Hamburg Brewing Company - Small Town

This Belgian-style saison presents a pale golden color capped by a robust head of bright white foam. Saison, like so many Belgian styles, offer a yeast-driven profile, and Small Town is no exception as its very distinctive aroma delivers classic saison notes. The Belgian yeast strain delivers plenty of phenolic clove-live character along with softer bubblegum and banana. Those fond of Belgian witbiers will notice a resemblance. A dash of Strisselspalt, a classic Alsatian hop, augments the yeasty aromas with additional herbal and spicy character, with floral flashes. That trio of bubblegum, banana, and clove makes itself known upfront on the palate, too, atop a malt core that comes through quite clean with a light crackery impression. Effervescent carbonation provides plenty of lift and a bit of extra bite to bolster the mild hop bitterness and hint of lemony acidity. Bright, spicy, and super drinkable, this sessionable saison makes a fine companion to a wide variety of dishes. We're thinking grilled halibut steaks, steamed shellfish with coriander and lemon, roasted chicken, Pad Thai, funky and earthy cheeses, or a slice of lemon meringue pie. Cheers!

Hamburg Brewing Company was founded by father and son duo, John Russo, Sr. and John Russo, Jr., whose family is known in western New York as the founders of Sorrento Cheese (now sold under the Galbani brand). John, Jr. got his start in the brewing world like so many others, as a long-time homebrewing hobbyist. After some encouragement from friends, he decided to team up with his father to start his own brewery. The two toured around western New York state looking for the best place to launch their business, eventually realizing that it made the most sense to build it right near their home in Hamburg, in Erie County just a few miles south of Buffalo. They built their 20-barrel brewery in a building that had been owned by their family for many years and was originally home to offices and a collection of automobiles.

The brewery opened to the public in 2013 and has become a prime destination for beer lovers in the Buffalo area. Their large Taproom is built like a mountain lodge, with vaulted ceilings and a large central fireplace along with a patio overlooking a large pond. Hamburg currently produces five year-round brews plus four seasonals, in addition to a large variety of limited edition beers. Their beers can be found at restaurants, bars, and for retail sale mostly in the western part of New York. For more info, call them up at 716-649-3249 or visit www.hamburgbrewing.com.