As the name indicates – it was a seasonal beer, traditionally brewed at Wallonia farms in the south of Belgium. Saison was brewed at the end of the winter season and enjoyed it the summer during the harvest to serve as a refreshment after hard work. It was some refreshment, taking into account that the alcohol content in this beer oscillates between 5 and 8%. But the high amount of gas makes the beer easy to drink; saisons are sparkling with a high head which looks beautiful against the (typically) orange colour of the drink. Added spices and phenolic spicy notes created by yeast varieties that work in high temperatures, significant bitterness and high acidity present in most varieties contribute to the refreshing and invigorating character of this beer. Saisons have a fruity aroma, usually smell of citric fruit and malt, which is the base component of the taste. But they are not sweet beers – they are dry. The most interesting traditional saisons can be found in small breweries operating at farms in Wallonia.
