Tim Newman
With the warmer months underway and the lawns and garden beckoning, I find myself looking for a more sprightly drop, and with their infinitely broad range of flavours and (typically) lighter %abv, more than not I’ll settle for a Saison. While the favourite style of many brewers, Saison never really had its own moment in the scene like hazy beer, or sours before that. But nevertheless, saisons have been quietly fermenting in the background of New Zealand craft beer since the industry’s early years.
The word ‘saison’ translates directly to season, which reflects the original environment in which this historic beer was once brewed and served. First produced around the 19th century, the first Saison’s emerged from Wallonia, the French speaking region of southern Belgium. Principally brewed to keep seasonal farm labourers hydrated and satisfied through the hot summer months, these beers were (by necessity) lower in alcohol and frequently flavoured with fruit, herbs and other additions ready to hand.
Brewing took place hyper-locally, on individual farms rather than breweries, which led to the incredible diversity of methods and variations that Saison is now famous for. And while the beer later gained popularity in the cities and began to be replicated by large breweries, the enormous stylistic breadth of the style remained core to its identity.
Here in New Zealand, we have more Saison to choose from than ever before, with some brewers even beginning to specialise almost entirely in these beers. Here’s a few of my picks to taste just a smattering of the enormous range of character that the style has to offer.
GARAGE PROJECT: ‘Mon P’tit Chou ’ Session Saison 5.0%abv
One of the more traditional examples brewed in New Zealand. Mon P’tit Chou (literally: ‘my little cabbage’) is named after said French term of endearment, albeit one that may have lost something in the translation). Brewed with imported Belgian malt and Alsatian Strisselspalt hops, its fresh and zesty aromas lead to a tart dryness on the palate, with sweeter citrus and delicate floral notes emerging in the finish.
THREE SISTERS: ‘Wild one #1’ Farmhouse Table Beer 3.2%abv
Brewed with New Zealand’s first commercially produced wild yeast, isolated by Frothtech from the central North Island’s Rangitīkei District. Subtle ferment-driven flavours of spice and banana underpin a robust body, while a sharp lemon and lime rush from American Citra hops bring the aroma and palate to life. Still very light in alcohol at only 3.2%abv, which makes Wild One an ideal summer refresher.
CRAFTWORK: ‘Autobarn’ 7.5 – 9.0%abv
Representing the other extreme of the Saison spectrum, Craftwork’s Autobarn is brewed to a whopping 7.5 to 9.0%abv (depending on the batch), before being aged in aromatic white wine barrels for at least a year. Raw wheat and oats lend the body a satisfying weight and crunchy texture, while the barrel influence both dries the palate with oak tannin while adding a subtly sweet vanilla and white fruit that lingers in the finish. A hefty beer for sure, but a remarkably delicate one despite.
