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The farmhouse ale is a perfect beverage to enjoy as spring turns into summer. For this weekend’s suggested four to pour, author and saison-fanatic Drew Beechum expands on four soft, spicy, hazy recommendations.

Four Saisons to Pour

Brasserie Dupont – Avec Les Bons Voeux
“Sure, it’s smaller older brother, Vielle Provision, is the exemplar that everyone compares other Saisons against. But really, this sibling is the one that got all the game. Maybe it has something to do with being born for Christmas originally. Bigger, hoppier, intenserer – it blows your socks off. Do yourself a favor and find a bottle hidden away from those damnable fluorescent lights for the best hop character with the least hop ‘skunk.’”
Brasserie Fantôme – Anything they make
“Brewed in a crumbling barn that should have been condemned before WWI by a madman who tosses back double espressos like water, anything the brewery touches is magically weird. Think the Beatles of Sgt. Pepper’s days if they did beer instead of music. Watch for the distinctive strawberry character of their house yeast.”
Ommegang – Hennepin
“Yes, the Cooperstown brewery is owned by the Belgians now (Duvel Moortgat), but this flagship beer has been there since the start and is the stalwart of the American Farmhouse ale scene. It has absolutely no business being as good as it is. Solid, reliable and ubiquitous. If you’re starting with the style, you should look this one up.”
The Bruery – Saison Rue
“The last of the Bruery’s original beers still flowing from the insanely expanding place. Dark gold, the beer has a nose that sings with spices with a Clintonesque heavy funk bass line provided by the addition of “wild yeasts” called Brettanomyces. Where Ommegang pays respect to tradition, the Bruery pays their homage to their wildness of Fantôme.”

What to Know Now

Saisons were traditionally brewed in Belgian and French farmhouses during the winter, intended for consumption in the summer. They’re a nice challenge for new beer drinkers since the complex flavors are pronounced just enough for a beginner’s palate to appreciate. Since they are made with some fun, distinctive yeasts, there’s no shortage of saisons out there for the more advanced drinker to explore. Read more about saisons at CraftBeer.com.

saisons-infographic

  • Flavor: Dry, crisp, and complex with plenty of fruitiness, hints of earth, and often refreshing hop aroma and bitterness.
  • About: A softly hazy style of golden ale said to originate from farmhouse breweries of Northwest Belgium.
  • ABV: 4.5 – 8
  • Glassware: Large tulip glass

If you like Saisons, you may like these styles too: Witbier, Biere de Garde, Abbey Dubbel, Bavarian Hefeweisse, Mai-Bock.

What to Try Next

Drew’s Honorable Mention – Brasserie Thiriez
“A French brewery that produces one of my absolute favorite beers – Thiriez Extra – It’s the lowest alcohol Saison I’ve found that makes it here to the US, but boy howdy does it taste like a million bucks with a bushy head filled with hops and just a touch of sweetness. The only reason I don’t rank it higher is the expense! (Hence the reason I’ve been trying to make my own at home!)”

saison-list

Saisons we have enjoyed:

  • Great Divide Colette, a 2010 GABF Silver Medal winner
  • Upright Brewing, an all saison brewery based in Portland, OR
  • Saison du BUFF, a collaboration between Stone Brewing Co., Dogfish Head and Victory.
  • Goose Island Sofie. This brewery was recently bought by Anheuser-Busch.
  • Odonata Saison. This brewery recently shut down, so no more will be produced.
  • The Bruery Saison de Lente
  • Lost Abbey Carvenale and Red Barn
  • Brasserie Dupont’s Saison Dupont and Foret, one of their organic saisons
  • Boulevard Brewing Co. Tank 7
  • Jolly Pumpkin Baudelaire iO, made with flowers

Sources: craftbeer.com, brasserie-dupont.com, beeradvocate.com, Drew Beechum, our own tastebuds.