Turning their hand to another classic Belgian style, our French brewery La Debauche turn their hand to brewing a saison.
This to me is much more a farmhouse ale than a classic Belgian saison. The yeast character is delicate and defined (rather than big, bold and funky), but comes through more strongly as the beer warms.
There is a little lemon citrus and herbal spice to the flavour. A grainy malt body presents a sweetness up front, giving way to a floral and pappery bitterness. With a dry finish, the bitterness lingers in the aftertaste.
Given their location in France is much closer to Spain than Belgium, it may stand to reason that this beer isn’t overly influenced by their northern neighbours. It is more in keeping with the French style and seems to suit being crisp and light.
This would be a nice beer to accompany a meal, which again seems perfectly in keeping with its Gallic heritage.