Urthel Saisonnière - De Leyerth Brouwerijen (Urthel)

mactrail

California

2.58/5  rDev -33%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Rusty, musty, metallic malt liquor flavor. Is this the wave of the Belgian brewing future, or a ghost from a faded past?

If I'd poured this out of a bottle I'd say it was old and aged in the back of a pickup truck. It has that flat, oxidized taste. Expecting the skunk. Instead, a surprising and unpleasant bitterness.

This is a truly weird beer. If it's an authentic piece of history with special heirloom yeast, I guess we should be grateful it still exists. But nobody in America would deliberately make a beer that smell like this. Old sneakers? old tires?

Serving type: on-tap

06-15-2013 00:35:05 | More by mactrail

Guden

Maryland

2.68/5  rDev -30.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A- Slightly cloudy blond color with a small white head that sits around.

S- Fruit (banana and bubblegum) and wheat are the first smells with a little bit of clove and coriander spice in the mix. Not really what I expect from a saison but not bad.

T- Bright sweet wheat and barley malt stand in front with nothing to really balance it. Not getting any of the earthy or peppery tones I expect in a saison, just sweet bland malt.

M- Kind of thick for a saison, again the sweetness and wheat proteins seem to dominate over a dry body I would expect.

O- This one really missed for me. Not terrible if I wanted a sweet Belgian blonde, but this one really didn't seem like a saison to me and I wouldn't go for it again.

Serving type: on-tap

10-29-2012 02:20:25 | More by Guden

oberon

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Sessions Greensboro.Poured into a chalice a lemony color with a nice formed white head that held well,lemon pepper and barnyard funk in the nose,for me a bit off putting but for some great.Grainy and lightly toasted with herbal hop flavors,spiced phenols along with funk take over and linger into the finish.Iam not a huge saison fan but I was intruiged by the uniqness of this beer,in the end the funkiness was the main component of the beer I came away with.

Serving type: on-tap

01-13-2012 12:42:28 | More by oberon

Northsider

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I've seriously found my new favorite style: saison. Poured yellow with thin head. Smell was of yeast, and fruit, particularly banana. Tasted slightly tart with minimal bitterness. Overall a pretty good beer. Relatively low abv makes this super drinkable...the mouthfeel was relatively smooth and refreshing. I had to slow down my drinking, I just wanted to chug it.

Serving type: on-tap

06-25-2011 00:46:33 | More by Northsider

Rhettroactive

Virginia

3.98/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

From tap to stemmed Urthel wine glass
at Pie Whole on St. Thomas, VI on 6/2/11
*From notes

A: Cloudy and glowing golden-lemon. The biggest four finger, ghost white head I've encountered and gobs of thick lacing.

S: Fresh basil, soft malt and rich Belgian yeast.

T: Slightly yeasty up front. The lemongrass kicks in on the mid, as the finish showcases a twist of dark sugar.

M: Bubbly, yet it's soft enough. It doesn't stand out in this category, but is certainly above average.

O: Urthel's Saisonniere is a nice, refreshing and pretty delicious farmhouse ale that paired perfectly with my meal. Considering I had this in the Virgin Islands, I really couldn't have asked for much more.

*Paired with a veggie pizza

Serving type: on-tap

06-22-2011 19:35:19 | More by Rhettroactive

Spider889

Ohio

4.43/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Had on tap at Monk's Cafe in Philly.

Arrived in a signature Saisonnière glass. I really wish I had taken a picture - the glass was awesome - but my senses were on overload that afternoon.

Very pale, nearly clear in color. Reminded me of some hard ciders at how light in color this was. Excellent clarity. Lots of vigorous carbonation was visible. Had a small cap of dissipatory white foam.

Smelled very light and airy. Nice clove and funky barnyard esters.

This might be one of my all-time favorite tasting saisons. It was simply the lightest, most crisp and clean tasting saison to grace these lips. Nice funky herbal notes but these aren't in your face or vying to cover up the precision this beer must have required to brew.

I'd happily session this beer for hours on a warm summer day.

Serving type: on-tap

05-26-2011 17:17:14 | More by Spider889

alexkeil

New York

4.4/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this at the Blue Monk in Buffalo. A nice straw to gold color with thick white head that lasted to the bottom. The aroma was mostly belgian yeast with hints of citrus and belgian malt. The mouthfeel was medium with slight creaminess, highly carbonated. The flavor was a smooth balance of belgian yeast, bready malt, and hint of citrus, with a nice dry finish. I didn't get a lot of hops in flavor or aroma but it was there for the hop bitterness backbone. Wonderfully made beer that was refreshing on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

04-03-2011 18:03:22 | More by alexkeil

CuttDeez

Virginia

3.98/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Good looking Saison, hazy yellow gold coor with a tick foamy frothy white head. Good lacing
S - Lemon fresh sweetness that is mellowed by earthy notes and spices (little pepper in there)
T & M & D - A little fruity lemon sweetness on the front. Then strong earth flavors and spicy kick of pepper comes in the middle. You can taste the hop bitterness on the finish. This is medium to light bodied with a great carbination. The beer is crisp and clean in the front and has complexity in the middle and then finishes clean again. Refreshing and very easy. I like this saison, it is very drinkable and enjoyable.

-Cheers

Serving type: on-tap

03-16-2011 14:09:10 | More by CuttDeez

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.1/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

With a bold lemony zeal, spicy flavor, and dry finish- this saison hits all the marks for high quality and authentic beers of its style.

Saisonniere starts with a glowing straw color, airy/froathy white foam with very good retention. Moderate lace is left on the glass as the beer falls. A mild haze showcases the unfiltered nature of the beer.

Lemony aromas strike the olfactories first wit a follow of grass/lemon grass, understated pilsner malt sweetness, and mild tart apple scent. Quite perfumy and herbal to the nose.

Lemony flavors also start the taste profile, and with the powdered sugar malt sweetness- gives the impression of lemon drop candies. Lemon and sweetness turn herbal, grassy, and bitter with a even fade to spicy white pepper, curracco, and lemon zest. Alcohol bitterness seems to amplify the moderate hop balance, but also bring a mild solventy/soapy flavor going into finish.

Creamy and expansive in early textures, the beer makes a quick transition past a lightening mid palate and into a dry, evaporative, and minty finish. Alcohols give a light warmth and soft prickle on the tongue along with a mild bite in the throat- all leading to a highly drinkable ane enjoyable session.

In true saison form, this characterful and easy drinking beer carries all of the spicy, fruity, earthy, yet clean and dry character for which Belgian golden ales strive. And it does so in effortless and confident fashion. I'm very impresses with this ale.

Serving type: on-tap

02-26-2011 18:29:43 | More by BEERchitect

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

4.53/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Pours a clean, pale yellow color with a big white head. In the aroma, lemon zest, earthy, and a small sourness. In the taste, lemon zest and an earthy malt. A smooth and light bodied mouthfeel, with a semi dry to small tart lemon aftertaste. Quite refreshing, small earthy tart that lingers.

Serving type: on-tap

09-13-2010 20:18:17 | More by OWSLEY069

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.65/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Draft, and therefore filtered, at Prime 16. Decent mouthfeel. Good pepper, spicy mineral tastes.Light yeast. Suitable carbonation. Whitish saison colours. A good drinkable saison, nothing out of the ordinary, they went and succeeded conservatively.Appropriate summer choice.

Serving type: on-tap

08-22-2010 21:24:33 | More by northyorksammy

atsprings

North Carolina

4.08/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at Raleigh Times during a Summer day with a forcast high of 101! Served in a tulip glass a slightly hazy pale yellow with a nice frothy eggshell head that leaves nice lacing on the glass. Aroma is sweet fruit in front with a nice touch of spice. The taste is crisp sweet malts that quickly gives way to a sweet fruit finish. The beer is very smooth, crisp, and refreshing. This is just what I look for in a Saison, proof that a one can be just as good on-tap as from the bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

08-05-2010 16:03:41 | More by atsprings

david18

New York

3.5/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Maybe it's because I had this beer alongside a bunch of great and interesting wild beers that made it pretty uninteresting. Nice light straw color with a very light and active head. Nice aroma and a good farmhouse flavor. I guess I'm not enough of an expert in the style to know how good it is. Very interesting beer, just not outstanding.

Serving type: on-tap

07-02-2010 21:56:13 | More by david18

augustgarage

California

4.05/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Blue Palms Brewhouse - June 14th, 2010. Served in a generic tulip.

Very slightly hazy pale straw body with two fingers of rocky whipped ivory. Dense lacing clings to the sides.

Sourdough starter, shortbread biscuits, along with a hint of orange and wheat in the nose.

Strong pale malt base with a prompt noble-hop flavor which contributes to a substantial dryness and moderate bitterness on the palate. Clean, brisk, slightly grassy finish. A mild herbaceous element intensifies as the ale warms.

Medium-light bodied, lively carbonation.

Very refreshing if a bit uninvolving - a solid entry for the style, though not a real stand-out.

Serving type: on-tap

06-16-2010 02:52:52 | More by augustgarage

plaid75

New York

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On draft at The Blind Tiger, NYC.

Poured a a medium straw hue with a two finger foamy white head. There was good retention and very good lacing.

The smell featured a light lemon zest and a soft graininess.

The taste was light with round malts and a fresh lemon. Nice vibrant floral hop as well

The mouthfeel was typical of the style.

Overall a nice user friendly saison.

Serving type: on-tap

06-07-2010 22:06:32 | More by plaid75

jrallen34

Illinois

3.45/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

I drank this on tap at Hopleaf into an Urthel Saissonaire glass...The beer is a light straw that is pretty cloudy, very good lacing and retention...The aroma is really light, light hops but that's about it...The taste is also really light, but a distinct sour/bitter finish to it...Super light feel, decently drinkable but nothing special.

Serving type: on-tap

05-18-2010 13:18:13 | More by jrallen34

womencantsail

California

3.7/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: This one pours a golden color with a huge white head and a bit of haze in the glass.

S: The typical Saison aromas of pepper and lemon with some pleasant yeastiness. A bready malt and hint of sugar round things out, but not all that much in terms of funk.

T: A nice refreshing beer with a mild sweetness to go along with the citrus and spice components. The bitterness is moderate and works nicely the mild funk. Unfortunately, a bit too much alcohol comes through on this one.

M: Crisp and refreshing on the tongue with a bite of bitterness on the finish.

D: This was a really nice beer to have on a warm day out in the sun. Pretty refreshing as a Saison should be and one that I would have again.

Serving type: on-tap

04-20-2010 23:01:34 | More by womencantsail

DoubleJ

California

4.15/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Clay at 38 Degrees pushed this beer as a recommendation. Thanks Clay! Served in its own Urthel glass from draught, on to the beer:

Beautiful! Shimmering golden color with a huge, billowy head on top with excellent retention and lots of creamy lacing sticking to the glass. I'm smelling lots of mint in the aroma; it's what I've come to expect from the saison style. Tastes like; spice and mint. There are even notes of cherry cough syrup, but in a good way. Very easy in the mouth, light-medium bodied, not quite as creamy as the head would leave me to believe. Easy drinking.

Not too heavy, not too light. Urthel Saissonière makes a good choice to do on a Sunday afternoon in April, and I know this because those are the conditions I drank this beer under.

Serving type: on-tap

04-19-2010 04:30:31 | More by DoubleJ

DIM

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

a: This was a moderately hazy golden straw color. It was served to me with a frothy cap that faded to clumpy lace.

s: Beautiful combination of leafy, lemony hops, wet hay, banana, and a hint of candied sugar. All that plus a little funk.

t: It doesn't taste quite as fresh and zesty as it smells, but this is still very appealing. More earthy and less hoppy than the smell would suggest. I tasted phenolic clove and banana, citrus, and some funky grains.

m: On the creamy side with a nice lingering hop bite.

d: I'm really liking hoppy saisons lately, glad I got to try this.

Serving type: on-tap

04-13-2010 10:43:09 | More by DIM

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on-tap in a snifter at the Brass Rail.

A: The saison is a pale straw color, hazed over by the cold pouring temperature. As the ale warms, that haze disappears, leaving a radiant color that looks like autumnal leaves in Central PA. A sizeable head, nearly a finger, is billowy, leaving thick strata of lace behind.

S: The nose leans towards Belgian IPA territory, offering both candi sugar sweet tripel notes and dry, earthy hops. Also along for the ride are fruity yeast by-products, cloves, etc.

T: The body is very dry, noticeable from the first sip. It is, though, pleasantly hoppy, far hoppier than most saisons (supporting my Belgian IPA call earlier). There are sugars and yeasty fruits floating around but they never make much of a mark before being swallowed by the hops. An interesting beer that I can't quite get a pulse on. Probably need to find a bottle sometime soon.

M: The mouthfeel seems hop-driven, pleasantly bitter before allowing sweeter yeast notes to come through.

D: The ale is quite quaffable, a moderate 6% price tag. It's nice to see Belgian brewers embrace the hoppier side of things.

Serving type: on-tap

03-26-2010 14:25:36 | More by akorsak

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.33/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

First I've ever heard of this beer. On tap at Max's today.

The beer pours a light gold color with pretty good head retention and lots of sticky lacing. The nose is prototypical saison, with light honey, citrus, clove and significant pepper. The combination of aromas is impressive in this beer. The flavor profile replicates the nose, but I want to tell you the combination is impressive in this excellent saison. There is a boatload of honey and spice, but with just enough hoppy bitterness to completely dry this saison out on the finish. There is some good bitterness in the finish, where the flavors persist. Mouthfeel is medium bodied to full, and is surprisingly good for this low (relatively) abv. beer. Drinkability is just excellent.... it's unusual to find this amount of flavor and complexity in a 6% beer.

Not that I'm surprised, coming from Urthel, but needless to say this is an impressive saison.

Serving type: on-tap

03-05-2010 22:13:57 | More by johnmichaelsen

ToasterChef

Maine

4.05/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Reviewed from my notes. I was served a 6oz pour in a small wine glass. The kegged version of this beer has been filtered, but the bottles are unfiltered. It possesses a light straw color with a head of white soapy foam. Some pretty lacework was left behind as I enjoyed my pour. It has a strong yeast aroma with a hint of citrus; typical of the style, but of a high quality. The flavor is slightly biscuit-like, but has some sweetness to it as well. There is a slight tartness in the finish that is rather interesting. I could taste some peppery spices as well, but they were subtle. The body is a bit heavier than I expected, based upon the transparent appearance. That's not to say it's a heavy beer--I still classify it as light bodied--but it is not as light as I thought it would be. It has a perfect level of mouthcoating. I find it to be quite drinkable. I don't see myself sticking with this one particular beer for multiple rounds, but I will enjoy this glass very much.

Serving type: on-tap

02-25-2010 15:48:49 | More by ToasterChef

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

3.21/5  rDev -16.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

11.2 bottle poured into a tulip.

Appearance
Murky dark gold with tons of yeast fallout. Has 2 fingers of white head that dissipates quickly.

Nose
Buttery sweet, Pilsner malts, bubblegum, caramel and lemongrass.

Taste
Has some buttery sweetness and butterscotch off-flavors. Pilsner malts, bubblegum and lemongrass. Maybe a touch of dried grass and Saison yeastiness.

Mouthfeel
Light-medium bodied, smooth and oily.

Overall
Not really what I expect out of a Saison. Tastes like an old Pilsner.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2013 23:00:40 | More by justintcoons

thezach

Maryland

3.31/5  rDev -14%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

Had that nice funkiness that makes a saison a saison. No spices, which I generally prefer for the style. Served from a bottle with no freshness date into a tulip glass.

A: Brilliantly light golden, surprisingly clear - virtually no haze, maybe the yeast settled out due to chilling & age? Fluffy white head.

S: Funky, a little fruity (grape, melon? can't put my finger on it), and white pepper. Some others mentioned clove - the sweetness/fruit that I noticed may actually be more clove, though it is very light.

T&M: Lightly funky, relatively clean. I found the taste to be a little light compared to the aromas, which, while light, were more forward. Spritzy and light mouthfeel. Just enough earthy hop bitterness to balance out the grain. No real hop contribution otherwise.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one, I could put a few back. It is a little light in yeast and hop character, in my opinion, but that might be more to style for the Belgian saisons. Still very refreshing, I would have liked a little more zip from the hops and some more complexity from the yeast. Again though, perfect for a summer day. A real porchrocker.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2013 05:23:11 | More by thezach

TBoneJones

Texas

3.88/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a cloudy golden blonde, thick-looking. Head is not thick and fades fast. Unfiltered look for sure and I like that.
Smells of ample yeast and malts with nice hints of cloves, sweeter spice.
Nice taste follows with the breast yeast, cloves and citrus (lemon). I wish the spicy aspect was better balanced out with other elements. After a while i notice hints of banana esters in the taste. Nothing to stand it apart from other nicer saisons I've tried, in fact there is a soapy aspect that leads to the spice/ bitterness. Still quite drinkable here. This brew has a bitter dry finish.
Well-carbonated, nice happy-medium mouthfeel.
I'd have this again even though it struck me more like a white-styled beer would in terms of dryness. Despite not being as complex of a saison as I hoped, this was still refreshing. Im sure this would have tasted even better on a hot summer day with certain foods to pair.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 00:05:10 | More by TBoneJones