Sierra Nevada Brown Saison - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Douglas14

California

4/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured at the Blind Tiger. It is a clear brown color with a nice, off-white head. The aroma is very much like a Saison but with slight caramel note...almost the same as the flavor that comes from the caramelization that comes from boiling the wort. The flavor is sweet, no hops, and some spices. It not nearly as light tasting as traditional saisons, but nevertheless very good even lthough it's not "to-style.". Somrwhat of a low carbonation makes it heavier in the mouth. Overall awesome.

Serving type: on-tap

05-18-2009 18:06:43 | More by Douglas14

t0rin0

California

3.75/5  rDev 0%

01-20-2013 02:22:02 | More by t0rin0

pixieskid

France

2/5  rDev -46.7%

07-28-2012 16:14:02 | More by pixieskid

cclark67789

Pennsylvania

1/5  rDev -73.3%

06-18-2012 14:23:02 | More by cclark67789

standardcherry

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -6.7%

05-21-2012 23:03:16 | More by standardcherry

jophish17

Georgia

3/5  rDev -20%

03-01-2012 21:32:28 | More by jophish17

oline73

Maryland

3.5/5  rDev -6.7%

02-12-2012 14:56:38 | More by oline73

nmann08

Maryland

3/5  rDev -20%

02-07-2012 14:46:57 | More by nmann08

jfcaa193

Connecticut

1.5/5  rDev -60%

01-30-2012 03:01:29 | More by jfcaa193

JAHMUR

Connecticut

3/5  rDev -20%

01-14-2012 19:38:32 | More by JAHMUR

brandoman63

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -6.7%

11-29-2011 19:48:59 | More by brandoman63

waiting4lunch

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +6.7%

11-18-2011 21:25:59 | More by waiting4lunch

HopStoopid120

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +6.7%

11-15-2011 22:37:47 | More by HopStoopid120

victory4me

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +6.7%

11-14-2011 19:51:53 | More by victory4me

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

huge thanks to nate for the little growler of this one. set my sunday off to a great start!

Settling down after a few moments it left quite an impression on the sides of the glass and really left some nice, intricate lacing all along. Aroma is light grassy notes, pears, apples, touches of a light peppery spice and lots of grain that seemingly brought it all together. As I take the first sip, a wave of light, well carbonated and crisp, clean flavor washes across the palate. Light grasses, heather, herbal flowers, touches of spiced apple and a light tartness that cleans the palate quite well. some nice caramel backing in here to provides a good bit of depth, again really very nicely done. Very smooth as each sip is seamless and very easy to finish. Long, dry ending leaves you thirsty, yet satisfied and allows the subtle fruit notes to really pop.

Serving type: growler

06-07-2011 01:55:06 | More by mikesgroove

generallee

New York

4.1/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Presentation: It was served in a tulip glass from tap at the Pizza Plant Italian Pub.

Appearance: Looking into the glass it had a deep reddish brown colored body with a creamy light tan head. The head was long lasting, thick and it left tons of sticky lacing to cling to the sides of the glass in thick rings. (Very Impressive)

Smell: The aroma hits first with a bit of boozy alcohol. This has a slight sting but it quickly fades into some nice fruity Belgian style yeast notes. Apple, pear, and some faint tropical fruit notes slowly come out as it warms up.

Taste/Palate: I got a little more balance here on the tongue then its aroma was suggesting. It has big bready maltiness fading into fruity yeast notes with a mild layer of boozy warmth just underneath adding an extra level of complexity and character. It is pleasantly sweet overall and it finishes fruity with just a light touch of hop spice. The texture is lively and well carbonated but yet still smooth with a nice full mouth feel.

Notes: My overall thought was that it is a very solid brew. It’s visually appealing and it brings a nice blend of flavor to the palate.

Serving type: on-tap

05-11-2011 20:45:16 | More by generallee

Swimsum

California

4.22/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From notes that I just recently found. On tap at the brewery on 7/21/09

Poured a nice red brown/copper color with reddish highlights around the edges of the glasses. A small, loose off white head sits atop this and eventually settles to a thin layer. There is some slight lacing left on the glass as the beer goes down.

A little bit of funk is present here (sort of surprised by this). There are some spices that emerge as well but can't pick out any certain ones. Very interesting smell to be sure.

Wow, this taste great. The spices that were in the smell come forward in the taste. Coriander and orange peel with a bit of juniper possibly. Tart finish. The alcohol is hidden nicely and it goes down incredibly smooth.

I really liked the mouthfeel on this. Medium carbonation that leads to a medium body. Not to thin and not too thick, very nice.

Another great beer from Sierra Nevada. It is definitely different and if you find this you should give it a try. If Sierra Nevada was doing growler fills at the time I visited the brewery I would have gotten this to go for sure.

Serving type: on-tap

01-03-2011 21:07:41 | More by Swimsum

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed from interesting very interesting beer; I liked it in the end. Pours a bit of a rusty brown color with a nice off white head. Nose brings some interesting combinations with brown malt and brown sugar plus some pepper and clove. Taste isn't quite as spicy and the yeast doesn't play as big of a role. Feel is nice with pretty decent carbonation and body. Definitely a fairly unique brew.

Serving type: on-tap

10-25-2010 12:47:27 | More by Thorpe429

Georgiabeer

Georgia

4/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on-tap at the Brick Store Pub. Pours a nice dark brown with good clarity and a fluffy off-white head. No real lacing. The smell is a little on the lighter side, with some light aromas of apple, coriander, roastiness, and malt. A dose of clove at the end. The taste is pleasant enough, with some slightly sweet brown ale roastiness combined with some light slightly sour saison flavors with some coriander and pepper, but primarily lots of chocolatey roastiness. Kind of an odd combination, but Fantome has done similar beers and this works to a degree. Tangy, slightly sweet, and with some banana and spice on the finish. Quite smooth, and fairly interesting. I enjoyed it as a passing experiment.

Serving type: on-tap

09-08-2010 18:47:21 | More by Georgiabeer

DNICE555

Connecticut

2.73/5  rDev -27.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

On tap at the B. What a fine local establishment.

A - Light brown body. Off white head. Very carbonated. Lots of lacing. Pretty.

S - There that dreaded Belgian yeast. That banana wheat sugary stank.

T - Banana bread, malt, not much in the realm of hops. Not impressed.

M - Heavily carbonated. Overpowering.

D - Not feelin it. This sample glass will be enough thank you.

Serving type: on-tap

05-14-2010 20:11:20 | More by DNICE555

CHickman

New York

4/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap at Gramercy Tavern in nYC.

Pours cloudy ruby red brown with a creamy beige 1/4 inch head that lasted for a while; good lacing that sticks to the glass. Carbonation was flowing up the glass very rapidly, which is reminiscent of champagne bubbles.

Smells of sweet malt, light spices, yeast, caramel, light hops and grass and/or herbs; it's a strange smell that's kind of saison and kind of brown ale, but not distinctive on the nose to classify it as either, which I guess is the point of this beer.

Tastes of sweet malt up front, with cherry, light spices, yeast, caramel, grass, herbs, bread, toasted grains, raisin or plum, syrup, floral and citrus hops, and some light pepper. Very tasty, smooth and well balanced considering the earthy feel to this. The alcohol was not a factor in the taste at all, and I was surprised to learn that it was 7.85%.

The brew has a light feel, with a medium body, very light carbonation and a creamy mouthfeel that leaves a slight sour pucker in the finish. Overall it was easy to drink, and I might even say refreshing and smooth.

A very, very enjoyable hybrid that I will definitely seek out again as I love the Sierra Nevada signature flavor injected into this saison, which kept enough of the brown ale character to make this a unique brew.

Serving type: on-tap

04-16-2010 02:41:50 | More by CHickman

ktrillionaire

Florida

3.98/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Quite a medium-brown hue, fairly translucent, with a frothy off-white head.

S - Smells a little grainy, a bit sweaty-funky, a bit sweet, and tempered with seemingly continental hops; not exactly Saison to me, but it smells both good and distinctly Sierra Nevada.

T - Following up on the aroma, this beer has some of the basic tenets of a Saison, bit is very much stripped-down as well as re-interpreted through the Sierra Nevada school of simplification, plus it is a Brown Ale at heart. I am not slagging SN; I hold them in high regard, I enjoy nearly all of their beers and this is no exception. In fact, I enjoy this one so much that I am sorta bummed it is not readily available. If they bottled this, they would sell the hell out of it in grocery stores nation-wide. That wouldn't be such a bad thing in the grand scheme, would it? The taste, for posterity's sake, is of banana-clove-peppery-spicy fused with a sweet malt, tempered with a continental hoppiness, with a well-hidden ABV.

M - Medium-bodied, but very refreshing. Nice balance between bitter and sweet on the finish.

D - Excellent

Serving type: on-tap

04-08-2010 02:10:35 | More by ktrillionaire

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Served ontap. Pours a rich brown in color with an off white head.

Smell: Bready malts and some sweetness lurking.

Taste: A blending of styles and the first "brown saison" I've had. Lots of malt sweetness almost to the point of being cloying. Little to no hop profile which was interesting, light citrus coupled with some sourness. Restrained funk which dissappointed me slightly. All in all, its alright.

Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied and chewey.

Drinkability: An odd-ball beer from Sierra Nevada Co. It has its moments, but left me wishing for the pale ale instead.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2010 17:40:55 | More by Stinkypuss

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.03/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance: Served up a clear, dark mahogany-hued body with a thin, wispy, off-white head.

Smell: Fairly spicy, herbaceous aroma with notes of everything from cloves to peppercorns leading the way. Lesser background hints of brown sugar, toasted malts, and banana.

Taste: Dry malt character with darkened toasty tones and light touches of brown sugar and nuts. Mild banana fruitiness. Then, the tongue gets a blitz of zesty herbaceousness and pops of black pepper and cracked cloves. Modest hop bitterness. Furthering of spice flavors, a touch of alcohol, and some crackling crispness (it's like Pop Rocks in my mouth!) on the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium-high, sharp carbonation, giving this one a really snappy carbonic bite to it.

Drinkability: I was curious to sample this blending of styles, but this was a beer that, well, I just didn't care for from sip one. I fought my way through to the bottom of the sixteen ounces, through all the aggressive carbonation and felt totally exhausted.

Serving type: on-tap

02-10-2010 20:34:33 | More by ChainGangGuy

dudemuskie

Illinois

4.22/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Scored a pint on special (only $3!) at the Landlocked Restaurant and Bar in Ruidoso, New Mexico. Thoroughly enjoyed this brew with a big spicy bowl of green chile stew!

Appearance- Burnt topaz, slightly hazy, with soft ruby highlights. Cream colored head at about 1 finger fades to thin, whispy residual. Some light lacing.

Aroma- Sweet/fruity/floral notes with an almost powdery aroma. Very floral with a solid background of caramel and nutty maltiness. Subtle kick of citrus (tangerine) hops. Soft spiciness rounds out a wonderfully complex nose!

Flavor- Starts with tangerine citrus hops, slight yeasty spice and opens up to complex malt flavors of burnt sugar, caramel, and dark overripe cheries. Powdery flavor (similar to aroma) and citrusy acidity throughout with a moderately dry, slightly earthy finish. Quite nice and very fitting for a saison. Nice balance between subtle hops, yeasty spice, and complex malts.

Mouthfeel- Moderate to high CO2, medium bodied with moderate residual sweetness. Polished nicely with a moderately dry finish. Complex yet thirst quenching. I'll have another.

Overall- Almost like a hybrid between a dry, acidic, spicy saison and a malty complex American brown ale. Very drinkable and thirst quenching.

Serving type: on-tap

12-26-2009 06:39:44 | More by dudemuskie