Saison De Dottignies - Brouwerij De Ranke

JohnGalt1

Idaho

4.1/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Small bottle picked up last week at the COOP.... Poured into my Delirium goblet. 1" rocky head sticks around for quite a while with pretty drapes of lacing as the liquid drops... the brew is hazed lite orange.

Plenty of pale maltiness with a bit of apple ester and some punch grassy hoppiness... smells pretty nice, much more hoppy and fresh aroma than the typical saison we get here in Boise.

Flavor has a descent bitter bite up front... quickly melts into grassy/herbal hops... even hints of nasturtiums.. sorta grainy throughout, but it helps tie things together nicely... body/carbonation is the expected for the style.

I will certainly buy this one again.... refreshing on a late evening.

4/4/4/4/4.5

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2010 04:18:06 | More by JohnGalt1

codewarrior

New York

4.35/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

330mL singleton poured into a snifter.

De Ranke never ceases to impress, and this beer had been recommended to me by 3 separate beer geeks before I finally picked it up at Colorado Liquor Mart. (I have since seen this in large format 750mL bombers at Joy liquors on 6th in Denver)

L: Golden hay colored. Cloudy, entirely unfiltered for sure. Soapy whit head, 2-fingers.

S: Crisp and bitter ultimately. Lots of funk and wheat up front. Complex, yet not over-thought.

T: Starts sweet and wheat-y, and then launches into an old-sock funky bitterness. Notes of berries in the finish, lingers just long enough, with just a touch of bitterness.

F: Refreshingly crisp. Great light feel. Nearly perfect for a saison.

D: Amazingly drinkable, great beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2010 23:18:15 | More by codewarrior

glid02

Georgia

4.2/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at the Brick Store.

Pours a hazy golden color with a 1.5-finger white head. The head dissipates into a thin cap on top leaving solid lacing.

Smells of crisp pilsner malts with good amounts of ripe pears and milder amounts of lightly tart green apples. Also present are good amounts of leafy and herbal hop aromas with hints of grassiness and funk.

Tastes similar to how it smells, though note quite as complex. Light pilsner malt flavors kick things off and are joined quickly by soft medium fruit flavors. Midway through the sip the fruit flavors fade out a bit with the addition of solid leafy hop and slight grassy flavors that carry through to a crisp and mildly bitter ending.

Mouthfeel is good. It's got a nice thickness with moderate carbonation.

Drinkability is very good. I finished my glass quickly and could easily have a few more.

Overall I was impressed with this beer - a crisp and complex saison. Well worth a shot.

Serving type: on-tap

11-20-2010 20:20:02 | More by glid02

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

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

MasterSki

Illinois

4.35/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Picked this up at West Lakeview Liquors after hearing some good buzz. I generally like most De Ranke offerings anyway. Served in my Kuhnhenn tulip.

A - Pours with three fingers of creamy white foam that very slowly dissipates leaving a thick cap and some fingers of lace. The body is a hazed apricot color with a bit column of bubbles rising from the middle of the glass.

S - Big zesty hop character, with grass, herbs, citrus, and a touch of soap. The malt backbone is is heavy in grain and peppery yeast - is there wheat in this?

T - The taste is also heavy with European hops - herbal bitterness, light pepper, some fresh-cut grass, and a touch of lemon. Malt character is very light, with notes of dough and sugar-free wafers. Finish is mostly floral and grassy, with light residual bitterness.

M - Body is medium-light, with some refreshing carbonation spritz to it. Texture is has some grit and grain to it, but it's not off-putting. Finish is lightly sticky, but with some hoppy enamel coating resinous character as well.

D - Other than the price there's nothing to prevent mass consumption of this brew. Among the best "regular" Farmhouse ales I've had (i.e. no funk, barrels, fruit, or high ABV).

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2010 02:46:14 | More by MasterSki

dogfishandi

New York

4.33/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

11.2oz bottle pulled from fridge poured into a bulb glass. no freshness date.

pours a deep, almost amber gold with a big rocky, forthy white head. lots of haziness and bits of sediment. some great retention and lots of nice sticky lace.

the aroma is full of a very sharp acidic lemon grass funk, bubblegum belgian yeast, and some light pilsner/ grainy malts in the background and maybe even a little bit of hops.

great taste! so many complex flavors. a good deal of malty body, acidic lemon citrus burst, bits of earthy funk throughout, bubblegummy belgian yeast. has quite a citrus peppery hoppy bitter finish. top notch.

medium bodied, high amount of bitey carbonation, that settles out as the beer warms. kind of sneaks up on your palate.

this is definatly one of the more drinkable saisons out there. just the right amount of funk to session all night (if you can afford it) and quite a bit of hops, as well as malts which i like! definatly worth a try if you can get it.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2010 23:53:13 | More by dogfishandi

lacqueredmouse

Australia

4.47/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Cap is extremely well sealed on the bottle. Seemed to take an awful lot of effort to prise it off. Pours a light and hazy straw yellow colour, with a huge and boisterous head of fluffy white. Lacing is complex and confusing. Refined fine bubbling of carbonation through the body. Looks lively; a great look for a saison.

Smell is exquisite. Lots of white wine cork, crushed lemon myrtle, slight vegetative funk and a crisp acidity. A little deeper, there's a rough meatiness to it as well, adding a round Belgian yeast note to the already pungent characters. What a ripe and raucous Saison aroma.

Taste is clear and biting, with a crisp savoury note through the centre that blossoms into a lingering and freshly smooth bitterness on the back. Minimal acidity, but there's lots of organics - big crushed vegetation characters, a woody earthiness lending a slight almond flavour midway through and a crispness on the palate which excites the taste buds. It's a fabulous saison.

An exceptional drop of beer, and a fantastic example of the style. The complexity and the subtlety work beautifully in tandem to make this exciting and drinkable in equal proportions. Ah, no one beats the Belgians at a good saison. And this isn't just good - it's magnificent.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2010 01:30:43 | More by lacqueredmouse

spicelab

Australia

4.13/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours an attractive bronze-orange colour with a huge rocky white head. Very gneiss.

Nose is dominated by peach, marmalade on toast, definite lambic funkiness and sour apples.

Taste is a complex interplay of sour fruit, grassy spice, white pepper and bitter notes, all of which jostle for prominence with each sip. Great stuff.

Medium mouthfeel, definite dryness.

Drinkability is tops. So much going on, yet so refreshing and approachable.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2010 10:36:50 | More by spicelab

TurdFurgison

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at he Dirty Truth in Northampton. I was hoping for a hoppy saison based on previous reviews but this came through more hops-subtle for me, still very good though.

The beer was clear, pale golden colored, with a thin head. It smelled very aproachable and somewhat neutral, maybe a little grassy hops to complement the pale malts. Not so much of the yeastiness that I sometimes like in saisons but still a very good aroma.

It tastes light and refreshing (apologies for the beer commercial, but it's true in this case). It was clean malts and only mildly spicy hops, a slight lingering bitterness, very drinkable. The carbonation was light but adequate, this was fantastic if understated.

Serving type: on-tap

10-14-2010 11:51:37 | More by TurdFurgison

ritzkiss

Ontario (Canada)

4.33/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

33cl bottle as an extra from EskimoDave - cheer man!

Pours a darker than normal golden, creamy white head which leaves light sticky lacing down the glass.

I feel this one is a little heftier in the malt category, bready with a hint of mineral. Some really lovely musty funk dominates the nose and weaves its way through the body, quite well hopped for a saison, grassy with a pleasant bite in the finish. Lemon, a light tropical fruitiness, sweet malty body with loads of complexity. Mouthfeel is chewy, a touch over carbonated for my liking but solid.

This was really fantastic, though I thought the carbonation brought down the drinkability a bit. Still, this is world class. Thanks Dave!

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2010 19:29:52 | More by ritzkiss

bobsy

Ontario (Canada)

4.28/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Hazy gold pour with a big creamy white head that laced exceptionally well and had good retention. Bready, slightly herbal nose, with some lemon and pepper mixed in. Intriguing...

Good flavour has the breadiness as a backbone, overlaid with lemon pepper, minerals and earth with the slightest kiss of honey. Some saaz-like bite in the finish. Wonderful soft mouthfeel has the kind of pillowy carbonation that I love, and works perfectly for this beer.

An awesome saison as you would expect from De Ranke. Cheers Eric!

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2010 01:12:49 | More by bobsy

liammaloney

Rhode Island

4.08/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A thick color of liquid gold & a fluffy head you could rest your noggin on. Poured with some sediment for a glowing opacity. Light fruit & alcohol on the nose, some light green, mossy notes. Big, expansive carbonation, some banana & bitter orange zest. An off-dry medium bitter finish with a hefty mouthfeel and a light heat that comes in late.

Overall - short, dry, & to the point, like an unseasonably warm early spring day.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2010 03:48:58 | More by liammaloney

timtim

District of Columbia

4.47/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Very nice. This one is up there with the best of them. Farmhouse without tons of the funk and sour. Just a light, slightly spicy, very hoppÝ (more so on tap, but wonderful in the bottle as well) proper saison. The hop character and the purity of the water, ingredients and brewing process really make this one a stand-out. Almost creamy mouthfeel with just the slightest prickle of pepper. Delicious and hard not to schwill at 5.5%. So glad to see this in the US. So glad to see this style getting the recognition it deserves.

Serving type: on-tap

09-11-2010 13:29:07 | More by timtim

augustgarage

California

4.35/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 330mL bottle into my Troubadour tulip.

Orange peel to amber gradient, cloudy, with sunglow highlights. A smooth magnolia layer of micro-cream blankets the liquid like a fine layer of snow. Sticky pasty lacing - good retention.

Cotton candy, sourdough starter, tangerine, and faint soapy wildflowers in the nose.

Surprisingly dry, earthy, and hoppy on the palate. Grassy/earthy flavors are supported by a lightly tart citrus note. Moderately bitter, crisp, mineral-laden, winter-fruit-like finish with a kiss of peppercorn. Excellent.

Well carbonated - somewhat spritzy in fact - medium-light bodied yet with the impression of being mores substantial than it is.

One of the more hop-forward Belgian examples you'll find, without abandoning tradition like many domestic versions do. Tasty, and a good value.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2010 21:06:12 | More by augustgarage

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

DefenCorps

Oregon

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I got to try this on tap and loved it, and so when I found bottles at State Line the other day, I made sure I grabbed one.

Pouring a hazy orange with a dense, off-white head that falls off to a disk leaving a moderate amount of lace, this is a good looking beer. The nose is dominated by Saaz hops, though not as much as the version I had on tap was, with grass, earth and lemon. The mildly diminished hop character (and the fact that I have the yeast in my glass), makes this a rather significantly different beer, this is rounder and softer, with some honey, a little bread and a delicate spiciness.

The palate opens hoppy with the grassy and lemony hop character being most noticeable, along with the dry, cracker-like malt and an excellent bouquet of delicate herbal and spice character. Almost thyme-like with some pepper, this is excellent stuff. Just a touch juicy in the mid-palate, this beer is quite excellent. The finish is excellent, long-lasting and delicate with the hops and the spices in great balance. A little yeasty as well, I really like this. Light in body, this is soft and rounded, with a crisp carbonation. Excellent stuff, I'd gladly drink more and prefer this out of the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2010 03:40:33 | More by DefenCorps

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

Halcyondays

California

4.38/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Beachwood BBQ,

A: Pours a cloudy goldenrod with a foamy white head out of the tap. Some lace.

S: Dry grainy notes, definite hop character, yeasty.

T: Possibly the hoppiest saison I've ever had, De Ranke certainly likes their hops. Lots of raw grass/hay type flavours, some floral aspect mixed with a tasty pils type malt component. Yeasty and rustic which I liked and added another element.

M: Super dry, medium-bodied, very smooth.

D: A similar hop profile to De Ranke XX Bitter which I wasn't the hugest fan of, but everything is integrated a lot better here. Nice ale.

Serving type: on-tap

08-14-2010 22:30:21 | More by Halcyondays

bruachan

Rhode Island

4.1/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

pours a slightly peachy gold with a luxuriant froth. excellent lacing

sweet and fruity aromas with perfumy hops. nectarine sweetness and peach fuzz. touch of white pepper and wet hay hops

very sweet tasting for a saison, and with strong bitterness. not nearly as refined of flavor as the bouquet. grassy and zesty hops contribute quite a bit to the flavor profile and even bully the more delicate yeasty contributions. a shadow of allspice and coriander. there is no brett in here, contra a prior beeradvocate

mouthfeel is a little chewy for a saison--enough that i wonder if a saison strain did the fermenting. to be honest, between the high hop rate and notable sweetness, in a blind test i would have IDed this as a tripel or belgian pale. it's eminently tasty, but lacking in some of the features i seek in a saison (but you'll notice, i haven't docked the brew too much for this "transgression")

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2010 01:47:56 | More by bruachan

philipquarles

Louisiana

5/5  rDev +26.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I've pretty much given up on reviewing beers, but this one inspired me.

Pours a perfect, slightly cloudy yellow with a billowing white head. It leaves something that's more akin to webbing than "lacing"...must be loaded with hops. A little whiff confirms that--crisp, floral, grassy hops abound. Light pilsner malt aroma with slight yeasty hints. The taste is also quite hoppy, but in a mostly aromatic sense. That's not to say it isn't bitter--it is--but it's a dry, refreshing bitterness. Very light sweetness from the malts at the start, but it finishes without any hint of it; very well attenuated. Substantial body for a Saison with just the right amount of carbonation.

Serving type: on-tap

07-24-2010 05:18:17 | More by philipquarles

rtepiak

Poland

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

had it at moeder lambic in brussels in june... saison season... or at least the end of it. great pour of a proper straw color orange murky with a nice lacy head. nose not as funky as some but still backed with a nice saaz hop core and herbal quality. palate is dry yet fruity. nice citrus mild and delightful straw must quality. thyme and licorice. orange and grassy. a great example and very well rounded. could taste the freshness in the bottle. would like to see what its like in 6 months.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2010 22:13:00 | More by rtepiak

koopa

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I consumed this bottle at Bruge Beertjie on 4/23/10 upon the recommendation of Daisy (the owner) when I asked for a flavorful saison.

Appearance: Pours a radiant tangerine with the slightest honey folds, a 1 finger white crown, moderate retention, and great lace.

Smell: Apricots, tangerines, loads of brett (but not much lemon surprisingly).

Taste: Same as nose but more brett dominant. Really "soft" brett bomb.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, light bodied, refreshing.

Drinkability: Outstanding.

My favorite De Ranke brew to date....Home Run!

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2010 15:54:50 | More by koopa