Stone Brewing Company/Dogfish Head Brewery Saison du Buff
What the brewers say
“This saison has been infused with a herbaceous blend of locally harvested sage, lemon thyme, rosemary, and parsley and dry-hopped with Citra hops for a refreshing finish.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “Lots of fresh herbs—sage is very strong, but it is hard to get anything else off of the nose. Some mild sweetness in the back. Intense herbal aroma of basil, mint, lavender, and sage.”
Flavor: “There is a bounce between the herbal sage notes and the sweetness from this beer, however the beer is left with a bitterness from the spice that takes over in the finish. Low carbonation and astringent on the finish. Crazy herbal notes—sage, juniper berry, pine taste like you’ve grabbed a bunch and rubbed it in your hands.”
Overall: “Too much sage for this one—the herbal spice took over both the nose and the flavor. Very herbal beer with lots of basil and floral notes. A genuinely crazy amount of herbs—like a very strong cup of tea with a shot of gin. Could be fun to use as a mixer in a cocktail.”
