Brewed By: Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton, Delaware (in collaboration with Stone and Victory Brewing)
Purchased: 12oz bottle single bought at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, IL; 2014
Style/ABV: American Saison, 6.8%
Reported IBUs: ?
Who doesn't love a good collaboration? About Dogfish Head:
Reported IBUs: ?
Who doesn't love a good collaboration? About Dogfish Head:
Dogfish Head is a craft brewery based out of Milton, Delaware. The brewery was founded by Sam Calagione back in 1995.The brewery began as a brewpub (the first in Delaware) called Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, and was originally located in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The initial brewing setup included three kegs and propane burners. They brewed 12-gallon batches of beer three times a day, five days a week. In 1996 the brewery began bottling their beer, and by 1999 they had distribution to around a dozen different states. In 2002 the company outgrew their Rehoboth location, and moved to Milton, Delaware. More info can be found HERE.
The Saison Du BUFF, is a collaboration between Dogfish Head, Stone Brewing, and Victory Brewing. The beer was first brewed at Stone Brewing back in 2010, and then replicated at the other breweries respectively. This Saison is brewed with parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
This pours into a pale, hazy, orange-gold body, kicking up a finger of white head. Head retention is very good, with lacing and sustaining foam. It's well carbonated and all that. Oh yeah look at that appropriate seasonal glass. Awww yeah.
I'm not really sure what Victory's function or interest is in this Saison, but I am getting lots of hops and spices. This smells very characteristic of Stone and DFH. The first thing on the aroma is fennel, rosemary, thyme, and peppery spice. That gives way to big wheat notes, apples, slaw salad, and bright sage. Finally, once you settle into the aroma, you get big citrus hops, with orange, lemon, and some nice resin.
Hmmm...this is light, refreshing, and spicy. And by spicy, I don't mean like Stone's Saison spicy. I mean like...balanced and constrained. This actually tastes like a classic Belgian Saison fused with some spice. I'm getting refreshing wheat, apples, grapes, sage, clove, and some nice orange/lemon. There are nice yeast esters in here. This has banana, black pepper, bubblegum, and some farmhouse notes. This is actually really nice. I think the operative word her is "rustic." This beer reminds me of food, the countryside, and Summer. The fennel, rosemary, thyme, and peppery spice are all remarkably balanced by refreshing apples, grape, clove, orange, and lemon.
This is complex, layered, and frankly....pretty good. It's spicy, but at the same time light and refreshing. I'd call this light to medium-light bodied. It masks the 6.8% beautifully, but it also warrants that high ABV. This is a beer that needs body to deliver the complex spices and fruity notes. The palate depth here is very nice, and this is surprisingly complex. I'd really call this a beer that unfolds in two parts; up front is big spice, fennel, thyme, pepper, rosemary, clove; that gives way to juicy apple, sage, grapes, winey note, bananas and yeast esters, wheat; the back end drops some hops, and the finish is dry and citrusy. Really...really nice.
Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)
I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this. A lot of reviews are dogging this beer...but why? I don't get it. This is solid stuff. In some ways I think you could call this a foodie beer. Maybe that is true, maybe that is fair. I think this beer would pair well with grilled potatoes, lamb, grilled meats, a rustic stew, or a leafy burger. I'd serve this in the late Summer. Just...yum.
Random Thought: Two out of the three of the breweries in this collaboration are loud, controversial, and fun. I still don't understand how Victory got roped into this one.
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| Dogfish Head / Stone / Victory Saison Du BUFF |
This pours into a pale, hazy, orange-gold body, kicking up a finger of white head. Head retention is very good, with lacing and sustaining foam. It's well carbonated and all that. Oh yeah look at that appropriate seasonal glass. Awww yeah.
I'm not really sure what Victory's function or interest is in this Saison, but I am getting lots of hops and spices. This smells very characteristic of Stone and DFH. The first thing on the aroma is fennel, rosemary, thyme, and peppery spice. That gives way to big wheat notes, apples, slaw salad, and bright sage. Finally, once you settle into the aroma, you get big citrus hops, with orange, lemon, and some nice resin.
Hmmm...this is light, refreshing, and spicy. And by spicy, I don't mean like Stone's Saison spicy. I mean like...balanced and constrained. This actually tastes like a classic Belgian Saison fused with some spice. I'm getting refreshing wheat, apples, grapes, sage, clove, and some nice orange/lemon. There are nice yeast esters in here. This has banana, black pepper, bubblegum, and some farmhouse notes. This is actually really nice. I think the operative word her is "rustic." This beer reminds me of food, the countryside, and Summer. The fennel, rosemary, thyme, and peppery spice are all remarkably balanced by refreshing apples, grape, clove, orange, and lemon.
This is complex, layered, and frankly....pretty good. It's spicy, but at the same time light and refreshing. I'd call this light to medium-light bodied. It masks the 6.8% beautifully, but it also warrants that high ABV. This is a beer that needs body to deliver the complex spices and fruity notes. The palate depth here is very nice, and this is surprisingly complex. I'd really call this a beer that unfolds in two parts; up front is big spice, fennel, thyme, pepper, rosemary, clove; that gives way to juicy apple, sage, grapes, winey note, bananas and yeast esters, wheat; the back end drops some hops, and the finish is dry and citrusy. Really...really nice.
Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)
I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this. A lot of reviews are dogging this beer...but why? I don't get it. This is solid stuff. In some ways I think you could call this a foodie beer. Maybe that is true, maybe that is fair. I think this beer would pair well with grilled potatoes, lamb, grilled meats, a rustic stew, or a leafy burger. I'd serve this in the late Summer. Just...yum.
Random Thought: Two out of the three of the breweries in this collaboration are loud, controversial, and fun. I still don't understand how Victory got roped into this one.
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