This hoppy interpretation of a Saison starts off with a yeasty, bread-like aroma that gradually melds with a honey sweetness. Perfumy hops mingle with some peppery phenols and hints of lemon zest, resulting in a very appealing bouquet. The flavor is somewhat of a surprise, with an intense bitterness washing away vestiges of crackery Pils- type malt, citrusy fruit esters, and peppery Belgian-type phenols. The lasting impression is of a crisp, tangy, fi rmly bitter beer with subdued malt character. With its hoppy focus that edges toward puckery sharpness, the beer seems to be closer to a Belgian IPA. Nevertheless, this is a very drinkable interpretation of the Saison style.This hoppy interpretation of a Saison starts off with a yeasty, bread-like aroma that gradually melds with a honey sweetness. Perfumy hops mingle with some peppery phenols and hints of lemon zest, resulting in a very appealing bouquet. The flavor is somewhat of a surprise, with an intense bitterness washing away vestiges of crackery Pils- type malt, citrusy fruit esters, and peppery Belgian-type phenols. The lasting impression is of a crisp, tangy, fi rmly bitter beer with subdued malt character. With its hoppy focus that edges toward puckery sharpness, the beer seems to be closer to a Belgian IPA. Nevertheless, this is a very drinkable interpretation of the Saison style.
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Thiriez Extra
In France, this beer is called Les Frères de la Bière. The Friends of Beer is an interesting project carried out under the auspices of the European Community — a collaboration between brewers in England, France, and Belgium, in which Daniel Thiriez, the owner and brewer at Thiriez, is very involved. This particular beer is an interesting joint effort with an English brewery. It uses one hop varietal, a rather unusual hop grown in Kent called ‘Bramling Cross.’ The malt is from 2-row spring barley grown in France. The result has certain characteristics of an English bitter: it’s not too strong, very dry, and eminently drinkable. With all those hops, you might even see Extra as a more traditional English IPA. Yet since Daniel Thiriez is a little ‘Belgian-oriented,’ by his own description, and uses a Belgian yeast that he obtained from the Belgian brewing school where he studied, the beer also has a good bit of the earthy, spicy character of a saison.
