SAISON IN THE SUN*

I always like to drink beers Ive not tried before and inevitably  make a beeline for them in a pub or festival. Sometimes its a success, sometimes not.

So, I was looking at the beer shelves in  M&S recently - well its the only section worth going to ! I spotted that their beer of the month was a bottle of Adnams Sorachi Saison.  I was interested in the name and also the strength (6%) so into the basket it went. 

So what about the name ? Well Saison is a style of beer and Sorachi are the hops used in the brewing process. 

First a bit about Saison. Originally from French speaking Belgium, these seasonally fruity beers were traditionally brewed by farmers in the winter for their workers to drink in the summer. The classic brewer of the style is Dupont, in Belgium, with their Saison Dupont. Not had the pleasure of this one yet but will keep on the lookout for it. 

Now the hops, strictly  speaking called Sorachi Ace, were originally developed in Japan in 1984. They are known for the lemony flavour and apparently ideal for IPAs and wheat beers, as well as for saisons.

Now I'm not one of these that can describe the aroma and taste of beers in fine detail. The only beers I can smell are usually stouts , porters and some fruity beers. Not having been on a tasting course, I don't get  some of the descriptions writers use either. Phrases like "Raisin and sultana fruit" or "Cherries and plums dominate" are examples. I have even seen leather mentioned.I realise I'm possibly missing out on something here ; except perhaps the leather !

So, back to the beer. The idea was , as this is a summer drink, to savour it outside, hence the title of this piece*, but typically it was raining.

The beer pours like liquid lemon and has a citrusy kick, lingering on the roof of the mouth. Initially it was a bit sharp at first but after a few sips , it started going down well. I could taste the mild lemon flavour and the subsequent bitterness. 

Would I buy it again ? Probably not but don't let me put you off.

This is not the first saison Ive tried however. Rewind to Brugge in Belgium earlier this year. I came across a Saison de Silly beer ( pictured ) whilst visiting this wonderful city. To clarify,  Silly is the town in Belgium where this beer is brewed. At 5% , this was the weakest beer I tried whilst there. Copper coloured and darker than the Adnams but still fruity to taste.  

* Seasons In The Sun - a hit for Terry Jacks in 1974