Hennepin Farmhouse Saison is born in Cooperstown, New York to the Brewery Ommegang. I enjoyed a 355mL bottle outside on a beautiful, warm summer day. According to the label, Hennepin is named after Father Louis Hennepin, who has the distinction of being the first European to reach Niagara Falls. Also, the label proclaims that this yeasty saison is brewed with ginger, coriander, orange peel, and grains of paradise. A quick little search of the ol' Wikipedia taught me that grains of paradise are a spice from the ginger family and is also known as alligator pepper (cool). Hennepin contains a hearty 7.7% alcohol.
It's a cloudy ale, fiercely carbonated, and topped with a vigorous, bright white head. It has a nice, pale golden colour. Its has a pungent yeasty aroma that leans slightly toward citrus. Hennepin is a thin-bodied ale that has an enthusiastically fizzy mouthfeel. Its delicate but complex flavour sees citrus blend with dry, aromatic spice notes. It finishes with an orange rind bitterness.
This beer ain't what I'd describe as thirst quenching in the conventional sense, but it manages to be quite refreshing in its own way. It definitely does not taste like it has 7.7% alcohol--booze is brilliantly masked.
Rating: 8.5 out of 10.
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