Saison

[Saison]

한국 어느 Craft 맥주집에서 '세종'맥주라는 메뉴를 보고 세종대왕을 좋아하는가 했다.

이번주 우리 과 맥주 판매하는 리스트에

Big Apricot Fruit Saison | (5.3% ABV, 25 IBU) 있는 걸 보다가 아 그때 그 세종이 이 세종이구나 싶었다.

Saison은 세송과 세종의 중간 발음 정도 되는듯...

불어이고 영어로 하면 season이라는 말이다.

벨기에에서 처음 만든 것으로 여겨지고 Saison이 딱히 이런거다라고 말하기엔 Variation이 무척 많다.

하지만 쓴맛이 적고 신맛이 있으며 과일맛이 나는 것이 주류인듯.

좀 상쾌하다고 할까? (라거의 시원함 말고 말이다) 가벼운 느낌을 준다.

북미에서 인기있는 맥주스타일이다. 벨기에에서 유래했다고는 하지만 미국 크래프트 양조장에서 유행 시켰다. 샤브샤브가 몽고에서 유래했지만 일본이 유행시킨 것처럼....

가볍고 상쾌한 맛이라 어느 안주하고도 잘 어울리겠지만 바베큐나 해산물 요리하고 잘 어울린다고 안내되어 있다.

물론 나는 이 글을 Saison을 마시며 쓰는 중이다

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Saison

Overall Impression: A family of refreshing, highly attenuated, hoppy, and fairly bitter Belgian ales with a very dry finish and high carbonation. Characterized by a fruity, spicy, sometimes phenolic fermentation profile, and the use of cereal grains and sometimes spices for complexity. Several variations in strength and color exist.

Aroma: A pleasantly aromatic mix of fruity-spicy yeast and hops. The fruity esters are moderate to high, and often have a citrus fruit, pome fruit, or stone fruit character. Low to moderately-high spicy notes are often like black pepper, not clove. Hops are low to moderate and have a continental character (spicy, floral, earthy, or fruity). The malt is often overshadowed, but if detected is lightly grainy. Spices and herbs optional, but must not dominate. Sourness optional (see Comments).

Strong versions have more aromatic intensity, and can add a light alcohol and moderate malt character. Table versions have less intensity and not have an alcohol character. Darker versions add malt character associated with darker grains.

Appearance: Pale gold to deep amber in color, sometimes pale orange. Long-lasting, dense, rocky white to ivory head. Belgian lace. Unfiltered, so clarity is variable (poor to good) and may be hazy. Effervescent.

Darker versions can be copper to dark brown. Stronger versions may be a little deeper in color.

Flavor: A balance of fruity and spicy yeast, hoppy bitterness, and grainy malt with moderate to high bitterness, and a very dry finish. The fruity and spicy aspects are medium-low to medium-high, and hop flavor is low to medium, both with similar character as in the aroma (same descriptors apply). Malt is low to medium, with a soft, grainy palate. Very high attenuation, never with a sweet or heavy finish. Bitter, spicy aftertaste. Spices and herbs optional, but if used must be in harmony with the yeast. Sourness optional (see Comments).

Darker versions will have more malt character, including flavors from the darker malts. Stronger versions will have greater malt intensity, and a light alcohol note.

Mouthfeel: Light to medium-low body. Very high carbonation. Effervescent. Light warming alcohol optional. Sourness rare but optional (see Comments).

Stronger versions can have up to medium body and be somewhat warming. Table versions have no warmth.

Comments: This style generally describes the standard-strength pale version, followed by differences for variations in strength and color. Darker versions tend to have more malt character and less apparent hop bitterness, yielding a more balanced presentation. Stronger versions often have more malt flavor, richness, warmth, and body simply due to the higher gravity. There is no correlation between strength and color.

Sourness is totally optional, and if present at low to moderate levels, it may substitute somewhat for bitterness in the balance. A Saison should not be both sour and bitter at the same time. The high attenuation may make the beer seem more bitter than the IBUs suggest. Pale versions are often more bitter and hoppy than darker versions. Yeast selection often drives the balance of fruity and spicy notes, and can change the character significantly; allow for a range of interpretations.

Often called Farmhouse ales in the US, but this term is not common in Europe where they are simply part of a larger grouping of artisanal ales. Brettanomyces is not typical for this style; Saisons with Brett should be entered in the 28A Brett Beer style. A Grisette is a well-known type of Saison popular with miners; enter Grisette as 25B Saison, Session Strength, Comment: Grisette with wheat as the character grain.

History: A provision ale from Wallonia, the French-speaking part of Belgium. Originally a lower-alcohol product so as to not debilitate farm and field workers, but tavern-strength products also existed. The best known modern saison, Saison Dupont, was first produced in the 1920s. Dupont’s super saison was first produced in 1954, and its brown version in the mid-1980s. Fantôme begain producing its ‘seasonal’ saisons in 1988. While the style retains its rustic image, they are now mostly made in large breweries.

Characteristic Ingredients: Pale base malt. Cereal grains, such as wheat, oats, spelt, or rye. May contain sugary adjuncts. Continental hops. Spicy-fruity Belgian Saison yeast. Spices and herbs are uncommon, but allowable if they don’t dominate.

Style Comparison: The pale, standard strength versions is like a more highly-attenuated, hoppy, and bitter Belgian Blond Ale with a stronger yeast character. At super strength and pale color, similar to a Belgian Tripel, but often with more of a grainy, rustic quality and sometimes with a spicier yeast character.

Entry Instructions: The entrant must specify the strength (table, standard, super) and the color (pale, dark). The entrant may identify character grains used.

Vital Statistics:                          

OG:  1.048 – 1.065 (standard)

IBUs:  20 – 35                                 FG:  1.002 – 1.008 (standard)

SRM:  5 – 14 (pale)                     ABV:  3.5 – 5.0% (table)

          15 – 22 (dark)                              5.0 – 7.0% (standard)

                                                              7.0 – 9.5% (super)

Commercial Examples: Ellezelloise Saison 2000, Lefebvre Saison 1900, Saison Dupont, Saison de Pipaix, Saison Voisin, Boulevard Tank 7

Tags: standard-strength, pale-color, top-fermented, western-europe, traditional-style, bitter