No beer style is more expressive of a brewer’s personality, individuality, or skills than one that features local ingredients. Saison (Belgian) and bière de garde (French), two similar but subtly different beer styles, do just that. These rustic ales were originally brewed in hundreds of local farmhouses in an area once known as the kingdom of Flanders, which included parts of France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Their areas of origin are relatively close to each other but are separated by a mountain or two (the Ardennes) and (now) by international borders. They are similar in style but reflect the particular and idiosyncratic products grown locally. Whether or not you have a farmhouse, you can brew these interesting beer styles. To get you started, here’s some information about the two styles.
Basic Ingredients
Saisons and bières de garde historically used ingredients that were grown locally, hence the name “farmhouse ales.” The combinations and flavors of both styles are as varied as the brewer’s imagination and the ingredients available. Saisons are typically dryer while bières de garde may be a bit sweeter, a result of the French having a sweet tooth.
Malted and unmalted grains available close to home were the norm, and combinations of wheat, barley, spelt, oats, or rye were used in limitless variations. Modern-day versions of saisons may be predominately pilsner, while bières de garde typically incorporate a base of pale or pilsner malt. Both styles have additions of wheat or other supplemental grains (e.g., Vienna, Munich).