Change my mind about Saisons

Go for more Jolly Pumpkin saisons, Bam Biere, Baudelaire IO, or ES Bam. That could fall into the more farmhouse style saisons that you are seeming to gravitate towards. You look like you want to stay away from the sweeter ones and these will definitely be more on the drier side with the brett that is in the JP yeast strain (and all over that brewery in general).

 

Try some Crooked Stave brews.

 

Abandon the style. Too many good beers to waste money, calories and liver functionality on stuff you don't enjoy.

I used to love saisons, favorite style by a mile. Then I hit a brick wall with all Belgian yeast, not sure what it is/was, but I have no interest in it whatsoever. Moved briskly to other styles without missing a beat. Explore new stuff and revisit the saison again down the road, but I wouldn't waste any time on it currently.

 

Tank 7 and Hennepin have always seemed more like Belgian golden ales to me. I think the guys at Ommegang even agree on the Hennepin.

OP, if you like Sofie, I'd suggest trying some of the old-world saisons from Belgium. Give Dupont another shot, as well as Blaugies Saison d'Epueautre if you can find it. I'd also recommend Cuvee des Jonquilles from Brasserie Bailleaux and Stillwater Cellar Door.

 

Firm Handshake.

 

It's a hot day, you're thirsty and you're tired of ipas.

You're welk.

 

I agree 100%. To me they're too much like wit+belgian pale ale. Not enough layers of complexity. Most are too light in body and ABV, BUT that makes them a very great summer beer. Saison Rue is the best one by far.

 

Mad Meg from Jester King is outstanding. Funky Galaxy from Prairie Artisan. 111 Farmhouse from Marble Brewery was spectacular and my all-summer drink. YOu'll have to come to Burque for that one though.

The Ovila Saison with peppercorns is tasty. I can think of so many. But then again, I love saisons. Oh, and Santa Fe Brewing '88 Saison was another one of my poisons from last summer. Drank that by the gallons.

 

I really like saisons, and @stealth is spot-on in citing Crooked Stave's products, as they have really nailed the style (but they're pricey!).
A saison I didn't get to 'til this past summer that really impressed me was Fantome Saison.

 

Smuttynose Farmhouse
Pretty Things Jack D'or
Pretty Things Field Mouse's Farewell
Logsdon Seizoen Bretta
Ithaca Ground Break
Evil Twin Ron and The Beast Ryan

But as mentioned previously, if you're not a fan of the great Saison's that you already don't like... drink something else.

 

Well, if you want to get down in the weeds, there is likely some overlap/grey area between "Belgian golden ales" (which isn't exactly a style, per se) and saisons (which includes many examples that are, strictly speaking, Belgian and golden), so I can't quite disagree with you, but I also don't think Tank 7 or Hennepin really taste like some of the flagship Belgian golden ales that come to mind--Duvel, Delirium Tremens to name a couple.

I guess I can see the wit similarity, since witbiers are amply spiced and saisons can have some spice-like characteristics.

But the idea that saisons, as a style, lack complexity is unfathomable to me.

 

I would give the Prairie stuff a shot. Someone mentioned Funky Galaxy already. I'd also check out Standard and Hop if you're normally into hoppy beers.

 

Try Stillwater Cellar Door if you can

 

I relate to this. Tart saisons from the likes of Hill Farmstead, Grassroots, and Crooked Stave have turned into some of my favorite beers, period. But more traditional (I guess?) styles like Logsdon's Saison, Saison Dupont, and others have not been enjoyable to me.

And I don't think it's because I'm trying to "force" myself to like the style. I legitimately LOVE some of them, more than any other beers I've had. I personally think there's a completely different taste between the likes of these tart saisons and the more traditional Belgian styles, and don't necessarily think they should all be lumped together when there's such contrasting differences within the style.

I like American Wild Ales and Beligian sours (Flanders, Gueuze, Lambics), and wish I could find more tart saisons in this taste spectrum.

 

@teledeluxe Don't fall into the Fantome trap. It's expensive and frustrating. Rather, you're on the right track with getting back to DuPont. Try Saison DuPont again and then try to find their other even lovelier saisons like Moinette and Avec Les Bons Voeux. Also, someone else mentioned Stillwater Cellar Door. Try that, Classique and Stateside Saison. Plus anything by Prairie like Prairie Hop, Prairie Standard and Prairie Ale, and anything by Saint Somewhere, especially Saison Athene if you like rosemary. If you're looking for a really strong saison that's done well, go for Smuttynose Farmhouse. Other random saisons I really like are Evil Twin Ron and the Beast Ryan (Ryan and the Beaster Bunny's good too but Ron and the Beast is better) and GD Colette. And, since you put Saison-Brett on your "Okay" list, a couple of Bretty saisons that are spectacular are Prairie 'Merica and Anchorage Love Buzz. If you're not afraid of some tartness, I highly recommend both Duchessic by Birra del Borgo and XV (√225 Saison) by BFM, they'll rock your world. And last but not least, if you want a spicy, dark saison (seems like you like 'em dark cuz of Pepe Nero), get some Jolly Pumpkin Baudelaire IO. It really blew me away when I first tried it. Wow, seems like there are lots of excellent saisons you haven't tried yet. Better get to work!

 

You dislike Hennepin, therefore you dislike Saison.

 

I disagree. I love saisons, and Hennepin is one of my least favorite. I found it overly hoppy and bitter for a saison; maybe I should give it another shot, though.

To the OP, I have similar tastes (though I do like Tank 7). IMO, Sofie is far and away the best widely-available American saison - and if you haven't yet, you should try it aged a year or so. Two I'd recommend based on that are Anchorage Love Buzz, and Saison d'Erpe-Mere. Saison Dupont is solid.

 

If i dislike something, I generally dont try 40 different variants of it. Maybe the style just isnt for you, and theres nothing wrong with that. I hate doppelbocks, so I dont drink them. There are literally dozens of other styles that I do like, so for me there is no need to keep trying something that I have already established does not fit my palate preferences.

That being said, if you continue to want to try saisons I will throw out a couple recommendations. I do think saisons have more diversity than potentially any other style, ranging from funky/brett barnyard to quite tart/sour to light floral/citrusy. I find my personal favorites to be those are the tart end of the spectrum, and for me Fantome is the king of this 'saison variant' so to speak. Ive loved every Fantome I have had, Printemps being my favorite of the bunch. If you have access to Fantome give them a try. I also find that Stillwater has a very good line of Saisons and I think is more readily available to most people, my favorites being Cellar Door.

 

If you have a Saison Dupont and don't like it, then you don't really like Saison. And it should be easy to find. Fantome is very good as well, but harder to find. You could also try Dupont Avec les Bons Voeux, for something a bit spicier and higher in alcohol.

What in particular don't you like? Because if it's the farmhouse yeast than the style probably isn't for you.

 

how about brooklyns spinoff of sorachi ace....sriracha ace