Yesterday I noticed Saison Dupont 750s with two different labels. One was the typical drab label with the following code: L15169B 15:36:31. I'm assuming this translates to June-ish 2015. I've seen conflicting info if this is a bottled on or best by date. The other bottle had a label with vibrant colors and a yellow border. Thought this was the dry hopped version at first but it didn't indicate that it was on the label. It had a much more user friendly "bottled on - 10 2015 L330A." Does anybody have any helpful info on any of this?
Don't know how helpful it will be with the 750s, but as of a couple of years on with the smaller brown bottles there's this thread. http://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/saison-dupont-date-code.117717/ That was consistent with your first bottle and it's sounding like you've nailed it about a change. But have no idea how to read the new one.
Thanks. I was considering resurrecting that thread, but I couldn't tell if the info was out of date (and would lead to confusion). I'd swear the fresh beer link had conflicting info vs the thread... but their site appears to be down now so I can't check. I also started a new thread because I was just as curious about the label.
It's not a good pic because I only took it to have a reference for the dates. I don't know if I'm just crazy and/or blind, and the left bottle is dry hopped, or if they've changed the label and date format of the standard saison and no other stores have it yet. I'm confused as usual.
Yep, confusing. But the picture offers a few clues, which combined with a few other things, may make a less confusing picture. 1. Note the Importers on the label in your picture (which says nothing it being the dry hopped version). Total Beverage Solutions in SC. 2. Now note the Importers on the older label. http://beerlabelarchive.blogspot.com/2011/01/saison-dupont-vieille-provision.html Vanberg and DeWolf in NY 3. V&D were recently (just over a year ago) sold to TBS. http://www.brewbound.com/news/total-beverage-solution-acquires-vanberg-dewulf-portfolio Soooo, new importer, new label design with fresher colors? 4. Also I've heard complaints/comments about bottle dating on imports that the Importer can have some influence over whether or not there is a date and the format of the date. (Also we do know that US labeling laws can make a difference as in the case of "Organic" on Cantillon gueuze labels in Europe but not in the US, or that Lindemans used to use artificial sweetner in their Faro that was listed on the European labels but not on the US label.) 5. While the picture is still a bit cloudy, this all suggests the possibility of revised dating system with the new importer. (Maybe for consistency sake with what is in general use by the new importer that is still compatible with the existing bottle dating equipment at Dupont?) 6. Throwing in the relatively long shelf-life of many Saisons. (Many are dated out at least a year from bottling and I've a few of GI Sofies quietly maturing in the basement until they hit about two years to see if some Brett character may emerge.) Bottom line: My current guess is that the date code on your bottle is Month and Year i.e., October of 2015. (Which is 6-7 months after TBS acquired US distribution rights, which gives the brewery time to exhaust the stock of old labels and to get into use the new ones which have been slightly modified and had the colors freshened a bit by the designers.)
