Why do you drink saisons?

I drink the saisons I drink because I like the way they taste. I can't imagine drinking something for any other reason.

 

I like the way they taste, specifically how complex they can be. Most of the saisons I enjoy have distinct malt, hop and yeast notes. They're generally light and very fitting for the spring and summer seasons we're about to get into.

 

Saisons are the reason I got seriously into "craft" beer. They're very drinkable, they pair well with a wide variety of food, and they have a simple, approachable elegance that a lot of other styles lack. They're unpretentious yet sophisticated. To me, saisons embody everything I like most about beer.

 

It's a nice, crisp, light bodied brew that is excellent during the warm months. The yeast, to me is what makes the big difference as compared to other styles. It's a nice change of pace from drinking pilsners and German lagers in the summer.

 

For me, and I assume for brewers of saisons, I love what an empty canvas the style can be. You can have a simple citrusy, light bodied beer with a hint of yeast like Victory Swing, or you can have a Brett/spiced/aged/rye complex flavor monster, like what JP and Stillwater do. And there's everything in between. It's kind of like a really good prog rock album. If you don't like one track, skip ahead cause it'll be completely different.

 

Because sometimes I just want something light and refreshing after a long, hard day of work in the fields.

 

They're refreshing and often have a complexity that invites a bit of thinking as I drink one. You have to pay attention when enjoying a glass. I also tend to gravitate towards their dry finishes. They go extremely well with a wide variety of foods, so pairing is easier. I used to think of them as the Sauvignon Blanc of the beer world, but lately I think they are more like a proper Rose. Dry, crisp & food friendly and very underrated.

Are you covering dark saisons in your thesis as well? I have to admit, I wasn't even aware of their existence until I tried one from Pipeworks recently.

 

I've just discovered saisons recently as an alternative to spring/summer seasonals that have never been my cup of tea. It's nice to find a lighter, crisper beer that still maintains complex flavors. As a newcomer to the style, I've also really enjoyed the fact that these beers can vary in flavor quite a bit while still maintaining a consistent general profile (does that make any sense?).

 

I like the light and crisp effervescense and it's a nice change from the hop bombs I usually enjoy in the spring and summer. There are lemony qualities, peppery notes, hop balance, and yeastiness that intrigues me. I also feel that it takes a little extra skill to make a well-made saison, as some other styles make it easier to hide flaws.
...And saisons made with brett...I love them even more.

 

I don't have a project but what are some good saisons

 

Can't say better than this, although I would emphasize (again) it's the yeast which truly separates this from the other ales we drink most often.

 

Versatility...

They're both refreshing/drinkable and complex. A lot of styles sacrifice one for the other. The variation within the style is HUGE: 3%-10% ABV, bitter and hop-forward vs. mildly hopped (not to mention American hopped vs. Continental hopped), pale to dark, not spiced vs. heavily spiced (the variety and combination of spices that can be used is endless), many different yeast strain possibilities and combos, brettanomyces vs. no brettanomyces (which strain and whether its used as a primary yeast or just for conditioning), grains (barley, wheat, spelt, rye, oats, maize) +/- tons of specialty grain options and other adjuncts like honey and sugar.

They can be as simple as 100% pils + Saaz hops + a single strain of saison yeast or any combination of the above.

So, versatility and variation within the style is what I like most about both drinking and brewing saisons.

And, for the most part, they are approachable and a great introduction to better beer for non-craft drinkers.

 

Saisons are my favorite style, brett fermented saisons in particular. They are complex, refreshing, and usually pretty sessionable. I enjoy the dry finish that is the trademark of the style as well as the effervescent carbonation. I lean toward the fruit forward saisons like sofie and crooked stave surette saison, as they seem to be even more refreshing in the warmer seasons. A well brewed saison brings some of the most complex flavor profiles to the table, and (usually) won't leave you falling down after tipping a few back.

 

Very well said. Refreshing, yet complex. Originally brewed by farmers, only to be consumed today by beer geeks.

 

Saisons that I like often have some of the same qualities that I like in other Belgian styles, like singels, tripels, BPAs, BSPAs, etc.: fruity esters, biscuity / bready malts, grassy-floral-lemony hops, spicy flavors and aromas, etc.

What I like about a good saison that not all of those others have is that they can have a really earthy, dusty, sometimes musty character (which isn't necessarily brett) like fresh earth and straw. Also, they can be light, medium-bodied, pale, amber, or whatever, but they (the good ones) are always zingy and well-carbonated with an amazing head. They physically are more pleasing to drink, I think, for those reasons. And they just hit parts of the flavor and aroma spectrum that no other style does, really, and that's part of what I love about them.

 

And, as bump8628 pointed out, the versatility and variability of saisons is something that I find fascinating, along with their brewing tradition and history, and finally their ties to rural agriculture. Call it a cliche, but I grew up on a farm and there's something I love about the idea of authentic farmhouse brewing, making something that's close to the land, as if it brings the consumer closer to it, too. I love that.