Saint Somewhere on my mind

Saisons are known for their crisp floral notes, fruity esters and a little good old funk. These ales are based off of a traditional style of brewing that occured in the southern parts of belgium. Saisons or “season” ales were brewed in winter or spring so they would be fermented and ready to drink in time for the harvest. These brews had to be filling, tasty and able to quench ones thirst so that during the harvesting the worker would be full, hydrated and happy. A common worker was allowed to have enjoy eight glasses of Saison during one work day, and  taste of these ales varied from region to region depending on what the farm had on hand for ingredients.This style of brewing and beer had fallen into obscruity, but came back in a big way due to the huge resurgence of the American Brewing scene, which helped give this brew new life.

One local brewery who takes this style to the limits and beyond, located in the outskirts of Tarpon Springs is Saint Somewhere Brewing Company.Owned and operate by Bob Sylvester since ,  he brews traditional Belgium style farmhouse ales with a little local twist. Now most “beer geeks” or “hop heads” when thinking of American Craft beer will immediately rattle off breweries like Dogfish Head,Rogue and the local favorite, Cigar City Brewing. All these  breweries make delicious brews and have their own specific style of brewing, yet  Saint Saint Somewhere offers something which falls into a category of it’s own. Their brewing style is how beer used to be made over one hundred years ago and they have changed little.

The brewery has been around since 2007 and has gained much notiriaty throughout the beer world. The labels for the beer are old Florida tourism art from the early 1900’s. He has three styles of farmhouse ales  :Saison Athene, Lectio Divina and Pays du Soleil. The three brews may be brewed in the same old school open-fermentation style of brewinbut they couldn’t be more different.

At 7.5% ABV Saison Athene is a new take on a classic style of beer. This golden, straw colored, herbal and zesty ale has a strange complexity that leaves you wanting more. The taste ranges from lemon zest,citrusy orange and green apple mixed with a peppery herbal taste that mixes well with tart fruit. The finish is a nice mix of sweet and sour taste with a hint of classic belgium yeast. This brew pairs well with a light salad, lean meat and variety of classic cheeses.

Lectio Divina or “the divine reading” is an amber colored, funktified farmhouse ale and at 8% ABV has a lot of style to offer. This brew hits your taste buds with a burst of delicious sugary tartness followed by a medium spicy taste. This brew continues to surprise you with more complex fruit notes, herbs, yeasty funk and a nice boozy quality. This brew will pair well with most meats, fish like salmon or grouper and is a great aperitif.

Pays Du Soleil, 8% ABV, is  the new ale on the block pours a red amber cloudy color full of fruity and yeasty aroma. This beer is a true Florida beer with palmetto berries and hibiscus flowers added during the brewing process  making this a fruity, astringent, funky beer with the regular saison spices coming through on the end. This  is a great ale to drink warm which helps release all the complex spice,fruit and yeasty characterisitics. Pair this brew with steamed clams, lean meats, salads and a variety of classic cheeses.

Saint Somewhere Brewing Co. is classic brewery in the modern world, with its eclectic style of farmhouse ales it truly is a one of kind local brewery. The things about these brews is that they are not just for the beer geek crowd, they can be enjoyed by anyone, anytime with any palate.Thanks to Saint Somewhere for being truly unique in a cookie cutter world.

Cheers,

Thomas Barris

The Wild Cicerone