Saison is a pale ale that originated in southern Belgium. Also called “farmhouse ale,” it’s a rustic beer that, unlike other styles, is open to the brewer’s interpretation. Saisons often use wild, top-fermenting yeast and a variety of local ingredients, including various grains.
Saison is highly carbonated, 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. Artisanal breweries in Belgium continue to specialize in saison, and it’s a popular style among American craft brewers.
The type of malt determines the colour of the saison, and although most saisons are of a cloudy golden colour as a result of the grist being mostly pale or pilsner malt, the use of darker malts results in some saisons being reddish-amber. Some recipes also use wheat. Spices such as orange zest, coriander, and ginger may be used. Some spice character may come through due to the production of phenols during fermentation at warm temperatures