During the late September doldrums when your heart is saying pumpkin ale and your head is saying water, there’s one beer that makes it OK to compromise.
Saison, originally a style of Belgian farmhouse ale that’s been eking its way onto artisanal beer menus across America, is known for being light and summery, with a hint of fruity tartness. But there can also be a spice element to the beer that lends beautifully to the early fall.
The Saison du Buff, made stateside by Delaware’s Dogfish Head, is laced with an herbal bouquet of rosemary, sage, parsley and thyme. But it’s much lighter than it sounds: The beer is resplendent with a cloudy golden hue and fresh floral notes balancing any underlying hoppy bitterness. It’s sizable for something so light; a beer you could drink twice (or thrice) in the lingering Arizona heat.
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Of course, this is no surprise for Dogfish Head, which has a reputation as America’s most innovative brewery. The Saison du Buff made in collaboration with Stone Brewing Co. was just one of the brewery's many treasures on offer this Wednesday at Tap and Bottle, 403 N. Sixth Ave. (Editor’s note: The writer’s original intent was to pinpoint a local fall brew, but was held hostage against her will by a Dogfish Head “Tap Takeover” night.)
To give you an example, another highlight from the evening was a recreation of a 3,500 year-old beer, found in a tomb in Scandinavia. The team at Dogfish Head worked with a biomolecular archaeologist to identify ingredients from a birch-bark drinking vessel, found with a leather-clad woman who was either a priestess or a dancer. The beer is called Kvasir, and no, it is not disgusting. It's actually unbelievably tasty, with ingredients like lingonberries and honey making it sweet and tart. And yes, you can purchase both beers any night of the week at Tap and Bottle’s bottle shop.
Saison doesn’t leave you satisfied? You’ll just have to wait till October. On the 2nd, Tap and Bottle is hosting a special Oktoberfest Tap Takeover, with German delights from Haus of Brats food truck. (Beers to be announced.) The temperature may not indulge us, but hey, at least it's inside ...
