Libertine Brewing Saison Fonce
Libertine Brewing Saison Fonce is the dark side of saison — "saison foncée" in French — a lightly tart dark farmhouse ale from the San Luis Obispo wild-ale specialist. Libertine's brewer took the house saison base, rebuilt the grain bill with dark and chocolate malts, and let the wild-yeast program do the rest: wine-y, oak-kissed and deceptively smooth, dark and chocolaty without being cloying or heavy. One of the first three bottles ever released to the brewery's Wild Registry members in January 2016. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: Not stated in copy — varies by batch (6–7% across releases)
- Size: 750mL
- Style: Dark saison / lightly tart farmhouse ale
- Grain bill: House saison base + dark and chocolate malts
- Program: Libertine Wild Registry — among the first three member releases (Jan 2016)
- Origin: Libertine Brewing, San Luis Obispo / Morro Bay, California
A Brewer's Personal Twist on the House Saison
Saison Fonce was created by a Libertine brewer as a fun, personal take on the brewery's house saison — the brewery positioned it as a "sessionable drink on a cold winter day," which makes sense: all the farmhouse soul, none of the pale-beer lightness. Drinkers describe it as wine-y, picking up oak from the barrels, and Untappd drinkers rate it 3.84/5 across 1,054 ratings. Explore more sour and wild beers or the Libertine lineup at Del Mesa Liquor.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Wine-y dark fruit, oak, light funk. Palate: Dark chocolate malt with gentle tartness; wine-barrel character. Finish: Smooth, deceptively light, dry.
How to Enjoy
Serve cool in a tulip with duck, mushroom risotto or dark chocolate — the roast malt and wild edge love earthy food. This is a winter-day saison, per the brewer who made it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "Saison Fonce" mean? French for "dark saison" — a saison brewed with dark and chocolate malts.
What is the Wild Registry? Libertine's membership bottle program; Saison Fonce was one of its first three releases in January 2016.
Is it very sour? Lightly tart rather than sharply sour — more funky and wine-like than acidic.
The dark saison — order Libertine Saison Fonce online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.