A Salute to Saison

My first draft check in was in February 2015. I know the bottles took much longer to release because I bothered Brett and Ben about it. They sold a portion of it to a vinegar maker too, which was a huge bummer.

 

I had that Allagash spontaneous clay pot cider collab, Terration Pomar, as my second. Was taking a break to sip some seltzer (polar raspberry lime, not hard) during the second half of the Arsenal game. Having a FF Gather like a victory cigar right now, but will probably squeeze one more farmhouse in in the evening.

 

I have growlers of two other beers too, De Nouveau Mele, which is the same base beer as Rouge, but the beer is aged for a bit with spent cherries, strawberries, and blueberries (I think). Also have a growler of a wild, too lazy to check name and description. I also cheated...snuck in quick can of Grand Royal. Very nice. Hope I’m not banned.

 

Bottle date 20200102, blood orange and lime. Layers of citrus.
Base Saison has a medium body, spritzy carbonation.
Nose includes a lovely mineral element, not quite funky, more like developing rime.
At 5% a refreshing treat.
Cheers

 

Unfortunately no draft saison at Amorys. Still, this canned farmhouse ale is delicious none the less! My wife is having an ipa.....

 

After a super beef and ice cream I was sadly too full to take part in Saison Saturday, so I'll regale with a tale of Saison...Wednesday.

Grabbed a 4 pack of these a couple weeks ago in VT. First one I had right out of the can and I thought it was a little boring, but it was a hot afternoon where I had a few IPAs beforehand so it was probably palate fatigue.

Had the second can this week, poured into a glass this time, and it was a showstopper. Tons of lemon, awesome all around. I have a couple bottles of the brett version I can't wait to try, hard to imagine it not being fantastic with the base this good.

 

Saisons and Pilsners are my favorite styles with Helles close behind. I'm glad you started this thread. I think it's important to say HEY WE APPRECIATE THESE STYLES TOO, PLEASE MAKE THEM.

Accessible? Like locals or in general?

 

I'll second the Zomerbier. This is the first vintage I've managed to try, and it's the beer of the summer for me. What's most striking is how effortless it seems: Can-conditioned, French saison with a Mosaic dry hop? No problem, it will drink like Jean C'immiche perfected the recipe in the hills above Maubeuge 150 years ago. (Not sure where he got the Mosaic hops, though...)

The bottle-conditioned Brett version is distinct and also delicious. It'd make a great base beer for a wine BA version. Does anyone know if Alchemist does any wine barrel aging?

 

Perhaps these aren’t all strictly Saisons but this week I’ve had: HF Arthur(best $10 you could ever spend), Table Dorothy, E., and Oxbow Surfcasting. Most weeks aren’t so delicious.

 

I invited everyone here but the invite must have been lost in the BA hack.

 

Cracked the growler of De Nouveau Mele just now. This is special. Highly recommended. More interesting than the Rouge, in my opinion. Beautiful color, aroma, juicy but dry with a tart kick. Beautiful beer. My wife asked for a sip. Her comment after taking a sip? “That tastes like Hill Farmstead stuff.” I love this woman.

 

I couldn't partake on Saturday, but yesterday I split a Convivial Suarez with my wife. I hadn't had this beer in several years and when I had, it was certainly an aged bottle with several years on it. This bottle was fresh, bottled in 2020. It was fantastic. Not overly sour, more hibiscus than lemon (which is not my experience with aged Convivial - its usually very lemon forward). Just a slight hint of sweetness. Really enjoyed it. Wish i'd gotten more than just 1 bottle.

 

You would not do well on my Portland trips.

Full is not an option.

But that’s ok, this just means you’re a normal human being who’s stomach operates properly.

 

I enjoyed a Fox Farm Rove on tap at Bayberry Beer Hall in Providence on Saturday. Wow- need to visit Fox Farm again. It was the big winner during a family brunch outing.

 

Fox Farm is on my short list of breweries to visit. I’ve never tried a drop, but I like the dedication to making numerous styles and according to plenty of BAs, making them well.