Pretty Things Jack d’Or

Dann Paquette, a “celebrity” brewer around the Northeast if ever there was such a thing, started up Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project less than three years ago after being inspired by a cathedral in his then-home in Yorkshire, England. He and his team proudly proclaim their wares “Good Time Artisanal Beers”, and why not? His lineup of beers –leaving aside for the moment the names — are wonderful interpretations of some basic beer styles.

Pretty Things currently makes its home on Buzzard’s Bay’s equipment in Westport, Massachusetts, churning out beers that, looking at the names and labels, you might figure were created under the influence of some rather interesting substances: Fluffy White Rabbits, an Americanized Belgian Tripel; Baby Tree, a strong Belgian-style Quadrupel; Field Mouse’s Farewell, a sort of Farmhouse ale. There are others, most with curious names, but make no mistake, all brewed with excellent beer in mind.

Jack d’Or, the name of their “saison americain”, is that grain of barley with a magnificent moustache standing in that mash tun on the label, awaiting his transformation into tasty, tasty beer. As Paquette puts it, “Inspired by some of our favorite saisons… and local table IPAs… our Jack D’Or starts off with North American Pils, Vienna, Wheat and Malted Oats (among others) and is hopped with a combination of four hops, finishing with Palisade and Nugget. Fermentation-wise we use a blend of three yeast strains to give Jack D’Or its refreshingly dry character.”

Aside from the hops — really an American twist on the classic Belgian/French style — Pretty Things is telling us, the consumers, everything good about saisons. Refreshing and dry, saisons are meant to be quenching, effervescent, and immensely enjoyable.

Maybe not sessionable, as they tend to be a bit stronger than average — Jack d’Or clocks in at a respectable 6.5% alcohol by volume, which is respectably stronger than the average American beer. And like the best-brewed saisons, Pretty Things adds no spices whatsover to the beer: it’s all the yeast’s magical doing. Does it work?

Off goes the cap from my paper-sealed 22-ounce bottle, and out pours a clear, bright, pale golden beer, topped with a finger of soapy white head that doesn’t seem to want to stick around. That unmistakable Belgian yeast aroma hits my nose first — it’s a slight honeyed sweetness mixed with wet grass, and in the case of Jack d’Or, a fairly significant dose of perfumy hops thrown on top.

Taste? This is a complex little beer, and it’s tough to really describe just what’s going on here. The haylike malt backbone carries a fairly significant pithy hoppiness, with lots of those aforementioned yeast byproducts — minty herbs, grains of paradise, coriander, a little juicy orange even. It’s kind of like a Belgian witbier like Hoegaarden, only with a wit, most of those flavors are literally added to the fermenting beer. Here, it’s all just esters and phenols, byproducts of fermentation.

The extraordinarily dry finish of the Jack wipes away all traces of the beer, save that dominant grapefruit bitterness coating my throat as I swallow, which invites another sip. Don’t mind if I do!

Jack d’Or is fast becoming one of those beers that, when I see it on tap, I make sure to have at least one. I enjoy how well this saison is crafted, with that pleasant hoppy twist. There aren’t many beers similar to this — I appreciate unusual beer when it turns out well, and I appreciate small, regional guys who can make it work.

Pretty Things beer — mostly the Jack d’Or, sometimes St. Botolph’s Town or Hedgerow Bitter — can be found around Manhattan and Williamsburg at the standard finer beer bars. Can’t find Pretty Things at the bar? May I suggest New Beer Distributors, Good Beer, Bierkraft, or a similar quality beer store? If you can’t find any Jack d’Or, then you could do a lot worse than the classic saison, Dupont, or a good American saison such as Southampton Saison Deluxe or even a hybrid like the Brooklyn Brewery Local 1. Whether you’re not really a “fan of beer”, or you already love all things Belgian, I think you’ll appreciate Jack d’Or.