Van Steenberge Baptist Saison 4pc Bundle

TASTING NOTES FROM THE CURATOR

Saisons were originally farmhouse ales, pale ales that are heavily carbonated, fruity, and spiced. The original saisons had very low ABVs, but the Baptist Saison sits at a pleasant middle ground of 6.5 percent. The style leaves a lot of room for interpretation, and Van Steenberge ferments theirs to a pleasant bitter level with a dry aftertaste and a touch of sourness. It has a smoothly acidic finish.

PREPARATION OR PAIRINGS

Saisons are versatile, rustic beers that go with rich, fatty food on a warm summer day. Among seafoods, they go well with large, sweet mussels like Bouchot Mussels AOC or fish stews like bouillabaisse. They go well with bloomy-rind cow’s milk cheeses and goat cheeses, and their inherent spice make them pair pleasantly with spicy Asian and Middle Eastern foods. The fizz and bitterness work as a palate cleanser, refreshing between bites.

FROM AGRICULTURAL BEGINNINGS

Jan Baptist de Bryne began brewing as an extension of his agricultural operations in the late 1700s. Cooling techniques didn’t exist back then, so beer brewing was a winter activity. When Jan Baptist began brewing his original brown beers in the East Flemish Ertvelde, a district of Evergem, he unwittingly laid the foundations for the Van Steenberge Brewery. In 2017, the modern brewery launched the Baptist line, clear, top-fermented beers, as a tribute to their founder.

Store beer bottles upright to prevent yeast rings from appearing. They must be kept in a cool, dark place at approximately 13°C. Don’t allow beer to be caught in bright light for long periods of time to prevent it from attaining a “skunky” taste.