Saison Du'rango
Ska Brewing Co.

Saison Du'rangoSaison Du'rango
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From:
Ska Brewing Co.
 
Colorado, United States
Style:
Saison
ABV:
Not listed
Score:
86
Avg:
3.79 | pDev: 8.97%
Reviews:
14
Ratings:
18
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Mar 21, 2014
Added:
May 07, 2010
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 4 by afsdan from Colorado

Mar 21, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by jaydoc from Kansas

Jan 23, 2014
Photo of trxxpaxxs
Reviewed by trxxpaxxs from New York

3.12/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Thanks to buffs9 for this beer.

A: Pours a cloudy peach with a massive white head. The foam takes quite awhile to settle, leaving behind some nice looking lace.

S: The smell of this brew is alcohol, spice, green apple, rose hips, and grains. There is a really distinct earthiness to this beer that I like, but there is also an alcohol and/or funk to this beer that I don't like.

T: What's weird about this beer is that I can't pick out any of the flavors. It tastes bitter and dry and finishes with a boozy kick. That's about it.

M: Light bodied beer. It starts out dry and bitter and finishes dry and harsh.

O: I'm not a huge fan of this brew. The flavors are a bit off, and it's really dry. It gets a bit better as it warms, but I wouldn't want to drink another glass. I'm happy to have tried this beer though.
Jan 03, 2012
 
Rated: 3.5 by Exiled from Texas

Nov 26, 2011
 
Rated: 4 by TheRealDBCooper from Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands

Nov 14, 2011
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Reviewed by rye726 from Colorado

3.28/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Up for review is a bottle of Saison Du'rango from Ska Brewing Company. Poured from a 650ml bottle at cellar temp into a pint glass. Orangish, brown with a beige head. Notes of wheat, banana, pepper, citrus and cloves. Medium body a bit cloying. Not bad, nothing specia either.
Feb 22, 2011
Photo of SPThirtyThree
Reviewed by SPThirtyThree from Colorado

4.47/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
A: A blast of steam as the cap is pried off gives an indication of what's to come: a fluffy four-plus-finger ivory head. It's difficult to see how delicious the beer looks, with so much cap in the way, but underneath lies a deeper than straw gold beer, with slight cloudiness. The top of the cap is moussy, with larger bubbles in the middle, and a hint of lacing starts to streak down the glass as the head begins to fall. Unfortunately, with this much head, some waiting will be required.

The most impressive phenomenon shown by this beer is the shapes formed as the head falls. After letting the beer sit for 5 minutes, the head partially collapses, leaving a small, perfect cylinder - a miniature version of the original lid with the original crust atop. Below this one-inch cylinder is crumbly volcano sides leading down to a chunky base. A large fleck sticks to the side of the glass, and some tiger-stripe lacing is apparent below the ring around the top showing maximum altitude.

It's a beautiful and impressive head, but the wait time is certainly a downside.

S: The nose is fantastic, and not timid like that of some saisons. A barnyard funkiness opens, presenting leather and spice, with some lingering banana esters. A thick malty and bready component is followed by various fruits: apples, pears, apricot, dates, and a faint note of raisin, which is surprisingly dark for this beer. Some slightly juicy citrus and a touch of bubblegum waft from Du'Rango. Emerging above all other flavors, however, is champagne and tart grapes.

T: Saison Du'Rango's flavor is not quite what the nose hinted; it has considerably more lemon. Aside from the prominent lemon zest, the flavors are well-balanced, and come in phases. First, wild yeast off-flavors: mild esters. As soon as that subsides, a flash of warmth (probably from the grains of paradise) and a yeast-inspired pepperiness appear. Just before that's gone, bread and malts come through, followed by a lemon sourness as soon as the brew leaves the mouth.

M: The mouthfeel is slightly slick with medium to medium-low body.

D: Drinkability is high for this saison. It's light enough that I could enjoy another, but still very flavorful and interesting.

This beer is slightly tart and very witbier-like, but not as refreshing as I would expect from a saison. I'm not complaning, however - I prefer more body, heat, and mouthfeel. Overall, it has more bite than what is typical for the style, and too much lemon zest is its only fault. I had high hopes for Saison Du'Rango, and fortunately, it delivered.
Dec 13, 2010
Photo of stakem
Reviewed by stakem from Pennsylvania

3.67/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
One of the last remaining bottles from a sampler I got from my friend Ryan visiting from Durango. Poured from a bomber into a SA sensory glass this brew appears a perfectly clear color that is strikingly similar to apple juice. A finger of white head appears and retains fairly well with an uneven layering across the top. A constant stream of bubbles rises to the surface in support of the cap. As sips are taken, leggings of lace appear all over the glassware.

The aroma of this brew is spicy with a scent of clove blended with lemon. Right when the cap was popped there was an initial surge of carbonation released from solution and a mild peppery scent was evident. The smell of this brew is typical belgian phenols with a bit of fruity character. Pretty typical nose overall for a saison.

The taste of this offering upfront is lightly sweet with a taste that is a combination of fruity esters and lemon zest. Mid palate there is a taste of the yeast with a contribution of clove spiciness that turns more fruity and peppery into the finish. The lemon flavor is quite bold with a minor oily feel to it. As the brew warms, it starts to become more and more dry to the finish with an increasing amount of modest herbal bitterness.

This is a light bodied offering with a high level of carbonation. It is quite drinkable but more than a glass is a bit much for me. The lemon is a bit too bold and really outshines most of the other characteristics of this brew. There is seemingly no indications of any grain flavor in this brew and the alcohol is pretty much nonexistent.
Dec 02, 2010
Photo of CarolinaCardinals
Reviewed by CarolinaCardinals from North Carolina

3.97/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Picked up a bomber from Magnum's on the 4th of July for $5.99.

Beer poured orange with a one finger white head that is leaving lacing behind.

Nose is grainy, with lemon peel. Farmhouse yeast strain lingers in the background.

Taste is grainy up front, with a lemon peel and pepper lingering in the back. Mid glass the lemon peel starts to dominate.

Mouthfeel is good, Belgian yeast strains lend a nice smoothness to the medium-light body. Carbonation is moderate but refreshing.

Drinkability is good. This is a nice beer to have on a warm summer day.
Aug 23, 2010
Photo of DefenCorps
Reviewed by DefenCorps from Oregon

3.76/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Thank you Nathan!

This beer pours a light yellowish gold with great clarity. Head retention and lacing are decent. The nose, up front, really throws me for a loop. The combination of the spices is really off-putting to me, with a moderate cinnamon bubblegum character coming through. That's a flavor I quite detest, really. However, as it warms up, I get a nice lemon peel character to balance things out, and on inspecting the label, I find that grains of paradise were used, which probably caused the intense conflict on my nose.
The palate is a lot nicer. I thought I'd smelled a little rubbery character, but that was probably my breath. Opening light and spicy, there's a sharp, mineraly, spice character with the grains of paradise lending a dry, spicy character . Grassy and hay-like malt character is present. Moderately grainy, the lemon peel comes through mid-palate, and the yeast expression is enjoyable. Drying on the finish with a solid carbonation, this is very enjoyable. It really grew on me.
Jun 30, 2010
Photo of Rayek
Reviewed by Rayek from Colorado

4.35/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured into a Tulip.

A: The beer is pale amber in color, with great clarity and light carbonation. A big and rocky lemon tinged eggshell head slowly falls to a thin blanked of foam. Chunks of lace are left behind. So far so good.

S: A heavy dose of lemon and pepper dominate the nose. Behind them is a light floral aroma, plus pear and apple. A sourdough scent rounds things out.

T: Quite a complex beer. The pepper and lemon from the nose hit right away. A subdued malt flavor comes along with a straw-like taste. A mild pale fruitiness rests in the background. The hop flavors are somewhat masked, but do bring a touch of citrus to the palate. Finishes very tart and dry, with lingering lemon and pepper flavors. A light warmth is added by the alcohol.

M: The medium-light body is slightly slick, but also dry and has a nice amount of semi-soft carbonation to it.

D: This is a deceptively easy beer to drink. It packs a little bit of a punch, but the alcohol is well masked outside of the warmth it brings. I was through my bottle faster than I thought I would be. Easily the best Ska beer I've had to date.
Jun 06, 2010
Photo of Mora2000
Reviewed by Mora2000 from Texas

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Thanks to bu11zeye for sharing this bottle.

The beer pours a yellow-orange color with a white head. The aroma is butter, yeast, citrus and spices. The flavor is yeast, grains of paradise, citrus fruit and wheat. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. A pretty nice American-made saison.
May 31, 2010
Photo of GarrisWH
Reviewed by GarrisWH from Colorado

3.67/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
A - Pours a clear golden with a two finger head that drops down rather quickly. Retention is solid and leaves a bit of spotty lacing behind.

S - Some grainy malt flavors joined by a peppery, spicy quality. There are also some citric, grassy, and distinct yeast aromas.

T - Slightly toasty, grainy malts lead into some interesting spicy, peppery flavors as well as some lightly fruity belgian yeast. Finish brings a nice little kick of floral, grassy hop bitterness, definitely more bitter than other beers I've tried of this style.

M - Medium bodied with very active carbonation

D - An interesting brew with nice flavors and a refreshing body. Glad I tried it out.
May 29, 2010
Photo of beerdrifter
Reviewed by beerdrifter from Germany

3.62/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Picked this up at a great beer store, Tops Liquors, while at a conference in Phoenix. Since I live so close to Belgium I typically don't try American takes on Belgian beer, but this came highly recommended by Tops. Clear golden pour with a huge head and decent lacing. Very unique and complex nose. Hints of pepper, grass, corriander, lemon and yeast. The taste is complex as well. Definitely has an American spin on it. Spicy and tart, mirroring the nose with hints of pepper, lemon, corriander, and lots of Belgian yeast. Nice zesty, crisp and dry finish made it a great summer beer. Nice take on a farmhouse ale.
May 27, 2010
Photo of mactrail
Reviewed by mactrail from Washington

3.66/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Tasty Belgian flavors in the lighter style.

Very pretty in the tall chalice with clear golden amber color. Not so much of a head but good carbonation in the mouth even after sitting for 15 minutes. Alcohol seems fairly modest. Initial flavor is quite tart, but a very pleasant acidity like a firm pear. The subtle fruitiness is also nice. The peppery pencil shavings touch is also there. Maybe a little too much of the lemon peel.

The extra bitterness is somewhat jarring and detracts from my desire to have another glass. Just for comparison I opened the 2010 Sam Adams Long Shot "Lemon Pepper Saison." Same flavorings, but more fragrantly flavored, a better chilled quaff. But the Saison Du'rango is more robust, if a little rough.
May 26, 2010
Photo of Beaver13
Reviewed by Beaver13 from Colorado

3.45/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
22 oz bottle. Pours a clear gold with a smallish white head that quickly goes to a thin film that leaves some lacing.

The aroma is some spicy malts (pepper, cloves, others?) with some bananas and yeast.

The flavor is interesting spices with a little sweet fruitiness and some grains that leads into a pretty big bitterness for a saison that is slightly metallic. The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied with spritzy carbonation.

Overall, an interesting take on a saison. I liked the spiciness, but the flavors of the bitterness was a bit off.
May 18, 2010
Photo of riored4v
Reviewed by riored4v from Colorado

4.23/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Reviewed on 4/30/10

Poured into a tulip. Crystal clear, golden body. 2 finger, white head, that faded down to 1 finger head. Good lacing. Inviting appearance.

Smell was peppery, estery, orangey and spicey. Nice mild sweetness.

Taste had a good amount of pepper and spices. Nice lemon/orangey tang with a good mellow maltiness. Mildly sweet. Some belgian-type estery fruitiness as well. Went in not expecting much but was decently surprised.

Mouthfeel has a medium body with medium/high carbonation. Dry but not overly dry.

Drinkability was good. Nice flavors along with being light and refreshing.
May 16, 2010
Photo of ArrogantB
Reviewed by ArrogantB from Colorado

3.66/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
22oz bottle $7, split two ways. Orange, clear, looks good. The aroma is alright but nothing special, a little yeasty, spice? The flavor is nice like almost citrus and spices witha belgian yeasty flavor. Its not as earthy or dry as I would like but it was a great beer to drink on the porch on a Sunday afternoon. I like these local series that Ska is doing.
May 07, 2010
Saison Du'rango from Ska Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 18 ratings