Saison Dupont from Brasserie Dupont sprl in Tourpes, Belgium This beer gets a 93 Outstanding on Beer Advocate w/2819 ratings, and it also gets a 93 Outstanding from The Bros. It gets a 99 Overall and a 99 for the Style from ratebeer. I have probably looked at bottles of this ale on shelves in stores at least 100 times before I finally bought a bottle last weekend. This is a 750 ml. (25.4 oz.) corked and caged bottle and it is 6.5% ABV. This is a bottle conditioned ale, and it is also unfiltered. When I popped the cork, the aroma rushed out of the bottle and across the kitchen countertop. Amazing! On the pour - BEWARE - this is a very highly carbonated ale, and (with a spectacular cascading foam show) it will rapidly form a towering head of dense white foam, which then sits proudly atop the liquid for a while before it recedes to a very thin cap. Lacing is clumpy and consistent down the inside of the glass. After the foam subsides, you can top off the glass with another pour. The appearance is hazy and pale golden in color. The aroma is of Belgian yeast, peppercorns, light fruits, and champagne. The mouth feel is medium and creamy, thanks to the effervescent carbonation. This is awesome - it is like drinking champagne. I do believe you could add orange juice and have a Mimosa. On the palate, the Belgian yeast is evident, and there is a lemony-citrusy aspect, and some pears, green apples, and a tiny bit of a bready malt backbone. There is a spicy (think white pepper) component. The finish is dry. This is delicate and refined, yet it is well built and complex. As it warms, some more of the lemon zest shows and the spicy aspect fades, giving way to a bit more of a sweet honeydew melon taste. I dont get much in the way of hops bitterness at all. This is clean and refreshing. The 6.5% ABV never shows in the taste. I can see a lot of sediment in the bottom of the bottle if I hold the bottle above my head and look up, but I cannot see the bottom by looking into the bottle because of the foam. I am afraid to shake the bottle much because of the carbonation. I look through my glass now, and the carbonation bubbles are still streaming upward like gangbusters. On the last pour, the sediment appears and it is suspended in the glass - Vitamin B! Ya Gotta love beer! This is a most excellent ale and a very unique tasting experience!
Posted on: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 01:26:19 +0000