Dupont Avec les Bons Voeux

On tap at Hop Leaf in Chicago. I drank this during a dinner with Graham, Tara and John during my first vacation. Dupont Avec les Bons Voeux is a very good strong saison. The color is a clear yellow with a thin and quickly disappearing head. The aroma is sweet with natural fruit notes rather than the sugary notes I am used to tasting in a saison. I believe the high alcohol level is responsible for the difference. The finish is very nice and wet yet light and enjoyable.

75cl bottle, from 2be in Bruges. Has a wired-on champagne cork, still with some sediment though, unlike a champagne. Deep gold in colour with a big white head and crisp, slightly peppery and fruity aroma. The flavour is then a rich and spicey/hoppy bitterness with hints of citrus and a full bosy. Lovely.

750ml bottle courtesy of me. Nice pop off the cork. Poured into a snifter. Muddy orange in color, big frosty white head. Aroma of yeast, spices and a earthy tone. Taste is a sweet, dry, touch of spices, yeasty and a little earthy. Funky sourness...9.5 percent really? Super smooth, perfect example of what a saison should taste like. Great beer.

37,5cl Bottle. Cloudy golden colour, lasting white head. Fruity aroma with notes of yeast, spices, a hint of sourness. Flavour is spicy, yeast, sweet and sour fruits, with a good bitter finish. Rich, smooth mouthfeel, slightly dry. Really good stuff.

Healthily funky farmhouse that stops just short of horse blanket. Emphasized saison characteristics. Dusky gold and a nice head but not particularly exciting appearance for a saison. Some undisguised alcohol notes. Lemons, perfume, herbs, cinnamon, bitter nutmeg notes. Full, round feel. A strong, refined and rustic saison.

On tap at Monks in Philly. Very nice aroma. Light gold with a large head. Very nice flavor with a dry finish.

Bottle. Pours straw golden with thick white head. Aroma has grain, very light horse blanket, light funk, slight citrus- orange peel. Flavor is a little dry, with very subtle sweetness upfront followed by a strong wave of bitter, herbal hops. Earthy tones discernible beneath. Round, champagne-like mouthfeel. Light bitterness lingers long into the finish. Very memorable.

On tap pours a cloudy straw golden color with white head. Aroma is acidic, fruit, and spice. Light body. Flavor is coriander, pepper, citrus, and yeast. Overall a pretty good brew.