Join us in celebrating saisons on April 14th

Come (digitally) join us for a celebration of Saisons. On Wednesday, 4/14 at 5:00pm EST, our very own Brewmaster, Jason Perkins, will be hosting Digital Saison Day 2021. Part happy hour, part roundtable with talented brewers, we’re inviting all saison fans join us from home.

Below, each of our brewer friends will be sharing a couple of saisons that they’ll be enjoying during the event. If you’d like to taste what they’re tasting, the list is below so you can track down any of the beers that are available in your area.

Our Saison Day Panelists

Averie Swanson

Keeping Together

Here are the beers Averie will be enjoying on the day of:

• Architects of Harmony – Mixed Culture Saison brewed with Black Locust Honey – Keeping Together
• Bam Bière – Dry-hopped farmhouse ale fermented with Brettanomyces – Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales

Khristopher Johnson

Green Bench Brewing

Here are the beers Khris will be enjoying on the day of:

• Feel the Love – blended and dry-hopped, mixed culture Saison – Green Bench Brewing
• La Vermontoise – a collaboration saison from Hill Farmstead Brewery and Brasserie de Blaugies

Matt Levy

Threes Brewing

Here are the beers Matt will be enjoying on the day of:

• Table Beer – wine barrel-aged saison – Threes Brewing
• Saison Du Smeirlap! – an extra hoppy saison brewed by Oxbow Brewing co. and Brasserie de la Senne

Mike Fava

Oxbow Brewing Company

Here are the beers Mike will be enjoying on the day of:

• Saison De Dottignies – Heavily hopped and eminently drinkable saison –  Brouwerij De Ranke
• Crossfade – hop-forward saison fermented and aged with Brettanomyces – Oxbow Brewing Company

Jason Perkins

Allagash Brewing Company

Here are the beers Jason will be enjoying on the day of:

• Kurkuma – saison brewed with fresh turmeric – Allagash Brewing Company
• Avec Les Bons Voeux – a classic, stronger saison – Brasserie Dupont

Saisons are known as farmhouse-style ales for a reason: they were originally brewed on actual farms. Long before refrigeration, Belgian farmers of the French-speaking Wallonia region used the labor-light winter months to brew beer. Saison actually means “season” in French, a reference to the fact that the beer was brewed seasonally. Using ingredients they had on hand—barley, rye, spelt, or anything else, really—farmers brewed their beer to be stored and drank in the hot summer months. Not coincidentally, the french cousin to the saison, known as bière de garde (translation: beer for keeping), originated just a few miles south, over the French border.

Because of its loose origin, saisons are almost more of a tradition than a particular style. Saisons can be light or dark. Malty or hoppy. Tart or dry. Or many of those things (or few). Put simply, the style is wide enough to contain pretty much any ingredient the brewer desires. So what is a saison? Only in recent years has the style become even slightly pinned down to this formal-ish description, “exceptionally dry, highly carbonated, fruity and of moderate strength: 6-8% ABV.”