Our Head Brewer says brewing beer is Alchemy - part art, part science, and part magic. It's all about playing inspirations with the occasional bit of, "Well! Let's see what happens if we do this...”

And that's exactly how our new Belgian Saison, Bergamo, came to life.

BERGAMO: 6.5% BELGIAN-STYLE SAISON

When our Head Brewer, Alex, travelled to Mauritius late last year, he visited a tea plantation. And, while most people would go on holiday to relax, switch off from work, and enjoy the tea, Alex's brew-brain started fermenting...

Two flavours of tea stood out to him: Earl Grey (which uses a citrus fruit grown and named in Bergamo, to give it its unique flavour) and vanilla, and he couldn't stop thinking about how those flavours could translate into a beer.

So, when he got home, he did what he does best – he brewed a new beer for us at Triple Point Brewing. Combining those two unforgettable flavours into this classic Belgian Saison-style pale ale.

We weren't sure about the flavours at first. It was also our first-ever attempt at a saison, so we were at least expecting to pilot a simple recipe. But we let Alex do his thing. And we're so chuffed we did, because not only does it taste incredible, but it also won two big awards at the SIBA North East Indie Beer Awards 2026!

• Gold – Keg Continental Style Beer
• Overall Champion of the Keg Beer Competition - Silver

SO... WHAT IS A BELGIAN-STYLE SAISON?

Saison is a traditional ale from (you guessed it) Belgium, specifically, from the French-speaking region of Wallonia.

It falls under the broad "farmhouse-style ale" category and is generally known for its refreshing qualities and fruity, spicy, peppery notes.

• Appearance: Usually a gold to light amber hue. Though this can vary depending on how much malt is added to the brew.
• Flavour profile and aroma: Fermentation fruit notes, with a medium bitterness balanced by a malty profile from a variety of grains and some noble hop character.
• Body and mouthfeel: Light to medium body with a dry, crisp finish. Belgian saisons are highly carbonated compared to other pale ale styles, as they were originally bottle-conditioned, making them extra refreshing.
• Strength: Generally, Belgian saisons have moderate strength, ranging from around 5% to 8%. However, you can usually find higher or lower strength variations, too.

HOW DID WE BREW OUR BELGIAN SAISON, BERGAMO?

Bergamo combines three malted barleys, along with wheat and oats, and a generous helping of English First Gold, German Mittelfruh, and Strisselspalt hops, chosen for their floral and citrus aromas.

What really sets Bergamo apart is the Belgian yeast, which gives the saison a gentle spicy character and a subtle peppery note on the nose.

So, how did we brew it?

We added dried bergamot slices (and lots of them) to the whirlpool. Then, I layered bergamot juice, zest, and vanilla paste during fermentation. This helped create its complex but delicious flavour.

Now, you might be thinking "that's a lot of grain for a gluten-free Belgian Saison?" - and you'd be right.

A high-grain bill is key to achieving the body and flavours required by a Belgian Saison.

To make it a gluten-free Belgian Saison, we added DeHaze, a branded terminal proline protease enzyme that prevents the formation of gluten from natural grain proteins during fermentation.

Like all our beers, Bergamo is lab-tested to ensure gluten levels are below 20 ppm. Meaning it meets the recommended gluten-free standards - without compromising flavour.

WILL I LIKE A BELGIAN SAISON?

Every palate is different, of course. But without sounding biased, you'll love Bergamo. Overall, it's a great palate-cleansing, punctuation beer and a good shout all round, whether your usual go-to is a Pale Ale or Czech Pilsner.

Drinking it at home? Find Bergamo here in our shop. We also recommend serving it in a tulip glass for ultimate drinkability and to let that lovely aroma billow out.