Domaine DuPage French Style Country Ale - Two Brothers Brewing Company

Dogbrick

Ohio

3.83/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This beer is a dark brownish-amber color with a medium cream-colored head. Decent lacing. The aroma is mildly toasted malt and caramel. Light-bodied and smooth with a kind of low amount of carbonation. The flavor is a little tart but overall a mild blend of malt, bread, hops and caramel. The finish is very smooth, making for a fairly good session beer overall. I would get this again but it's a little simple in places.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2004 19:13:00 | More by Dogbrick

francisweizen

Australia

4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Slightly murky dark amber/brown with a nice off-white head that lasts and lasts. Aromas are different, and very appealing. I smell caramel, nice malts, herbal/floral hops, spices, and a bit of fruit. The taste is very earthy, herbal, malty, and very heavy on the caramel. This is reminiscent of some French Biere De Garde style ales, but to me, this does not have the malt complexities, or spicy hop profile that most French ales of this nature have. The mouthfeel is medium bodied and smooth and the drinkability is good. This is a very good beer from the Two Brothers, but i'm not so sure about this being labelled as a biere de garde.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2004 18:09:30 | More by francisweizen

aracauna

Georgia

3.85/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The body is a deep red amber. This is a gorgeous hue. The head is a weak white. The aroma is candied yams with the caramel malt and yeast fruitiness playing tricks. The flavor suggests sweetness but there isn’t much. This is an interesting little beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2004 05:29:28 | More by aracauna

marc77

California

3.65/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Turbid dark amber hue. Covered by a steadfast, dense, stiff cream white head that leaves sticky lace. Stately notes of ripe peach, mandarin orange and musty yeast upfront in aroma. Coriander adds subtle herbaceous contrast. Well rounded and welcoming aromawise. Incipient in flavor is a combination of sourdough bread and orange zest. Tartness continues in an underripe tangerine and kumquat nature. Green pineapple hints. Sweetness augments as the beer warms, but remains as a subdued, honeyish presence. Highly carbonated initially, with a prickly carbonic bite. Eventually lightly dextrinous in mouthfeel. Trace clove surfaces after a deliberation. Musty, slightly cheesy yeast derived undertone adds token "farmhouse" character. Finishes minerally and slightly chalky, with citrus rind hints fading. A unique, albeit somewhat rough brew that would be an interesting one to cellar for a few months. If I had done this differently, I would've brought it out ice cold, opened the bottle, waited 15-20 min, then poured and enjoyed it. Nevertheless it's a tasty creation.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2004 19:56:44 | More by marc77

CRJMellor

Arkansas

3.78/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours clean very effervescent and light caramel color. No real head present but minor spots of sticky lace on the glass.
Aroma of caramel, orange, grain and a little bit of coriander.
Flavor of caramel and grains with a littel bit of coriander present.
Mouthfeel is sweet to start and moves to a gritty fell with some light spiciness and afinishes with just a touch of light perfumry bitterness.
Drinkability is very high. Nice beer, not sure if it's true to style or not due to limited experience with this style but very tasty and best offering I've had from this brewery.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2004 03:18:09 | More by CRJMellor

GeoffRizzo

Texas

4.3/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Light amber hue, no head, little movement from this bad boy. The nose reports plums, fresh apples, toast, malts, perhaps the list could go on! Razor sharp and aggressive offerings up front, large toasted malts, caramel, some hops also detected in the initial tasting. Becomes rather creamy and inviting; dough-like, fresh bread flavorings, quite enjoyable and for no extra charge has a decent belly-warming-offering! Nutty, buttery, slick, on the edge of full bodied, a fine offering from the "you never know what to expect from Ebel Bro's".

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2004 01:24:24 | More by GeoffRizzo

deejaydan

Michigan

4.22/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had this on cask at the Clark Street Ale House. Wow... very refreshing. Not a ton of hops in here, they let the yeast do the talking for them. This is a very tasty, refreshing beer. My first French Country Ale, and I'll be sure to seek out more of them. Pours a nice orange/yellow color. Good head retention, and moderate lacing. Again, the aroma and the flavor comes from the yeast. This beer definately makes me want to come back for more.

Serving type: cask

04-06-2004 22:04:56 | More by deejaydan

ngandhi

Illinois

2.8/5  rDev -26.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Sorry Brothers, but this is an American pale ale. In fact, this is basically the same beer as the 2Bros contract-brewed pale at Clark St. Ale House in Chicago, IL. A hint of spice and a little bit of floral character that leads wonderfully into a honey finish sets this brew apart from APAs, but puts it no where in the class of good saison. Medium to full-bodied, this is too rounded in the mouth. Quaffable, yes, but not at all quenching.

When I had their "weiss," I said I'd never drink another 2Bros again, but curiousity called -- I'm just glad it didn't kill me.

Relax, relax.
ng

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2004 01:51:42 | More by ngandhi

jeffboo

Minnesota

3.35/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Deep orange with thick white, fluffy head.Flowery aromas (clover) and spicy yeast show on the nose. Sweet medium bodied beer with a candy sugar sweetness but overall bland flavors with a lightly spicy yeasty finish and a touch of malt. Not enough happening, could use a bigger malt jolt to round things out. A nice looking brew but could use some work.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2004 02:39:34 | More by jeffboo

Weissenheimer

New Jersey

2.73/5  rDev -28.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

This is the third Two Brothers beer I brought back from Chicago and, like the others, it would do better if I were to judge it solely by its appearance. It's a hazy dull copper with a medium-sized light fawn head. As I drink, pretty mountains of lacing form on the side of the glass.

Also like the others, this one doesn't have much scent. What's there is sweet and fruity in a slightly syrupy way. Eventually I realize what it reminds me of; it has the creaminess of Gale's Christmas Ale, but without the spiciness.

I take a taste and am somewhat disappointed. The taste is slightly watery, and rather wimpy and thin. A nondescript fruitiness composes most of the taste. The "legs" on the glass look rather thick and oily; that, along with a certain winelike aspect of the taste, makes me suspect that there are some tannins involved.

After examining the overall taste and brooding on the finish, it becomes apparent that this beer's main problem is one of balance. Normally the hops wouldn't show through so much in a French ale. But this one is so thin, one-dimensional, and uninteresting up front that the hops in the finish end up overbalancing the whole affair. Also, certain elements that should be invogorating somehow manage to fall flat. The carbonation doesn't feel very interesting or lively; it's there, but it somehow feels dead. During the finish the woody tannins languish on my tongue in a rather uninspiring way. I won't be bothering with any more of this.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2003 15:54:02 | More by Weissenheimer

zerk

California

3.98/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a deep copper... kind of odd for a saison... with a whispy halo of white. Aroma is a mixture of bread dough, slight caramel notes, and grassy hops. Flavor begins sweet and juicy with caramel and malt notes, followed by a nice balancing bitterness. I would have expected it to be a little more dry, but it seems to work. Leaves a grassy aftertaste that is quite pleasant. Mouthfeel is lively with a light to medium body and medium carbonation. This is a quite enjoyable beer although it's not completely what I thought it would be.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2003 22:41:11 | More by zerk

moulefrite

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Probably my favorite from these guys. Pours a very clean looking pale amber. Not much head, and a modest showing at best in the lace/stick category. Aromatics hint at the style of Belgian Saison/farmhouse ale-plenty of mildly assertive hop in a citric sort of way-nice malt balance as well. Toasty caramel malt followed by a blast of spicy, citrusy hop, and a medium bodied and rather refreshing mouth-feel add up to one sound brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2003 00:29:43 | More by moulefrite

mikes2923

Illinois

3.65/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours with a dark ambery/coppery color, with some strong foam and respectable amount of laceing. Can't tell a lot from the smell.. but the taste is very smooth, with (as everyone else has pointed out) a slight caramel hint in the taste. Not much carbonation, more of a creamy ale. Overall an excellent brew that goes down very smoothly. It's nice to promote a local brewer and when they are this good it's easy to do!

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2003 02:36:29 | More by mikes2923

Winter

Wisconsin

4.33/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a hazy amber with a light khaki colored head, which flattens and eventually disappears. Sweet caramel malt and biscuity aroma. Mouthfeel is medium-bodied with a touch of crispness. Sweet caramel malt on the front. Middle starts to introduce more of a fruitiness to the mix. Almost reminiscent of fermented grape jam. That jammy fruit flavor continues and combines with a toasted biscuit finish. Hops seem light. Very interesting and unexpected revelation of flavors. Great offering from Two Brothers.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2003 18:34:34 | More by Winter

hotstuff

Indiana

3.63/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The head was small, creamy, smooth, ivory with fine sized bubbles that fully dissipated. The body was uncarbonated, yeasty and cloudy with a light amber hue. The nose was malty with a light sweet, lightly bitter, caramel and fruity flavor. The palate was tingly, smooth, dry, and medium bodied.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2003 02:13:59 | More by hotstuff

tavernjef

Minnesota

4.35/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Beautiful light golden coppery orange color, slightly opaque with little yeasties floating around, thin off-whitish cream colored head that fades to a thin ring and minimal spotty lace. Smells like an open field of grains with some nice little malty sweetness, dry, subtle, thin caramel notes behind. Taste is mild, pleasing, and subtle, lightly toasty with lightly dry biscuity tone and buttery sweetness, nice little grab of breadish yeast thats quite favorable on the palette. A mild drying woody hop finishes off this subtle masterpiece with enticing notes of grains and rice. Feel is medium bodied with a favorable little creamy start, adds soft thin grainyness and the finish is lightly crisp with a nice fluffy drying that fades well. A pleasant subtle beer with lots of thin layers and complexity. A good drinker and quite enjoyable, a great session beer. Thanks goes out to jeffboo for the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2003 18:17:48 | More by tavernjef

beerguy101

California

3.65/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Medium orange color. Small head. Aroma is malty, slightly sweet and applish. Medium bodied. Malty with a carmely start. Applish and a little nutty. Touch of hop spiciness. Light and refreshing. Nicely balanced. Very drinkable. Mouthfeel is full and round, Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly bitter.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2003 02:11:12 | More by beerguy101

DrunkMcDermott

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Great stuff from the far western 'burbs. Nice malty aroma behind a head that disappears a little too quickly. Taste of orange and some light spiciness comes through, finishes off dry with a note of red wine. Mesdames, Messieurs, makez zhure to teep your waiters, si'l vouz plait!

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2003 13:29:54 | More by DrunkMcDermott

Kongquistador

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev +10%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I haven't been a huge fan of the other Two Brothers beer I tried, the Northwind Imperial Stout, but this is a far superior beer, and merits consideration, should you find it. With luck they will continue to produce it, although it claims to be a limited run.

Pours a nice reddish hue, just fading to yellow around the edges. Forms a very respectable head on a vigorous pour, which held form well with some large-ish bubbles. Head is slightly yellowish. Smell is not overpowering, mostly a citrus note.

Taste begins with a moderate citrus on the tip of the tounge, and moves onto the middle of the tounge with what others have described as an earthy taste. I'm not sure I want the term earthy, but it is hard to find the right word for the pleasant but very mild sensation as the beer swirls around your mouth. Finish is hoppy, but also in a moderated way, and nicely balances against the other flavors without overpowering. The hops have distinctly grassy note, which conjures the image of a small chateau in the rolling wheat fields.

This is a superbly balanced beer. I didn't like it much when I had my first, but I came back the next day for a review, and found that it has grown on me immensly. The subtle combination of flavors at each stage of the drink makes it worth returning to, as I will, many times with luck.

[Edit 11/03] I've had mixed luck with this beer. Some are quite good, and others seem to have gone off. It varies bottle to bottle, but in the 12 I had, 2 were yeasty and poor.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2003 04:41:35 | More by Kongquistador

AtLagerHeads

Ohio

3.18/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Hazy amber body with a quickly thining tan head. Very little lacing deposited on the glass. The nose is fruity and light. The taste seems coarse and yeasty, a little grassy; not all that pleasant to my palate. Lots of caramel malt sense as the beer warms to room temperature. This beer has a medium body and slightly astringent feel. Strong aftertaste is not particularly pleasant.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2003 15:17:20 | More by AtLagerHeads

AudioGilz

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

It's a darker shade of amber with a small but thick off-white head. I can't get much of an aroma out of it, just some caramel maltiness. But the flavor is much better than the aroma suggests. Notes of sweet caramel malts and toffee come through wonderfully. It's medium bodied and crisp while being rather chewy sweet. Some hops are in the background through the malty finish. This is a brew definitely deserving of a try.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2003 18:16:09 | More by AudioGilz

beerluvr

New Jersey

3.65/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours with a slight off white head, settling over hazy light amber liquid. Sweet malty/yeasty nose. Taste is crisp with lots of biscuity toasty maltiness up front. Clean bitterness from the hops follows. Very fine carbonation with smooth mouthfeel...malt wins out in the end, leading to a pleasantly sweet finish. An authentic take on the style.

Thanks cretemixer!

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2003 21:37:28 | More by beerluvr

cretemixer

Indiana

4.1/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I grabbed this right out of the cellar at 52 degrees and was not dissapointed. Pours the color of raw honey with a fast fading white head. I'm left with a thin collar shortly after pouring. The aroma is of roasted barley with a hint of sweetness and a slightly earthy undertone. The taste has a slight graininess to it with a honey sweetness. Caramel malts and a mild hop bitterness to balance things out. A very smooth drinker with a light to medium body and smooth carbonation. An easy drinker and more importantly, a beer you want to have again & again. This one has found a place in my regular rotation.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2003 19:43:49 | More by cretemixer

jackndan

Illinois

4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Domaine DuPage (Du-pa-je) (Two Brothers Brewery). I really enjoyed this beer. Had a brownish color with a golden tint, absolutely clear in appearance. The head was thick, a little bit off-white, but did not leave a whole lot of lacing. The malty aroma introduces this very tasty beer. Bready malts, coupled with caramel and toffee. To my surprise, this beer had fairly little in the way of aftertaste, as a spritz of hops cleaned up nicely in the end. Buy if you find it, this has got to be one of my favorites from the du Deux Freses (thanks Cokes).

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2003 06:59:16 | More by jackndan

maxpower

Missouri

4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Deep clear amber color, nice fluffy head that clings to the, malty caramel-candy like aroma,sweet malty caramel and toffee flavors, nice bitter finish. Great beer, one of my favorites from this brewery.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2002 07:40:43 | More by maxpower