Confronted with a mammoth beer list last night at Haven Gastropub in Orange, CA, my eyes fell upon a familiar name: Sam Adams. The words that followed though were a surprise. Rustic Saison? Saison's are Belgian wheat beers that typically have fruity and sour characteristics. They enjoyed a long, proud history refreshing farm workers in the fields of southern Belgium and have begun a Renaissance here in the US thanks to their more complex character than the standard wheat beers typically available. I have recently grown very fond of saisons as I attempt to drag myself away from the IPA well.
Haven, the aforementioned pub, is a bit of an aberration in Orange County, full of urban hipsters, gypsies, and even the occasional Furry mixing with the Chapman University clientele. The food at Haven was quite good. The flat bread Margherita Pizza was fantastic, and no one complained about the lamb burgers. My wife had mac n' cheese, because that's how she rolls. Since it had cheese, I guarantee that she loved it. The most impressive thing though about Haven was the beer list, which bursts at the seems with hugely expensive, limited edition brews. I am poor; so after admiring the list, I set it aside and asked for the Rustic Saison Sammy.
The waitress served the beer to me in one of the fancy Belgian strong ale glasses, which seems to be license to charge as much for one small pour as 7 Eleven normally charges for an entire six pack, but I digress. The color looked golden and hazy, as one should expect from a saison. The beer tickled my nose with citrus and delighted my tongue with pepper, spices, and just a hint of sourness. Though not the absolute best saison I've ever drunk, I'd have no trouble recommending this saison to any Blue Moon drinker looking to expand his horizons.
-Ryan
Style: Wheat Ale/Saison
ABV: 4.35%
Availability: Nationwide. Look for it in the Summer Styles Variety Pack
Other beers that may interest you:
Sam Adams' Rustic Saison
De Proef Brewerij's Saison Imperiale
Odanata Beer Company's Saison Ale
