Royale Imperial Saison Du BUFF
Stone Brewing

Light fizzy head, semi clear hazy golden color

Nose all the herbs, lemony, sage, rosemary, not really parsley, light sweet grainy malt, little farmhouse funk

Taste semi sweet malt, little farmhouse funk, more of all the herbs even a little parsley, but plenty of sage, fair rosemary and thyme,

Mouth med bod, fair foamy carb

Poured from a cork'n'cage magnum into a Dogfish Head tulip

L: Slightly hazed bright golden pour with 2 fingers of foamy white head. Nice ring of lacing.

S: Herbal! Sage, rosemary, and thyme mixed with some grains and booze. Like taking a walk through the herb garden.

T.F: Toasted grains and citrus. Classic garden herbs... just like the smell. Sage and thyme... rosemary and pepper. Salvia and floral notes. A bit of earthy hops for balance towards the finish. Boozy... but not overwhelming and it cuts the herbal flavor a bit. Becomes more complex as it warms. Medium bodied.

O: Definitely a 'big brother' to the classic Saison Du BUFF... and as noted the added heft cuts down on the herbal character a bit. It's a cool beer. Not one I'd want frequently but the magnum was an awesome share and just the right amount between 3 people. Well crafted, unique, and well worth the endeavor.

 

Gold; bubblegum + starfruit; apple, bubblicious, spice, carambola, rosemary + white pepper.

4 4 4.25 4 4.25

Solid classic. Hints of barrel vanilla. Exquisite balance.

Crisp and refreshing.

 

 

 

The beer pours a very nice looking white bubbly head that dissipates very quickly. The beer itself is a nice medium darkish gold that has a very nice metallic sheen to it. It's a pretty good look even for the style.

The smell and taste are both good. The alcohol and herbal notes (coriander and some others) are upfront in the smell and taste. The hop note is fairly rustic and earthy bitter with a nice orange note to it. The hop note tends to open up a bit more as the beer warms. There is also a pale malt sweetness to the taste as well. Otherwise, it's a good blend of the sweet alcohol, herbal notes, and moderate hop note that I think places this as an improvement over the original.

The feel is pretty good and better than expected. The beer seems to still have a medium body that is a bit thick with weight but not as heavy as darker beers. There is no alcohol burn but there is a slickness to everything that finishes with a slightly dry finish.

Overall, another good collaboration between Stone/Stone Berlin and worth getting if available. I also think it's an improvement over the original.