Red Barn is classified as a Saison, brewed with adjuncts such as orange peel, ginger, black pepper and grains of paradise. I must add that this is the first Saison I've gotten around to trying. When exploring the Belgian's I've gone mostly for the strong dark ales and the strong pale ales. I checked out the BJCP Style Guidelines for Saisons to see roughly what I might be expecting, and although BJCP goes into quite some detail, it's summed up nicely with a little history background and then the overall impression of the beer:
History: A seasonal summer style produced in Wallonia, the French-speaking part of Belgium. Originally brewed at the end of the cool season to last through the warmer months before refrigeration was common. It had to be sturdy enough to last for months but not too strong to be quenching and refreshing in the summer. It is now brewed year-round in tiny, artisanal breweries whose buildings reflect their origins as farmhouses.
Overall Impression: A medium to strong ale with a distinctive yellow-orange color, highly carbonated, well hopped, fruity and dry with a quenching acidity.
The appearance is a very nice clear and rich golden with orange overtones, though when Loren got it on tap at Stone last weekend it looked a bit more to the orange side. Anyway, it also formed a huge fluffy and rocky head. The aroma was dominated by fruity sweetness, spice, the classic Belgian yeast funk we're all so accustomed to, and a bit of sourness. The taste was light overall, sweet and light malt dominated, a bit peppery in the finish. This beer was simply a pleasure to drink. Chalk up another winner for Port Brewing.
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