Christmas Saison?

I'd like to see it, too

 

WEll, in the homebrew world there is the "Saison de Noel"
a dark saison, of all things...

 

I would like to see something like that, I am surprise that a brewery like Stillwater hasn't made this. Fantôme De Noel is listed as a Saison but the one bottle I brought really bad and off, I drain poured it.

 

Would Lost Abbey's Gift of the Magi count? Definitely a Christmas beer, but in the biere de garde family, which could be a close cousin to a true saison

 

sounds pretty scumtious

 

Dupont Avec Les Bons Voeux is released during the holidays, but I'm not sure if it's technically a "Christmas saison".

 

DuPont make their "Christmas Gift" every year and recently I've seen the Danish To Øl Snowball Saison, which is light, lemony and very tasty.

http://to-ol.dk/home/the-beers/snowball/

 

Boulevard's Tank 7 is a year-round, but I think it's robust enough to pass for a wintery saison, even if it lacks any specific holiday spices. And it doesn't have any Christmas styling to it...

Another one could be 21st Amendment's Sneak Attack Saison. It's a winter seasonal and uses cardamom. No Christmas styling to it either, but it might be your best bet outside the Belgian Roulette that is Fantôme. In this case, Noel.

 

It would practically name it's self:
"Saisons Greetings"
"Tis the Saison"
Insert your own pun here...

 

This beer is labeled as a 'saison' on BA so I would think it qualifies. (For what it's worth, this beer is listed as an "Abbey Tripel" on another beer rating site.)

This is from the Dupont website:

"Alcohol: 9,5 % vol.
The Bons Vœux is a blond top fermentation beer with refermentation in the bottle.
Since 1970, the brewery has been brewing a special beer to give as a new years present to their best clients. (the name of this beer “Avec les bons Vœux de la brasserie Dupont » means « With the best wishes of the brewery Dupont » ).
Because of the increasing success, they started to commercialise this “cadeau” but kept the name. Although the demands were considerable, only a small quantity was brewed, so they had to make a reservation list, even months before new year.
This Bons Vœux is coppery blond, has very fine hoparomas and tastes bitter, fruity and mild.
Our selection of yeasts, in combination with a longduring riping process, on a “dry hopping” base, are creating a typical and complex aroma and taste.
A real refermentation in the bottle, which will continue for a long time in your cellar, result in a harmonious and well-balanced beer, full of unexpected and complex aromas."

 

De Dolle Stille Nacht is classified as a Belgian Strong Pale and it's excellent during the holidays.

 

The breweru website categorizes both this beer and Saison Dupont as "Blond cuivré" so I'd suggest that BA has the right of it and the site that thinks it’s a tripel has it wrong.

http://www.brasserie-dupont.com/dupont/fr/tableaupres.html

 

Avec Les Bons Voeux finishes very dry, like all Dupont beers (they all use the same super-attenuative house yeast). It's absolutely nothing like a tripel, which, by definition, has a distinctly sweet finish.

 

The following are Pale Belgian Christmas beers that come to my mind:

Affligem Patersvat Blond
De Dolle Stille Nacht + 4 different BA versions
De La Senne X-Mas Zinnebir
Dupont Avec les Bons Vœux
Ecaussinnes X-mas Blond
Fantôme Clos Preal
Glazen Toren Saison d’Erpe-Mere Speciaal Eindejaar
Hof ten Dormaal Winter 2010 – 2013 versions (don’t know what the 2014 version is yet)
De Ranke Père Noël
Serafijn Kerstlicht
Struise Tsjeeses + 3 different BA versions

Also made at De Proef & BE style, Pale Christmas beers:

Mikkeller Winbic
To Øl Snowball Saison + BA version

“To Øl Snowball Saison”, “Glazen Toren Saison d’Erpe-Mere Speciaal Eindejaar” are all refered to as Saison’s.
I would argue that the following are also saisons: “Dupont Avec les Bons Vœux”, “Fantôme Clos Preal”, “Hof ten Dormaal Winter” (all versions) + De Ranke Père Noël.

 

There are quite a few of these that make it to the USA, but many of the Belgian holiday ales don't label what specific "style" these are.

Try Cost Plus. They usually sell this variety pack: http://www.beermenus.com/beers/shelton-brothers-christmas-in-belgium

 

Dunham / Kissmeyer La Résurrection de Broderus

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/13905/92456