Saison Dupont - Brasserie Dupont, Tourpes

Saisons are a style I struggled with for the longest time. The paleness reminded me too much of a Pilsner and the all too common dry finish left me with a bad taste in my mouth... literally. Through what I like to call perseverance, I've come to terms with this style of beer and I've found aspects of Saisons which I enjoy. It's still a love-hate relationship at times, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy a great Saison every now and then. I'm hoping this bottle of Saison Dupont falls on my side of that thin gray line between good and bad.

Saison Dupont is a beer that I've heard great things about. I've been told that it's the embodiment of a great Saison and that it defines the style in some ways. I thought that all sounded a bit lofty so I decided to try this beer for myself. What I found was a Saison... It tastes about like what I was expecting and it didn't really change my perceptions of the style. This wasn't a bad beer. In fact, it's a pretty good Saison.

All of the flavors are about where you'd expect to have them. There is a bit more pale malt up front than I'd ideally like to get, but it's not overwhelming. The citrus components in this beer seem more subdued because of the stronger pale flavor but they are still noticeable. Lemon stands out as the strongest citrus flavor with a tart and almost sour bite that cuts through the malt.

The Saison Dupont is enjoyable but not quite smooth enough for me to say it's as drinkable as I'd like. The finish is rather bitter and harsh, two things I hate to find in a Saison. Personally I'd only recommend this beer to enthusiasts who really enjoy Saisons or bitter hopped beers. If you're looking for a gentler Saison for a relaxing evening on the back porch, look elsewhere...