We know that dark hoppy beers are not a new thing in the history of beer. During the 19th century British breweries exported East India porters/Export Porters which were hoppier and stronger than their regular counterparts. With the higher alcohol and hop content, these beers could withstand spoilage during the long shipping time, as they were exported to locations around the world.
Read MoreSaison | Style overview
Saisons were most commonly brewed in Wallonia, southern Belgium in the province of Hainaut. These ales were brewed at the beginning of winter and stored until summer. If a farm did not have the means to brew their own beer, they would usually buy a few casks from a neighboring brewer or farm. Then they fermented and conditioned the beer at their own cellar. Up until the first World War, Saisons were fermented in unpitched wooden barrels. There are records of breweries who only used spontaneous fermentation and aged the beer from 1 to 2 years in wood barrels. Originally, saisons were served for farm workers during the summer harvest. Every worker (called saisonnier) could have up to 4 liters (a gallon) of beer every day.
Read MoreThe Christmas beer | Style overview
The predecessors of todays Christmas beers have a long history. Before the Christian times in Europe, pagan tribes brew holiday beers for the celebration of solstice. These beers were usually darker in color and higher in alcohol.
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