saison ale

New Beer Blog Highland Brewing Saw-Whet Saison Ale

In this beer blog, we are going to get into a beer from Highland Brewing on this blog.  We are going to sample Saw-Whet Saison Ale.  Highland Brewing was founded 1994.  It took them four years later in 1998 to start product in 12oz bottles.  It took this craft brewery to open their taproom in 2010.  Let us get into this saison.

It has a cloudy golden color with a white constant head. The smell has a citrus to Belgian spice notes. The taste has a refreshing to citrus notes with a refreshing citrus aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from their website (www.highlandbrewing.com):

This farmhouse ale shows off a complex malt bill and a unique, spicy yeast, with subtle citrus notes. Astutely hopped for balance and dimension, while finishing exceptionally dry. A perfect beer to transition from winter to spring.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.highlandbrewing.com

Twitter:  @highlandbrews

Closing, I am always looking for new and different Farmhouse Ales.  All of my craft beer friends know that and they are always bring me some saison ales that I never had.  This is the story behind this brew.  It came from my friend that was down south and saw it.  I want to thank my friend Nick for this brew.  I like it. It is almost like Belgian white not a saison. All saisons are different and that is what makes these beers challenging and awesome for the beer drinker.  This is why I like this beer and I wished I could recommend it.  It has been discontinued by the brewery.  I highly recommend it.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Thanks

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Anchor Saison Spring Ale

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In this spring seasonal beer blog, we are going to get into another beer from Anchor Brewery.  It is their Saison Spring Ale.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this west coast craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know this California base craft brewery.  Let us get into this saison ale.

It has a slightly cloudy golden color with a white constant head. The smell has a fruity to lemon notes. The taste has a heavy lemon to farm and earthly notes. The aftertaste has a lemon note finish. It is extremely drinkable beer.

Here is a description from their website (www.anchorbrewing.com):

Anchor Saison

Saisons originated with the rustic farmhouse ales of Wallonia, a mostly French-speaking region of Belgium. Bière de saison was brewed during the saison froide (cold season) for consumption during the warmer months. Today saisons are made and enjoyed year-round. As brewers, we were drawn to this beer style’s enigmatic history, the freedom it offers, and the creativity it demands.

Anchor Saison™ Spring Ale is a traditional Belgian-style saison with a California twist. The distinctiveness of roasted Belgian wheat malt is enhanced by the peppery, clove-like flavors of a locally cultured saison-style yeast. And, for this release, we chose three California ingredients—lemongrass, lemon peel, and ginger—whose synergy adds a tangy crispness and herbal spiciness to this sharply refreshing, uniquely Californian saison.

The completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869 and the Southern Pacific’s “Sunset Route” in 1883, coupled with the advent of refrigerated railcars, made it possible for California brewers and farmers to ship their products out of state. Local artists and lithographers were engaged to create imaginative labels for bottles of beer and crates of fruit. Many of the latter featured colorful vignettes of California scenery framed by mouthwatering images of fresh citrus.

Inspired by those early fruit-crate labels and the ingredients in this release of Anchor Saison™ Spring Ale, our label features an original hand-colored 1873 lithograph of the Golden Gate as seen from Telegraph Hill. Our saison’s California ingredients—hand-drawn by our label artist Jim Stitt—adorn it, creating a uniquely Anchor label for a uniquely Anchor brew.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.anchorbrewing.com

Twitter:  @anchorbrewing

In the end, I will say this that all saison or farmhouse ales are not all the same.  They are all different and it is by design.  The only thing that is the same is the funkiest from the yeast strain.  It has a heavy lemon notes. It is different like all saisons are on the market. I like it.  It is not my favorite but it is a good version of saison ale.  I love Goose Island Sofie and that is my standard for farmhouse ales.  I do recommend this beer.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog New Belgium Long Table Farmhouse Ale

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into another brew from New Belgium Brewery.  It is their Long Table Farmhouse Saison Ale.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this Mountain high craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know this craft brewery.  Let us get into this saison.

It has a clear golden color with a white constant head. The smell has an earthly to farm like notes. The taste has a nice refreshing citrus to earth like notes. The aftertaste has a light citrus to lemon like notes. It is very drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

An ode to the communal Saison.  Long Table Farmhouse ale brings together the juicy fruit flavors of Belgian yeast and Nelson Savin hops with the spicy and tasty notes of Munich and Rye grains  Grab a seat!

Here is a description from their website (www.newbelgium.com):

The longer the table, the more room for friends. This season, our new Long Table Farmhouse Ale is the best excuse to pull up a chair with your closest companions for a few rounds. An ode to the bucolic, table-friendly Belgian saison, we’ve added a delightfully new hoppy spin to the style, creating a sip that whisks a taste of the tropics into the Old World. Traditional grains of Munich, pale malt and rye lend a wash of toasty, spicy bread, while exotic Nelson Sauvin and citrusy Chinook hops buoy the juicy fruit flavors of our Belgian yeast. So gather around and get ready to hoist this spritz complex farmhouse ale amongst the company of friends.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.newbelgium.com

Twitter:  @newbelgium

Closing, I am not a huge fan of most of their Belgian style ales from New Belgium Brewery.  I do respect what they do and changing up their seasonals.  Long Table Farmhouse Ale is their Indian Summer seasonal or Summer seasonal part two.  This brew will take you up to their fall seasonal, which is Pumpkick Ale.  This Farmhouse Saison is pretty good.  There is a nice balance along with a refreshing taste.  I like this brew and I wish it was out there for a little longer.  I highly recommend this beer.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog New Belgium Saison Harvest Ale (2014)

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In this fall beer blog, we are going to get into New Belgium Saison Harvest Ale.  This beer was their fall seasonal back in 2007.  Every season, New Belgium brings back seasonal back to life in their sampler pack.  The sampler pack comes with two bottles each of three of their selected everyday beers.   If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know New Belgium Brewery.  Let us get into this Saison Ale.

It has a nice clear golden color with a nice white constant head.  There is some nice small constant bubbles in middle of the beer.  The aroma has a nice Belgian spicy notes.  The taste has a nice refreshing citrus notes with some spice kick.  The aftertaste has citrus finish.  It is extremely drinkable.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Brewed with a yeast harvested from Belgium, our SAISON has a just-picked freshness reminiscent of the farm-house ales produced each fall in Blegium.  Pale bronze in color, this delicately hopped ale has a bright, yeasty, artisanal quality worthy of toasting those long autumn sunsets.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.newbelgium.com

Twitter:  @newbelgium

Ending, I really love this beer and I wish it was still in six packs form.  I love how this brewery change-up their seasonal every two to three years.  It could  be a good thing or a bad thing.  If there is a seasonal that you are not a fan of it, you will be looking forward to the new one to come out.  I love how they revisit some of their old seasonal in  their sampler pack.  This is a perfect and true to the classic saison style.  It is not overly hop but it is not under hop.  It is refreshing and keeps you coming back for more beer.  I recommend this beer and their fall sampler pack.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Right Brain Brewery Stowaway Saison Ale

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While at Ashley’s Westland, we are going to sample Stowaway Saison Ale from Right Brain Brewery.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts, you know the history of this craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read my beer blog posts about their beers to get to know this Michigan craft brewery. Let us get into this beer.

This Saison Ale has a clear golden color with a nice constant white head.  The head of the beer has small bubbles.  The aroma has Belgian spices with a citrus notes like lemon.  The taste has a light carbonation Belgian spice with citrus notes.  The finish is a refreshing slight hop aftertaste.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from their website (www.rightbrainbrewery.com):

STOWAWAY
Style: Reclaimed Saison
ABV: 5.7%
A traditional Saison with a hazy golden color, fruit-forward aroma, crisp complex flavor, and mildly acidic finish. #RBB brewers cultivated the reclaimed yeast used for this beer over a span of 7-months.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.rightbrainbrewery.com

Twitter:  @rightbrainbrew

In closing, I will be perfectly honest with you.  I did not like this beer the first time I tried it.  I had to try this beer one more time just because I love this brewery and I am a huge fan of them.  I do not know if it was what I was eating or the beer I had before trying this beer.  The second time that I have had this beer is a positive thought towards this beer.  I really enjoyed this beer.  I love the refreshing taste profile that this beer provides to the craft beer drinker.  I love the hops used in this beer.  I will be looking for this beer again on my next beer run or at my neighborhood bar.  I highly recommend this beer if you are a light beer drinker or love your Saison Ales.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Stone Saison Ale

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In this beer blog, we are going to sample a new brew from Stone Brewery.  It is their Saison Ale and it is just in time for the warm weather around the country.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts, you know the history of this west coast brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know this craft brewery.  Let us get into this new Saison Ale.

It has a bright clear golden color with a white constant head.  The aroma has a heavy lemon to citrus notes.  The taste of this refreshing Saison has a light carbonation with a lemon to citrus notes.  The aftertaste has a pepper finish.  It is a drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

in spring 2011, Stone brought the farm, literally, taking over 19 acres of fertile Stouthern California soil where we now grow fruits, vegetables, herbs and more for our Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens restaurants.  A taste of our homespun farm to tableism is provided in this farmhouse ale stoked with lemon zest, plus lemon thyme and lavender straight from Stone Farms.  This spring to summer saison is citric and herbal on the infusion of fresh West Coast ingredients, this isn’t your everyday saison.  It’s our saison 100% Stone.  Celebrate the sunny season with an authentic taste of our farm and, with it, our commitment to quality.

Here is a description from their website (www.stonebrew.com):

First Release: April 2014

In spring 2011, Stone bought the farm, literally, taking over 19 acres of fertile Southern California soil where we now grow pristine fruits, vegetables, herbs and more for our Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens restaurants. A taste of our homespun farm-to-tableism is provided in this farmhouse ale stoked with lemon zest, plus lemon thyme and lavender straight from Stone Farms. This spring-to-summer saison is citric and herbal on the palate with a dry, peppery finish. Thanks to the infusion of fresh West Coast ingredients, this isn’t your everyday saison. It’s our saison—100% Stone. Celebrate the sunny season with an authentic taste of our farm and, with it, our commitment to quality.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.stonebrew.com

Twitter:  @StoneBrewingCo

In closing, I cannot think of a bad or not a good beer released from Stone Brewery Company.  They are just like Sierra Nevada.  This is a different pace for this brewery that is known for their IPA’s.  I was pretty excited and happy to see this on the shelves at my local beer store.  This is a different version of the classic beer style.  I love the refreshing citrus notes with the awesome black pepper finish.  I believe that makes this beer special is the aftertaste.  I love the fact that they brew this for their farm that the Stone Brewery owns.  It is a good back story.  I highly recommend this beer.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13