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Saison Reserve

Burning Sky Brewery
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🌍 United Kingdom · Saison · One of 36 Saisons in hopIQ

Burning Sky Brewery, tucked away in the East Sussex village of Firle, releases this special iteration of their celebrated Saison à la Provision as Saison Reserve — aged on gooseberries in large foudre vessels. It pours a hazy golden amber with a fine, persistent white head. The aroma is immediately compelling: tart gooseberry layered over rustic farmhouse funk, hay, and gentle oak. On the palate, sharp fruity acidity meets peppery Sussex saison character — bright, complex, and refreshingly dry. The brettanomyces-influenced funk weaves through ripe stone fruit and earthy yeast notes. The finish is long, pleasantly sour, and bone dry, with a lingering wild fruitiness that rewards every sip.

ABV
7.5%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
SRM
golden6
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How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Style expression
textbookdistinctive
Taste structure· The backbone of the beer, regardless of style.
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
hopIQ take

Very crisp and dry.

A direct pour that closes clean — trim and sharp, working together to keep things moving.

Wider bands mean we're less certain about the exact position.
Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Saison.
Fermentation & yeast
fruity
sour
funky
tart
yeasty
Distinctive notes
spicy
dark fruit
oak
peach
Hop character
earthyherbal
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Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Saison Reserve

Appearance

Pours a hazy golden amber with excellent clarity despite the fine suspended haze characteristic of the style. A fine, persistent white head forms and clings to the glass with visible lacing. The carbonation is gentle and well-integrated, supporting the wine-like character of the aged expression.

golden amberhazypersistent headdelicate carbonation

Aroma

The nose opens with bright, tart gooseberry notes layered over rustic farmhouse funk and dried hay. Beneath lies a subtle earthiness and quiet oak influence from the foudre aging, alongside the characteristic peppery, yeasty complexity of a Sussex saison. The brettanomyces character adds depth without dominating—a sophisticated interplay of wild fermentation and stone fruit.

tart gooseberryfarmhouse funkwild yeastsubtle oak

Taste

Sharp fruity acidity greets the palate immediately, cutting clean and refreshing. The mid-palate reveals peppery saison spice interwoven with earthy yeast notes and ripe stone fruit—peach and apricot shadows emerge amid the tartness. The brettanomyces-influenced character weaves complexity throughout without roughness, maintaining brightness and balance.

bright aciditypeppery spicestone fruitdry and crisp

Finish

The finish is long and pleasantly sour, bone-dry with no residual sweetness. A lingering wild fruitiness persists, rewarding the drinker with each contemplative sip.

dry finishlingering wild fruit
88
hopIQ score
Aroma
90
Taste
88
Appearance
86
Finish
85
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Saison Reserve

Serve at 6–9°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve at 8–12°C. Saison is refreshing but complex — cold works, but slightly warmer shows its farmhouse character.

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Drink within a year. Farmhouse character is liveliest when the beer is relatively young.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Saison Reserve

About Saison

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Saison?

Saisons are Belgian farmhouse ales with 5–8% ABV and IBU 20–35. Spicy, fruity yeast — pepper, citrus, hay — with high carbonation and a dry refreshing finish.

Finding a similar Saison

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same fruity, sour, earthy character as Saison Reserve will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Saisons in hopIQ

Explore all Saison beers in hopIQ →New to Saison? Read our guide →Browse United Kingdom beers →

WHERE TO BUY

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