FOLIO
As we roll into the hazy, hot days of a Florida summer, the traditional season for saison, or farmhouse ales, is here. Before refrigeration, some beers were brewed during cooler months and saved for warmer months. This required the beers to be hearty enough to survive months in the cask, but not so strong that they could be enjoyed only moderately. Saisons – which is literally French for “season” – were meant as thirst-quenchers, not barn-burning party brews.
As with many beers, saisons were originally created to fill a specific need. In the early 1700s, Europe was in the midst of a crisis – its water was teeming with potentially lethal microbes, making it undrinkable. If it wasn’t sanitized, the water would spread dysentery, ravaging the population. The solution? Beer – safe, delicious beer.
Farmhands, called les saisonniers, who toiled in the hot summers of Southern Belgium, particularly needed liquid refreshment. Being practical, and work-oriented, they realized that beer with a lower alcohol volume would refresh field laborers without the counterproductive result of a pissed workforce. Thus, the birth of saisons, low-alcohol ales designed to quench thirst and keep farmhands working.
Because each farm had its own recipe using local herbs and spices, an exact description is difficult to pin down. Though there were commonalities across the countryside, saison was more of an idea of how the beer would taste than a standard recipe. Typical characteristics: spicy, herbal flavors and the use of wheat as a major ingredient. Because of the wheat, the brew usually looks hazy and pours with a generous, billowing head of foam.
As nations industrialized around the globe, the need for field workers lessened, thus the demand for saison waned. By the mid-1800s, the world was taken with Bavaria’s pale lagers. Couple that decline with two World Wars in the first half of the 20th century and saison’s existence was all but done.
Even through those tumultuous times, several small farmhouse-brewing operations survived, becoming full-fledged breweries producing saisons and other Belgian styles.
True to the Belgian brewer’s spirit, creative nuances began to appear in the brews. Additives, like coriander and black pepper, along with infusions of beet or Havana sugars emerged, raising alcohol content from around 3.5 percent to 7.5 percent or more. The hues range from straw to dark honey. The aroma seems tinged with bananas or even bubble gum, depending on what was used in the brewing process. Arguably, saisons have the most complex style of flavorings – sweet, tart, crisp or herbal – a characteristic often likened to that of Champagne.
So, as summer wraps us in its soggy hellish heat, grab a cold, refreshing saison or six to quench your thirst and lift your spirits.
Veterans United Craft Brewery Farmers Little Helper
Dry as a desert and fruity as your Aunt Millie, this thirst-quencher is considerably stronger than the original saisons. Put down the power tools.
St. Somewhere Brewing Company Saison Athene
Tarpon Springs’ St. Somewhere specializes in saisons. This delightful brew is light, fizzy and fruity, with cider-like flavors.
Brasserie Dupont Saison Dupont
Perhaps the best-known saison in the world, the bubbly brew’s also the bellwether of the style. It’s a highly carbonated delight with a complex fruity and peppery flavor.
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