I was at a friend’s house-warming party at the weekend, enjoying the last rays of surprising Glaswegian sunshine on her roof and drinking one of the beers I’m about to make you aware of. "Now I know how Terry Jacks felt," I smirked, expecting rapturous applause and unbridled mirth from the assembled throng. Nobody laughed.
Looking back I put this down to three things: 1. Nobody was aware of Jacks’ multi-million selling power-schmaltz anthem Seasons in the Sun. 2. Nobody knew what saisons were. 3. I’m not very funny.
I don’t really have time to go in to the first or the third, but I can give you a little insight into the second.
Saisons are a traditional Belgian beer, brewed during the winter months to quench the thirst of field workers and keep them going in the harsh summer heat.
Traditionally it was brewed in different strengths depending on who was going to drink it. The lower ABV versions were for children and pregnant women, working up to higher percentages for those of a sturdier disposition. It has enjoyed something of a comeback in the last decade and the range of flavours make it versatile enough for nearly any drinking occasion, particularly alongside food.
Saison Dupont (£3.00/6.5%/330ml)
Let's start with the classic, the saison by which all others are measured.
Pouring bright golden and hazy with lively carbonation herbal freshness earthy hops and yeast aromas leap from the glass. The taste is moderately tart and lightly sour with herbal and grassy bitterness and the classic saison spice which lingers on the long lasting dry finish.
Partizan Saison Lemongrass (£2.50/3.9%/330ml)
Pours a pleasing pale yellow, with a thick rocky white head. A pungent aroma of lemongrass with orange peel and ginger at the back. Taste is more of that oily orange peel and lemongrass with yeast and spice on the finish. Light bodied and probably the least bitter of the lot. Lovely refreshing stuff that I can imagine being a perfect accompaniment to a curry.
Brew By Numbers 01/06 Saison Motueka & Lime (£3.00/5.3%/330ml)
Aroma of light malt, yeast, light spice, fruity hops, citrus, lemonpeel. The flavour has more sweet malt than the others alongside yeast, lemon and – unsurprisingly – lime zest and a hint of sweet spice. A dry and lightly bitter finish with the lime zest lingering longest.
Cloudwater Spring/Summer Saison (£10.00/6.0%/750ml)
Cloudwater have used the Dupont yeast strain for their fermentation, and this definitely has a lot of those classic notes. Bready aromas, light spice, herbal hops. This has an extra sourness and hop punch that may be lacking for some in the Dupont. Perfect for consumption before the sun eludes us once and for all for another year.
Burning Sky Saison Anniversaire (£11.50/6.2%/750ml)
Brewed with wild yeast, this one has a fine farmyard funk on the nose alongside soft citrus and white fruits. Medium bodied with a carbonation that put me in mind of Champagne, a really refreshing green apple sourness alongside some wine character and pleasing complexity from maturation in Chardonnay barrels with spice and pepper on the finish. Wonderful stuff that would be a great match for cheese.
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