Avery Eighteen Dry-Hopped Rye Saison

Every once in a while the Brew Guy encounters a style of beer he’s never tried before. Like a kid opening the big present on Christmas morning, I find myself full of excitement over the prospect of trying the new brew placed in front of me.

This was the case with a recent trip to my favorite watering hole when I encountered Avery Brewing Company’s Eighteen Dry-Hopped Rye Saison. For those of you unfamiliar with the Saison style of beer, it was originally brewed by Belgian farmers as a refreshing beverage for their field hands when clean potable water was not readily available.

Brewed just before the winter to avoid spoilage in warm weather, saison uses wild yeasts left over from the summer’s harvest. The farmer’s kept the alcohol content to around 3 percent to help hydrate the workers without risking drunkenness.

At one point, saison's fell out of favor with beer drinkers but a recent revival has been occurring over the last decade or so. Today, these beers typically range from 5-8% ABV and, thanks to modern brewing techniques, can now be brewed year round.

After my first sip I fell in love. Eighteen is without a doubt, one of the most delicious beers I have ever tasted. Extremely flavorful, every sip of this beer was like taking a bite out of a ripe orange. It also carries a strong hint of spice most likely present thanks to the rye.

This being my first experience with a saison, I’m unsure whether or not I have fallen in love with a new style of beer or simply discovered one of the best individually crafted beers I’ve ever had the luxury of tasting. For my sake, I hope it’s the former because this wonderful beer was exclusively bottled in May and will never be brewed again.

My advice to you, if you have a chance to try this beer do not miss the opportunity, it may be your one and only chance to taste perfection.

Avery Eighteen Dry-Hopped Rye Saison receives the first perfect 10 out of 10 mugs in Brew Blog history.