Katy and Sasha are the contributors for Ottawa Beer Events! They
have distinctly different palates and in this segment they go
head-to-head tasting Hennepin (Farmhouse Saison) by Brewery Ommegang.
Katy:
Brewery Ommegang's farmhouse-style saison is named after Father Hennepin, a 17th century explorer who was the first European to visit Niagara Falls. They liken their discovery of a full flavoured, spicey saison to the moment Hennepin first laid eyes on the falls – an amazing discovery in uncharted territory.
Hennepin (the beer, not the person) pours a beautiful golden yellow with champagne-like effervescence and has aromas of Belgian yeast with notes of banana, clove and citrus. The taste follows the nose starting with a slight sweetness which leads into some lemon rind, banana, coriander and clove flavours. It finishes somewhat bitter with more yeast, tropical fruits and a slight hop presence.
A beautiful saison that can be enjoyed year round!
Having yet to try anything from Duvel, or Ommegang, a brewery in Cooperstown acquired by them in 2003, I was really looking forward to diving into this saison.
It poured a light golden colour, slightly cloudy with a nice thick head. The aroma, though faint, had a mixture of spice and citrus. At 7.7% ABV I expected a bitterness on the tongue, however it had crisp flavours of citrus and a slight spiciness from ginger and coriander along with toasty notes.
Overall a refreshing and well balanced saison.
Brewery Ommegang's Hennepin is distributed by Horizon Beers in Ontario and can be found (for a limited time) at the LCBO. It can also be found at Johnny Farina's Casual Italian Eatery (216 Elgin Street).
