 kepano (239), Meudon, France
Nov 30, 2005
I picked up Hennepin after my somewhat disappointing experience with Ommegang as I am always willing to give any brewer another chance. I was more cautious this time and purchased only a single bottle, which I noticed bore a significant layer of sediment. The occasion seemed appropriate for my Kwak glass and it was a good choice showcasing Hennepin’s fluffy cloud-like head and murky gold body. The nose took me by surprise. On the first sniff, I thought someone had furtively switched my beer with Coors Light or one of its compeers. Surely I was not the subject of some sinister pratical joke so I led a more careful investigation and picked up notes of citrus and pineapple underlaid by brown sugar and toasty malts. The flavor had a bit more density than I expected but still reverbated the simplistic aroma. This seems like a mediocre attempt at a Belgian blonde ale rather than a Saison. There are much better, readily available alternatives out there such as Don de Dieu (to name only one).
Doppelganger (1338), Iowa City, Iowa, USA
Jun 27, 2009 I really can’t believe it has taken me this long to try this beer. Bottle, at The Sanctuary, Iowa City. Very pale gold, nice dense white head. Fresh field nose, clean air, pepper. Delicate, effervescent palate, mint and rosemary, brisk earthy bitterness, dry finish with just a little touch of butter. Beautiful beer.
pantanap (1158), Chicago, Illinois, USA
Jun 27, 2009 tap at the maproom...pours a slightly hazy yellow hue with a thick yet fluffy white head....aroma of dough and light citrus notes.... flavors mostly consist of frut, mostly banana and citrus fruits, a little bready. not too sour.
dnlsartin (55), Lakeland, Florida, USA
Jun 27, 2009 Pours a light, golden orange with a nice fizzy head. Spicy, floral aroma. Dry, bitter balance of orange, lemon, apricots, and banana. Refreshing sour finish.
fiver29 (609), Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Jun 26, 2009 On tap pours clear golden yellow with white head. Aroma is pepper and biscuit. Medium mouthfeel with a lot of carbonation. Flavor is is more fruit, some pepper and must, and finishes dry. Nice.
walrussell (22), , Illinois, USA
Jun 26, 2009 Light and refreshing, pretty dry. Full of flavor, but still pretty mild. A little bit of mustiness. I’m getting the feeling that saisons somehow manage lightness and lots of flavor at the same time, and I like it a lot.
KyotoLefty (868), Kyoto, Japan
Jun 25, 2009 Slightly aged bottle.
Rather dark gold leading into orange, with a super fin, white, low head. Fruity, citrus aroma, slightly sour, with spicy Belgian yeast. Lemony, hoppy flavor with light golden malts, apricots, and a bitter finish. Bit of honey and biscuits. Refreshing, medium bodied with abundant but soft carbonation. Very nice. A true Saison, only out-classed by 2-3 of the Belgian ones I’ve tried
Hopper (31), San Antonio, Texas, USA
Jun 24, 2009 A golden beer that could’nt wait to get out of the bottle and poured to a nice white 3 finger head that partially dissipates. When drank it leaves a nice lacing and has a carbonated mouthfeel. Definitely tastes like it’s brewed in Belgium with a nice lemon & spice taste.
RHeastings (214), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Jun 24, 2009 Enjoyed on several occasions, both on tap and in bottle conditioned bottles. I have always thoroughly enjoyed Hennepin, but was really disappointed by my last tasting, which came in the form of a 750ml bottle. Unfortunately, instead of the lemony spicy aromas I was expecting and used to, there was a very strong note of diacetyl, which dominated almost everything else. The palate brought a nice conglomeration of spices and malt sweetness, but both were overshadowed by the aforementioned off-flavor. Overall, this was disappointing, but not indicative of the quality of this fine beer. I suspect the flaws were due more to its mis-handling following bottling than by brewing and fermentation flaws.
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