Grisette

Grisette is a beer style that hails from Hainaut province in Belgium. Often compared to saison—the preferred choice among Belgian farmers—grisette was a farmhouse ale developed to satisfy the needs of the local miners. By 1960, the style disappeared, and its revival was not as big as with saison.

The style was not well documented, so the exact characteristics of the original are difficult to pinpoint. The beer was most likely a refreshing and hop-forward pale ale that varied in color and strength. Modern interpretations of grisette were introduced in the 1990s, and since there was no specific historical framework, they tend to vary in character.

They can be described as light, approachable, refreshing, and moderately hoppy, with low alcohol content, typically around 4% ABV. They usually have a dry finish, while some may have spicy, fruity, or funky character. It is not clear what is the origin of the name. Grisette can be translated as little gray, and while some theories claim the name was inspired by the ladies who wore gray aprons and served grisette, some suggest that it was a reference to the gray dust that the miners were covered at the end of the day.