Urthel Saisonnière - De Leyerth Brouwerijen (Urthel)

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.65/5  rDev -5.4%
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

womencantsail

California

3.7/5  rDev -4.1%
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

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.33/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

11.2 ounce bottle - $3.99 at Hop City in Atlanta, Georgia.

Appearance: Pours a rather cloudy, light yellow body with a finger or so worth of soft-looking, white foam.

Smell: Soft scented barley, delicate wheat with a thin slice of lemon, a small dash of ground spice, and a teensy hint of perceived sweetness.

Taste: Crumpled rock candy atop faintly bready, lightly malted barley and wheat, remaining a bit sweet as the citrus and spice come in. Faintly soiled yeastiness. Lightly grassy hops, lightly bitter, though it is fanned a bit by the crackling carbonation. As it warms and as your acquaint yourself with the beer, the initial sweetness dies out and the lemon turns a bit citric. Closes out nicely dry, quite crisp, and with a subtle, rural spiciness.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light body. Medium-high carbonation.

Overall: I'm a fan of the subtle yet satisfying tastes present, but would prefer a fraction of the upfront sweetness we have here. Actually, scratch that last part, as the beer grew drier as it went along, hitting a nice level of refreshment.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2011 20:03:30 | More by ChainGangGuy

UCLABrewN84

California

3.93/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a murky light orange-yellow with a foamy khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Lots of small chunks of sediment settle to the bottom of the glass after the pour. Smell is of malt, grain, honey, yeast, and some slight fruity aromas. Taste is much the same with a fruity finish. There is a mild grassy and herbal bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that is tasty and easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2012 03:33:20 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.85/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle: Poured a hazy golden color ale with a nice thick foamy head with good retention and some very good lacing. Aroma consists of fruity ester with dry Belgian-style malt base. Taste is a nice mix between some dry-Belgian-style malt with nice fruity ester and dry hoppy finish. Body is quite full with good carbonation. Very nice drinking Belgian ale with nice complexity but still good drinkability factor.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2011 02:29:33 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.1/5  rDev +6.2%
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

oberon

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -9.3%
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

TMoney2591

Illinois

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a Gale Sayers shaker pint glass.

This gnome-person's beard is starting to get to me... Anyway, the beer pours a partly cloudy amber-gold topped by plenty o' white froth. The nose comprises wheat, clove, light grass, light sweet flowers, coriander, light lemon zest, and a touch of sourdough. The taste brings in more of the same, along with a pinch of nutmeg, a half-pinch of cinnamon, light cardamom, and a twist of orange. There is a sort of vaguely sweet spiciness throughout. It's a good thing (I really hope that's not trademarked somewhere...). The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a lightly grainy feel. Overall, a very solid saison, one of the better brews from Urthel, indeed.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2012 05:58:02 | More by TMoney2591

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.13/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Urthel Saisonnairre. 12 ounce bottle.

Appearance: clear, yellow, enormous white head, fills my Urthel Chalice with magisterial grace.

Aroma: soft and spicy, straw and lemon, very good saison aromatics. Very nice.

Taste: Smooth, malty, effervescent zest, peppers and lemon peel. Light bodied, but not watery. Easy-drinking. Great balance. Minor hops. Saisonnaire is full of character, yet uncomplicated, complex, yet simple, simply delicious.

Could take down a ton of these in the summertime.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2010 09:45:16 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

4.1/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The beer pours a hazy gold color with a thick frothy white head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a light pale and wheat malt scent along with a touch of pepper and lemon zest. It's fruity with a spicy edge. The taste is good as well. It's a light and easy drinking beer; yet it's full of complexity. It has the dry, earthy, peppery character with a bit of lemon. The farmhouse funk is mild and well received. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a low/medium bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a very good saison. It's true to style without over doing it.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2011 00:32:05 | More by WesWes

metter98

New York

3.55/5  rDev -8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is slightly hazy golden yellow in color and has a very slight amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a finger high bright white head that has excellent retention properties and coats the sides of the glass.
S: There are aromas of fruit in the nose-apples seem to stand out in particular-and also has notes of bubble gum.
T: Flavors of bubble gum fronm the yeast dominate the overall taste. The finish has notes of lemon citrus.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation. No dryness is noticeable.
O: This is an interesting saison that seems to have some aromas and flavors from the yeast that you would expect from a hefeweizen.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 21:53:27 | More by metter98

zeff80

Missouri

4.08/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured out a cloudy, orange color with a small, white head of bubbly foam. The crackly head had some nice retention and left wispy trails of lace.

S - It smelled slightly funky and phenolic with some spicy/yeasty notes.

T - It tasted spicy, funky and yeasty with a nice grain backbone. There was a subtle fruitiness, too.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium bodied ale with a nice, snappy finish.

D - This is a really nice saison. Urthel does good beers at reasonable prices.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2011 02:00:48 | More by zeff80

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.03/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sampled July 2010
The beer pours with a brilliantly clear, pale blonde color and is topped by a frothy, barely tan tinged, off-white colored head that is dense and creamy and leaves quite a bit of lace. The beer smells of lemon-like hops, and a nice grassy-grain pale malt character.

The beer is soft and creamy feeling, but a fizzy carbonation brushes the palate quite clean. A touch of pale-malt sweetness is here, but this finishes dry with a grassy, herbal like hop character and firm bitterness in the finish that dries things out considerably. There is also a hay-like grain note in the finish. Lemon like hop flavors compliment nicely with the pale malt sweetness as well as with the grassy herbal hop components. While soft and creamy textured, this beer is still quite quaffable and light; I have been drinking lots of Lambic so this seems heavy comparatively, but really it is quite light and drinkable. Yeast derived notes contributes a spicy, clove-like, earthy, rustic yeast flavors to the beer.

It is quite nice to be drinking this beer as I wait for the Tour de France to roll over this small category 4 hill out in the Belgian countryside. The rustic yeast character combines with the hops and characterful pale malt character quite well. This is definitely a beer that fits the situation quite well.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2010 15:04:38 | More by Gueuzedude

Halcyondays

California

4.3/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

330 mL bottle,

A: Pours a translucent yellow with a fizzy yet firm rocky white head, great thick lace.

S: Fruity, with Bartlett pear, passionfruit, and banana, with a light earthy hop note.

T: Some mild malt flavour, not very estery. A lot of hop character - hay, earthy, almost Brett-like in it's dryness. Lots of coriander and white pepper.

M: Very dry, smooth, creamy mouthfeel from the carbontion, medium-bodied. Moderate hoppy aftertaste. Tad overcarbonated initially.

D: A pretty hopped up dry saison. More in the Fantome or De Ranke line than Dupont or Hennepin. Good beer, definitely a food beer and refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2010 01:32:30 | More by Halcyondays

jwc215

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours hazed golden yellow with a thin foamy white head that descends, leaving some lacing.

The smell is of mild funk with tart lemon, some grainy sweetness and a touch of grass.

The taste is tart - lemony with some cotton candy/bubblegum sweetness. It has a dry finish, with a touch of alcohol.

It is effervescent, bubbly. Light-to-medium bodied.

It is tart - but mildly so. It has a nice balance. It's a nice interpretation with plenty of flavor. Refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2010 01:05:02 | More by jwc215

tempest

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Picked up a single from Abe's for $4.45.

This beer is gorgeous. It poured a brilliant clear gold with a big, tall head. As I drink it down, there's a perfect web of thick lacing. Thankfully, the beer character delivers as well. The flavors holds a floral and spicy mix of coriander, pepper, lemon, while there's a mild toasty note from the malt. This saison is complex enough that you could sip it for hours, yet light and lively enough that you can easily enjoy a few. Check this fine Belgian out.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2010 00:59:57 | More by tempest

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -4.7%
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

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.53/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

(Served in a tulip glass)
A- half a glass of clear lemon yellow body and half a glass of snow white head that billows up over-the-top the glass but holds its form. Sea of microbubbles support the head and foam clouds stick to the glass with each sip.
S- The perfumed yeas aroma comes through even during the pour. There is an estery banana note with hint of cloves and some dry bubble gum fullness that finishes with a dry spicy and green herbal hop bite.
T- The dry pale malt has a fresh and crisp flavor to it with a green pungent hop finish. There are softer well blended yeasty qualities to the pale malt that adds good depth.
M- This beer has a medium mouthfeel but the foam really makes it much more full and a tight crisp fizz enhances the hops snap and cleans up the finish. There is no alcohol heat noticed.
D- This beer has a crisp thirst-quenching flavor with a wonderful blend of hops, yeasty esters and malt that makes this great for warm temps and taking a break.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2010 15:11:04 | More by rhoadsrage

Billolick

New York

4.1/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Happy to find this one on tap at American Flatbread in Burlington, Vt a few weeks back. It arrived lighter almond amber in color, with a light tan head, that left plenty of fine sheeting. Floral hop nose. Another tasty offering from Urthel, this one is dry, delicate and tasty. Notes of light pepper and more floral and drying hops. Nice Belgian sessioner went great with the flavorful pizzas at Flatbread, a nice counter point to the salty cheeses and charred crusts. Yummy combination.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2010 13:39:14 | More by Billolick

mdfb79

New York

4.15/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from an 11.2 oz. bottle into a tulip.

a - Pours a hazy golden color with 3 fingers of fluffy white head and light carbonation evident.

s - Smells of spices, cloves, bananas, light citrus, and yeast.

t - Tastes of smooth bananas, fruity malts, and a hint of spice and cloves.

m - Medium body and low carbonation. Very easy to drink.

d - I thought this was a really nice saison; I was pleasantly surprised picking this up today. Very easy to drink, would try again.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2010 02:09:04 | More by mdfb79

Zorro

California

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Chill hazed lemon yellow colored beer with a puffy white head.

Smell is slightly sweet with a lot of yeasty aroma. Lemon hops and pepper scents with some coriander. Some grass aromas and a light honeysuckle malt scent.

Starts out mildly sweet and very yeasty with a lemon and grass flavor. Good amount of bitterness. Fairly herbal hop flavor. Pretty competent Saison.

Mouthfeel is good.

Overall a pretty good Saison. Not going to make me give up Hennepin but I could drink this when I can't find my favorite.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 03:00:01 | More by Zorro

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

11.2 oz. bottle

Pours a very slight hazy golden yellow color with visible carbonation bubbling up and a to finger frothy/soapy white head that has excellent retention, only slowly fading into a lasting cap. Sporadic spots of lacing.

Slightly earthy aroma with hints of soil, pine, peppery spice, faint honey, funk and light fruit notes. Hints of apple and pear with slight alcohol and subtle coriander.

Lighter side of medium body with lots of crisp soft carbonation up front that creates a champagne like effervescence. Slightly slick mouthfeel with a syrupy texture. Slightly funky and earthy with subtle tartness. There is some earthy hop bitterness along with some peppery/coriander spice and light fruit notes, mostly banana, apple and pear. Drinkable but kind of like a Duvel/IPA/honey beer hybrid.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2010 09:14:20 | More by corby112

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

3.83/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

33cl bottle taken at the 2012 Diester Bierfestival (20 Oct): this was my first beer of the day.

Good golden colour, slight haze but not enough to spoil the view: the white crown went on to produce some good lacing on my glass.

Strange mix of smells: spices, herbs, fruit and nuts all rolled up in a bag of yeast.

The taste was also a plethora of flavours: herbs and spices leading the way with the yeast and fruity nut tastes not far behind. Corriander, cloves and exotic fruits like passionfruit and vanilla pods coming through but with some dirt still on them all to give the beer an earthy/ground feel throughout the whole thing. Really enjoyed it.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 16:41:03 | More by BlackHaddock

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.33/5  rDev +12.2%
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

DoubleJ

California

4.15/5  rDev +7.5%
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