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Saison Imperiale

De Proef Saison Imperiale Beer
Judges Ratings 
1 Review
95
Aroma:
23 / 24
Flavor:
39 / 40
Appearance:
5 / 6
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20
Description 

Created in 2006. While the style is generally known for its light body and subtle spice, Saison Imperiale is a bolder, "mega" interpretation of the style. Light amber in color, funky wild yeast notes and spice to the nose, with a bit more malt character, body, and hop notes as appropriate to the "Imperiale" style. 

Beverage Profile
ABV: 
8.5%
IBUs: 
30
Judges Review 
Nelson Crowle's picture
Judges Rating:
95
Aroma:
23 / 24
Appearance:
5 / 6
Flavor:
39 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20

A nice, big, mousse-like headstand of yellowish-beige bubbles sits atop an orange-tinted, slightly hazy, deep copper-colored liquid that looks very inviting. The aroma is complex with caramel and toasty characters and some earthy, lemony and wet hay elements, along with a spicy black pepper note. The first sip echoes all of the complexity of the aroma, and adds a light stone fruit note and a slight river-rock minerality, leaving behind a beautiful Belgian lace on the sides of the glass. The toast (maybe some Vienna or Munich malt) and Brettanomyces-like earthy notes come across very nicely in the flavor, and there is a pleasant and well-balanced funky character that plays a great counterpoint to the fruitiness from the yeast. This beer is very highly carbonated and extremely fizzy in the mouth. A medium body with a spicy, fruity and slightly funky and dry finish lingers. There is substantial alcohol, but it is very clean -- no fusels, just a pleasant warming feeling. This is a great Farmhouse Ale in pretty much every way -- the only thing I would do is reduce the carbonation slightly. However, the carbonation and clean/crisp finish are perfect for fatty food; I am going to have a second glass of this beer with some spicy French fries smothered in chopped chili peppers. A nice ribeye steak would also pair well with this beer.

Brewery Introduction

The “proef” brewery is specifically equipped for the development and production of beers for third parties.

We brew on a relatively small scale: most often between 10 and 140 hectoliters per order. Our customers include beer architects (who most often contribute their own recipe), start-... Read More

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