Saison (French for “season”) is described as a rustic beer. Rustic indicates something rural, something from the countryside. Hennepin, brewed by Brewery Ommegang, is labeled as a farmhouse saison ale in keeping with this rustic theme. I imagined wandering through an old room in an old abandoned house on a field overgrown with, well, growing things, and finding this one last bottle. The brewer had made it during the spring and slightly strong - this bottle being 7.7% abv - so it would endure the summer months and provide spicy, crisp refreshment, full of bucolic character.

The first taste upheld that vision. The beer has a gossamery body. It fills the mouth with an initial tartness and just a hint of sourness and maybe a little tang of carbonation but then dissolves quickly, like cotton candy. Once that initial surge of taste was gone the spice emerged. It reminded me of weeds, and while that doesn’t really sound appealing, it was in truth very good. Perhaps it was the “rustic” theme that forced me to think of weeds. There was also the smallest hint of metal, like copper. It wasn’t tinny and it wasn’t very pronounced but it arose from time to time.

Hops had already made themselves known in the aroma, lending an earthy, musty character to the smell. Once again, the word rustic applies. This beer smelled like an ancient treasure. After warming up, the citrus-like hops bouquet was prominent; not overpowering, but definitely dominant. There was also just a hint of copper in the nose - very slight and just as the beer began to warm.

It was reminiscent of a wheat beer, not only in flavor but appearance. It poured orange and hazy. The haziness was appropriate for the style. It’s a bottle conditioned beer and live yeast is still present. A thin sediment coats the bottom of the bottle and some may still be suspended in the body of the beer, thus the haze. It finished dry and simple, inviting you take another quaff - and another, and another.

How satisfied the old brewer would be that someone found pleasure in his drink, an old and unique and earthy beer. How satisfied I was as I looked at my empty glass - well, not empty. The beer’s head was still there, lining the inside of the glass, puddled at the bottom looking like whipped cream from a warm cup of hot chocolate. The head never dissipated from the moment it was poured to the moment the saison was done.

Saison is generally brewed year round now. Brewery Ommegang’s Hennepin is fabulous. If you’re in the mood for a unique beer with lots of character and spice, a saison should be on your list.