’tis the Saison
Saison (French for ‘season’) is the original homebrew. Traditionally brewed in the winter time by Belgian farmers to slake the thirst of seasonal workers — ‘saisonniers’ — in the summer, it’s a beer characterised by its refusal to be characterised. Traditional recipes (and yeast strains) varied between farmhouses, with herbs and spices added according to local tastes; the only clear common factor being dryness — the kind of dryness that would carry a beer through the months of storage followed by a long, hot summer.
If you’re a home brewer, this is the ultimate excuse to experiment with a beer style that’s begging to be personalised — and can carry it. Or let the yeast do all the work for you. Saison strains deliver a characteristic peppery, almost spicy flavour, with summery hints of grass, fruit, cloves or even bubblegum, depending on the strain. The real fun comes from just how quickly Saisons kick off and start to ferment — they like relatively high temperatures (24-degrees+ won’t knock a stitch out of them) and can stall if you don’t keep them warm. Dry hop for added punch or leave as is for a slightly sweeter profile.
As with flavour profiles, colour varies from pale, lager-like all the way to amber. Alcohol content — anywhere from 5% up on commercial brews, but 6%+ for home brews is common. Commercial brews from their Belgian homeland often ship in champagne bottles, a reflection of farmer thrift rather than anything to do with status — bottles discarded by the wealthy were collected and recycled. Saison Dupont Vieille Provision, if you can find it, delivers just the right amount of sourness with citrus flavours to be a real summer pleaser — although at 6.5% it’s not one for a session. Closer to home, Bru Mor from Co. Meath’s Bru Brewery weighs a hefty 7%. In all cases, expect classic Belgian frothy heads that keep.
If you want to have a stab at brewing your own, Young’s New World Belgian Saison is a great introduction — combining New Zealand Pacific Jade and Motueka hops with traditional Saison yeast to give you a pretty good return on your efforts: golden colour, fluffy head, spicy lime, soft fruit and dry hopped finish. The kind of home brew even a first timer could serve to their friends.
