Grisettes Explained

"What's a Grisette," you ask.

Glad you asked cause here's an opportunity to expand your beer drinking horizon, assuming you're unfamiliar with the style.

First off, you should know that you can get one starting today at Upstate Craft Beer Co. which has just released Baby Phife, a 3.6% version. Actually grisettes are all typically under 4% abv, (which also makes them a table beer, but that's another story to be told later).

Grisettes are originally Belgian, brewed to refresh the stone mine workers, in the same vein that saisons were brewed for seasonal workers. 

Different than most farmhouse beers in that Malted wheat is used in the grain bill. Most wheat in the early days would have been Unmalted. Baby Phife has a 25% malted wheat base which gives the beer more body and a sturdier head than say a saison would. Grisettes are also hopped more than the farmhouse style, perhaps to add flavor impact considering the low abv.
In summation, let me say that I like the style, it's very refreshing, not sweet but pretty consistently Belgian. A good choice for sun-filled days and activities.

Oh, the name means "little gray" which may refer to either the appearance of the miners, covered with rock dust, or to the smocks worn by the women who served the beers.
 
Ok, enough history. Go drink one!!

Cheers!