Lynn Hoffman

Lynn Hoffman, author of The Short Course in Beer

As the weather warms up, every wine and beer writer seems obliged to write something like this: Spring is here, so it's time to turn to lighter, more refreshing beer (or wine). You have to admit to a certain appealing magical thinking here; more daylight, lighter beer or something like that. There is also something about the elevation of one's spirits as the weather warms that makes the dark, brooding Wee Heavies and Imperial Stouts of Winter seem out of place.

Fair enough then, but the turn to lighter and brighter doesn't have to mean less flavorful beer in your glass. It also doesn't mandate near-beer alcohol levels or watery texture. What the springtime beer drinker wants is refreshment-a brightening in the mouth that provokes a brightening of the mood. The ideal springtime beer is rich with flavor, has a lively acidity and moderate hops bitterness. The body is medium-weight, there are no sticky or perfumey hops aromas and the finish leaves the drinker's mouth watering.

Probably the prototype of the Big Beer for spring and summer is Belgian Saison-a beer brewed in winter to be drunk during the heat of the summer agricultural season by farmworkers (saisonaires). Like a lot of good peasant stuff, Saison has moved uptown and now appears in crystal tulip-shaped glasses as often as in pottery mugs. Saisons are earthy, with an enlivening spiciness and hints of fruit. They usually reach 6-8% ABV (alcohol by volume) and the best of them are awful in their power to seduce. If your lover calls you a Saison, you are hot-weather stuff indeed.

The Granddaddy of the style is, of course Saison Dupont with its astonishingly long finish and opalescent glow in the glass. Look for a 25oz. cork-finished bottle. In America, try to get your hands on Smuttynose Brewery's Farmhouse Ale with its spicy snap at the finish. In a 22 oz. 'bomber' bottle, it almost commands you to grill some salmon. A slightly softer version of the style comes from the mid-west: Boulevard Saison has a subtle honey and citrus nose wrapped up in a scent of fresh-baked bread. The most expensive and the most lavishly equipped Saison may be the Cuvèe des Fleurs from Southampton Brewery on Long Island. This beauty claims to incorporate edible flowers, but except for the obvious chamomile, the aromas are more reminiscent of herbs. This is a remarkably sophisticated beer-one to serve to your friends who haven't fallen in love with beer yet.

you can find out more about beer by checking out The Short Course in Beer at:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1601641915