Saison D'Epeautre
Brasserie de Blaugies

Pours unclear yellow with a big, bubbly white head.
The nose has a distinct hint of bread crust and yeast, with a secondary citrus effect.
The palate is still bread and yeast, with a light bergamot and then a more cereal-like (spelt) effect that isn't unpleasant.
A well-made season, but the excessive carbonation in this bottle unfortunately ruins the drinkability and the beer in general.
I've also had this on other occasions, so the ratings are also based on previous tastings.

Brasserie de Blaugies "Saison D'Epeautre"
375 ml green glass bottle, corked & caged, coded "U2 06:24".
$10.99 @ Lower Merion Beverage Co., Ardmore, PA

Notes via stream of consciousness: I know this is a saison, but what is it? What makes it different? It's brewed with spelt, also known as farro, which is a somewhat ancient variety of wheat. It's 6% alcohol by volume, and based on a quick sip it's very dry but not that bitter. It's a hazy golden in color beneath a short head of bright white that fades quickly. In the nose it's wheaty, earthy, and fruity with some white grape and apple. The taste is wheaty, sweetish, fruity, and earthy. I'm again getting apple and white grape. It's not bitter but there is some acidity to it that helps to balance it, and it finishes dry because there's not a whole other of residual malt there. In the mouth it's medium bodied and gently crisp with a fine-bubbled carbonation that seems natural. I'll call it perfectly balanced but I feel it could use a little bit more complexity. It's still a classic.
Review #9,496

 

Copenhagen 31/5 2020. 75 cl corked bottle from Kvickly in Allerød. Drawing of a windmill churning corn and the the miller standing with what I suppose is a big bag of spelt.

Pours unclear yellow with a big, bubbly white head. Settles as thin layer of foam just covering the surface of the beer. Moderate lacing.

Aroma is intense with a medium strong fruity sourness and a strong odor of yeast. Lemongrass and citrus. Underlying odor of sweet peach. Wet soil and pepper.

Light carbonation. Thin, oily, lightly tingling texture.

Flavor is medium intense with medium strong sweetness followed and balanced by a medium strong, tart bitterness. Aftertaste is tart. Finish is dry.

Nice dry, tart Saison.

I just wasn’t that impressed. Absolutely massive amounts of carbonation. I don’t know how there was any beer left. Primary notes of apples. Rough around the edges.

Drinking in a Teku glass. Bought at a Total Wine in Austin, Texas. Excellent farmhouse beer from a small operation in Belgium. Definitely has a champagne character and carbonation. More champagne-like than most saisons I have tried. Love the funky and musty farmhouse character and if you like sour beers you will like this, too. I can taste the malt and the toasty wheat, too. Very interesting. Glad I tried it. I bet it is wonderful on tap.

Ordered from Monastery Brewers in Cleveland. Lovely head, smell was exquisite and complex.
An excellent Saison.

Dull unpolished gold with a tall, puffy and airy white foam head.

Toasty malt quickly takes a backseat to that French yeast cocktail of banana bread with mild hints of clove and nutmeg before finishing with a grassy bitterness.

Its supremely airy froth fills the palate despite being very light, while the esters and phenols recede over time.

I had this on draft 2/1/24 @ the Beer Temple.

Semi-opaque dull orange appearance.

Big bright white head; nice lacing remained.

Orange peel, banana, mild peanut butter & faint soap notes in the nose.

Medium mouthfeel.

Peanut butter & banana flavors up front; cinnamon bite on the finish.

Not really what I'm looking for in the style. Drinkable, ultimately, but not one I'll return to.

Hazy honey color.
Smell: Pale malt, cracker grain, herbal hops, faint urine.
Taste: Fairly tame compared to what I expected after the explosive opening of the bottle. Underbaked bread, apricot, herbal tea, dried lemon peel that's been in the cupboard for years. Finishes a bit watery. Hop bitterness is almost not there.
Feel: Upon opening, violently effervescent. Once it sits in the glass for 20 minutes or so, it feels flat.
I wanted to like this a lot more, especially after spending over $11 for a single. It's OK.

Crystal clear golden color with a tall pile of foam that subsides to a sticky cap. Intriguing aroma of citrus and green pepper. Warm and malty with a lemon tang. Pleasing cereal taste like Cream of Wheat plus a bright pear finish. Modest yeasty zip but notable for not being as overly phenolic as so many Belgian-style brews are. Smooth taste and prickly on the tongue, with a light mouthfeel. Overall this is an especially quaffable and friendly sort of Saison. As well as being a bargain compared to so many American brews. From the 750 ml corked and caged bottle.

A: Pours with a light haze, but that clears up after a minute. A pale straw/yellow color. A pillow like white head rises and sticks around for a little bit. As that recedes, lace is left behind.
S: Some basement like musk and "funk" but subtle up front. Lemon zest, peppery spice, light esters of pear. A very nice aroma.
T: Oh, got to love that musky funk. It never takes over, but is always there in the background. Lemon rind, peppery spice, fruity esters of pear and grapes. Cracker like malts. Just a touch of grassy hops to balance and round everything out. This is wonderful.
M/O: A medium body, with a perfect effervescent bite. Crisp, super dry, and even refreshing. I need to get more of this, as it is really enjoyable to drink and come back to.

This is a spot on example of the style. Just enough funk (not skunk) to satisfy, and everything else is so well balanced. This is why I love the style. Well done all around.

Bottle code U2-08:21

Blaugies is a brewery I’ve heard many people talk about as a Belgian classic, but never really saw their beer. So when I saw this one on the shelf I knew I had to give it a shot. Let’s see what this traditional, old school Saison is all about

Pours a cloudy yellow gold with 3 fingers of rocky white head that slowly fades to a thin cap and leaves minimal lacing

I was expecting something ultra-traditional and more earthy, but there’s a nice subtle funk in the nose. I’m picking up on aromas of lemon zest, earthy wheat, white grape, wildflower honey, green tea, wet hay, peppery hops, and pear skin

The nose was maybe a bit misleading as this does lean in more of an earthy direction in taste, but I still dig it. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting earthy wheat, wildflower honey, pear skin, wet hay, raw grain, white pepper, lemon zest, and light white grape. The swallow brings notes of earthy wheat, raw grain, sweet honey, green tea, floral hops, pear skin, and banana

A medium full body pairs with gentle tingling carbonation, resulting in a slick beer. Finishes mostly dry and refreshing

It’s not amazing or anything, but one I’m very happy to have tried regardless. If I see any of their other beers I’ll probably give them a shot

 

 

 

12.7oz green bottle. Corked and caged. No dating information found.
Clear, pale straw colored body. Massive, fluffy, small bubble head with each pour. Minimum strands of lacing.
Aroma is full of smelt malt, which gives it a very primitive wheaty smell. The yeast provides a horsey smell.
Taste is sweet but sharp with the smelt and dry yeast. Some fruit such as pear. Aftertaste is brief but continues with the malt and yeast.
Extremely dry mouth feel. Effervescent, and very high carbonation.
Good for style without any added spices, but spicy enough from the smelt malt.

L: Hazy straw with a half inch white head. A lot of sediment sitting at the bottom of the bottle

S: Farmhouse funk, bubblegum, banana.

T: Bright and effervescent. Maltier than the nose with notes of lemon, hay, and banana bread.

F: Medium/light bodied and effervescent.

O: A lovely saison that has some witbier/Hefeweizen elements

Pours a slightly unfiltered golden yellow liquid with a huge, noisy and stable head.

Aromas on this lead with spicy, peppery yeast, fresh cooked oats, lighter glazed rock sugar and dried leaves.

Got a refreshing, well carbonated mouthfeel, which offers a lighter, intriguing stony quality among a lighter, yet soft body.

Tastes of rich wheat, earth accentuated toffee, spruce and a lighter, equally spicy dry hop undertone. Develops a smooth whipped cream smoothness among banana peel, crushed grains and a whiff of cumarine. Finishes with slightly more sugar, lighter turning spices and an aqueous softness, together with a note of matured noble hops.

This is quite an interesting, well working and complex Saison, which stays in a certain reminiscence of a Weizen, in terms of its prominent and isotonic yeast profile.