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Dark Saison

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A dark saison released in a limited run in 2025 and first sold at the brewery's open day. It is dark in colour, sweet and malty. At 6.3% it is the strongest beer in the range and the only farmhouse-style ale the brewery makes. It has been available both from the cask and in bottle.

ABV
6.3%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
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
maltyyeastyspicy
malty
yeasty
spicy
Aroma
The nose opens with warm, toasted malt character—bread crust and subtle caramel notes dominate without excessive sweetness.
not found:hoppy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Dark Saison

◎ Appearance

Deep mahogany to dark brown in colour, presenting a striking departure from the brewery's typical pale offerings. The beer displays good clarity with a modest off-white head that builds readily and leaves discrete lacing on the glass. Carbonation appears moderate, consistent with both cask and bottled presentations.

deep mahoganyclear, good head retentionmoderate carbonation

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with warm, toasted malt character—bread crust and subtle caramel notes dominate without excessive sweetness. Herbal and spicy undertones emerge from the farmhouse yeast, alongside delicate floral hints from the noble hops. The aroma remains inviting and approachable rather than assertive.

toasted malt, bread crustherbal, spicy yeast notesnoble hop florals

◐ Taste

On entry, the beer presents a soft malty sweetness with notes of biscuit and light toffee that linger into the mid-palate. The saison's characteristic dryness begins to emerge through the body, balanced by modest hop bitterness that registers at 28 IBU—restrained but present. A gentle peppery warmth from fermentation adds complexity without dominating.

sweet malt, biscuitlight toffeegentle hop bitterness, dry finish

◑ Finish

The finish is clean and moderately long, with the malt sweetness gradually giving way to a dry, slightly peppery aftertaste. A subtle herbal memory lingers, characteristic of the farmhouse style.

dry, pepperymoderate length
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
77
Taste
78
Appearance
79
Finish
77
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 Dark 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 malty, sweet, rich character as Dark 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 →