Gather round, students. There’s a lesson in the works that is guaranteed to expand your beer palate at best and your vocabulary at the least.
For the last few years, lagers and IPAs have dominated at breweries and on tap. But a few brewers have something more adventurous in mind for this spring and summer.
Consider this list your passport to four beer styles you’re going to be hearing a lot about in the coming months.
Grisette
Experiments are part of the routine at Third Space Brewing, 1505 W. St. Paul Ave. Not the mad-scientist variety of experiments, but research and development that results in taste and flavor. Behold the popular Java Blanca, a collaboration with Stone Creek Coffee in which oats are added to the mash. What looks like a blonde cream ale in the glass tastes of coffee bitterness laced with creamy beer. Think deconstructed latte.
So it pays to listen up when Third Space brewmaster and co-founder Kevin Wright talks about brewing a Grisette.
A what?
Grisettes fall into the saison range, lighter beers historically brewed by Belgian farmers in winter and meant to be shared with workers during spring and summer days. Consider Grisettes a cousin of saisons, but made for miners and industrial workers.
It’s a fitting beer to be brewed in a former tinware manufacturing building, Wright said.
“We break from tradition by using some extremely fruity and citrusy American hops instead of the more traditional continental European hops,” he said. “The yeast strain selected emphasizes these nice hop flavors and adds some spicy pepper notes.”
Third Space has named their latest farmhouse ale Madam Grisette. It has an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 4.8%.