The Session Saison

I’ve always been fascinated by the different new beers that show up at the beginning of a season. Its spring, so now old friends that I look for every March/April are met with half a dozen or so new titles, hoping to grab hold of the recent trends, or give the craft beer drinker a new brew to ponder whilst browsing the isles.
Along with the new spring offerings, I’ve been begging for more session beers, those lower in alcohol yet high in flavor. Quite a few low gravity and tasty brews have hit the shelves as of late. And it should not be a surprise that, given the recent interest in the saison style in the American craft beer circles, someone would create a version of that spicy Belgian style that is sessionable and easy going.
Introducing Swing Session Saison from Victory Brewing Company out of Downington, Pennsylvania. Is it a Belgian-style ale known as Saison? Check. Is it sessionable? Yessir, checking in at 4.5 percent alcohol by volume (ABV). Is it spring-ready? Well, the name is Swing, and it rhymes with spring. And the label boasts a lightly colored pastel print featuring a blooming tree branch and citrus fruit; works for me.
From Victory’s website: “Swing. It’s a lively jazz rhythm, a vigorous sway, a change of view or even a roll in the proverbial hay. Now, it also means the welcome jolt of joy you’ll experience upon your first sip of this session saison. With its citrus swagger and spicy refreshment, Swing Session Saison offers you a jazzy jolt of joy. This Belgian-style ale is bracing but benign and enlivens any experience. Swing into spring with taste!”
According to Victory, the malt bill consists of German malts and grains, including rye, oats and wheat. The hops are German and American, but not specified beyond country of origin. The brewery also uses peppercorns, orange peel and fresh lemon zest along with Belgian saison yeasts.
Hazy yellow to golden color in the glass, with streams of carbonation rising from the bottom to a huge head of bright white foam, Swing looks quite lively indeed. Aromas were present and strong from a foot away as I poured, with yeast and a peppery spice dominating, hints of lemon peel follow.
Very dry in the mouth, slightly yeasty, slightly acidic; reminiscent of a witbier or even a Berliner weiss, but nowhere nearly as tart or puckering. More carbonated than it’s wheat cousins, Swing is crisp and tingly in the mouth.
By the end of the pint, Swing was a touch less dry but more tart and yeast-driven, with the fruit flavor leaning closely to the rind, and the pepper closer to the whole peppercorn.
What to make of Victory’s new spring release. As a spring seasonal and nothing else, its thirst quenching and offers enough flavor to keep you interested, but not so much in the way of alcohol to ruin your sunny, breezy day. Where Saison is concerned, this seems like a hybrid between that spicy Belgian beer and the country’s traditional spiced and tangy witbier.
Adherents to the classic ‘Saison Dupont’ farmhouse ale will likely be bothered by Swing’s modern take on the style. However, light in the mouth but not light on flavor, Victory’s Session Saison makes contact with a solid little spring ale. Enjoy the brews … Cheers.
Gene’s Haufbrau has at more than 200 beers in bottles or on tap. While they don’t have every beer the Beer Snob writes about, they probably have most. Gene’s is located at 817 Savannah Hwy. 225-GENE. E-mail the Beer Snob at publisher@westof.net.