Saison (French for season) was originally a thirst-quenching drink given to seasonal workers on farms in Belgium, mainly in the Wallonia region. Due to a lack of clean water, beer was brewed as a safer alternative, ensuring that workers had access to enough fluids. Given that they were entitled to up to five liters of beer per workday, the beer style had to be fresh and refreshing, and could not have a high alcohol content. The beer was probably around 3-4%. Although at the time it was commonly referred to as Saison, the actual beer could vary from farm to farm. Several of these are now known as distinct styles, such as bière de garde (malt-driven, cold-aged over time with lager characteristics), or grisette (very low percentage, often tart).
Today, the style is slightly different, and not least more defined. A modern saison can be up to 7%, and can often be a bit spicier or even more hopped. The style should be complex and dry, yet fresh and relatively easy-drinking.
Ingredients for brewing Saison
Malt:
A style-appropriate saison should not be malt-driven in the first instance, but should have a relatively light malt character that provides flavors of grain, bread, and perhaps a hint of caramel. Here, only pilsner or pale malt can be used as a base, and possibly a little caramel malt if desired. It is also not uncommon to include a small proportion of wheat.
It is also not uncommon to replace part of the malt base with candi sugar to both increase the alcohol content and to give a dry character to the finished beer. For example, consider Simplicity Candi Syrup, which also adds a hint of honey. Saison is also a beer style that can pair well with a little fruit, such as raspberries or mango. All in balanced quantities, of course.
Hops:
Traditionally, a saison should be relatively bitter, but it is not the hop character that should dominate the flavors. Traditional noble hops are often used, such as Tettnang, Saaz, or even English Fuggle or East Kent Golding. Nevertheless, a saison with the right balance can also handle some fresher hop varieties. For example, Nelson Sauvin is a popular choice, or perhaps something a bit more unusual and perhaps unknown like Pacific Jade, Mandarina Bavaria, or even the Japanese Sorachi Ace. It's perfectly possible to experiment here, although balance is still the key word.
Yeast:
The yeast is the big star, and it is what gives this beer style its characteristic taste. Here we can get flavors ranging from pineapple, apricot, banana, and orange, and all the way to spicy notes like clove, pepper, vanilla, or coriander. The selection of Belgian saison yeasts is enormous, and here it is best to read a little about the different yeast types and experiment to find what you like best. Also remember that the fermentation temperature of saison yeast can also give different flavors!
If we were to highlight some personal favorites, Lalbrew Farmhouse Hybrid Saison or Fermentis BE-134 are recommended as good alternatives among dry yeasts.
WLP565, WLP566 are good and safe choices as fresh yeast, but Bootleg Biology's Saison Parfait is also a more exciting option.
Feel free to check out our all-grain beer kit Summer Saison, which is a classic example of the style.
The brewing process itself is usually quite straightforward. However, it is during fermentation that the magic truly happens, and that is also where changes can make a big difference. Most saison yeasts thrive best at high temperatures. For M29, for example, fermentation at between 26 to 32 degrees is recommended.
In short, with higher fermentation temperatures, you will get much more flavor from the yeast. A saison that has fermented at 30 degrees will have intense phenolic (spicy) flavors, while one that has fermented at 20 degrees will be significantly more subdued, and perhaps easier to drink. This is entirely up to the brewer and the desired result.
Due to the wide range of temperatures and flavors, saison is a beer style that can be great for newly converted homebrewers, or for brewers who don't yet have perfect control over fermentation temperature. Saison is a simple beer style to begin with, but to truly master the style, it's primarily about the balance between malt, yeast, and hops.
