Day 130, May 10 / Ommegang Hennepin Farmhouse Saison

Day 130  /  May 10, 2011

Hennepin Farmhouse Saison

Brewey Ommegang  /  Cooperstown, NY

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So the hipster cashier at the Westover Market in Arlington seemed jealous when I was buying this bottle of Ommegang Hennepin Farmhouse Saison.  “Dude, enjoy that beer – it’s like my favorite.”

What do you know?  Dude was right!  And over 1700 beer drinkers with opinions on Beeradvocate.com seem to agree, giving it an average score of A-.

This beer is crisp and refreshing – and complex and flavorful at the same time.  Like Saison Dupont, it is bottled conditioned, but it doesn’t seem to have as much carbonation as that beer (which is a good thing). 

But be forewarned, while this is an excellent, highly drinkable beer, it does pack a high alcohol content (7.7%).  So while I’m sitting here at home polishing off a 750ml bottle by myself (my wife sampled it, liked it, but she already has her wine for the night), I would suggest that you split a bottle with a friend – a very good friend.  They will definitely thank you for it.  And fortunately, Hennepin is available year-round, unlike most other saisons.

By the way, according to the label, Father Hennepin was the Belgian missionary who discovered Niagara Falls.  Imagine that scenario, little old missionary, just tooling down the river in his canoe.  Gradually, he notices that he’s making pretty good time. And then… how do you say, “Oh crap!” in Flemish??

I almost gave this beer an Outstanding, but while it was very good, I felt the Ommegang Rare Vos was just that much better.  Note to self:  A visit to Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown is in order for this year.

Day 129, May 9 / Saison Dupont

Day 129  /  May 9, 2011

Saison Dupont

Brasserie Dupont / Tourpes, Belgium

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I have been told that Saison Dupont is the “standard” of saison or farmhouse ales.  And well it should be – it’s Belgian, and the brewery is located on a working farm which dates back to 1759.

The Saison Dupont is sold in a corked champagne bottle, and the final fermentation takes place in the bottle. Bottle conditioning (fermenting) is usually done to carbonate the beer naturally, as opposed to filtered beers  which are carbonated using high pressure gas injection.

Like other saisons, this is a slightly cloudy unfiltered beer.  It’s definitely more distinct in flavor that the Flying Fish or Great Divide Colette Farmhouse Ales earlier this week.  This definitely has tastes of fruit, yeast and spices – am I turning into one of those beer snobs? It starts tart, but finishes smooth.  Yes, I guess I am.

It’s a taste that’s not for everyone, but beer connoisseurs should definitely enjoy it.  Beer Advocate gives it an average score of A-, one of the highest scores I’ve seen.

P.S.  Happy Birthday, Steve!

Brasserie Dupont

 

Day 128, May 8 / Flying Fish Farmhouse Summer Ale

Day 128  /  May 8, 2011

Flying Fish Farmhouse Summer Ale

Flying Fish Brewing Company  /  Cherry Hill, NJ

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First, Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there!  The mom in my house spent the day in her garden, and was treated to a nice homemade dinner of filet mignon with cabernet reduction, roasted wild mushrooms, parmesan risotto and green beans.

I’ve had the Flying Fish Farmhouse (say that 3 times fast) a couple times before.  I’d say it’s a decent farmhouse ale, and should have a broad appeal (my wife liked it).

It’s slightly gold in color, light in taste.  There are not really any unique tastes in this beer.  It’s just a good, highly drinkable warm weather brew.

Day 127, May 7 / Great Divide Colette Farmhouse Ale

Day 127  /  May 7, 2011

Colette Farmhouse Ale

Great Divide Brewing Co. / Denver, Colorado

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Now that’s what I’m talking about!  This beer, for some reason named after my sister-in-law, is highly recommended!  If you’re in the DC area, I found this at Total Wine, so run out and get some before it’s gone.

The Colette Farmhouse Ale poured a slightly cloudy, dark yellow color.  It was both relatively light in flavor and full-bodied, all at the same time.  It has the taste of a good german pilsner, combined with a stronger saison, to make this a very enjoyable and drinkable beer.

Great Divide Brewing in Denver makes a number of highly acclaimed craft brews.  Their Titan IPA is a favorite of hop heads.

Day 126, May 6 / Yards Saison

Day 126  /  May 6, 2011

Saison

Yards Brewing Company /  Philadelphia, PA

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OK, this is a little more like the Saisons or Farmhouse Ales I have had before.  However, you should expect some significant variation is Saisons.  From what I have read (and Henry, correct me if I am wrong), a Saison is more about when and how it brewed, and less about the ingredients.

This beer was a cloudy, light amber color in the glass.  While not as overpowering as yesterday’s Helios, there were still quite a few different tastes going on in this beer, a little tart, with hints of pepper, and some mystery fruity flavor.

Day 125, May 5 / Victory Helios Ale

Day 125  /  May 5, 2011

Helios Ale

Victory Brewing Company /  Downingtown, PA

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Everybody always needs something to look forward to, right?  For me, it’s the date on my Outlook calendar that says “Vacation in Martha’s Vineyard” or “Old 97’s Concert”, or the next Batman movie.

Craft beer drinkers get this opportunity several times a year with seasonal beer styles, generally released by the breweries for a 2 or 3 month period each year . Spring brings out the bock beers, lighter beers in the summer, pumpkin ales and Oktoberfest beers in the fall.

I can just imagine this conversation between a couple Coors Light drinkers:

Bill:     Hey, it’s a cool Spring day. What type of beer should we have today?

Chris:  How about a Coors Light?

Bill:     Great idea!  Cold-activated bottle or can?

This time of year, the saisons or farmhouse ales start to appear on the shelves of your local beer specialty store, so for the next few days we’re going on a Farmhouse Ale Beer Run!

From Beer Advocate…

Saisons are sturdy farmhouse ales that was traditionally brewed in the winter, to be consumed throughout the summer months. Not so long ago it was close to being an endangered style, but over recent years there's been a massive revival; especially in the US.

This is a very complex style; many are very fruity in the aroma and flavor. Look for earthy yeast tones, mild to moderate tartness. Lots of spice and with a medium bitterness. They tend to be semi-dry with many only having touch of sweetness.

Average alcohol by volume (abv) range: 5.0-8.0%

The first beer in the run is Victory Helios Ale, a Belgian inspired Farmhouse Ale formerly branded as V-Saison. This was a cloudy orange ale, with a thin head and a strong 7.5% alcohol content.  I must say, I was disappointed with this beer. This beer had a very strong floral aroma and taste that was rather overpowering, almost unpleasant.  We'll see how the next beer in this Beer Run compares.