Beer of the Weekend #221: Saison Dupont

The palette is cleansed so it is second beer time: Saison Dupont, brewed by the Brasserie Dupont of Tourpes-Leuze, Belgium.


Serving type: One 330 ml (11.2-ounce) bottle. No freshness date.

Appearance: Straight pour into a pint glass. A word of warning: don’t do that with this beer. I got a glass full of dense, eggshell-colored head that dissipated very slowly. The liquid form that eventually emerged was a cloudy, pale straw. A moderate amount of carbonation bubbles from the bottom.

Smell: Heavenly, like summertime. Belgian yeast, apple, banana, lemon, and floral hops. It also exhibits a musky, farmhouse aroma, as well as some pepper spice.

Taste: Starts with pepper spice, which then moves aside to reveal the backbone of fruit: apple, banana, and lemon. The mouthfeel is bready, which makes me think witbier. The backend of each sip has a nice floral hop bitterness that lingers, and the farmhouse muskiness is also evident.

Drinkability: This is the second saison I have tried, and it has without a doubt redeemed the style for me. Personally, though, I would much prefer hefe or wit. The muskiness turns me off a little.

Fun facts about Saison Dupont:

-Style: Saison/Farmhouse.

-Price: $3.99/bottle at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.

-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.

-Alcohol content: 6.5 percent ABV.

-Food pairings: BA recommends curried and Thai cuisine, earthy cheeses (Camembert, Fontina), nutty cheeses (Asiago, Colby, Parmesan), pungent cheeses (Gorgonzola, Limburger), salad, poultry, fish, and shellfish.

-Here is some verbage from the back label:

Brewed at one of Europe’s last farmhouse breweries, in Hainaut province, Saison Dupont is a 4-star, world classic example of the Belgian Saisons style. This increasingly rare specialty originated before the age of refrigeration as a beer to be brewed in winter for summer drinking. The style required a beer sturdy enough to age in the bottle but refreshing enough to be enjoyed in warm weather. Saison Dupont fits this description perfectly, it has a big, fruity bouquet, and dense head. The taste starts fruity but ends dry and very clean with a light, refreshing body.

The Quiet Man’s grade: B+.

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