Saison

Whether it’s a table beer that expresses terroir or a bare-bones local lager that lets its ingredients shine, there may be opportunities for small breweries to tap into a segment of wine that’s buzzing.

Amid the attractions of Atlantic City, Amanda Cardinali’s farmhouse-inspired Living Beer Project has taken root, embracing New Jersey ingredients, an open-ended creative process, and passion projects that intrigue customers.

Going beyond barley into ancient grains can be a way to form stronger connections with local farmers, promote sustainable agriculture, and produce more distinctive beers.

The owner and head brewer of Keeping Together—formerly of Chicago, now of Santa Fe, New Mexico—talks about leaning into farmhouse-inspired brewing and helping drinkers unlock their flavor memories.

While many brewers love a well-made, Belgian-inspired saison—dry, refreshing, and great with all kinds of food—it can be a tough sell to North American drinkers. Yet the style has broad potential when breweries highlight the liquid’s virtues.

Determining whether a yeast is a contaminant is like deciding whether a plant in your garden is a weed—it all depends on whether you want it there. The insatiability of diastatic strains can be a danger if uninvited. Properly managed, it can be an asset.