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Small Batch Saison

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Dry, fruity and spicy, with a slight sour twist, and floral and banana notes ride along. The hazy, pale farmhouse ale (5.5%) gets these from Lallemand's Belle Saison yeast, and East Kent Goldings is the only hop. It was the third beer of the Small Batch series, brewed in Faversham on the brewery's 15-barrel kit, and is served on keg.

ABV
5.5%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Herbal, floral bitterness
SRM
golden6
PaceA Few
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
fruityspicyfloral
fruity
spicy
floral
banana
yeasty
sour
Aroma
The nose leads with bright stone fruit notes—ripe pear and subtle citrus—layered beneath delicate white flowers.
not found:hoppy,caramel,clean,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Small Batch Saison

◎ Appearance

Pale golden hue with a distinctly hazy, cloudy presentation characteristic of the Belle Saison yeast strain. A fine, persistent foam cap forms and clings to the glass walls with good retention. The carbonation is moderate and even, creating fine bubbles that rise steadily through the turbid body.

pale goldenhazy, yeast-drivenpersistent foammoderately carbonated

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with bright stone fruit notes—ripe pear and subtle citrus—layered beneath delicate white flowers. A pronounced banana ester character rides above, complemented by the characteristic spicy phenolic notes typical of Belle Saison fermentation. East Kent Goldings contributes a gentle floral and herbal undertone without dominating the profile.

banana ester, spicy phenolsstone fruit, pearwhite flowerssubtle herbal tea

◐ Taste

The palate opens dry and crisp, with the farmhouse yeast delivering pronounced spice and subtle banana sweetness in the mid-palate. A light, refreshing tartness weaves through, keeping the beer bracing and food-friendly. Low bitterness from the Goldings hop—a mere 28 IBU—allows the fruity-spicy character to remain in the foreground, while a gentle hop floral note provides balance rather than assertive bittering.

dry, crisp entrybanana, spice, subtle sourlow bitternessrefreshing acidity

◑ Finish

The finish is short to medium, trailing off cleanly with a lingering spice note and a whisper of orchard fruit. A pleasant drying sensation persists, inviting the next sip.

clean, dry finishlingering spice
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
80
Taste
78
Appearance
76
Finish
76
Serve at 6–9°C

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

Pint glass

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.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Small Batch Saison

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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 hazy, dry, fruity character as Small Batch Saison will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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