Duchessa
Birra Del Borgo

DuchessaDuchessa
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From:
Birra Del Borgo
 
Italy
Style:
Saison
Ranked #753
ABV:
5.8%
Score:
82
Ranked #25,961
Avg:
3.62 | pDev: 10.77%
Reviews:
37
Ratings:
102
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 17, 2021
Added:
Aug 22, 2011
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  23
SCORE
82
Good
DuchessaDuchessa
Notes: None
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Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 4.04 by Robertas from Lithuania

Nov 17, 2021
 
Rated: 3.74 by Kiro from Russian Federation

Jun 25, 2021
 
Rated: 3.79 by igl from Russian Federation

Dec 17, 2020
 
Rated: 3.5 by RiceOwls27 from Texas

Aug 18, 2020
 
Rated: 3.85 by arzt from Germany

Jun 09, 2020
 
Rated: 3.65 by Silke_Neryn from Sweden

Jan 12, 2020
 
Rated: 3 by Dino1018 from New York

Dec 06, 2019
 
Rated: 3.5 by Griffith from Connecticut

Jun 27, 2019
 
Rated: 3.6 by JOBEERFB from Belgium

Jan 14, 2019
 
Rated: 3.69 by HopBelT from Belgium

Jan 12, 2019
Photo of Beginner2
Reviewed by Beginner2 from Illinois

3.87/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5
This is the first Birra del Borgo that I've rated above average. I tend to be hard on Italian ales as they are pricey and are not a good value, let's say, 90% of the time. I'm glad with Duchessa that I found another of my 10%.

Looks are average. But Smell, Taste and Feel present an integrated ale that uses different grains (spelt and probably wheat) and a yeast that almost takes it the level of the Belgian masters (but not quite.) The yeast works the grain into a feast of flavor that is interesting; although too different to make me really excited this first time around.

Del Borgo's "Retkinking Ale" is a great motto and, frankly, its results take an open-mind to judge; which I wish I could say I have most of the time, but I doubt I do. An open-mind to changing conventional tastes takes work thinking about what the brewer is trying to achieve. But after looking through Del Borgo's website, I can see they have done inventive thinking. It also is no small feat to persist for a decade brewing ale in wine country. And for that, I give them a very big OA hug.
Dec 30, 2018
Photo of FLima
Reviewed by FLima from Brazil

3.55/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Amber orange color with a thin head with short retention and with a constant plate.
Aroma with lots of medicine piney notes, white wine, orange marmalade and musk.
Flavor with note of pepper, mild cloves, herbal medicine, malt sweetness, orange tartness, white grapes, soap, hay, banana, musk, salt, grains, flowers and pineapple. Dry aftertaste with a mild to medium bitterness.
Light to medium body with slightly effervescent carbonation.
Decent Saison with friendly notes but still with good complexity. It mixes fruit, spices, funk-tartness, medicinal and grainy (spelt?) notes.
Sep 03, 2018
 
Rated: 3.93 by thatsmyspot from Italy

Jul 04, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by paulish from New York

Apr 30, 2018
 
Rated: 3 by YvesB from Belgium

Feb 26, 2018
 
Rated: 3.64 by desint from Belgium

Jan 25, 2018
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Reviewed by EMV from Pennsylvania

3.08/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Poured from a bottle into a tulip glass

L: Cloudy amber/copper pour. Thin white head... no significant lacing.

S: Slightly tart... citrus and fruit.

T/F: Very light bodied... toasted grains... citrus flavor... sweet up front with a bit of tart/funk. Grassy. Minimal complexity. Very light bodied... poor carbonation, felt nearly flat. Finish is sweet grains.

O: Pretty uninspired. Not one I'd have again.
Jan 11, 2018
Photo of The_Kriek_Freak
Reviewed by The_Kriek_Freak from Pennsylvania

3.39/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
It pours yellowish amber with a lot of floaties. The aroma is indicative of a bitter brew and it expresses a mild floral-ness. The taste is bitter upfront with some malts and yeasty flavors later on. It finishes with more bitterness of the quinine-like variety.
Nov 06, 2017
Photo of SSS
Reviewed by SSS from Canada (QC)

3.27/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
A-Straw yellow with no head to speak of
S-Musky, earthy and grassy
M-Very low carbonation, medium mouthfeel
T-Sweet upfront with the standard farmhouse funk that comes into play and lingers on the palate and around the gums for a while. I didn't get any distinct farro, as advertised...
O-A decent farmhouse Ale, I'm usually not a huge fan...
Aug 06, 2017
Photo of ajm5108
Reviewed by ajm5108 from Pennsylvania

2.58/5  rDev -28.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
Color is fine. Aroma has some hay / grass but very heavy on the loam smell. Flavor follows suit with a little lemon and grass but lots of soap / loam, pretty watery too
Mar 11, 2017
Photo of NeroFiddled
Reviewed by NeroFiddled from Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Birra Del Borgo "Duchessa"
on tap @ Open Baladin, Roma, Italia on 29 November 2015
€5 / glass

Notes: Mostly clear (it's unfiltered) golden-amber beneath a short head of creamy white. Good retention with better than average lacing. Aroma is yeasty, fruity (lemon, apricot, orange), and gently floral and spicy. The flavor displays sweetish malt with brighter citrus and a stronger spiciness that includes black pepper and some herbal character. This is a spelt beer but I don't really find that. It's bready, and sweetish, and perhaps a bit honeyish and then subtly tart and slightly woody but it's hard to tell what's coming from where. It's firmly bitter and the malt over-rides it at first, but the spice and subtle acidity help to balance it and bring it to a dry, peppery, and herbal finish. Medium to medium-light in body with a very fine-bubbled, delicately effervescent carbonation. Pleasant and enjoyable, it's actually more basic than it sounds here.
Jan 27, 2017
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Reviewed by Everydayoff from Thailand

3.75/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
On-tap served in a stemmed glass at Mikkeller Bangkok.

L:
Slight hazy golden orange in color, it tops with thick creamy head that stays with decent retention before sinking to some bubble film atop and leaving lots of lacing patch on the glass-side.

S:
Funky, peppery, floral, light honey, fruity yeast in kind of banana, pineapple, orange, and tropical fruit. Bread and biscuit malt in the background.

T:
Some sourness and tartness in the lead, then it is some funkiness and fruitiness of lime, orange, and pineapple. Some peppery spice in the middle together with a little sweet bready malt undertone. Hop is a bit hidden with some earthy touch.

F:
Medium body, crisp with lively carbonation, rather smooth mouthfeel, very dry finish.

O:
Pretty good Saison, no ground-breaking.
Jan 26, 2017
Photo of SABERG
Reviewed by SABERG from Massachusetts

4.04/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Poured from a recently purchased 11.2 oz undated bottle into the modified tulip glass.
A - Satin wood yellow, huge carbonation, aggressive, cap is white and towering.
S - Musty, lemon rind, and dusty basement. Cut flowers and a bit of honey. Really nice.
T - Semi sweet grains, a bit of cheese rind, and again hints of must, calcium and salinity.
M - Stays in a narrow band, cheese rind, and marmalade.
O - So glad to have tried this, Similar to Blaugies spelt saison.
Worth seeking out
Jan 23, 2017
 
Rated: 3.71 by Dazka from Italy

Oct 01, 2016
 
Rated: 3.65 by samEBC from Belgium

Sep 26, 2016
 
Rated: 2.81 by andpit from Italy

Aug 06, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by MrDell from Switzerland

Jul 13, 2016
 
Rated: 3.53 by DrMindbender from South Carolina

Jun 09, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by DeadeyeOTDO from Arizona

Feb 09, 2016
Photo of stevoj
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

3.33/5  rDev -8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
11.1 oz (33cl)Bottle from Boise Co-op. Poured into Duvel tulip, lazy carbonation, suspended particulates, thickish body. Deep golden cloudy pour, smallest of heads. Floral herbal aroma, some cheese, some mustiness. Graininess in the taste, close to a witbier, but I think it is the alternate grain (spelt) which is driving this beer's character. I've had this style before in Germany. spelt is an ancient food grain.
Jan 06, 2016
 
Rated: 3.83 by Catalin90 from Romania

Dec 22, 2015
 
Rated: 3.25 by Walnut from Missouri

Nov 25, 2015
Photo of GrumD
Reviewed by GrumD from Japan

4.39/5  rDev +21.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Love this funky, earthy but quaffable beer. It's nose is filled with spice and straw and the initial taste hints at yeast and farmyard. Fruit comes through in a subtle but pleasant finish.
Nov 21, 2015
 
Rated: 3.17 by simonreadmusic from England

Nov 15, 2015
 
Rated: 3.95 by wickerman from Pennsylvania

Aug 29, 2015
 
Rated: 3.2 by brbrocc from New York

Jul 26, 2015
 
Rated: 3.59 by drewone from California

May 25, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by GRG1313 from California

May 21, 2015
 
Rated: 3.73 by Wowcoolman from California

May 21, 2015
 
Rated: 4.12 by NateF90 from Connecticut

May 20, 2015
Duchessa from Birra Del Borgo
Beer rating: 82 out of 100 with 102 ratings