W'12 Dark Saison - Widmer Brothers Brewing Company

ngeunit1

California

3.83/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours a fairly clear amber-red with a finger of frothy white head. The head fades down at a normal pace leaving behind some light lace.

S - Aroma is a mix of toasted caramel and brady malts with some Belgian yeast, coriander, clove, and a touch of citrus.

T - Starts off with some toasted sweet caramel malts with some Belgian yeast flavors and a bit of citrus. Through the middle, some bready malts come through with some coriander, clove, and other spices. The finish is a mix of sweet bready malts with some light spice, Belgian yeast, and citrus.

M - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a sweet and dry finish.

D - Very drinkable. A bit thin, and not overly dark, but otherwise pretty okay. Very sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2012 07:26:00 | More by ngeunit1

dfwprosportsjon

3.93/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A Dark brown with very limited head 3.5
S Malty smell with a saisson yeast smell. 4.0
T Very sweet maltiness with the unique saison tang. Not sour but has a great tartness that mixes well with the dark malts. 4.0
M Pour head but solid carbonation. 3.5
O A unique one time beer as it takes away a little of what I like about the saison as it isn't as spicy, sour, or tart but makes up for it due to how interesting the pairing of malt and yeast is. A good one timer but I wouldn't want it again. 4.0

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2012 18:51:13 | More by dfwprosportsjon

NoLeafClover44

Delaware

3.1/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12 oz. bottle poured into a tulip glass. Bottled on January 19, 2012.

A - Pours mahogany with significant ruby hues when held next to the light. About a finger of almond head that settles at a quarter inch. Spiderweb lacing. Hard to rate the appearance vs. other saisons, but I think it looks pretty good.

S - Pear, dark fruits, soda bread, molasses. Some Belgian aromas of banana, clove, and nutmeg but no funky Brett character here. I'm getting more Dubbel than Saison.

T - It is very tart, bordering on salty. Lemon, sea water, pear, and some biscuit malt. None of the sweetness from the nose comes through and there is very little flavor overall.

M - Light-medium body with decent carbonation.

O - I was intrigued by the prospect of a "dark IPA" but this was pretty disappointing. Lacked depth of flavor/complexity and quite literally left a bad taste in my mouth. I much prefer Tomfoolery in the dark saison category. I won't be getting this one again.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2012 00:47:29 | More by NoLeafClover44

Zorro

California

3.35/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Clear dark amber to light brown colored ale with a small tan colored head.

Smell is intensely spicy and fruity. Caramel apples and pepper with a little menthol.

Starts out fruity apple with a lot of caramel taste. Mild bitterness. Sweet with some pepper in the finish.

Mouthfeel is about average.

Overall too sweet for the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2012 05:43:11 | More by Zorro

KTCamm

New Jersey

3.8/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a medium dark brown with no foam. Completely clear atop. Funky farmhouse smell. Bubblegum. Maybe subtle cola. Lots going on.

Malty citrus taste. Strange/different hop bitter close. Light carbonation but enough to drive the flavor to the right level. Nicely blended saison, tasty with a bunch of things going on.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 19:01:45 | More by KTCamm

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.55/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a chill hazed orange with a sliver of tan head. Average lacing & good head retention

S: Green apple peel & cinnamon, some perfumy notes as well

T: Follows the nose, faint grassy, lemony & woody hops up front. Appleskins, pears & grassy hops as this warms. Finishes fruitty, grassy & with a slight apple juice sweetness

MF: Light bodied, firm carbonation

Held up well for a 4 month old beer, but nothing special. Nice trainig wheels saisin I suppose

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2012 02:41:01 | More by russpowell

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I picked this up in a mix six, poured into a goblet chilled, shared with tenderbranson69.

The color is mildly hazed caramel with some bronze shades with a thick cream cap that settles to a ring of white. The bead is fine and carbonation is visible. The smell is very yeasty with a slight phenolic tinge with slight spice and mild clove with a mellow malt accent. The feel is pretty good with a gentle bitterness and mild malt sweetness with mostly dry body which is medium heavy with slight creaminess and moderate carbonation.

A taste of dried fruit and slight spice with some dark bread and light pepper in the tertiary. The flavor has a lot of yeast presence which is slightly peppery and adds a hint of tangy tropical flavor to the saison. There is a light taste of ripe banana and the mild toast notes accent the herbal nutty and spiced flavors. Overall I enjoyed drinking this, but it doesn't stand out as far as other saisons on the dark side of the spectrum for me.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 13:54:31 | More by Slatetank

Blargimus

Colorado

3/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle poured into tulip. Bottled on 12/14/2011.

Pours about how you would expect an amber ale to look, maybe slightly darker. 2 fingers of fluffy white head. Not bad looking.

Smells eerily like a saison. It's the same cognitive dissonance you get when you smell a black IPA. A little yeasty, a little malty, a touch of sourness. Quite pleasant.

Taste is a little disappointing. There's a yeastiness to start off, followed by a bit of roasted flavor near the end, but there's not a lot of depth. The aftertaste, however, is quite bad. Stale, almost. Blech.

Mouthfeel is fairly dry and thin, but it is a saison, after all. No complaints.

Overall, this is something I'd happily drink if given to me, but wouldn't buy again.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2012 22:59:11 | More by Blargimus

hopfacebrew

Colorado

3.35/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Finally bought a six pack as the weather turned a little cold and this looked perfect. Poured from bottle dated 2/27/12 to NBB globe the beer arrives a translucent ruby brown with a small 1/3 finger white cap that quickly fades to a slight film with some lacing. The nose is a disappointment. Sharp and astringent. Almost vinegar in nature with very little saison character. The flavor improves with a mild saison yeast that blends fairly well with a toaste caramel flavor. Mildly bitter with a lingering toasty flavor. Crisp, almost too much so. The mouthfeel suffers as a result, not reminiscent of a saison. Overall this is fairly average which is unfortunate as I had high expectations. Not bad but nothing glorious.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2012 15:54:42 | More by hopfacebrew

avalon07

South Carolina

2.93/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a copper color and a clear consistency. There was an inch and a half of foamy, fairly long-lasting head. Very good lacing.

S: A nice aroma of fruit, malt, and little bit of spices.

T: Tasted of malt, light citrus notes, cloves, some yeast, and an unwelcome grassy quality. Even without this last quality, the flavor would be a thin, watery, unfocused mess.

M: A good amount of carbonation here, but it has an unpleasant medicinal quality in the finish. Medium-bodied.

O: Not what I would call a great beer. Could have been better than it was.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2012 12:20:43 | More by avalon07

dmadsen

Minnesota

3.65/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a great, deep color. Amber, almost brown. There is a light head with light lacing. The smell is great. Very robust. Strong flavor, there are a lot of elements to it. Fruit, smoky, bit of remaining sourness on the end. Good mouthfeel, stays on the tongue. A bit of carbonation.

Not very familiar with Saison, so I couldn't compare to other strong versions of the style. Overall, a good beer with good flavor. This came in a sampler pack. I'd think twice about 5 more for the right price, but not 11.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2012 03:46:39 | More by dmadsen

hoplover82

Texas

3.28/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A-Pours a solid 2 finger with a vigerous pour into a Duvel chalis. Excellent lacing and head retention.
S-The aroma is of bready malts and green apples and green grapes. Subtle spice notes like nutmeg and cinnamin. Very faint noble hop notes. Very pleasant nose indeed.
T-This is where I think the beer fails. The taste is very bland at first with some mild astringency. Then as the beer warms, it gets a little better. The green apples and grapes come in to play along with the bready malts, but it still is nothing in light of the aroma. The spice notes come in on the finish. I don't know what it is, but the flavor just really dissapoints me.
M-The mouthfeel has a crisp, medium body with a mild dry finish. Good amount of carbonation for the style.
O-My overall impression is, for the style it's truly average. I think if they firmented this beer at a higher temp, the esthers would have come out more and would've turned out better.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2012 01:27:43 | More by hoplover82

kscaldef

Oregon

3.2/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A: Pours dark amber, with a small uneven head. Not much lacing.

S: mild clove, caramel, a note of some lighter fruit, perhaps strawberry. Also, I'm occasionally getting something of a musty, wet-dog smell.

T: A little sweetness and solid biscuit malts. A mild orange caramel finish. A mild saison / farmhouse earthiness throughout.

M: Medium-light body, very easy drinking. Good carbonation and a pleasant linger.

O: Thoroughly average beer. I don't regret buying a 6-pack of it, but wouldn't necessarily seek it out again. Worth a try, though.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2012 03:00:35 | More by kscaldef

Beer4Baltimore

Maryland

3.33/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12ounce bottles poured into a 22 ounce glass.
2012 bottling date
A - coppery caramel with a thin little head and a small bit of lacing. Does not look very bubbly.
S - faint lemon grass aroma mixed with a sweet caramel malt.
T - again the light lemon grass comes through but is drowned by the caramel malt. A little touch of sour but not really an earthy tang like a saison should have.
M - somewhat sweet and sticky despite being relatively thin bodied and a bit undercarbonated.
D - not an easy drinker for a Saison and not worth the effort to find again.
It just doesn't have the Saison qualities that I like. Reminds me of sour brown ale without the heaviness.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2012 23:50:33 | More by Beer4Baltimore

gatornation

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle part of a mix sixer

A- pours a clear dark copper color with 1 finger tan head and minimal lacing

S- was sweet malts, candied sugar dark fruits and yeat

T was dark fruits with a sweet and sour funk some spice and yeast

M-is creamy smooth with medium carbonation fruit and funk

O- tasted like a hybrid dubbel to me lots of ruit and sugar bread it was drinkable but not great

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2012 22:11:40 | More by gatornation

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.4/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

not wild about this one, and it was given to me for free at a bottle shop, so that should say something. pours a dark red tinted copper color with a one inch tan head. aromas of stinky yeast, vienna malts, and burnt sugar. flavor has that saison tartness to it, but its very generic and uninspired, almost dead. the malt profile is decently complex, and i like the idea of darker saisons, but the yeast component is off in the beer. feel is well carbonated and lighter for the color, appropriate. overall not a beer i will buy again, but i appreciate the attempt at something different.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2012 18:48:19 | More by StonedTrippin

KajII

North Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

[Best served in a Tulip glass]

The pour was a mahogany brown with a small (less than 1 finger) white fizzy head that dissipated in a matter of seconds, down to almost non-existent collar with poor lacing.

Aroma had a mild funkiness to it with a mild straw malt, a barnyard scented yeast and notes of a mild dark chocolate, some very ripe fruit (plums, dates and pears) and a mild peppery spice.

The taste was very lightly sweet with a nice malty feel and a hint of fruit from the beginning with the finish having a strong funky yeast taste and a mild peppery ending. The flavor lasted only a short time proceeding the swallow being mostly of a funky spicy yeast flavor that disappeared very quickly.

Mouthfeel was a shade or two above light in body and watery, yet creamy in texture with an almost flat carbonation.

Overall a very unique tasting Farmhouse Ale, but good none the less...

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2012 15:34:38 | More by KajII

AdamBear

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A-copper with a thin white head

S-caramel and bubble gum. belgian sugars. a touch of funk. decent strength.

T-comes in with an odd blend of belgian sugars and nutmeg. usually when i use the word "odd" with beer, i mean it in a negative way, but this is oddly decent. the after-taste has a belgianesque farmhouse saison aspect to it, though it seems a bit more artificial than raw.

M-creamy carbonation with a creamy finish

O-if you're going to compare it to an average saison, its not going to fare too well. but of course the average saison would also be heavier and more expensive. so with that in mind, this saison is easy drinking and different at a decent price.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2012 20:29:46 | More by AdamBear

goldennectar

Ohio

3.78/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from bottle into Sam Adams tulip glass.

Appearance: Copper brown with a thin white head that quickly fades

Smell: Yeasty, bready and slightly spicy, interesting

Taste: Like the aroma with some maltines to it

Mouthfeel: Light and and highly carbonated, maybe a bit too much carbonation, at least for me

Overall: Maybe strays a bit from a traditional saison but still a refreshing and very drinkable beer, something you can enjoy several of on a summer afternoon

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2012 00:17:04 | More by goldennectar

socon67

New York

3.28/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - Dark copper pour, some lacing, and good foam retantion.

S - Smell of belgian yeast, earthy spices, and fresh grains.

T - Only okay. The balance seemed a bit out of whack. Didn't have that crisp flavor typical of a good saison.

M - Decent drinking beer, but after a while the flavor seemed bland.

O - Wouldn't try it again. Was curious about a dark saison, but this almost seemed like it really wasn't to the style.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2012 16:59:33 | More by socon67

lwillitz

Florida

2.78/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

12-oz bottle into Samuel Smith "Tulip" pint glass

A - clear red/copper body under 3 fingers of off-white/khaki head; minimal cabronation bubbles

S- funky like a Belgian IPA; banana and clove

T - estery Belgian yeast, funky mix of fruits and spices, not much else to it

M - light/medium body with average carbonation; smooth and creamy

O - This is not something I will buy again. The Belgian yeast flavor disagrees with me.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2012 01:27:00 | More by lwillitz

TempeBeerMan

Arizona

3.8/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a tulip glass.

A – Pours a crystal clear copper brown with a very small head that vanishes almost instantly and almost no lacing to speak of.

S – Equal parts roasted grain and sour funk. Smells almost like a Belgian ale. Aroma is nice and strong. Strangely compelling.

T – Taste follows the nose, with roasted caramel grain taking center stage. Not anywhere near as sour as the nose would indicate; instead, it’s only a slight hint. Yeasts definitely taste of the Belgian variety, adding the ubiquitous esters of banana and clove. Bittering slightly earthy hops in the finish. Something about the Belgian yeast/dark malt/just slightly funky combination I am really digging. Tasty.

M – Medium bodied, with prickly carbonation makes for easy drinking, which is a nice match for the style. Thankfully, stops short of being “fizzy”. Finishes dry with a champagne like quality.

O – Ok, so maybe it’s not the deepest or richest example of the style, but every once in a while you get a brew that just presents everything nicely without any major flaws. This is one of those for me, and I really enjoyed it. Could have used some more head, but hey you cant have everything. Perfect beer for a nice 80-degree fall day in Arizona. I will buy again.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2012 04:00:43 | More by TempeBeerMan

Halcyondays

California

3/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

12 oz. bottle,

A: Pours a clear brown with a medium white head, some spotty lace, good retention.

S: Toffee, winter spice, biscuity malt.

T: Good malt flavour, some floral hop character. A bit astringent at times, no real yeast character, I'd be hard pressed to call this a saison.

M: Medium-bodied, fairly smooth, creamy, some biting carbonation.

O: This is a good beer, but really tastes more like a brown ale than a saison. An enjoyable effort, but don't think saison going in.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2012 05:07:30 | More by Halcyondays

ExtraStout

Massachusetts

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

I had the Dark Saison in a pint.

Appearance- The head is not as large or chunky as most saisons I have tried. It maybe hits a half finger of white fizz before barely getting full coverage of the cap.

The body is a pretty and transparent ruby-copper. Only a few strings of slow moving carbonation are noticed in the beer.

Smell- Soft and earthy yeast is at the forefront of the nose. Maybe a little tangy citrus is also appreciated, a lemon scent one second and an orange scent the next. There is a peppery quality here too. No real dark malt can be found. It is reminds me of a saison/wit combo.

Taste- A hint of cream corn and earthy yeast come right away, making the best case for this having a saison base. It also showcases that pepper-spice alongside some faint fruity qualities, like a combo of lemon and pear.

The finish is very interesting with the roasted malt and slight cocoa finally coming into play. It is a signature finish to what was just an "all-right" tasting saision. Let me stress how light these flavors are though. Would be much better if it were amped a bit.

Mouth feel- The medium to light body is made better by the creamy carbonation. This really helps the beer finish smooth and clean. The finish would be hurt without it.

Overall- I do not know if saison drinkers will really get behind this beer. I think Widmer has crafted a good beer with just a hint of dark malt and wit characteristics.

I think they advertise it to have a more pronounced dark malt presence than what there actually is, and in a way, that is disappointing. But I can't argue with how easy this beer is to drink.

If you don't worry about what this beer was supposed to be, and have a palate for saisons, you could do worse.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2012 01:42:11 | More by ExtraStout

MrHurmateeowish

New Hampshire

4.38/5  rDev +28.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

12oz bottle purchased as part of their mixed 12pk at Market Basket in Somersworth. Pours a dark amber to copper crystal-clear body with a half inch or so of khaki-colored head. Spice and sweet citrus and fruit waft from the aroma. Apple, spice, dark chocolate, nut, and just a touch of orange zest comprise the flavor, harmonizing with each other extremely well. Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation. This one goes more quickly than I wish it would. Wasn't sure what to expect, but this is bright, flavorful, unique, and delicious. Slam dunk.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2012 00:08:48 | More by MrHurmateeowish