Saison or farmhouse ale: what the two labels really mean

Two words, one family

Farmhouse ale is an umbrella term. It describes beers that grew out of rural brewing traditions in Europe, where farms made beer for their own families and workers. Saison is one specific member of that family, from Wallonia, the French-speaking south of Belgium.

So the relationship is simple. A saison is a type of farmhouse ale. Other farmhouse ales include bière de garde from northern France, Finnish sahti and Norwegian farmhouse beers fermented with kveik.

Where saison comes from

Saison means season in French. Farms in Wallonia brewed it in the cooler months and stored it for the summer, when farmhands needed something to drink during the harvest. It had to be refreshing and it had to keep, so the old versions were dry and often fairly low in alcohol.

The modern saison is a little different. Most are 5 to 7% ABV, very dry, highly carbonated and pale to golden. The yeast gives pepper, clove and fruit like pear and orange. Bitterness is firm but not aggressive. A good saison feels light on the tongue even when it is quite strong, because almost all the sugar has fermented away.

What farmhouse ale usually signals

When a brewery calls a beer a farmhouse ale rather than a saison, it is often telling you it took liberties. Common reasons:

• It uses a yeast mix that includes Brettanomyces, which adds funky, earthy or barnyard notes and dries the beer out further over months.
• It includes local grains, herbs, fruit or spices that would not fit a traditional saison.
• It is fermented with a farmhouse yeast from another tradition, such as kveik.
• It is aged in wooden barrels or soured.

None of this is a rule. Some breweries use the two words for the same beer. But farmhouse on a label is often a hint that the beer is rustic, funky or experimental.

Reading the label for clues

The style name is only the first clue. Look at the rest of the label or tap card. Brett, wild, mixed fermentation or barrel aged mean you should expect funk and tartness. Spices or fruit listed by name mean the brewer added them. A high ABV with saison on the label usually still means dry, but warm and powerful.

Our guide to reading a beer label covers what else the small print can tell you, from bottling dates to the difference between a brand name and a style.

How they taste side by side

A clean saison and a Brett farmhouse ale make a good pair to taste together. The saison will be bright, peppery and fruity, with a crisp finish. The farmhouse ale will share the dryness and spice but add notes that people describe as hay, leather, pineapple rind or a damp stable. That last one sounds alarming. In small amounts it is part of the charm.

Serve both at around 8 to 10 °C in a tulip or wine glass. Too cold and the yeast aromas hide. Pour gently, since these beers are usually very fizzy.

Farmhouse beers and Indian food

The dryness and high carbonation of saisons make them good partners for rich and fried food. Try one with fish fry, vada or a plate of pakoras. The peppery yeast picks up black pepper and coriander in the food. A funkier farmhouse ale can stand up to strong flavours like a Goan sorpotel or a smoky pork dish from the Northeast.

Saisons also suit the Indian climate as a drink. They were made for hot farm work, after all. A dry, sparkling beer on a humid afternoon is close to what the original farmhands had.

One caution: a strong saison at 7% drinks like a 4% beer because it is so dry. Pace yourself and keep water on the table.

Why the wording matters to you

Style names are a promise about flavour. If you order a saison expecting a crisp, peppery beer and get something that smells of a barnyard, you may think the beer is faulty when the brewer meant it. Knowing that farmhouse often signals funk saves you from that surprise.

It also helps when you talk to bar staff. Ask whether the farmhouse ale has Brett or is soured. A good server will know. If you enjoy the clean version, stick to saison. If you want something wilder, farmhouse is a good word to look for.

Common questions

Is a saison sour?

Usually not. A classic saison is dry and peppery rather than sour. Some brewers make sour or Brett versions. They normally say so on the label.

Is farmhouse ale an official style?

Not as a single style. It is a family name for several traditional rural beers. Saison and bière de garde have their own style descriptions.

Why are saisons so dry?

Saison yeast strains are very good at fermenting sugars that many other yeasts leave behind. The beer ends up with very little residual sugar.

What glass should I use for a saison?

A tulip or wine glass works well. The curved bowl gathers the yeast aromas and leaves room for the big head.