Drinking my first saison...

[Adr_0]

Saison Dupont. Wow, amazing beer.

Looks great, actually lighter than I thought - I was expecting glowing orange but it's a real straw colour.
Smells floral, citrusy, bit of banana and a little musty.
Taste is great, with a complex bitterness and bit of citrus and banana carry over. Bit spicy/peppery too which is almost a puckering pepperness, and super dry with bitterness and funk that lasts nicely.

Wow, what a beer... I actually expected a bit more fruit in the flavour, but it's dominated by a dry, peppery bitterness. Still, an amazing beer and I can see why people brew them. Does more fruit come through in the homebrewed styles, or is it always just a layer behind the dry, bitter, peppery funk?

I also picked up a couple of bottles of Bocq Saison, 1858 or something. Anyone tried these beers, or other saisons to recommend?

 

[hoppy2B]

Interesting comments. Saison Dupont is supposedly aged warm. From my experience this speeds up the aging.

Where did you buy this beer and does the bottle contain yeast? Big bottle or little bottle?

I've brewed with the Belle Saison yeast but have never tried the commercial stuff, wouldn't mind giving it a go. Belle Saison is very dry and phenolic when fresh.

 

[manticle]

La sirene do a good one and I always enjoyed the one from temple too.
Dupont is the top of the tree though and they have a range of others - biologique is good as are any others from brasserie dupont.
If you enjoy saison dupont and also like duvel, try a trois monts (biere de garde) which sits somewhere in between the two.

 

[Adr_0]

Got it from www.internationalbeershop.com.au. Not sure where they are, but their shipping is essentially "fill a carton for $32" or so and they will ship. The website is a bit weird: you place your order without paying, then they call you in the next day or two and confirm they have the beers, and grab your CC details. And you search by clicking the arrow in the middle of the page... bit hard to find. But, works rather well. Obviously an order is a little pricey if you buy a carton of Belgians... :blink:


The bottles are 330mL, and yeast in the bottle - but just a tiny bit. I would say they have centrifuged and re-seeded with just the right amount. Very high carbonation, mid 3's-4 (volumes) I would say.

Awesome, thanks Manticle, I will check those out. Very big fan of Duvel as you probably knew already.

 

[hoppy2B]

Thanks Adr_0

Dan Murphy has 3 Saisons, and St-Feuillien, the one that took out the world's best Saison in '09 an '10, seems to be unavailable. :unsure:

 

[Tex083]

Saison Dupont is an amazing beer - I believe they use a wyeast yeast but could be wrong.
La Sirene is a cracking saison, one of my Fav's. Bridge Road do a good one.
7 Cent did a 1 off 100% Peated malt Saison was a complex MF and delicious.

I have made a couple and found Wyeast French saison to be my fav. You get a bit more funk the hotter you ferment it, I had mine on a heat pad on 100% was a fast ferment and had good flavour. Mine have been a bit dark and not a crisp, I will add some Dex to the boil to dry out the finish.

 

[Charst]

Bocq Saison, 1858 won a Gold Medal at the '13 AIBA. Lovely Refreshing Saison, quite a strong citrusy coriander note.

You might also find Silly Saison, its a belgian saison but I've always found it to finish way too sweet.

 

[pk.sax]

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/739/58235/

De dottignies saison, very nice. That and Dupont.
prickly moses had a nice saison too.

 

[manticle]

Silly saison I find way off the mark.

 

[philmud]

OP asked if home brewed sauson is fruitier than DuPont and I thought d say I have found mine to be. I've primarily used WY3711 which I gather is not the DuPont strain. I've had some excellent stone fruit flavours in my saisons, & I suggest fermenting them warm.

 

[mje1980]

I have a DuPont inspired saison in champagne bottles at the moment. Mashed low and long, upped the Ibus and added gypsum as I wanted it super dry. Used 3724. It's dry and fruity but I'd like to get it even drier. I've got a similar one, with the farmhouse ale yeast ( non funky one ) that seems to be less dry and more fruity. Hope that helps. DuPont is awesome. I like the biologique as well. Love to know how they get them so dry. Mine are 100% pils but I might try adding dextrose to my next one, though it might not be "authentic"

 

[anthonyUK]

Candi sugar I'd guess would be OK especially in a 'style' that is difficult to categorise.
I use a homemade medium-dark candi in mine.

 

[BrosysBrews]

If your looking for a cracker to try angle of zest from edge and Stillwater brewing is amazing, don't think it is bottled but can use now tapped to find it

 

[peas_and_corn]

Beard and Brau do a great saison called Bon Chiens, I recommend you check it out.

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Only ever had DuPont and loved it, got a Bridge Rd. Saison in fridge as we speak, as well as their Bier De Garde. Might have to have them this weekend!!!

I've got a vial of Sirene's Saison yeast, can't wait to grow it for one of my own soon

Has anyone had a crack at a "new world Saison"? Or do you think the hoppyness would compete too much with the yeast funk?

 

[philmud]

I did a saison with Nelson to bitter and Summer late in the boil. Worked beautifully! I find summer a fairly low key, but fruity hop that doesn't dominate, so I recommend it for the style. 8 wired do a Nelson saison if you're curious about a commercial version.

 

[mosto]

I've never had a Saison. Pretty much my local Dan's is my only source for anything vaguely different. I have looked for Saisons there but haven't found any yet. I decided I would brew a classic style Saison using the BJCP guidelines as my guide. I used the Danstar Belle Saison yeast, and it finished off at 1.002!!! I've heard you can't have a Saison too dry, so I've got high hopes for this one even though I don't really know what to expect. I've got it cc'ing at the moment and will keg it this weekend. Looking forward to trying in a week or so.

 

[Yeastfridge]

I've late hopped a couple of saisons and really enjoyed fruity/citrusy hops pairing with the Wyeast 3711 yeast. To answer the OPs question, I have found 3711 to give a bit of really nice light pear esters after a bit of ageing. I usually do 1/3 Munich, 1/3 wheat and 1/3 pils or pale and think Munich helps with a bit of perceived fruitiness

 

[indica86]

Has anyone had a crack at a "new world Saison"? Or do you think the hoppyness would compete too much with the yeast funk?

I do regularly. Currently have a Rye Saison late hopped with some US hops and it is very nice, although Belle Saison does tend to impart a very distinctive funk on beer.
Next will be one with repitched Saison Blend - yeast bay - which sampling the first I made with that has much more subtle yeast characteristics.

 

[Adr_0]

Nice, thanks for the feedback guys.

I was looking at something like 85% Belgian pils, 15% Munich II. To be honest, I didn't taste any Munich or Wheat in the DuPont... but I guess that doesn't mean it won't be a delicious saison if it has wheat/munich.

If 3724 stalls, have brewers considered making the sugar addition at this point instead of at the beginning?