Alternate thread title: Why is no one only into Saisons?
I was typing this up the other day for a PM to someone who was interested in exploring the vast expanse that is farmhouse ales and was looking for some recommendations on worthwhile ones to seek out. I've seen a handful of topics floating around where people have been curious as to what hallmarks make the style and or what to look for in a farmhouse ale, so I thought I'd start a thread. I'm always looking for new saisons to try as well, so I'm hoping I'll get some leads from here. I should note that I am not affiliated with any of these breweries. Some of the little trivia may not be entirely accurate either as its off the top of my head.
There are a handful of breweries that specialize in farmhouse ales and the majority of their stuff is world class. I just picked whichever ones stood out to me from their other offerings. There's also a number of ones that I know of that Im sure are amazing, but I personally havent managed to try yet
In broad terms, I generally think of saisons in 3 categories: traditional Belgian style, modern Americanized, and then the ones that use new mixed fermentation techniques (but on purpose, as opposed to the original farmhouse ales that would usually get inoculated with microbes floating around the brewery). Here's some that are definitely worth seeking out in my humble opinion:
=====TRADITIONAL=====
Saison Dupont (aka Vieille Provision) - this would definitely be THE introduction to the style. Its the quintessential saison and basically the template the whole modern wave of saisons started from. Funky, peppery nose, bit of lemony hay in the taste, fluffy carbonation with a crisp bite after each sip. classic
Foret / Brasserie Dupont - this is another saison from Dupont that is made with all organic ingredients. Im not sure what else differentiates it from their classic flagship, but I actually will reach for a bottle of this over Dupont if I ever see it on the shelf. Bit more tangy than Dupont IMO
Printemps / Fantome - or any of their offerings really (apart from some chocolate spiced and coffee ones Ive seen). Fantome has a very unique signature yeast that gives off the funkiest nose of a non-sour/brett beer Ive ever encountered. Ive read that they are never made the exact same way twice which embodies the whole spirit of the style (and also makes me buy them more often). All theirs are saisons at 8% and most are named after one of the seasons
Saison D'Epeautre / Brasserie de Blaugies - I had this one more recently and wanted to try it because it is one of the few that uses an adjunct called spelt which gives it a hint of nutty flavor. Havent been able to get my hands on any to brew with though.
=====AMERICAN=====
Hennepin - Ommegang, this is like the Saison Dupont of American Saisons. If I remember right it was the first stateside saison and it was one of my early favorites. Its brewed with grains of paradise, coriander, ginger, and orange peel. I dont have a very discerning palate, but I swear I can get notes of every one of those if I concentrate
Tank 7 - Boulevard Brewing, this shouldnt be hard to get where you are. Tank 7 is up there with Hennepin on being one of the trailblazers of the American saison wave. Its definitely has more of a spicy bite to it than Hennepin, which comes off as sweeter. I'm guessing mostly because its not brewed with spices like Hennepin
Apex Predator / Off Color Brewing - this is actually hands down my favorite beer right now. I always keep it on stock to help cheer me up after a crappy day at work. Its definitely more geared towards the fruity side of saisons and even has some bubblegum and clove going on. Love it. From researching, I'm pretty sure its made with 566 yeast which would make sense to me. I like to use this in blends due to its amount of sweet fruity flavor it imparts. If anyone knows for sure, speak up
Lomaland / Modern Times - I can't get this stuff where I live but I managed to get a 4 pack recently and its great. Its like right in the middle in terms of yeast character and is just very balanced. Not sure if you know but Michael Tonsmeire (aka the mad fermentationist) designed all the year-round recipes for modern times. It was cool seeing the recipe tweaks on his blog. Its made with 95% Dupont yeast and 5% Westmalle in order to combat attenuation issues. Pretty interesting choice as opposed to the usual 3711 blend
Birra / Prairie Artisan ales - this one reminds me of Apex predator from the hint of bubblegum I get. Its one of the few non-wild saisons from these guys. Its definitely got some kind of fruit in there, but finishes super dry like a saison should
Saison du Buff / Stone/Victory/DogfishHead, this one may not be for everyone but its worth trying if you like herbs. Its got sage thyme and rosemary and you can definitely tell.
Cellar Door / Stillwater Artisan Ales - this one is also herbed but with a very delicate hand. The white sage they use is barely noticeable and lends a great finishing taste to go with the crisp carbonation
=====MIXED=====
This is were stuff gets crazy, and the prices sometimes too. They usually cost a pretty penny so I like to be sure dropping ~$20 on a beer is going to be worth it.
Saison Brett / Boulevard - this is Boulevard's tank 7 aged in a barrel with brett. It gets limited released each year and goes pretty fast. Its one of the first brett'd saisons we saw in the states and is a classic example of that tart breathtaking crisp flavor you can get using brett. No funkiness that I can detect.
Sofie / Goose Island - I was obsessed with this beer for a while too. Its like the missing link between champagne and beer. I did some research trying to brew something like it and found out that its actually a blend. 80% this years Sofie blended with 20% Barrel Aged Sofie. They have brett in the barrels so it just has that hint of wild character. No funk, just the nice tangy zip
Love Buzz Saison / Anchorage Brewing - this was a white whale of sorts for me for a long time. I remember when I first started liking saisons I saw it at the #1 spot on beeradvocate for the style. Its barrel aged in pinot noir barrels with brett and rose hips. Very unique and just perfectly executed. Not nearly as funky as I figured when I saw reviews of it. I now buy every single anchorage beer I see on the shelves after tasting this
Arctic Saison / Grassroots Brewing/Hill Farmstead - this is a series of collaborations Hill Farmstead does with other breweries. They brewed it with Anchorage and really showcases the mastery both have over their brett yeast character. Very clean for a brett'd beer.
Bam Biere / Jolly Pumpkin - to me, this beer is probably the most faithful to the original saisons, and one of the best beers I've had. Its only like 4% or something, and is made with Jolly Pumpkin's proprietary blend of bugs (making it a great candidate for harvesting dregs). Not that sour compared to their other beers. Its just so, so perfectly made. I got it once when I was in Columbus on business and 've been obsessed with trying to find another. They also make a Bam Noir and Weizen Bam that I NEED to try.
Saison Rue / The Bruery - these guys make a lot of wild beers and this one is easily my favorite I've tried. Its dark for a saison but the wild yeast character cuts right through the maltiness from the rye. This one's a bit funky and leathery but not overly so.
Seizon Bretta / Logsdon Farmhouse Ales - this was another brett saison I was eager to try and it didnt disappoint. Its carbonated using pear juice apparently, which goes well with the tart brettyness. Similar to Saison Brett from Boulevard to my taste buds.
Midnight Brett / Allagash - This is one of the few saisons made by a brewery that makes only belgian style beers. Its also one of the only black saisons Ive tried that I thought were balanced enough. Usually the roast overpowers just about all the wonderful yeast character
'Merica - Prairie Artisan Ales, to me, this showcases what saison yeast can do. Most saisons are pretty simple recipe wise. But this is actually a SMaSH using Nelson Sauvin and pilsner malt. They dont use a single yeast though, as its got various brett strains in it. You'd never guess it from a blind taste test
Eliza5beth / Prairie Artisan Ales - yeah thats NOT a typo. This is a wild saison aged on apricots from Prairie. Any of their 16oz farmhouse ales are great, but this one stood out to me with its uniqueness. SWMBO liked it so much I had to step up some of the dregs to start a souring project with a saison for her.
Surette / Crooked Stave - these guys are similar to Jolly Pumpkin in that its all about wild ales. The majority of them are sours but they've done a few 100% bretts too. There's a few variations of Surette, but I like the original one the best. Its just got such a classic rustic bite to it. Feel like I can almost hear that windmill creaking away on the label.
Funkatronic Brett IPA / Shady Oak Barrelhouse - I had this one most recently and just had to include it in case you wanted to fully experience what people are talking about when they refer to "funk" in wild beers. Its definitely more saison than IPA and has the funkiest nose on any beer I've tried. Doesn't come through in the taste as much as Fantome, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it.
I was typing this up the other day for a PM to someone who was interested in exploring the vast expanse that is farmhouse ales and was looking for some recommendations on worthwhile ones to seek out. I've seen a handful of topics floating around where people have been curious as to what hallmarks make the style and or what to look for in a farmhouse ale, so I thought I'd start a thread. I'm always looking for new saisons to try as well, so I'm hoping I'll get some leads from here. I should note that I am not affiliated with any of these breweries. Some of the little trivia may not be entirely accurate either as its off the top of my head.
There are a handful of breweries that specialize in farmhouse ales and the majority of their stuff is world class. I just picked whichever ones stood out to me from their other offerings. There's also a number of ones that I know of that Im sure are amazing, but I personally havent managed to try yet
In broad terms, I generally think of saisons in 3 categories: traditional Belgian style, modern Americanized, and then the ones that use new mixed fermentation techniques (but on purpose, as opposed to the original farmhouse ales that would usually get inoculated with microbes floating around the brewery). Here's some that are definitely worth seeking out in my humble opinion:
=====TRADITIONAL=====
Saison Dupont (aka Vieille Provision) - this would definitely be THE introduction to the style. Its the quintessential saison and basically the template the whole modern wave of saisons started from. Funky, peppery nose, bit of lemony hay in the taste, fluffy carbonation with a crisp bite after each sip. classic
Foret / Brasserie Dupont - this is another saison from Dupont that is made with all organic ingredients. Im not sure what else differentiates it from their classic flagship, but I actually will reach for a bottle of this over Dupont if I ever see it on the shelf. Bit more tangy than Dupont IMO
Printemps / Fantome - or any of their offerings really (apart from some chocolate spiced and coffee ones Ive seen). Fantome has a very unique signature yeast that gives off the funkiest nose of a non-sour/brett beer Ive ever encountered. Ive read that they are never made the exact same way twice which embodies the whole spirit of the style (and also makes me buy them more often). All theirs are saisons at 8% and most are named after one of the seasons
Saison D'Epeautre / Brasserie de Blaugies - I had this one more recently and wanted to try it because it is one of the few that uses an adjunct called spelt which gives it a hint of nutty flavor. Havent been able to get my hands on any to brew with though.
=====AMERICAN=====
Hennepin - Ommegang, this is like the Saison Dupont of American Saisons. If I remember right it was the first stateside saison and it was one of my early favorites. Its brewed with grains of paradise, coriander, ginger, and orange peel. I dont have a very discerning palate, but I swear I can get notes of every one of those if I concentrate
Tank 7 - Boulevard Brewing, this shouldnt be hard to get where you are. Tank 7 is up there with Hennepin on being one of the trailblazers of the American saison wave. Its definitely has more of a spicy bite to it than Hennepin, which comes off as sweeter. I'm guessing mostly because its not brewed with spices like Hennepin
Apex Predator / Off Color Brewing - this is actually hands down my favorite beer right now. I always keep it on stock to help cheer me up after a crappy day at work. Its definitely more geared towards the fruity side of saisons and even has some bubblegum and clove going on. Love it. From researching, I'm pretty sure its made with 566 yeast which would make sense to me. I like to use this in blends due to its amount of sweet fruity flavor it imparts. If anyone knows for sure, speak up
Lomaland / Modern Times - I can't get this stuff where I live but I managed to get a 4 pack recently and its great. Its like right in the middle in terms of yeast character and is just very balanced. Not sure if you know but Michael Tonsmeire (aka the mad fermentationist) designed all the year-round recipes for modern times. It was cool seeing the recipe tweaks on his blog. Its made with 95% Dupont yeast and 5% Westmalle in order to combat attenuation issues. Pretty interesting choice as opposed to the usual 3711 blend
Birra / Prairie Artisan ales - this one reminds me of Apex predator from the hint of bubblegum I get. Its one of the few non-wild saisons from these guys. Its definitely got some kind of fruit in there, but finishes super dry like a saison should
Saison du Buff / Stone/Victory/DogfishHead, this one may not be for everyone but its worth trying if you like herbs. Its got sage thyme and rosemary and you can definitely tell.
Cellar Door / Stillwater Artisan Ales - this one is also herbed but with a very delicate hand. The white sage they use is barely noticeable and lends a great finishing taste to go with the crisp carbonation
=====MIXED=====
This is were stuff gets crazy, and the prices sometimes too. They usually cost a pretty penny so I like to be sure dropping ~$20 on a beer is going to be worth it.
Saison Brett / Boulevard - this is Boulevard's tank 7 aged in a barrel with brett. It gets limited released each year and goes pretty fast. Its one of the first brett'd saisons we saw in the states and is a classic example of that tart breathtaking crisp flavor you can get using brett. No funkiness that I can detect.
Sofie / Goose Island - I was obsessed with this beer for a while too. Its like the missing link between champagne and beer. I did some research trying to brew something like it and found out that its actually a blend. 80% this years Sofie blended with 20% Barrel Aged Sofie. They have brett in the barrels so it just has that hint of wild character. No funk, just the nice tangy zip
Love Buzz Saison / Anchorage Brewing - this was a white whale of sorts for me for a long time. I remember when I first started liking saisons I saw it at the #1 spot on beeradvocate for the style. Its barrel aged in pinot noir barrels with brett and rose hips. Very unique and just perfectly executed. Not nearly as funky as I figured when I saw reviews of it. I now buy every single anchorage beer I see on the shelves after tasting this
Arctic Saison / Grassroots Brewing/Hill Farmstead - this is a series of collaborations Hill Farmstead does with other breweries. They brewed it with Anchorage and really showcases the mastery both have over their brett yeast character. Very clean for a brett'd beer.
Bam Biere / Jolly Pumpkin - to me, this beer is probably the most faithful to the original saisons, and one of the best beers I've had. Its only like 4% or something, and is made with Jolly Pumpkin's proprietary blend of bugs (making it a great candidate for harvesting dregs). Not that sour compared to their other beers. Its just so, so perfectly made. I got it once when I was in Columbus on business and 've been obsessed with trying to find another. They also make a Bam Noir and Weizen Bam that I NEED to try.
Saison Rue / The Bruery - these guys make a lot of wild beers and this one is easily my favorite I've tried. Its dark for a saison but the wild yeast character cuts right through the maltiness from the rye. This one's a bit funky and leathery but not overly so.
Seizon Bretta / Logsdon Farmhouse Ales - this was another brett saison I was eager to try and it didnt disappoint. Its carbonated using pear juice apparently, which goes well with the tart brettyness. Similar to Saison Brett from Boulevard to my taste buds.
Midnight Brett / Allagash - This is one of the few saisons made by a brewery that makes only belgian style beers. Its also one of the only black saisons Ive tried that I thought were balanced enough. Usually the roast overpowers just about all the wonderful yeast character
'Merica - Prairie Artisan Ales, to me, this showcases what saison yeast can do. Most saisons are pretty simple recipe wise. But this is actually a SMaSH using Nelson Sauvin and pilsner malt. They dont use a single yeast though, as its got various brett strains in it. You'd never guess it from a blind taste test
Eliza5beth / Prairie Artisan Ales - yeah thats NOT a typo. This is a wild saison aged on apricots from Prairie. Any of their 16oz farmhouse ales are great, but this one stood out to me with its uniqueness. SWMBO liked it so much I had to step up some of the dregs to start a souring project with a saison for her.
Surette / Crooked Stave - these guys are similar to Jolly Pumpkin in that its all about wild ales. The majority of them are sours but they've done a few 100% bretts too. There's a few variations of Surette, but I like the original one the best. Its just got such a classic rustic bite to it. Feel like I can almost hear that windmill creaking away on the label.
Funkatronic Brett IPA / Shady Oak Barrelhouse - I had this one most recently and just had to include it in case you wanted to fully experience what people are talking about when they refer to "funk" in wild beers. Its definitely more saison than IPA and has the funkiest nose on any beer I've tried. Doesn't come through in the taste as much as Fantome, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it.
I did save four (hopefully uninfected) one gallon jugs to throw dregs into. So far, one has Ovala, one a Crooked Stave, one will have a Prairie Artisan Ales, and one will have a New Holland Farmhouse Hatter (I think I bought the last one in KY, but I am not sure what strains it contains).
