What Is a Saison? Brewing a Farmhouse Ale Under Pressure

There’s something deeply satisfying about a beer that feels earned. Not flashy. Not sugary. Just dry, fizzy, rustic perfection after a long day’s work. That, my friends, is where Saison lives.

I’ve brewed a lot of beers over the years, but Saison is one of those styles that keeps dragging you deeper down the rabbit hole. Yeast behavior, temperature control, carbonation levels — it’s all turned up to eleven. So naturally, I brewed one under pressure.

I do these experiments so you don’t have to.

Let’s kick it.

🎥 Watch the Full Video

If you want to see the entire process, tasting, and side-by-side comparison, you can watch the full video here:

👉 Watch on YouTube

What Is a Saison, Really?

Saison literally means season in French. Historically, it was brewed on farms during the cooler months and consumed in summer by seasonal farm workers — the Saisonniers — sweating it out in the fields. The goal wasn’t indulgence. It was refreshment, hydration, and an ABV that would help you stay upright.

There were no strict rules. Barley, wheat, spelt — if it grew near the barn, it probably ended up in the mash. That freedom is still very much part of Saison today.

Classic traits?

High carbonation
Bone-dry finish
Fruity and peppery yeast character
A big, rocky white head

If your mouth isn’t tingling, you didn’t brew a Saison.

The Yeast Is the Star (and It Won’t Stop Eating)

What makes Saison truly special is the yeast — specifically diastatic yeast. These strains carry the STA1 gene, which produces an enzyme called glucoamylase. Long story short: it breaks down sugars most yeasts can’t touch.

Translation?
Your beer keeps fermenting… and fermenting… and fermenting.

That’s how you end up with absurd attenuation and final gravities like 1.005, like I did in this brew — or even lower. It’s also how you end up with bottle bombs if you package too early.

Ask me how I know.
Actually, don’t.

Brewing This Saison: Simple, but Sneaky

The base wort for this beer was intentionally simple:

99% Pilsner malt
1% Carafa Special III, added as a top-mash

That tiny Carafa addition gave the beer a light amber hue — darker than a classic pale Saison, but still very much in style. Color we got. Nice one.

I mashed low, ramped slowly, and finished with a mash-out before adding the finely ground Carafa. Simple ingredients, deliberate process — all revealed in the full video this post is based on.

Hops? From my own garden. My Hallertauer Mittelfrüh plant. Late addition and a hot steep only. This beer isn’t about bitterness — it’s about yeast expression. And a dry beer don´t need the same bite.

Fermenting a Saison Under Pressure

This batch was split into multiple fermentations, but the star of the show here is the Saison fermented with Angel Yeast CS31.

CS31 has an insane temperature range — from 10°C to 30°C. That alone makes it interesting.

Here’s the fun part:

Lower temperatures → more peppery, spicy notes
Higher temperatures → more fruit, and in my experience, often a cleaner profile

I fermented this one under pressure, starting around 25°C and ramping up to about 28°C. It was basically done in a couple of days, but I let it sit and condition properly.

Patience pays.

A big shout-out to Angel Yeast for sponsoring the video this blog post is based of.
If you want to check out their full brewing lineup, have a look here:
👉 Angel Yeast Brewing Products:
https://bit.ly/Brewing-AngelYeast

The Numbers (Because Nerds)

Original Gravity: 1.053
Final Gravity: 1.005
ABV: ~6.3%

It cleared up beautifully, stayed highly carbonated, and developed that classic Saison snap.

Tasting Notes: Worth the Wait

Highly carbonated, fantastic mouthfeel, clean fermentation. The carbonation just pushes flavor all over your palate.

I expected spice. What I got was more fruit — even a bit of candy banana (Skumbanan, for my fellow Swedes).

Compared to the same wort fermented as a lager? Totally different beer. The lager leaned malty and restrained. The Saison? Nerdy, expressive, and full of character.

Everyone loves good head — and this one delivered. And yes, it stuck around.

Should You Brew a Saison?

Absolutely.
But with respect.

Saison teaches you more about yeast, fermentation, and patience than almost any other style. Just remember:

Let fermentation finish fully
Be careful with bottling
Embrace carbonation

If you want to brew this exact beer, I’ve put together a downloadable recipe on my Buy Me a Beer page — free of charge. Feel free to buy the old doctor a beer if you like.

But honestly? Brew the beer. That’s where the real learning happens.

DrHans out! 🍺

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You can also check out my Patreon, where you help make these deep dives possible — and get some extra behind-the-scenes brewing goodness along the way.

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What Is a Saison? Brewing a Farmhouse Ale Under Pressure

What Is a Saison? Brewing a Farmhouse Ale Under Pressure