Brett Saison Extreme

Seventh Sun Brewing Co.

Dunedin, FL

Brett Saison Extreme is a high-gravity French saison, finished with Brettanomyces bruxellensis.

ABV: 10

ABW: 8

COLOR: NA

BITTERNESS: 23

ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1045

AVAILABLE: FL

Expecting horse blanket and booze, I was delighted to be met with the aroma of tangerines and apricot. Burnt orange with a fluffy head, this is almost a kitchen sink beer. A complex style (saison) aged in whiskey barrels, with added botanicals (heather tips) with a wild yeast strain (Brettanomyces) it can be tough to distinguish flavors, but oak and vanilla are on the nose. A jumble of fruit on the tongue. A tart finish brings it home. American brewing inventiveness in action.
- John Holl

Leaving aside my sensitivity to the recent trend of adulterating saisons in all manner of different ways (heather tips and whiskey barrels and Brettanomyces? Really?), this is an intriguing golden ale, with old hay, grape must, oak and hints of vanilla on the nose and a dry, chewy body offering herbal notes mixed with tart citric and lactic qualities and ample oakiness that admittedly grows a shade too boisterous by the finish. There’s not much here I recognize as a saison, but I’d be happy to pair it with some soft and stinky cheeses.
- Stephen Beaumont

John Holl
John is the editor of All About Beer Magazine, the host of The Beer Briefing on iHeart Radio, and the author of three books, including The American Craft Beer Cookbook. Find him on Twitter @John_Holl.

Stephen Beaumont
Co-author of both The World Atlas of Beer and The Pocket Beer Guide (with Tim Webb), Stephen travels the world sampling beer, hosting dinners and tastings, and eating too much airport food.