I love Saison, and am currently in the middle of researching a feature on it —yesterday, a 750ml bottle of Dupont and the same of De Glazen Toren Saison De Erpe-Mere. The difference is fascinating: Dupont is austere and flinty, restrained in its sweetness, with a champagne like effervescence; while Erpe-Mere is sweeter and more voluptuous, a bigger mouthfeel, more generous in its tasting profile. Both were brilliant and natural choices with food, the Dupont giving a great big hug to a creamy blue cheese, while the Erpe-Mere was a winner with roast pork. Saison is one of the great unsung beer styles of Europe — though both US and Italian brewers have not ignored it. Amongst the Italian saisons suggested by beer maestro Lorenzo Babove there are Birrificio del Ducato’s New Morning and Wayan by the incomparable Teo Musso; while over in the US I have a bottle of Victory’s Saison V waiting in my cellar and am intrigued by Saison-Brett from Boulevard Brewing. Purists might blanche at the thought of US brewers getting their hands on Saison but beer styles are surely always evolving through time and I love the idea of a Bret-influenced Saison (the pic was taken at Silly, who produce a decent if unexciting Saison).
I agree that the New Morning and Wayan are splendid saisons. Other Italian saisons worth seeking out are Montegioco Runa Forte and Toccalmatto Sibilla. The Italian beer revolution has just started!
ReplyDelete"Saison is one of the great unsung beer styles of Europe"
ReplyDeleteAnd will remain so in New Zealand unfortunately...http://bit.ly/kyD1a
I had a bottle of Saison de Silly recently, and was surprised at what a poor beer it was - not just a poor saison, but a poor beer all round.
ReplyDeleteI have a couple of bottles of V-Saison in the cellar. Must.. resist....
Silly used to be ok, but that was the only saison related pic in my iPhoto file, hope to have some more relevant stuff next month. Mind you, 1900 is just as flabby. What’s the Dark Star one like — is that just a name?
ReplyDeleteI think one of the best new saisons is IV Saison from Jandrain-Jandrenouille - an excellent interpretation with some American hops. While I'm not sure how "true to style" (shudder) it is, De Schans Saison is one of my favourite Dutch beers.
ReplyDeleteJohn
ReplyDeleteIV Saison is on my list to get hold of when I hopefully go over next month; there’s an interesting debate to be had about the whole ‘true to style’ thing, beer styles are surely evolving all the time, but I have heard a counter argument that having a recognised template for a beer style then enables a brewer to work towards this style and then veer off in any direction they want.
Beermatt
I’d heard about a New Zealand brewery’s attempt to copyright saison and radler as well. What next — bitter?
Dark Star has a nice flash of tartness to it, but needs a bit more hop character in my opinion.
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