Virginia brewery Blindhouse Beer was named for a cheeky reference to an Appalachian term describing a windowless cottage or cabin. Originally, it was co-opted from a colloquial olden English term for a windowless room used to focus the mind of the drunk and disorderly. It’s a conversation-starting name, but it also underscores head brewer Tyler Wert’s singular focus on saison-style beers crafted with wild yeasts, mixed culture fermentations, and Virginia fruits and flowers.
Wert and his wife, Nicole Davidson-Wert, opened Blindhouse Beer on the edge of downtown Roanoke in 2023, on the heels of their move from Richmond. Wert had honed his craft at Triple Crossing Beer, where he fell hard for mixed fermentation beers, those that utilize multiple strains of yeast and bacteria. “I just don’t think you can get more complexity of flavor out of any other style,” Wert says. “So, it’s one that can simultaneously be extremely drinkable because they’re usually very dry and can be pretty light on the palate and refreshing. But with those multiple yeast strains and bacteria working, you get acidity playing a role; you get those wild, undefinable flavor profiles.”
To start, Wert created his own yeast, combining classic saison yeast with wild yeast from flower and plant clippings foraged from his family’s land in nearby Callaway. Early signature suds included For Miles, a crushable Belgian pale ale with a plush mouthfeel and candied lemon peel aroma, and Just Forever, a juicy, citrus-forward farmhouse pale ale dry-hopped with Simcoe hops. Soon after, he started pushing the boundaries of saison toward that wild, undefinable flavor territory.
Although saison is French for “season,” Wert explains that it more broadly means “farmer’s beer.” In that spirit, Wert taps various local farms for a variety of specialty brews. For Botanique: Blend #2, a flower-and-botanical driven series, he used Peace & Harmony Farm’s elderberry and yarrow to give one release a gingery, herbal spice profile. For Blurred Perceptions, a series that drinks like natural wine or rustic cider, Wert sources grapes and pomace (the pulp leftover from pressed grapes) from area vineyards. One version of saison was aged on Vidal Blanc grape skins, while a recent bottle club exclusive featured Fables & Feathers Winery’s chardonel, a hybrid grape Wert describes as having chardonnay vibes but with in-your-face acidity and bright citrus.
Wert has also collaborated with local chefs and makers, like Quincy Randolph of local roaster RND, whose Ethiopian coffee was used to condition a mixed culture dark ale called State of Mind, and Bloom chef-owner Nate Sloan, who supplied muscadine grapes from his family farm for an as-yet-unreleased beer. “Part of the goal here was to show the depth of the style and how broad it can be and wide-appealing, and hope that it resonates with people,” Wert says.
Sample Singular Saisons from Blindhouse Beer
These three beers are available exclusively at Blindhouse Beer’s taproom
Inroads
Spelt was traditionally used in saison brewing, and Wert found that the rye-wheat hybrid provides another layer of malt character, a little spiciness, and depth of nuttiness. The interaction of the house yeast with the spelt and hops during fermentation yields bright acidity and notes of orange blossom and Seville orange. The beer is conditioned with honey, imparting toasty honey notes and an earthy sweetness to balance the citrus.
Nothing Stays the Same
One iteration of this seasonal fruit beer showcased peak-summer peaches from Ikenberry Orchards—to the tune of two to three pounds of fruit per gallon of beer. Two different barrels—whatever is tasting right at the time—are blended and rested on the peaches for about two months. Wert found that the heavy fruit-to-beer ratio resulted in a juicy peach-flesh character and a delicate floral aroma, chased by a pleasant tartness on the finish.
Botanique (Blend #3)
This mixed-culture saison features a trio of flowers: local calendula from Peace & Harmony, elderflower from Sunspoke Farms, and greenhouse-grown citrus blossoms. The calendula (aka marigolds) went into one barrel of saison, the citrus blossoms into another, and the resulting aged saisons were combined before undergoing a secondary infusion with the elderflowers. The beer’s beautiful bouquet is dominated by the blossoms’ punchy citrus and hints of lilac, with an earthy, herbal backbone from the calendula and elderflower. For details on their beers and taproom hours, go to blindhousebeer.com.
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