Each season, River Horse Brewing Company does a different beer under its Brewer's Reserve label. This season is a first tasting for me, they're Saison Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale. This is a style of beer I've yet to taste so I decided to do a little research about what a saison farmhouse ale is all about. According to Wikipedia, the saison ale originated from Wallonia, a French-speaking region of Belgium. The beer was meant to be refreshing but local alcohol content so as not to easily intoxicate it's primary consumers, farmers. It was meant to be just strong enough to prevent spoilage. The US versions of saison ales are less concerned with the ABV content and more concerned with getting the hoppy base flavor just right.
The picture above doesn't do the beer's color justice. The head is light and with a fizzy consistency. It's got the sweet smell I'd expect from a honey ale or mead. I was excited from the moment I poured it and was expecting the refreshing flavors of a Belgian wheat summer ale.
Wow, these flavors were complex. It's hard to break down the complexity of all the flavors at work but I like to think of it as an explosion of spices and hops. Lighter on spice than a Christmas ale which gets overpowered with nutmeg, but definitely a cavalcade of different spices at work here. As far as getting a hop base right which is in traditional saisons, it's definitely there in force. The two combine for something not quite light enough for a hot beach day but I look forward to coming home from a day of work and letting my body soak in the deliciousness that River Horse Brewing Company has created with this saison. I can't wait to stop by and hear the story behind this recipe from some of their staff. This beer doesn't QUITE survive the test of all seasons that I'd like to see in a Scottish PINTRS, but it most certainly deserves a French rating. Till next time!
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