Best American-Brewed Saisons?

Of course, the chances of American saisons being better than Belgian (why say European?) saisons are very high as they probably produce a hundred times the number from Belgium. And, as I said, the saison 'style' is probably an American invention anyway, so one would expect the American beer to be superior.

 

Logsdon's are incredible

 

I repeat. do you even 'tome bro?

It might be easy to hit dingers in triple A ball. but when you're facing Kershaw in the ninth down by two you gotta swing away to put your boys into the 'ship. You only got one life, one shot, one saison. When you see daddy at the end of the field, you have any easy run to him until you see those endzone stripes because there ain't no Ray Lewis copycat gonna stop you. Sounds like you been fluttering with D II college boys, getting your rocks off on beating up on Sam Houston State thinking you the best. In reality you are just the 2012 version of Tiger Woods thinking that you still can albatross that fiver. Arnold Palmer could do it, and you be like Arnold Palmer who? We be sitting here playing two different games. You talking about that American saisons. American football? Get past the American past time and respect the international past time. Real Football. FC Wallonia.

Nah'mean?



I believe I might have mixed some metaphors, but I hope you can understand exactly what I am referencing to.

 

Shaun Hill's great aunts and uncles

Grassroots Convivial, Brother Soigne, and Arctic Saison

Allagash - Nice, accessible example of the style

Austin St. Grist Mill - Awesome surprise from last time I was in Maine

Prairie

Logsdon's

Stillwater Classique - I think this one is criminally underrated

Have recently tried some OEC stuff and really liked it. And I've always enjoyed Boulevard Saison Brett and Tank 7.

 

I wasted my time and gave you the benefit of the doubt. I'll err in that direction even when I know better. I mentioned Shaun Hill's favorite saison. Do you think he's qualified to have an opinion? Instead, you just respond to those that have antagonized you. It's my fault for feeding you (as the kids say). Your shtick isn't half bad. It's lovely that you're putting money in this game... and it's telling that you consider it a game. Before you get back to starting more threads that get locked or deleted, I'll leave you with your own words and you can bask in their synergy with what you've said here.

 

Almost anything Hill Farmstead/Grassroots and Tired Hands are my two top dogs as of now.

 

Here's a touch of heresy -- had some Saison Dupont on draught just this week and was terribly underwhelmed. Way too heavy on the apple esters, not enough grassy/hay/grainy notes, a bit sweet...I was a little stunned at how underwhelming it was. Honestly haven't had it in a bottle in years. Could the bottle really make that much a difference? Feel bad taking a swipe at what is arguably the archetype of the style, but it, frankly, just wasn't very good.

 

It isn't an accident, that La Vermontoise. Still the only Hill Farmstead (partially) beer I've been able to get my hands on here in Colorado.

Thanks for your post quoting Shaun Hill about Brasserie de Blaugies, who make my favorite beers from my first trip to Belgium, specifically La Moneuse and Mr. Hill's favorite, Saison d'Epeautre. I figured he probably was fond of the beer, ergo the collaboration, but I didn't know he was on record as saying it was his favorite. it's mine too, which legitimizes (IMO) my palate a little bit.

(My own conversation w/ Pierre-Alex involved my discovery, after a very long drive, that Mother's Day is celebrated on the same day in France as it is in the US (or at least it was in 2014) with the result that if you don't have a reservation at Brasserie de Blaugies on that day, no matter how far you've driven, you ain't getting in. "Ce n'est pas possible, monsieur! Je regrette, mais ce n'est pas possible!" Delivered with a smile and the classic Gallic shrug. But with my horrendous high school french (43 years later) we figured out that we possibly could sample some of their beer at an Algerian/Moroccan restaurant just back up the road, in Dour, which might not be full...and it wasn't, and we did. And the proprietor of Fleurs d'Oranger was impressed at our order: "This is our local beer, you know of it?")

 

Harder to get: Hill Farmstead Arthur - this also might be my "only have one beer for the rest of your life" beer.

Easier to get: Ommegang Hennepin. Just a solid, solid beer.

 

If you are suggesting that great beer journeys can be had in places other than Vermont, and that getting turned away isn't the end of the world, you are succeeding. Was the beer at Fleurs d'Oranger from the bottle? Cheers.

 

yes, but a 500ml bottle. (This was La Moneuse; we later had Saison d"Epeautre back in Brussels a few days later, at Moeder Lambic, and it was from the 750.)

Is it available on draft? Even at Brasserie de Blaugies, they had bottles on display, in a stand to the left of the front door. I didn't see a draft set-up, although we weren't there very long and I was a little flustered at my mistake in not getting a reservation, also trying to recall enough French to get a recommendation from Monsieur Carlier as to where nearby we might find his beer...I didn't see it on tap elsewhere in Belgium...That is something I would like to try on a return trip.

 

Crooked Stave's Surette and Vieille series hardly make them major players. This has probably been covered, but CS's strength is not in saisons.

 

When did a difference of opinion constitute spitting in the face of all America? I thought America was, you know, cool with differences of opinion.

I'm sure you realize that HF's highest rated saison is a collaboration with Brasserie de Blaugies. I suspect there is a reason very talented American brewers want to collaborate with European breweries such as Blaugies, Thiriez, and others. And I suspect that reason is not to show off their crushing superiority.

Ratings bias keeps the Blaugies beers from being rated higher IMHO - and the fact that for some reason only brett / sour / wine ba saisons seem to be considered real saisons these days - but Blaugies beers are quite nice. I don't know why people always have to resort to violent metaphors - this stout DESTROYS that one, this saison CRUSHES all others - as if it's a winner take all game, that there's no room for difference of opinion or diversity, but Blaugies stuff is on the same quality level as the best American stuff. Perhaps they're not your style so you'll prefer American, but apples and oranges can both taste good. There doesn't need to be a steel cage match to see which fruit crushes all other fruit.

If you (or others) don't have Blaugies locally and would like to give them a whirl, let me know. I can save you a flight and send you a box. Fantome, Blaugies, Glazen Toren saisons all sit on shelves around Chicago while people occupy themselves chasing Coffee Dino'Smores because adding three or four adjuncts means it's a better beer.

 

Tradsies? You missing that Boneyard / Barley Browns yet?

 

I do have a soft spot for anything / everything from the PNW. You guys even make some saisons I've heard.

 

Well said.

My apologies to @Plower ... I lost my cool a little bit. I'd like to think that I don't do that too often here.

 

I've seen their beers on tap here in NY. I didn't see anything on tap in Brussels, but their 750 bottles were easy enough to find there.

 

IMO, Hill Farmstead is on another level when it comes to Farmhouse ales. The complexity & elegance of their beers are unmatched from my experience. Granted, I haven't had Side Project, SARA, or Casey yet but have had a lot of others.

When I think Farmhouse ale though I think of rusticity, locality, terroir. Although some of the bigger breweries produce some outstanding Saison, I feel for the most part they fail to capture those three aforementioned elements that legitimize the beer as truly world class. Cheers

 

damn I enjoyed that saison when someone sent it in a trader- awesome

 

Brooklyn Sorachi Ace
Boulevard Tank 7
Ommegang Hennepin