04:24:46 | More by MattSweatshirt