A look into the beer glass

Saison - The beer style from Belgium

Christmas beer, spring beer, summer beer. Many breweries offer recurring beer specialities every year. But the beer style "Saison" describes an old Belgian beer style that has hardly anything to do with the beers of these breweries.

Strictly speaking, the Saison beer style comes from Wallonia, the French part of Belgium. Belgium, known for frites and chocolate, is not least interesting for beer lovers. But even though the Saison has now begun its conquest of the beer bars, when you think of traditional Belgian beers, you probably still think first of the heavy, alcoholic monastery beers.

However, the Sasion beer style does not come from the walls of ancient temples of God, but from the countryside. It is no coincidence that Saison is often referred to in the same breath as "Farmhouse Ale" - in other words, farmhouse beer.

In the winter season, they malt a part of their grain and brewed a beer with it, which had a longer shelf life than other beer styles. It was only drunk in the summer season, when the farms had to wet the throats of the labourers with a refreshing drink.

In the 19th century, Belgium was one of the first industrialised countries - thanks, among other things, to rich coal deposits in Wallonia. Professional breweries were also established during this period, such as Brasserie Dupont in Tourpes, which still produces what is probably the best-known Saison in the world.

Saison is therefore first and foremost a beer with a long shelf life. It is also related to Bière de Garde, which has its origins on the other side of the French-Belgian border. What unites some of these beers is their "wild" note, which shows itself through a noticeable acidity. In many cases, however, this is much milder than that of Lambics. Saison is therefore the perfect entry-level beer for Belgium's even more unusual beer styles.

What unites some of these beers is their "wild" note, which shows through a noticeable acidity.

One term you may encounter with these beers is "mixed fermentation". Here, the breweries not only work with pure cultured yeast, but also with wild yeast strains in addition. Some breweries also use the Brettanomyces yeast strain for their saison. With these saisons, you can expect a more intense acidity.

Saisons therefore usually get their characteristic aroma from the special fermentation, but not only. There are also saisons and bière de garde that are aged in oak barrels before bottling. Some - like Saison Dupont - get their carbonation from bottle fermentation.

Today, you can also find saisons that have been flavoured with spices, or that have been brewed with a proportion of spelt or wheat in addition to barley malt. As with any beer style, about every brewery has its own idea of what a saison should taste like. This makes it incredibly interesting for the growing fan community of this beer style.

This article appeared in
Issue 5-2021

BAR NEWS magazine as single issue

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