Saison Dupont - Brasserie Dupont sprl

RBorsato

Virginia

5/5  rDev +19%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Hazy pale orange with a nice rocky off-white head, very nice carbonation, and sheets of lace. Fruity, yeasty aroma with a trace of alcohol on the nose. Fruity citrusy flavor and lightly bitter with herbal notes and a light tartness. Light-medium bodied and airy but soft with a dry finish and warming alcohol effects. Does not taste as strong in the alcohol department as Hennepin hence my higher rating...

The classic Saison !!!

Label states: "Vieille Provision" & "Belgian Farmhouse Ale" & "Unfiltered" & "Bottle Conditioned"

Per M.J.- G.B.B. book: OG 13-13.5 Plato 1052-1054, All Pilsner malt, East Kent Goldings and Styrians hops.

Note: this beer was #18 in Stuart Kallen's "The 50 Greatest Beers in the World"

(25.4 oz / 750 ml corked & caged bottle)

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2003 16:12:06 | More by RBorsato

Reverand

Pennsylvania

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

Pale yellowish, straw colored beer with a nice flully white head. Really good Belgian lace, as to be expected since it comes from Belgium. Very aromatic with hints of fruit, earthy tones, citrus with a hint of pepper.
Taste wise this was fantastic. A crisp summer ale that definitely quenches your thirst. Dry, crisp wih a certain snap in the taste makes this brew a must have.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2003 08:06:00 | More by Reverand

IrishRedRock

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750ml, corked and caged...cork reads 2002 vintage. Pours out a very light orange color, with an enormous head that will no doubt retain until the end of time. The smell is something I don't really like. It smells a bit citrusy and spicy but has an acrid foul twang in it as well. Maybe thats the pig slop in the farmhouse. ;-)

Tastes very light and refreshing, and has the carbonated mouthfeel of a crisp Belgian ale. Not very high on complexity, but makes up for it in ease of drinkability. Flavors aren't really jumping out at you, and in fact seem to me to be hard to put a finger on anything specific. Grassy, earthy flavors are present, as well as some mild citrus notes. A great drinker, but not one if you're looking for loads of flavor. One of the few "don't think...drink" Belgian ales I have come across. Nonetheless, I like it and could see myself purchasing this again. Would probably make a nice introduction into the world of Belgian beers.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2003 16:33:33 | More by IrishRedRock

ElGuapo

New Jersey

3.73/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A very light straw colored brew with a massive, never-dying white head on top. The glass is covered in sticky sheets of lace as you go through it. Yeasty aroma with citrus hints and fruity sweetness. It also has some pale malts in there.

A very crisp brew for the summer. Citrus notes make it refreshing, and the tingly carbonation is great, but it is at times overpowering. The flavor is not at all that impressive. It has a nice pale grainy character with lots of yeast flavor. The mouthfeel and drinkability are the real winners in this brew.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2003 09:14:52 | More by ElGuapo

SamuraiJack

Oregon

4.38/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

The benchmark for the style. A marvelous summer beer - perfect for an evening with some friends in the backyard, eating sausage and cheese.

First pour shows a cloudy and hazed pale gold-yellow. The head is huge and frothing. Dense and sticky and seemingly out of control in the glass.

The aromas are lovely with strong floral and herbal notes riding on the undercurrent of funky horseblanket yeast and warm french bread. Perhaps a bit unbalanced, which stops it from deserving a higher score.

Initial tastes are herbaceous and citric. I taste fresh cut grass, lemon, some graperfruit notes and a strong hop bite. Very sharp and slightly acid in flavour. Very refreshing and clean, leading to a tart and dry finish with little aftertaste.

This is a beer you could seriously session drink - which might be dangerous (grin). A lovely and refreshing beer and one I will try to have with more regularity.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2003 23:20:24 | More by SamuraiJack

Realale

Missouri

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

Hazy gold. Enormous rocky head slowly settles to a 1" rocky cap, but it erupts again every time a bit of beer is added to the glass.

Nose is citric (lemon/lime) with a bit of brett, a touch of spiciness (coriander/pepper) and a crunchy maltiness.

Mouthfilling on the palate, with a touch of citrus, the spices and a hint of phenolic character. Very good length, and a refreshing finish courtesy of the big, but well-balanced acidity. Outstanding stuff.

Cork cryptically stamped 2.002.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2003 10:44:19 | More by Realale

aracauna

Georgia

3.8/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Very attractive beer. Bright golden streams tiny bubbles champagne-like. Large-bubbled head is pure white and robust. Elegant and best suited for an elegant glass. Bright flavor is citrusy, mildly estery and I occasionly picked up cheesey notes. The light body is prickly with carbonation, but not unpleasantly so.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2003 23:31:38 | More by aracauna

maltydog

Pennsylvania

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

Sampled this Saison in in a green 750 ml corked bottle. According to the cork, it was a 2001 vintage. I was concerned about the ale being light struck because of the green bottle, but the first smell dissipated these fears. The nose was slightly fruity with a background note of earthiness. The appearance was pure sunlight in a glass! A spun gold, effervescent body sat under a dense, rocky, white head that would not have looked out of place with a cherry placed atop of it! The head lasted the whold way to the last sip...talk about excellent head retention. The flavor was every bit as substantial as the head. An intense assault of tart hops backed by a fruitty maltiness that dissipates into a long, tart (almost lemony...if that's a word :) ) finish. I found this flavor to be both refreshing and exhilarating. What an excellent summer ale!

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2003 09:30:31 | More by maltydog

the42ndtourist

Ontario (Canada)

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

750mL corked bottle, best before 10/2007, bottle conditioned.

Skunked. DAMMIT. I was really anticipating this, and you can even detect the goodness through the [strong] spoilt notes.

Pours out golden (like a canadian lager/ale - who can tell the difference with the macros...), with a large white head that doesn't last nearly long enough. I'll attribute this to the light-affected condition of the bottle.

Poured once without yeast, then with. First pouring dominated by skunk, some buttery diacetyls accompany, with a nice hop presence following up. The most obvious hop presence I've noticed in a belgian-style ale to date. Second pour, similar to the first, with some wonderful bready yeast notes. You have to look, but under the skunk this could be a good beer.

Very perky mouthfeel, I had great hopes for this beer. I still do, too. As soon as I get a good bottle, this review will be fixed.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2003 19:11:23 | More by the42ndtourist

GreenCard

Oregon

4.68/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Sampled from a 750 mL GREEN champagne bottle purchased from Papago Brewing Company in Scottsdale, AZ. The cork says 2002.

Appearance: golden/straw colored, irradescent (really picks up the light and glows), dense off-white rocky head, SUPER head retention and resilient lacing, the head lays there like whip-cream for a long, long time

Aroma: a spicy/peppery aroma, potent floral hoppiness, slightly citrusy

Flavor: mellow malty/honey-like sweetness and a smooth smooth hop flavor, reserved bitterness in the flavor-break and finish, spicy esters, finishes semi-dry, bitterness stays on the lips from contacting the foamy head

Mouthfeel: medium-light body, tingly/spritzy carbonation, slight astringency felt on teeth, really wakes up your palette

Drinkability: very refreshing and drinkable, would be a great lawn-mower beer for beer conisseurs with lawns

Additional notes: this is one of my favorite beers and has inspired my current foray into saisons. Even skunked to hell (yeah, damn green bottles), this beer is remarkable and lusciously tasty. If I could find a bottle that had NEVER seen even the dimmest beam of light, I think I would immediately transcend to beer heaven.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2003 19:31:26 | More by GreenCard

BeerBuilder

Minnesota

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

Brilliant, deep golden color with a creamy white head. Has a high level of carbonation. The aroma is spicy, grainy, with hints of clove. The flavor is sweet, fruity, and spicy; it then flows to a dry, hoppy finish. It is a relatively light bodied, easy drinking beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2003 12:04:13 | More by BeerBuilder

beerluvr

New Jersey

4.13/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours with a towering white head which takes quite some time to settle over the super yeast sedimented pale orangey-golden liquid. Nose is loaded with "horse blanket" aromas and fruitiness mingling with a light maltiness and yeastiness. The taste is wonderfully light bodied and hoppy, with lots of fruity overtones coupled with an effervescent carbonation makes this a very refreshing and tasty (and winning)combination. Thge finish is damm near perfect, with the fruity/sweet flavors morphing into a gorgeously hoppy, dry long finish...this is one outstanding Saison, if you see it, try it!

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2003 16:59:51 | More by beerluvr

Dantes

New Jersey

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

Package: 750ml caged and corked bottle, labeled 6.5% ABV, Cork stamped 2002.

Cost: $4.49 at Total Wines

Presentation: tulip glass at 50º

Appearance: A pale cloudy yellow, almost like real lemonade. Medium-beaded carbonation. Monstrous, lively head that seems to have a life of its own! Even the most careful pour yields copious clouds of densely fulminating foam that shows no signs of giving ground below the ½” mark.

Smell: A forceful, barn-yard nose, with strong, herbaceous notes; fresh-cut hay, clover, and wildflowers. These sharp notes are only faintly counterbalanced by yeasty-bread smells and a hint of malt.

Taste: Spicily grassy notes with citrus undertones. One can imagine a mad-brewer sprinkling lemon zest, cumin, ground grains of paradise, and secret herbs into a light, golden brew This is an austere, astringent, faintly acidulous beer, that begs to be accompanied by food, especially rich cheeses, charcuterie, and olives. This has a short, crisp finish.

Mouthfeel: As indicated by the head, this beer doesn’t lack for carbonation; but it is very fine and interesting on the palate, increasing the complexity of the beer. Body is a bit watery and thin however.

Drinkability: I think of this as a “French” beer, as it is almost more like wine than beer. Its relatively low ABV and light-bodied astringency makes this a very refreshing beer, while its complexity helps this stand above the ordinary.

Those of you who consider yourselves hop-heads ought to give this a try. While the hops are not on the order of an American IPA, its overall herbaceousness and austere, astringent style call to mind a variation on that theme. Also, an excellent, authentic example of the style and a good value for an imported, artisanal ale.

Bottom Line: A less-compromising version of Hennepin that would brighten the hottest of Summer days and highlight a fine meal.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2003 18:40:23 | More by Dantes

goz

Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pour is a hazy golden peach color, with a monsterous thick white head. Head dissipates slowly to a good clinging lace, lots of tiny bubbles race to the top to help keep the consistent head and lacing. Aroma is grassy, sour (lemon), and moderately yeasty. Flavor is sweet, then sour, acidic, and a mild bitterness at the end. Body is medium in strength, very dry in the finish, and strongly carbonated.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2003 14:44:48 | More by goz

kbub6f

New York

4.13/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bought locally (Grapevine refrigerated shelves), three days in my fridge, reviewed 42F-50F.

This beer has a HUGE white dense head with thick lacing that completely coats the inside of the glass. The beer is dark yellow with loads of bubbles that cling to the glass. There is a fine swirl of sediment.

The nose is spicy, yeasty, light with some citrus.

The front is malty with some citrus and spice. The middle is a little thin and light and bitters toward the finish, which is quite dry, a little metallic when cold. A pleasant sourness gives the finish a nice personality. Overall, a very good drink.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2003 19:17:28 | More by kbub6f

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.63/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Hazy golden in appearance with a slight orange tint to it. A medium sized frothy white head sits on top and has good staying power. Aroma is musty and cotton candy like. Very sweet. Grapes seem to be present on the nose as well. Flavors of horse blanket, must and hop bitterness are prominent. The sweet character detected on the nose really takes a backseat in the flavor profile. The mouthfeel is airy and effervescent. Not too carbonated as to hinder the drinkability. Body is about medium. Nice little farmhouse ale here.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2003 20:51:38 | More by Bighuge

Gusler

Arizona

3.93/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On the pour, a nubilous golden orange color, the head creamy in texture, off white in color, and gigantic in size, as it dissipates it leaves a sticky thick sheet of lace to conceal the glass. The aroma is that of over ripe apples, musty, hints of yeast, somewhat sour or astringent might be a better term. Lots of dross, and the start malt laden, tart as expected, the top skinny in feel, the finish piercing in its acidic bite, the hops bitter on the palate, dry and long lasting aftertaste. Quite a change of pace from the normal ales I’ve been drinking, and a pleasure to be sure.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2003 14:57:11 | More by Gusler

Naerhu

Japan

4.8/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

750 ml bottle.

Huge white head, lightly opaque orange body. Rapid fine bubbles, My God! are these bubbles going to take over the world??!?!?!?! Slightly opaque blonde body.

Massive hop aroma.

Wonderful rolling hop bitterness on an earthy medium-sized frame. The lacing never ends. Black pepper and so much herbal spice from the hops. They should change the name from Saison, to "these hops will beat you silly". No, not that aggressive, but definately that impressive. I believe there is pineapple and super ripe peach. These fresh fruit flavors would lead those unsuspecting drinkers to think this dry beer is sweet.

Light bodied beer, which the acidity makes all the more refreshing. Amazing that the lightness of the body holds up great hops flavors while still retaining balance.

I could sell my soul for this brew. Okay, maybe not my soul, but definitely your soul.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2003 09:55:28 | More by Naerhu

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

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

Cellared 750 ml bottle. The cork is dated 11-98. It releases a Champagne-like "pop" when the cork is released, and a foamy head starts building in the neck of the bottle. Carefully poured it's a clear gold with just-smaller-than-standard bubbles quickly rising from points across the entire bottom of the glass. A second pour should bring up some haze and tiny dark particulate, giving it a hazy peach colored body. The carbonation supports the billowing, frothy, creamy and pillowy bright-white head; and it holds a continuous 1/2 inch or more of head. Quite an appearance! Initially it leaves solid sheets of lace, but as you progress through the glass they break up into an interesting 'patchwork'. The nose is musty, hay-like, and lightly sweet but lacks the citrus rind and spice of fresh versions. The body is thin and the mouthfeel is lightly creamy - a contrast from the biting carbonation of a fresh bottle! In this case, however, it adds to the drinkability as the spice and hop flavors are diminished as well. It offers a lightly earthy, touch acidic, mildly sweet malt with some soft fruit (peach, apricot) and a cusp of peppery spice. It's quite supple, and yet it retains a fair amount of complexity. Astonishing! It finishes long and dry with a bit of the forementioned supple maltiness, a touch of summer fruit, and some mild peppery spicy notes. It's clear that this beer is extremely well made, considering that it's held up so well after 4 years. In fact, I enjoyed the aged version just as much as a fresh one. It's notably different, but still quite nice. I wouldn't recommend laying it down for more than 2 years, but if you find one in a corner of your cellar a few years later give it a try, you might be surprised!

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2003 18:21:43 | More by NeroFiddled

maxpower

Missouri

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

Hazy, dull, light golden-orange in color, huge frothy clingy white head that clings to the glass, flowery and yeasty aromas. Sour sweetness with flavors of grass and wheat then spicy yeast. Light body and very carbonated, clean, crisp peppery finish.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2003 15:01:23 | More by maxpower

yen157

New Jersey

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

A big fluffy white head sat on top of a hazy beer that looked like dirty apple juice. Very vinous nose, but there was some pale malt as well. Pleasant, funky flavors associated with this style can be found in this brew. There were also more common flavors such as tart green apples and doughy bread. Also, there was a nice, long, soft hop bitterness. Very gaseous beer, but this did not take away from the mouthfeel at all. Normally I would see this as a problem, but in this case it seemed appropriate.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2003 19:45:57 | More by yen157

Murph

Arizona

4.7/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Beautiful deep golden brew with a big fluffy/rocky white head that slowly fades, but never leaves, and rings the glass superbly. Nice musty aroma is the first thing to hit the nose with some very nice spicy hoppiness and spritzy spices in there as well. Nice tame malt lies in the background with some pepper and other spices over riding towards the end of the aroma. Nice light maltiness is the first flavor onto the tongue. This is quickly followed up by some light pepper and clove spiciness mixed in with other spices. There is a definite spicy, herbal hop flavor to this as well as some nice earthy qualities. It is almost like a Gueuze light. All the flavors I love in my favorite Belgian style are toned down just a bit for this one. Slightly sour and acidic qualities are balanced by the herbalness. Excellent medium-light body to this brew with an almost tingly feeling due to fairly high carbonation. Excellent brew and one that I would gladly purchase again.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2002 18:02:01 | More by Murph

cokes

Wisconsin

4.6/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

2002 edition.
Murky golden hued with an explosive (off) white crown with plastic properties and duration. Huge and slow to fade.
Nose gives off more funk than Bootsy Collins. A whole lotta farm (hay, grass, must etc) and slight animal whafts. Lightly citric with subdued lemon-lime aroma, and a slight nod of cannabinoids.
Taste begins with a tempered peach fruitiness. This is less a featured flavor than a sacrificial lamb, as it is crushed under the fruity/spicy onslaught that occurs next. The flavors all materialize at once. I am confused and scared. Quivering, here goes:
Lime sourness is coupled with doughy yeast component. This is as stable as it gets. Lemon and pineapple fruity hues appear along with a hefty amount of juicy sour green apples. Spices enter, guns blazing. Rosemary, thyme, and cracked black pepper. They are all major players.
Ends quite dry with saltine cracker notes. Hops are big. Perhaps saaz and some sort of english variety (likely goldings). Drying. Leave the towel at home. Parched, bitter finish.
More please.
A solid medium bodied within the mouth. Carbonation is high without being obnoxious.
Effortlessly drinkable. Literally one of the most consumable brews I've encountered. Saison fans rejoice.
A great experiment on the limbic system (responsible for emotion and motivation within the brain). When does it shut down? Let me know...and enjoy the trials.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2002 23:43:16 | More by cokes

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

AtrumAnimus

Texas

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

I really enjoyed this one. The taste of a fine ale that doesn't linger to long. Is quenching to the palate and is just delcious. Be careful - this one is gone before you know it. I tried a tasting sip and half the glass mysteriously disappeared. I am going ot have this one again and again. Especially during the hot summer.

Very cloudy in appearance. I have to agree on the similarities to a wheat beer. Definately a hint of lemon. A real treat and a great find.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2002 12:42:12 | More by AtrumAnimus