Tonight I'm actually breaking my string of beer reviews and doing an overview of one of my favorite styles - the saison. Saisons are perfect beers to enjoy in weather like this when so much of the country is blanketed in sweltering heat so I hope that this overview provides you some direction for snapping up some tasty summer beers.
The word "saison" is French for "season" and the style originates in the southern, rural, and less densely populated French-speaking region of Belgium known as Wallonia. Alternately referred to as farmhouse ales, this style has its roots in rustic Belgian farms dating back centuries. While modern saisons have at least modestly codified along stylistic guidelines, originally the term saison would've referred to any refreshing, low alcohol ale that ranges in color from light gold to light amber. The style was conceived as a way to slake the thirst of farm hands during the tedious work of tending and harvesting the crops for which the Belgian countryside is so well known. Initially, the grain bill would've been comprised of any scraps of grain left over from the fall harvest, be it barley, wheat, spelt, whatever. The original brewers of saisons also started a trend that persists today wherein brewers accentuate the flavors derived from the hops, yeast, and malt by adding various spices and flavorings including honey and ginger. Modern brewers have expanded this tradition by adding lemon zest, orange peel, and coriander among others. After the fall harvest, these primitive farmhouse brewers would've slapped together their beer and stored it away for fermentation during the fall and winter months. At the start of spring planting, the finished beer would be opened and shared among the workers. It is important to remember that early saisons were quite low in alcohol, usually around 3.5% abv (Bud Light is 4.2%). The idea here was a refreshing beverage that wouldn't impede the productivity of the workers. Modern saisons have drifted upward along the abv scale and today range from 5-9% abv.
Saison is a style that nearly faded into oblivion as recently as a couple decades ago. There remained a handful of classic Belgian producers of the style, but it had disappeared almost completely from the international consciousness. In recent years, the style has enjoyed a renaissance of sorts thanks to renewed interest from upstart craft breweries in the U.S., Belgium, and New Zealand. The style is still somewhat hard to pin down and describe and can still vary in color and taste but there are some commonalities. Saisons will almost always be light to medium in body, light gold to light amber in color (classically pilsner malts lend the beer a lighter hue while some have opted for darker malts for added complexity). While some hop presence, especially that of the Styrian and East Kent Goldings varieties, will be discernible, the yeast will create flavorful byproducts during fermentation that really provide the style its signature. Saisons will often be peppery, tangy, and zesty. One may also find sweet fruity notes as well. Carbonation will range from medium to obnoxiously high. The beer will be refreshing and in the mild to moderate alcohol range. Saisons vary from semi-dry to startlingly dry (for me, the drier the better). At bottling, many saisons undergo a process called bottle conditioning, which means they are bottled with live yeast so that the beer continues to develop in the bottle. This is a great way to not only prolong shelf life but also to add a little mystery to the beer. Some people even like cellaring saisons to see how they turn out in a few years. That being said, they are extremely tasty when young. This style will often exhibit some flavors that your average beer drinker might find off putting. Use of wild yeasts, gypsum, acidulated malt and other outside-of-the-box techniques have led saison lovers to use descriptors including hay, barnyard, horse blanket, musty, funky, tart, and many others. While these adjectives may sound like a deterrent, I want to assure you that the style is supremely quaff-able and very approachable. What beer drinkers are doing in assigning these off-the-wall descriptions is their attempt at using words to describe this great, intangible gray area of saisons that must be tasted to be understood. That is just one part of what I love about saisons, how unique each one is. They best exemplify the spirit of innovation and adventure that is incumbent upon craft brewers and the people who drink their creations. You'll really feel as though you've turned a corner once you can say that you've tried a beer brewed with rose hips and hibiscus and loved it.
There are plenty of saisons out there, but you might have to find a good beer store to locate them. Here's a list of some great starter saisons that should be easy for everyone to love:
Goose Island Sofie
Brasserie Dupont Vieille Provision (commonly called Saison Dupont)
Stillwater Cellar Door
Stillwater Stateside Saison
Boulevard Tank 7 Saison
The Bruery Saison de Lente
Sierra Nevada's Ovila Saison
Dupont Biere de Miel
Saint Somewhere Saison Athene
New Holland Golden Cap
For those a little more adventurous, try these on for size:
The Bruery Saison Rue
Boulevard Saison Brett
Fantome Saison
Fantome Hiver
Fantome Printemps
Jolly Pumpkin's Baudelaire IO Saison
8 Wired Saison Sauvin
Nogne O/Bridge Road India Style Saison
Brooklyn Sorachi Ace
Well, that list should be enough to keep most folks busy for a while. If I were to summarize saisons, I'd call them extremely drinkable, refreshingly tart, enticingly dry, well carbonated and infinitely unique beers. No two are alike so I encourage you to explore with an open mind and an open palate. As I said before, they are perfect this time of year and, as if they weren't awesome enough as is, they pair extremely well with a multitude of food. They are among the most versatile beers I've found. I've enjoyed them with a variety of cheeses, bread, chicken, fish, salad, pasta, and so on. They're light enough in body not to overpower simple things like salad but complex enough to stand up to stronger foods including meats and the stinkiest cheeses out there. Please, with my strongest recommendation, enjoy them with family and friends. Cheers!
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