Saison Imperiale

Brewed by De Proefbrouwerij
Style: Saison
Lochristi, Belgium

From a 750 ml. caged corked bottle, the plastic cork has what looks like a coded freshness date on it, sampled at cellar temperature in a chalice. Poured a reddish orangey amber with a fluffy, frothy head that settled into a thin sudsy lacing, small amount of laced sticking. Aromas of wild, barnyard yeast, toasted caramel and nutty grain, an earthy spiciness, and a light berry fruitiness. Good active carbonation and a dry, crisp, velvety, carbonated smooth medium-light bodied mouthfeel. Pleasant tasting, toasted nutty grain, caramel and cocoa, the barnyard yeastiness is more subdued than in the smell, a berry with lemon squeezed over them fruitiness, an earthy, spicy soft bitterness, a flash of alcohol flavor towards the end and a dry yeasty, malty finish. Not bad, easy, smooth drinkability, well worth trying if you see it on the shelves.

Bottle shared with the gang at Decemberfest 2006 -- courtesy of IPFreely. Pours a clear, very bubbly, dark amber with a small lasting white head. Very nice aroma is sweet and spicy with a light sourness. Flavour of sweet malt, yeast, mild tart fruit, spices and alcohol. Spicy bitter finish. Medium bodied. Very nice!

Bottle (750ml). at Decemberfest 2006 - IPFreely’s bottle. Poured a clear bubbly copper with a large frothy head. Aroma of perfumey hops, light sweet spice, mild brown sugar malt; yeasty, soft, balanced, hardly any alcohol in the nose at all. The taste is quite similar to the aroma, but it has a surprising, and unbalancing, alcohol presence about it - and the spice that seemed quite sweet in the aroma is transformed into bitterness in the taste, like biting into a cinnamon stick; it finishes sharply bitter and quite dry. Mouthfeel - dry, astringently spicy, good lively carbonation but ultimately both a touch soft and a little aggressively alcoholic/bitter for a saison. Decent, perhaps a little too boozy.

Bottle.
Amber, light brown, fine creamy top (3+)
Aroma: flowery, herbal with sweet touch. Plenty of sweet malts, grassy finish (7- )
Medium light, slightly earthy front; meadow honey backing. Gentle sweetness.Average carbonation .

Bottle: Pellucid amber, nice head and lacing. Nose of sweet cookie, herb and pancake. Maple syrup and almond even. The flavor is balanced, nice yeasty tart contrast to the banana and pancake notes. Nutty, sweet, buttery. Nice belgian ale.

750ml Bottle @ Decemberfest 2006; thanks to IPFreely: Pours copper and cloudy, nice head. The aroma is rich, offering coriander, clove, citrus fruit, and a noticeable leather scent - not sure where that’s coming from. The flavour is nice and sweet with malts, very present alcohol, coriander, and cloves. I thought it was well balanced between those autumn spices and the heavy sweetness, although I imagine some will find it too sugary.

Bottle @ Doug’s. Thanks to Tim. Light ruby brown. Nose is fruity caramel, some bubblegum. Flavor is caramel, some fruit. Light yeasty spice.

Has a nice and cloudy amber hue with a lofty, long-lasting head that leaves behind nice lace patterns. Nose is yeasty-spicy. Mouthfeel is a bit weighty (and somewhat cloying) with prickly carbonation. Malts are sticky sweet and cakey. Hints of vanilla, exotic nuts and partially cooked pizza dough. Overall, not bad, but a bit too sweet and far too yeasty for my liking. Rerate: Very bready, grainy and cereal-like. Rock-candy sweetness. Herbal and flowery with just a mild bitterness. Pleasant beer.