I was eyeing a Brasserie Dupont ale the other day at the market. Next to their reknowned Saison Dupont was something called the Forêt Organic Saison (750ml and 7.5% abv), which appeared to be the same concept but with 100% certified organic malt and hops.
Wow! That is all I can say to describe this fine beverage. I shared it with some friends after a long day racing A-Cats and everyone was pleasantly surprised by the spicy yet light taste of the amber colored ale. We drank it at room temperature because it just tasted so good. Saisons usually seem to like a little chill (55°F?) but I figured why mess with a good thing. A crowd soon formed around the bottle and people were begging me for instructions on where to find another.
I gave away my source and the next time I was in the store I bought the last two remaining bottles for myself. This is a superb ale, a real find, and I suspect it will age nicely for the next three or four years and become the perfect thing for a special summer occasion.
The Forêt Organic Saison by Brasserie Dupont, Tourpes, Hainault, Belgium was also reviewed on the Beer Advocate site, where most people seem to worship the Trappist Westvleteren 12 (yellow cap) available only at the entrance of the Abbey of Saint Sixtus of Westvleteren:
During World Wars I and II, the Westvleteren brewery continued to operate, albeit at a lower capacity. The brewery was the only Trappist one to retain the copper vessels throughout the wars – the other breweries had the copper salvaged by the Germans for their war efforts. In WWI this was primarily due to the abbey not being occupied by the Germans, but instead was caring for wounded allied troops.
[…]
Buyers of the beer receive a receipt with Niet verder verkopen (“Do not resell”) printed on it. The abbey is very much against resale of their beer, and it is their wish that the beer is only commercially available at the two official sale points. To this end, any Westvleteren beer which is sold anywhere else in the world is grey market beer, as no wholesalers or pubs are supplied with the beer, and the abbey is actively working to eliminate the illicit sales.
I wonder how much of the excitement by the beer tasters has to do with its exclusivity? Probably most of it, as the unusual Forêt bottle was half the fun/excitement at the gathering.