Category Archives: Farmhouse Saison

Fantôme Saison Simcoe Unic Brewing

Brewery: Brasserie Fantôme
Country: Belgium
ABV: 7.5%
Style: Belgian Saison
Other Notes: Belgian Ale brewed with spices

Brewer Description: Not much information I could find, but I assume this is Fantôme Saison hopped with Simcoe.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.84
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 750ml corked and capped bottle, bottle 215 of 650, with a best before date of end of 2022. Poured into a Holy Mountain tulip glass.
Appearance: Slow gushing upon popping the cork, it was a hazy amber orange colour, with an over two finger lively off white head that had good retention, that settled to a thick fluffy cap, and left some nice lacing.
Aroma: Grapefruit, citrus peel, grassy, saison yeast, orange, spicy, with slight barnyard notes.
Taste: Moderately sweet, orange, candied orange, saison yeast, clove, grass, honey, pepper spicy, lemon peel, lightly bitter finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium to light bodied with moderate to high carbonation.
Overall: Interesting flavours but it was perhaps just a tad bit sweet for me to enjoy it more.

La Franche Saison + Brett’

Brewery: La Franche
Country: France
ABV: 7%
Style: Farmhouse Saison
Other Notes: 2020 BXL BeerFest beer pack

Brewer Description: (from bottle in French) 10 hl de saison + 2 de Brett’ barriques.

(translated to English) 10 hl of Saison + 2 barrels of Brett’.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.91
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 750ml bottle from the 2020 BXL beer pack, with a best before date of May 2040. Poured into a Holy Mountain tulip glass.
Appearance: A hazy golden straw yellow colour with an almost three finger white head that had decent retention while leaving some nice lacing.
Aroma: Citrus zest, lemon peel, floral, funky, brett.
Taste: Bitter, lemon zest and peel, light funk, brett, banana and clove notes, peppery spice, grass, and maybe a touch herbal.
Mouthfeel: Medium to light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: A refreshing and enjoyable Saison.

The Kernel Bière de Saison Jester

Brewery: The Kernel Brewery
Country: England
ABV: 4.5%
Style: Belgian Saison
Other Notes: Brewed for the 2020 BXL BeerFest beer pack even though the 2020 BXL BeerFest was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Brewer Description: (from bottle) A blend of one year old mix – ferment Burgundy barrel aged Saisons dry hopped with Jester.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.77
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A 750ml bottle from the 2020 BXL beer pack, bottled on 1st July 2020, and with a best before date of 1st July 2022. Poured into a Holy Mountain tulip glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy golden straw blonde colour with a one finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Sour, light funk, vinous, lychee, apple, peach, cucumber, farmhouse, musty, sweat, with citrus notes.
Taste: Sour, tart, tropical fruit, lychee, grape, apple, pear, lime, grass, with mineral notes.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Interesting aroma and flavours which were tropical fruit forward, mainly lychee. I know it’s sessionable at only 4.5% abv, but everything still seemed a little light overall.

BFM Saison au Cidre

Brewery: BFM (Brasserie des Franches-Montagnes)
Country: Switzerland
ABV: 6.672%
Style: Belgian Saison

Brewer Description: (from website) The juice fermented in barrels for over a year, supported by a few drops of beer. In fact, we do not really know if it’s a cider in a saison or a cider saison, but it’s in 75 cl and we only produced 2,276 bottles, or 379.33 boxes of 6.

(from bottle in French) Cidre et bière affinées en fûts de Saint Bonch’. Au cidre de pommes de la grand-mere du Keke et du Lucas.

(translated into English) Cider and beer matured in Saint Bon-Chien barrels. With apple cider from the grandmother of Keke and Lucas.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.74
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A 750ml bottle, with a notched best before date of January 2022. Poured into a Holy Mountain tulip glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy golden straw yellow colour with a slightly less than two finger white head that had decent retention and eventually settled to a thin cap, while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Apple cider, oak, with some funky notes and maybe a touch peppery.
Taste: Light sour, tart, apple peel, apple cider, oak, funk, pear, citrus zest, with peppery notes.
Mouthfeel: Medium to light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Aroma was nice, but this mix of cider and saison didn’t work as well as I hoped it would.

BFM √225 La Saison

Brewery: BFM (Brasserie des Franches-Montagnes)
Country: Switzerland
ABV: 6%
Style: Belgian Saison
Other Notes: 2016 vintage

Brewer Description: (from website) A favourite of connoisseurs, La √225 Saison barrel with tart and bitter notes at the same time.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.81
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 750ml bottle, 2016 vintage, with a notched best before date of August 2021. Poured into a Holy Mountain tulip glass.
Appearance: A very lightly hazy golden orange colour with a big three finger white head that had decent retention and left lots of nice lacing.
Aroma: Light tartness, apricot, citrus zest and rind, green apple, notes of funk, oak, and a splash of lime.
Taste: Tart, lemon, orange, funky, pepper spice, grass, lightly herbal, and bitter notes.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: An interesting refreshing Saison, but perhaps a bit too herbal for me.