Infinite Improbability

29
Feb
2020
Tis the Saison to be Jolly

Tis the Saison to be Jolly

Traditionally brewed during the colder months, saison is a farmhouse ale that was stored for summer drinking by the seasonal workers, saisonniers, in Wallonia, the French-speaking part of Belgium.

In the eighteenth century, when this style emerged, clean drinking water was in short supply and beer was provided to the workers to slake their thirst under the hot summer sun. Therefore, it’s likely that they weren’t that strong – about 3% to 3.5% ABV – and, due to brewers having access only to local ingredients, would come in as many varieties as there were farms. As water became cleaner, so saison ales became scarcer, but breweries managed to keep them going, eventually amalgamating them into a more or less unified style.

Our farmhouse saison, Infinite Improbability, is a very English take on this Belgian classic. While it uses Belgian Belle Saison yeast to give it the peppery notes that are characteristic of the style, this is paired English ale yeast and B.claussenii for a fruitier body. The English twist continues with English malts and a dry-hopped finish of archer hops. 

The ale retains the slightly cloudy, golden hue typical of the modern saison, but has a rounder mouth feel than its Belgian relatives and, at 6.7% ABV, it’s more in line with its modern counterparts than the original water substitutes.

Because it’s a farmhouse ale and we only produce a small amount each year, we label it up with our farmhouse-style labels and let the beer speak for itself. If you’d like to get your hands on some (in KeyKeg or bottle), please Contact Us.

Posted by Bethany in Beer Styles and Recipes
16
Sep
2019
Infinitely Improbable Fondue?

Infinitely Improbable Fondue?

Here at Casa del Beerblefish, we decided we were in the mood for cheese this evening, so we put on our best 80s compilation and raided the fridge. You can probably replicate this with all manner of cheeses and dip in all sorts of tasty foods, but here’s our recipe for Infinitely Improbable Fondue.* Serves 2 very hungry people or 3-4 averagely hungry people.

Ingredients:

  • 25g plain flour
  • 250ml (half a bottle) Beerblefish Infinite Improbability Saison
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
  • 1 thin slice of dried chili
  • 1 cubic inch Rutland red cheese, sliced (yeah, we know, don’t mix your units and all, but we didn’t know how amazing this would be and that we’d need to write the recipe down, so we weren’t really measuring!!)
  • 100g gouda, sliced
  • 80g strong cheddar, sliced
  • 1 cubic inch grana padano, sliced 
  • To serve: spelt bread, yellow bell pepper

Method:

  • Put the flour in a heavy-bottomed pan and add a splash of beer, mixing it to a paste.
  • Add half of the remaining beer and mix well.
  • Add the garlic and the chili and stir.
  • Add the Rutland red cheese to the pan and put the pan on the hob on a high heat, stirring vigorously.
  • As soon as the mixture starts to bubble around the edges, turn the heat down to low and add half of the remaining cheese.
  • Turn the heat up to medium and stir. Add bits of the remaining cheese and beer alternately until you achieve the consistency of fondue you like (we like it gloopy).
  • Serve immediately in the pan, dipping in chunks of spelt bread and pepper (use a fork and remember the fondue will be very HOT!)

*We cannot guarantee that your fondue will actually be infinitely improbable.

Posted by James in Beer & Food, Beer Styles and Recipes