As a visit to NYC’s CultureFix taught us last spring, saison-style beers are incredibly refreshing when the mercury rises. While many are hard to come by, San Francisco’s storied Anchor Brewing recently released a Belgian-style farmhouse ale that plays on the same clove-like, fruity notes of a saison, only with a slightly more herbal taste. The fourth brew in the limited edition Zymaster Series, the Fort Ross Farmhouse Ale relies heavily on Yerba Santa—a perennial shrub native to Northern California praised by Native Americans for its natural healing abilities—to drive home a unique flavor and pleasant, lingering after-taste.
We found the slightly bitter brew to be an ideal complement to a nice warm summer evening, as the balanced ingredients and natural yeastiness deliver a refreshingly full taste. Released just a few weeks ago, the seasonal brew is now available on tap and in special 22-ounce bottles in select restaurants and bars across the US, as well as at the Anchor Brewing Taproom in San Francisco. You can check out where to purchase or sip this delicious ale at the Anchor Brewing website.
Images by Graham Hiemstra