What makes a good saison?

This...so much this.

 

Saisons are like barleywines - you never know exactly what you're going to get! One of the things I like most about them is that there's so much room for interpretation on the part of the brewer with this style.

I like them hoppy and slightly tart. Mostly, I think a Saison should be drinkable enough to be thirst-quenching, but substantial enough to accompany a good meal.

 

I like a good citrus note with some good yeast character, and then some brett flavor makes it perfect. Most of the weaker saisons I've tried are too sweet, so I tend to go for the 7-8% ones. Nice barnyard flavor, fairly dry, high carbonation. There's nothing better after a day doing yard work.

My list of favorite saisons is lengthy for me. Most styles I pick out 3 or 4 favorites but saisons are just so enjoyable. Tank 7 and Saison-Brett, Saison Rue and Saison de Lente, Tropic King, Celastrina, Red Barn, Le Merle, Hennepin, Sofie and Gillian and Halia, Vieille, Foret are ones that come to mind. Lots of variety in the style for sure.

The soured saisons I've had from Goose Island and Crooked Stave are a little slower drinking but still are fantastic.

 

Any saison nearly as good as Hennepin. That is - spicy, dry, refreshing.

 

Saison has become such a bastardized style. Some like clean fermented saison, some like bretty saison, some like black saison, ultimatley it is a very subjective thing. If you go by what BA'ers say the vast majority of the top 50 are brett'ed or barrel aged. If you ask me a lot of the top saisons are far to funk forward and not nearly balanced enough. Thus the ultimate answer to the question is it doesn't matter what I think makes a good saison......but personally I like a dry fruity saison that has been bottle conditioned with brett to create a dusty finish but not overly funky and a little hop pop.

 

100 % agree

 

Saison is the new ipa. the style has been *****d around and taken advantage of by pretty much everyone. For me, I like a dry crisp well carbonated example with a bit offunk and maybe a bit of lacto sourness to brighten things up. I really enjoyed sofie paradisi, and loved HF juicy. Lots of citrus goes well with the style.

 

I thought that was like drinking pickling brine. Check out trinity brewing electric cukumbah. Fantastic.

 

I've had it fresh and with age. Fresh, it reminded me of fresh cucumbers. With age, it was all pickles. Get it fresh.