Saison
A dry, effervescent, spicy Belgian farmhouse ale, refreshing and highly attenuated.
About the Saison style
The saison is the farmhouse ale of French-speaking Wallonia in southern Belgium, brewed traditionally in the cooler months to refresh farm workers through the summer harvest, which is what the name, meaning season, refers to.
It is defined by a dry, spicy, effervescent character driven by an unusually warm-fermenting yeast. The style ranges widely in strength and detail, united by high attenuation, a peppery yeast character and a thirst-quenching finish.
Saison is a pale-colored ale that is highly carbonated, dry, fruity, spicy, and often bottle conditioned. It was historically brewed with low alcohol levels, but modern productions of the style have moderate to high levels of alcohol. Along with several other varieties, it is generally classified as a farmhouse ale.
Grain, hops and yeast
Malt and grain: Pilsner malt with wheat and sometimes spelt or oats, kept light so the beer finishes very dry.
Hop character: Moderate hopping, often with noble or continental hops, for a spicy balance.
Yeast and fermentation: A saison yeast that ferments very warm and extremely dry, throwing off peppery, spicy phenols and citrus esters.
A typical Saison runs 5 to 7% alcohol by volume, with a bitterness of about 20 to 35 IBU and a colour of 5 to 14 SRM. It is traditionally served in a tulip. These figures describe the usual range for the style; a given example may sit a little outside them.
Serving and carbonation
Serve a saison cool, around 6 to 9 degrees Celsius, in a tulip, with a high, lively carbonation and a big head. Its bright, spicy, dry character is refreshing, so it suits a fresh pour on a well-carbonated keg.
Fermentation in brief
The saison yeast is the point of the style: ferment it very warm, often into the high twenties or low thirties Celsius, so it attenuates almost completely and throws peppery phenols and citrus esters. Keep it warm and give it time, as saison strains can stall before finishing their long, dry fermentation.
Classic examples
Well-known commercial examples of the style include Saison Dupont, Fantôme Saison and Boulevard Tank 7. Tasting a benchmark example is the best way to understand what a style should be before brewing your own.
| Vital statistic | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Origin | Belgium (Wallonia) |
| Strength (ABV) | 5 to 7% |
| Bitterness (IBU) | 20 to 35 |
| Colour (SRM) | 5 to 14 |
| Traditional glass | Tulip |
Typical published ranges. Individual examples vary.
Set up your Saison on tap
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Sources: BJCP Beer Style Guidelines · Wikipedia