Alex Ganum, founder and head brewer, says that when you’re aiming for rustic quality in a saison, that can come from your yeast or “whatever lends character.”
With saison, that can also mean “avoiding a singular note, where the ingredients are grossly outcompeted by the fermentation profile,” he says. “I think rusticity often avoids novelty, but—being saison—there are no strict rules and plenty of exceptions.”
He continues: “For instance, our Saison Vert has tons of black lime in the nose, but a lot of the other elements … are still there, just in less balance,” he says. “Spices or alternate ingredients like the black limes can be great additions, and ultimately the vision for the beer lies with the brewer. When we’re trying to do something more delicate than the Vert, I’ll add some ingredients earlier in the boil to help layer flavors and to keep them from sticking out too much.”
For more perspective on these modern beers inspired by Belgian classics, see Style School: Classic Saison Is Something You Feel.
ALL-GRAIN
Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewhouse efficiency: 72%
OG: 1.044 (11°P)
FG: 1.007 (1.8°P)
IBUs: 20
ABV: 4.8%
