Crooked Stave Vieille Artisanal Saison
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Tasting Notes
The aroma opens with classic saison character — dried hay, white pepper, lemon zest, and a faint earthiness that comes from the house mixed-culture fermentation Crooked Stave employs. On the palate, light tartness weaves through the spicy, phenolic backbone typical of the style, with subtle citrus and stone fruit rounding things out. The body is lean, almost delicate at 4.5%, and carbonation is lively without being aggressive. The finish is dry with a lingering herbal and mildly funky quality that marks the wild yeast influence.
About the Brewery
Crooked Stave is a Denver, Colorado brewery founded by Chad Yakobson, whose master's thesis on Brettanomyces fermentation became the foundational philosophy of the operation. They specialize in wild and mixed-fermentation ales, with an emphasis on oak aging, spontaneous-style techniques, and house cultures. Their Vieille series sits at the core of their lineup, and they're widely regarded as one of the more serious American producers working in the Belgian wild-ale tradition.
Food Pairings
The dry, spicy, and mildly tart character here makes it a natural companion for roast chicken with herb butter, where the beer's peppery phenolics mirror the seasoning. A cheese board featuring aged goat cheese or a young chèvre works well because the acidity cuts through the fat while the funk echoes the cheese's tang. Steamed mussels in a white wine and shallot broth share the beer's briny, herbal register. Lightly dressed frisée salad with lardons is a classic pairing that lets the beer's dryness and carbonation act as a palate reset between bites.
Style Guide
Saison originated in the French-speaking Wallonia region of Belgium, historically brewed in winter for consumption by seasonal farmworkers during summer harvest. Defining characteristics include a highly attenuated, dry body, assertive carbonation, spicy and fruity yeast-driven esters — particularly pepper, citrus, and hay — and a notably dry finish. ABVs range widely from session strength around 4% up to stronger table versions near 8%, making the style more defined by fermentation character than by alcohol. It sits apart from witbier by lacking wheat and coriander additions, and apart from Belgian golden ale by its rustic, earthy yeast profile.