Saison DuPont is probably one of the best known and most-emulated Belgian Saisons in the world, but did you know DuPont could have been Canadian? 😮

Indeed in 1920, the Belgian agronomist Louis DuPont was looking to purchase a farm in Canada, but his father Alfred DuPont wanted to dissuade him from crossing the Atlantic, so instead purchase him the Rimaux-Derrider farm-brewery, which had been in operating since 1844 making local honey and Saison beers. Louis began working on the farm’s recipe for a refreshing farmhouse beer for their worker and tweaked it into what we know today as Saison Dupont. 🌾 🧑🏻‍🌾 🍺

While DuPont may never have been Canadian, we have our own version here in Quebec from microbrasserie Auval. Inspired by the classic, Saison Duval boasts a rustic bouquet of hay and fresh grains with a dash of lemon and white pepper. There’s an Auval twist though, as the beer’s fermentation in stainless steel lets their house yeast shine through, bringing some more barnyard funk that becomes more apparent with age (this batch was close to the end of its suggested lifespan).

A taste of Saison DuPont

It’s similarly cereal forward on the palate with lots of honey sweetness and plenty of spicy pepper speckled throughout. The mouthfeel is round and even slightly chewy, yet the finish is very dry and spicy, finding a great balance. Indeed when it comes to Belgian style beers, Quebec does not have too much to envy from the motherland, and this is a perfect example of that! 🍋 🌾 🍯

Originally from England, Mike Davis came to Quebec ten years ago to pursue his studies in history. During this time, he fell in love with the culture of Quebec microbreweries, which reminds him of English pub culture. Now, with a Ph.D. in history from McGill University, he works in the beer industry as a brand ambassador for Microbrasserie 4 Origines.

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