Saison De Dottignies - Brouwerij De Ranke

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

2.55/5  rDev -35.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

On tap at Moeder Lambic in Brussels. From notes.

A - Poured a golden colour with a one finger fluffy eggshell head. No visible carbonation. Bright. Great lacing with thick rings. OK retention with a film on top.

S - Nice spice, some hop, and a little funk. Good light sweet spice.

T - Really yeasty, lemony and harsh. Yeast is too powerful. Hoppy in a few elements. Kinda tasted like bodywash and soap.

M - Mild carbonation, light body and a bitter and unpleasant tasting yeast finish leading into dryness.

O/D - Not for me. Everything but the taste was good. Sadly I want something that tastes good. Maybe the keg was off? This specific style of saison may be an acquired taste. My friend liked this beer alot but I couldn't do it. Harsh yeast and not enough funk/hop mix makes for a saison I can't do.

Serving type: on-tap

05-20-2011 22:08:53 | More by tbeckett

DoubleJ

California

2.58/5  rDev -34.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

On-tap at Beachwood BBQ, on to the beer:

It's a pale gold colored beer, topped off by a large head which drops and leaves a thin, creamy lace on top. The nose....it's fine. I would describe it as rustic and spicy, most resemblant of pepper. A little wave of pear sweetens the aroma.

Not so good news as I taste it. What's this plastic that I'm tasting? Quite spicy as well, like white pepper, with almost nothing to balance it out. Only towards the end did I pick up a little sweetness in the form of pear, but it ends up being too little too late.

That was not a fun voyage. Next...

Serving type: on-tap

04-25-2011 03:25:33 | More by DoubleJ

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3/5  rDev -24.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Hazy yellow, decent sized frothy wide head to it. Aroma was mildly perfumish, what's the deal with these saisons?

Hay, mild aged hops, almost like a hefe yeast going on here. Metallic. Lemon and soap. Bitter.

Don't really get the hubub about this beer. Simplistic and pedestrian, but not bad.

The highlarious memory of this beer will always be myself waiting forever for the old lady volunteer at SDIBF to get around to pouring beer, so I helped myself, she shrieks "nooo! you can't pour beer yourself," with a look on her face like I just raped her granddaughter. Laughingly, I coyly smile "or what?" "Or you'll be thrown out," she says as she pours me my beer. "Thanks I said, I knew you'd get around to pouring my beer right away if I took the initiative."

Seriously. Next time you're waiting for service at a store, event etc. . . just start doing it yourself. You'll be helped out right quick.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2011 16:17:30 | More by Beerandraiderfan

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

3.19/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

33cl bottle into a snifter

A: Pours a hazy golden color with a finger of dense white head. Decent retention, average lacing.

S: Very light aroma. Starts out with apricots and a touch of musty funk.

T: Musty with a bit of peppercorn. Light to moderate bitterness to balance. Very, very mild.

M: Medium thickness with moderate carbonation.

O: There's nothing wrong with this beer, but it's pretty bland.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2013 01:56:17 | More by coreyfmcdonald

humulus

Sweden

3.3/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: pours a cloudy, apricot yellow with a high, creamy foam.

S: grassy, citrus, melon and some acid. An unpleasant odeur of urine.

T: malt and fruit sweetness. Yeast, a saaz-type bitterness and green apples with an acidic punch.

M: high carbonation, small bubbles.

O: refreshing, but a little tame. Smell brings down the overall impression.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2013 19:19:52 | More by humulus

Mebuzzard

Colorado

3.33/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had been waiting pop this one for about 8 months. It's nice outside, it's Spring-time. It goes pop...

Very nice looking beer. The only non-5 is the retention and lacing. Otherwise a brilliant gold, semi hazed, nice rocky white foamy head.

Faint aroma of apples, lemon zest, white pepper and sweet biscuits.

Flavors are good, but just very soft. Nothing pops out and takes control or even says "hi, how ya doing". Lemon and orange zest slumber, white pepper goes away, no coriander or herbal spice. While there's nothing bad in it, it's just a ho-hum profile. Slight bite with the hops, but...

very dry, too. Like air-dry rather than biting dry. It evaporates.

A good salad beer, easy drinking

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2012 18:00:28 | More by Mebuzzard

crnipeter

Slovenia

3.4/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours golden body with excellent clarity, topped by long lasting ivory head that clings to walls, creating sheets of lace. The head gets dimply as it slowly retreats. Aroma is light malty sweetness, refined sugar, apple-like fruitiness and esters of orange & lemon, resinous hops and peppery spiciness; the later being derived from actual spices used and/or phenols. The flavor is peppery spicy with relatively high resinous bitterness provided by hops, while fruitiness and sourness are virtually absent. Dry finish with lingering, woody-bitter aftertaste. Effervescent. (750 ml bottle with freshness date May 2015, into tulip.)

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2011 16:43:14 | More by crnipeter

mrfrancis

Kentucky

3.4/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a hazy gold with a compact white head that laces fairly deep into the glass. Carbonation seems fairly sluggish compared to many Belgian saisons.

S: Aromas of hay, lemon, grass, and tea are balanced by a hint of minerality. Neither as funky nor as yeasty as I was expecting. I'm not sure this really smells all that much like a saison.

T: Notes of lemon, wet hay, grass, minerals, pineapple, white pepper, herbs, honey, and tea dominate the palate. There is a slight hint of yeasty funk on the backtaste. The finish is bitter and grassy with herbal, citrusy hop notes balanced by flavors of pepper and tea.

M: Light bodied and dry with crisp carbonation. Unfortunately, the beer loses its fizz around mid-palate and finishes on a slightly watery, flabby note. This seems to happen with many younger saison brands (I had the same issue with Saison de St. Feuillien).

O: This is a solid saison, but is not really all that representative of the style. I'm not sure why it is rated so highly on here. Overall, I can say that this is a pretty good ale, but there are far better examples of the style out there. Also, this is probably the weakest beer in De Ranke's outstanding lineup. Don't avoid this one, but make a point of trying Saison Dupont, La Moneuse, Saison de Pipaix, Fantome, and Saison D'Epeautre first.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2011 13:32:40 | More by mrfrancis

megahurts4

Louisiana

3.45/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

De Ranke Saison De Dottignies

On tap at The Avenue Pub, New Orleans, LA

Appearance: Yellow-orange, small head, and a little lacing.

Smell: Yeast, slight coriander, and spice.

Taste: Yeast, hops, and coriander.

Mouthfeel: light and smooth.

Overall:
Its a decent saison. It is well crafted. The hops make it an atypical and somewhat interesting.

Serving type: on-tap

11-14-2010 06:52:25 | More by megahurts4

impending

California

3.45/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

33cl into a tulip. Pours a rich hazy orange honey with decent head, minor lacing.

Aroma is saison splendor, classic. A nice blend of citrus and floral notes. The barnyard is in the far distance.

Taste does not match the aroma. Low sweetness, mild grassy hops plus additional hops for the finish. The hop presence is significant for a saison. Finishes dry and bitter with a touch of bile. Mouthfeel is thin.

You will rate this in accordance with how you like hops in your belgian. This brew is currently not listed on their website as being in production.
cheers
jd

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2010 07:02:46 | More by impending

goatgoat

California

3.48/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a tulip. A clear sunflower gold. Thick mounding white head. Decent retention and a nice lace. Aroma is hints of spice with an undertone of bread, a little grain and a lemon brightness. Taste is a light sweetness that quickly dries into a crisp, grainy and bitter finish. Nicely dry but with an odd astringency in the finish.
A decent saison. But I do enjoy a little farmhouse must in there somewhere.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2011 05:52:27 | More by goatgoat

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Picked this bottle up at West Lakeview in Chicago. Served in a snifter.

Pours a yellow-golden color with a pretty decently-sized white head and a bit of lacing as it goes down. Thin collar on top of the beer. The nose brings forward some light funk and a bit of grainy sweetness. The flavor is mostly grainy with some mild funky notes in the background. Pretty good, but not nearly enough complexity at this point. The body is light to medium and has a slightly bitter finish that is quite dry. Drinks well enough, though I think this one might get better with some further development.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2011 13:53:38 | More by Thorpe429

Cozzatoad

Italy

3.5/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

330ml bottle

A- Pours a hazy but still quite bright dense orange. One finger white head quickly recedes to a thin lacing. Decent lacing though

S- Refreshing herbal/grassy feel. Maybe a hint of spiciness. That's pretty much it, and it's also quite weak

T- Luckily, more than the smell suggested. Sweet entrypoint with maybe some light notes of caramel and honey. A refreshing herbal/grassy feel in both tongue and aftertaste, with a bit of bitterness to it, is nicely backed up by citric notes of lemon and orange. Light fizzy spiciness on the tongue. Grassy bittering notes remind of XX Bitter, though in a much lighter way

M- Light to medium body. Pretty high, but overall still pleasantly fizzy carbonation, expecially on the tongue. A bit too watery on the palate

O- This is an highly drinkable, easy beer, which also feels very refreshing with such high temperatures. A 4 overall can't be denied, but this is a pretty average saison

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2012 17:04:45 | More by Cozzatoad

drabmuh

Maryland

3.53/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks Thorpe.

Beer is yellow / straw, hazy, soft white head of small bubbles that leaves some lacing, carbonation appropriately leveled, nice looking.

Beer is a little funky, a little sweet, pilsen comes through, not as much from the "saison" yeast as I was expecting, not as estery as expected.

Beer is grainy and sweet with some late dryness bringing forward some funkiness. As far as saisons go, this is a little boring, sorry De Ranke. I expected from them a leathery, funky, tary saison with a complex mixture of flavors, what I got was a watered down saison. I'm being too harsh right now, the beer was medium to light in body and finished nicely. I'd have it again but I definitely wouldn't seek it out.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2011 05:13:38 | More by drabmuh

DCon

Missouri

3.6/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bought a 11.2 FL. OZ. bottle of this from Randall's Wine & Spirits in St. Louis, MO for $6.49. Poured from the Dark green bottle w/ a yellow castle within the circle into a Wine Glass. Does not have a bottled date or best by date...

Aroma- Very sweet and yeast filled in the nose. Only a bit of citrus in the aroma but has a slight sourness that makes up for it. Decent but very light and not easy to pick things out from this one.

Appearance- Pours a 1 finger head that lasts. Has a cloudy, dark orange body with tons of lace lasting on the glass.

Flavor- Good lemon and sweet tastes. Not much sourness in this taste and the acidity is low as well. Has very light hops involved and almost no bitterness.

Mouthfeel- Light-Medium Bodied, High Carbonation, and leaves tons of wheat and citrus on the palate.

Overall Impression- Interesting... From the label and the "talked up" BA rating it has, I was not one who appreciated this one as much. I would definitely promote this one but won't be having this for a while. Not worth the price either! See if you can find it for less.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2011 00:59:35 | More by DCon

UCLABrewN84

California

3.68/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pours a warm hazy honey color with a very small 1/2 inch white head that fades to nothing. Smells of grass/flowers, herbal hops, yeast. Taste is of herbal hops and yeast at the beginning with a biscuity malt finish. Bitterness is present at the start of each sip but fades after each swallow. Good carbonation makes for a very crisp and clean mouthfeel. A bit of herbal/hop coating in the mouth. A bit too herbal for my liking.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2011 02:19:07 | More by UCLABrewN84

gatornation

Minnesota

3.68/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

from 750ml wrapped bottle stamped BB 06.2016 its a little over 1 year old

A- pours a hazy golden yellow color with a 2 finger white head that recedes to a fresh cap just a touch of lazy

S- spicy, floral, musty and earthy

T-lemon bread with apples and earthy musty tastes with pepper and a slight hop bite

M- tart an fruity with a slight hop bitterness,nicely carbonated with a slight yeast funk

O- classic saison well done refreshing with nice layers of flavors as it warms

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2012 00:51:16 | More by gatornation

Jwale73

Rhode Island

3.7/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

11.2oz. bottle served in my Allagash chalice. Pours a lovely translucent orange-gold with a loose, bubbly two inch bright white head. Head eventually settles into a fairly consistent skim with some delicate swaths of lacing revealed during the tasting. Nose expresses a light, herbal quality; perhaps a trace of rosemary and sage in the mix. Just the faintest yeast character - no funk at all. Taste consistent with nose - there's a light earthiness and a slightly skunky quality, as well as a hint of citrus. Finish culminates in a lightly lingering bitterness. Mouthfeel is light and aggressively lively with a semi-dry finish. There's also a bit of astringency in the mix, most likely due to citrus expressed in the flavor profile. Fairly flavorful at 5.5% abv, but perhaps a bit too clean for my liking. Also, at $5.99 a bottle, I prefer to buy a bottle of Hennepin.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2011 18:58:52 | More by Jwale73

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into tulip.

Pours a nice layer big layer of white head. Color is a clear vibrant gold. Nice lace.

Aroma: dry with earthy notes. Pears and spice. Spices. Bready malts. Herbal. Some lemon citrus.

Taste: apple skin and pears. Bready malts and spices. Belgian yeast favors. A little alcohol shows. Apple sauce. Earthy and herbal flavors.

Mouthfeel: crisp and clean. Very dry. Lighter bodied with a good amount of carbonation. Ends a little dry.

Overall, a nice saison that drinks easily. Very traditional. I could drink a fair amount of this.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 04:36:39 | More by mothman

ehammond1

California

3.8/5  rDev -4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle

Port Bottle Shop
Carlsbad, CA

Unfiltered golden orange with a tall and thick white head that stays around for a long time. Plenty of lacing down the glass.

Grassy and earthy aroma. Simple and pleasant.

The aroma is better than the flavor. It seems a bit like a wheat saison and not as sweet or fruity, or funky, as I tend to like them. A simple farmhouse ale. Better than average.

Medium mouthfeel. Easy to drink.

A terrific, easy drinking, light table beer. Would go great with food.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2011 02:10:44 | More by ehammond1

bum732

Maryland

3.83/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

S: Musty, yeasty, slightly floral, grassy, touch of fruit.

L: Cloudy orangish yellow, nice fluffy head, decent retention, great lacing.

T: Grassy, earthy malt, slightly grainy. Some mineralness and herbal bitterness leading to a fairly dry finish. Touch of fruit in the bitterness.

M: Very smooth medium body. Med-high carbonation.

A solid saison, i really enjoyed the flavors, i just wish the flavors were a little more bold, felt like everything was too subtle.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2010 04:48:46 | More by bum732

willjschmidt

California

3.85/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750ml bottle into a Sierra Nevada hop tulip glass.

A: Pours a golden color with a lot yeasty cloudiness and a huge 4 inch head.

S: Yeast, a hint of light spice, some light fruit.

T: A pretty good saison. Very grassy, herbal, with a hint of lemon. Green apples present as well. Some light spices in the form of white pepper. No sourness, very little tartness.

M: Very highly carbonated, too much actually. It affects the drinkability until come of it dissipates. You also have to wait several minutes for the 5 inch head to recede.

O: An above average saison but the over-the-top level of carbonation hinders this one a bit.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2011 02:55:29 | More by willjschmidt

illidurit

California

3.9/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

33 cl bottle poured into a Saison DuPont glass. Unclear bronze color with a firm eggshell head. Nice classic saison nose: slightly acidic, grassy, floral. Just a tad faint. Well-balanced flavor with a mildly sweet maltiness and plenty of drying grassiness. Very slight lemony note provides some quenching acidity. Bone dry finish with a great bitterness, highly refreshing. Mouthfeel is a little heavy midpalate but it dries back out pretty quick. Carbonation is on the bubbly side of average. An overlooked gem as far as I'm concerned.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2011 06:05:49 | More by illidurit

brentk56

North Carolina

3.95/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Arrives with a clear goldenrod color and a one finger head that still curtains the chalice

Smell: Bready, with hints of grassy and herbacious elements

Taste: Cracker malt up front with a grassy, herbacious character that develops by mid-palate: funky, herbal character after the swallow, with the saaz hop flav0rs lingering in the finish

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with effervescent carbonation

Drinkability: While I am not crazy about the combination of the grassy Saaz hops in a Belgian Saison, this is an interesting beer that is worth a try

Serving type: on-tap

08-30-2010 22:43:40 | More by brentk56

errantnight

California

3.98/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A pleasing, almost table saison that trends heavily towards a Belgian Golden minus a few ticks of ABV.

This pours a strong, rich, golden hue with a fluffy couple fingers of head with moderate lacing but great retention.

The nose is pleasingly aromatic, zesty floral and herbal notes, peppery with a touch of citrus. On the palate this is decidedly medium to medium-full in body, with a crisp, sparkling finish that gives a medicinal, slightly harsh bitterness. Before reaching that point, there's a refreshing, earthy, cracker and wheat mid-palate sweetness, highlighting the more floral and herbal notes. Almost a hint of lavender.

The high carbonation and aggressive hopping leaves this a bit bitter, and as it goes on it shows off a bit more alcohol than the 5.5% would seem to indicate. Despite the floral and herbal notes, the perfume-y esters and the cracker laden malt flavor really make this seem like a more full-bodied Duvel than a Saison, to my tastes.

It's good, and I'd happily drink it on pretty much any occasion, but it doesn't stand out, particularly for the cost.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2010 22:50:47 | More by errantnight