We always enjoy a new creation from the good ‘Dochter’, and one of his newest is Beau Monde. A dry-hopped saison with bitter orange added.
The pour reveals a lovely orange, hazy body and gives up the tell-tale farmhouse aromas of funk and spice.
Taste is fruity early on, apricot and white grape, with strong citrus from the bitter orange, and a nice grainy malt body. The bitterness slowly wraps around the tongue and asserts itself, aided by the prickly spicing from the yeast and a high carbonation.
The beer dries out really quickly, so that slightly sweet malt body balances beautifully the bitter orange citrus, spicy farmhouse yeast and the hop bitterness.
Part way through this beer, it made me think of Orval. It’s a very different beer, but it can’t be a bad thing to pique such a memory. And it is 6.2% ABV as well!