Beer Talkers of the List,
Ale Atlantans,
"Uber" Ale-ians, Beer Raters, Beer Advocates, Beer Traders, Covert Hoppers,
Alpha Brewmasters, Final Gravitators, Independent Homebrewers, Beer Fans of All Stripe, Lovers of Beer,
Lovers of Beer Lovers, Champions of Beer Commerce, Lovers of the Last, Lazy,
Days of Summer, and Lovers of the Sweet Fruits of Summer,
After a record breaking swelteringly hot Summer here in
"The Big A", it is time to savor the tastes of Summer one last time before
Autumn is upon us!
It is "The
Season for Saisons!"
We will get started at about 7:30 - ish PM,
on September 2, 2010, at the Five Seasons
Prado. The designated beer styles will be 16 C
Saison and it's French cousins, 16 D Biere de Grade.
(and Biere de Mars)
These are truly beers of the season. In fact Saison translates
roughly to the word Season, Saison is a seasonal summer style
produced in Walloon, the French speaking part of Belgium. It
was brewed at the end of the cool season to last through the warmer
months before refrigeration was common. It had to be sturdy enough to last for
months but not too strong to be quenching and refreshing in the Summer. It is
now brewed year-round in tiny artisanal farmhouse breweries. Saisons are medium
to strong ales with a distinctive yellow-orange color, highly carbonated, well
hopped, fruity and dry with a quenching tartness. The fruitiness is frequently
citrusy with notes of orange or lemon and the addition of one or more spice
may add complexity. Saisons typically have an abv of 5% - 7%
Biere de Garde, which literally means 'beer
which has been kept or lagered", is a fairly strong, malty, lagered traditional
artisanal farmhouse ale from Northern France, brewed in early spring and kept in
cool cellars for consumption in warmer weather. Now brewed year-round, and
related to the Belgian Saison, it differs from its Belgian cousin in that the
Biere de Garde is rounder, richer, sweeter, more malt focused, often has a
"cellar" character that comes from indigenous yeasts and molds, and lacks the
spice and tartness of a Saison. Three main variations exist,
including Blonde (blond), Ambree (amber) and Brune (brown). Malt
flavors and complexity tend to increase as the colors darkens. A related
style is Biere de Mars, brewed in March for immediate
consumption and not aged. Biere de Gardes and Biere de Mars typically have an
abv of 6% - 8.5%.
Some Commercial Examples include:
16 C SAISON: Saison Dupont
Vieille Provision; Fantôme Saison D’Erezée - Printemps; Saison de Pipaix; Saison
Regal; Saison Voisin; Lefebvre Saison 1900; Ellezelloise Saison 2000; Saison
Silly; Southampton Saison; New Belgium Saison; Pizza Port SPF 45; Lost Abbey Red
Barn Ale; Ommegang Hennepin
16 D BIERE de GARDE : Jenlain (amber),
Jenlain Bière de Printemps (blond), St. Amand (brown), Ch’Ti Brun (brown), Ch’Ti
Blond (blond), La Choulette (all 3 versions), La Choulette Bière des Sans
Culottes (blond), Saint Sylvestre 3 Monts (blond), Biere Nouvelle (brown),
Castelain (blond), Jade (amber), Brasseurs Bière de Garde (amber), Southampton
Bière de Garde (amber), Lost Abbey Avante Garde (blond)
Also, feel free to bring in any "Forbidden Fruit", beer
surreptitiously spirited away in luggage on airplanes, or car trunks, while
you were on a "Beer Journey"! Or, bring in your latest big score you got on a
trade! Show us what you've got! Show us the BEER! Somebody has
to have some Squatter's Fifth Element, Boulevard Saison Brett,
Dupont Avec les Bons Voeux, McKenzie Avec les Bons
Voeux, Pizza Port SPF 45 Saison, or
Cigar City Jolly Guava Grove ! Or bring in
some La Bavaisienne Ambree, Jolly Pumpkin Biere de Mars Grand
Reserve, Leelanau Good Harbor Golden, Ommegang Biere de Mars, Lost
Abbey Gift of the Magi, South Hampton Biere de Mars, McKenzie
Bovay, or Heavyweight Biere d'
Arte,
Don't have any Saisons or Biere de Gardes? Buy some!
Don't like them? Then bring some of your other favorite styles
of beer! Just bring something good! Just bring
SOMETHING! And remember, home-brew is always
welcome!
We do ask that each person toss in a buck or two, in
addition to your normal generous tip, for the kitty for the hardworking
wait staff at "the Five". We will be taking over some poor wait person's
table with a bunch of "Well Saisoned" Beer Geeks. And the wait
staff lost a lot of money when they canceled their Gulf Coast
vacation reservations because they did not want to get "oily feet"!
Ale Atlanta is a beer appreciation and
social club. There are no membership dues. Just show up thirsty,
and bring some interesting beer to share with the group. It is just a bunch
of beer lovers getting together to enjoy quality beers and quality
people.
Come early and try some of the gourmet food and
great beer at "the Five"!
And stick around for the "After Meeting Mixer" at "the
Fred", tucked away beneath the Taco Mac Prado!
5 Seasons
Brewing Company5600 Roswell Road
Sandy Springs, GA 30342
Just south of the Perimeter (I-285) on the upper level
in the back of The Prado Shopping
Center.
(404) 255-5911
Thursday, September 2,
2010
7:30-ish PM
Ed Hamrick
Ale Atlanta President
Seasoned Saison Lover