Ovila Abbey Saison - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

brotherloco

California

3.35/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

750ml C&C bottle. No date, but this is the first batch released. Served in a tulip.

Pours cloudy amber with a huge off-white head. Settles down to a finger of foam. Mild lacing.

Aroma is a blend of peppery Belgian yeast and bright citrus notes. Getting some lemon, apple, orange, and tangerine. Finishes with some floral and funky notes.

Flavor is a let down, as it is weaker than I expected. The label doesn't lie, as grass and pepper dominate the flavor, but are a touch dull. Hardly any fruit in the flavor, although some emerges late in the finish, along with some sourness. Dry, but not really crisp.

Medium-low body with a bit above medium carbonation. Pretty nice overall mouthfeel.

Overall, the flavor is never stellar, but definitely gets better as the beer warms.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2011 00:42:21 | More by brotherloco

mcallister

Ohio

3.38/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Dark golden colored with a thick, frothy head. Chunky and molten with long life. Showing some yellow hints and great retention.

Terrific aromas. Very floral, earthy with large amounts of yeast esters. Lemon and lime, white pepper, wild berries, fennel, coriander, carbonation.

A little off in the mouth. Especially the mouthfeel which hurts the overall picture. Good amount of hops bitterness, yeast, bread, hints of an almost brett like farmyard in the finish, lime zest, berries, pepper, grass, pine and more.

The mouth is weird it gives the impression that the carbonation isn't really there which in turn makes the flavors get lost and just ooze to quickly over the palate. But I think it may actually be so overcarbonated that its exploding on the tongue when it hits and is lost. Creamy but just lost.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2011 21:23:28 | More by mcallister

pitasoup

Tennessee

3.4/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: satisfying pop from the cork. pours straw golden yellow with nice fine and foamy two fingers of white head that is slow to subside, slight lacing as well. somewhat hazy body - i can see the outline of my fingers through the glass, but not much else.

S: wheat, dust, belgian/saison yeasts. a touch of peppers, lavender, and other floral notes are buried but present.

T: slight hop bitterness that slips into cloying saison yeast. muddled lemons, wheat.

M: feels overcarbonated, thin body doesn't hide the alcohol/phenols.

O: drinkable but nothing exceptional. too belgiany and phenolic for my tastes right now. i'd love to try it again in a year or two.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2011 02:40:41 | More by pitasoup

Lerxst

Florida

3.4/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle poured into a snifter

A-Pours a slightly hazy gold with a gentle pour producing a one finger head of tightly knit bubbles that recedes to a thin ring. Leaves spotty lace.

S-Somewhat subdued nose, but I am picking up the earthy yeast, pale malt and light fruits. Nothing funky going on here, it is a pleasant but unspectacular nose.

T-earthy, peppery yeast, light fruit , pale malt, a tart slightly funky aftertaste comes in at the end.

M-crisp, sharp carbonation. Very dry. Light bodied.

O-this is a decent beer, just nothing particularly memorable.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2011 02:12:50 | More by Lerxst

zhanson88

Montana

3.43/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Here's to hoping this Ovila/SN collab saison is better than the dubbel.

Appearance: Pours a fairly clear straw color with about 1.5" of eggshell white head. Retention and lacing are okay, but could be better. It looks pretty decent.

Smell: Smells of citrus, banana and cloves, a hint of phenols peek through as well. Not the most rockin' saison I've smelled, but really very nice. Good start.

Taste: Citrus and clove are present up front, with maybe a touch of banana in there as well. Pretty nice on the front of the palate, but I get a mighty phenolic kick in the middle and back end that is off-putting. Pretty dry finish, and the lingering flavors are phenols and breadiness. Still....not terrible.

Mouthfeel/Overall: Between light and medium bodied with good carbonation. Pretty good here. Overall, I would say it's a decent saison, but not something I'll be having again most likely. I did like it a good deal better than the dubbel.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2011 01:24:33 | More by zhanson88

kauschovar

California

3.43/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear orange with a couple fingers of head. Has a very floral smell and similar taste. I also detect a little spice in the flavor, typical of other Saisons that I've tried. However, the flavor lacks a solid backing. Aside from the foral and spice accents, this beer tastes rather watery to me. In my mouth, the beer has a slight foamy feel.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2011 04:53:31 | More by kauschovar

gueuzeonhigh

Maine

3.45/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazy straw color.
The head is a short lived white bubbly affair.
No lacing

A mild nose- perhaps very mild. Hints of yeast, a pinch of hops, something reminds me of wild flowers.

Flavor is light- but with a definite ale character- dry, mild bitterness, hints of citrus and effervescence. Overall flavor body is thin-- initial flavor dissipates quickly.. flavor is not particularly complex even for a Saison.

Mouthfeel is cordial-- finish fades quicker than I'd like.. but nevertheless the stage is set for another sip.

Overall this is an enjoyable beer-- maybe even a fine summer-time drink chilled.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2012 22:32:39 | More by gueuzeonhigh

MrKennedy

Australia

3.45/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

750ml bottle thanks to Lukie. Poured into a Great Divide tulip.

Has an old-gold/orange hue with a nice, large, off-white head that craters and grips a little as it recedes.

Smells of citrus peel as well as citrus pips. A bit of yeast as well as spice. Some green pear as it opens up.

Taste is largely yeasty and spicy, but approachable with just a little bit of pear and apple featuring in the mix. The spice drops off quickly, while the yeast isn't over the top. Some orange comes later on as well.

A tiny bit of heat early, some booze late detract. Otherwise, it is refreshing from the carbonation as well as the yeast and spice.

Entry level saison, good, but nothing that would keep you coming back to grab a case of these. No faults, but not super memorable, merely reliable.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2012 11:04:14 | More by MrKennedy

beertunes

Washington

3.48/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in bubble pint glass. Poured a lightly hazy orangeish-gold color with about a half-inch of white head that had low retention and light lacing.

The aroma was the typical combination of grain, yeast and spice that is expected from the style. On the tongue the story was pretty much the same, a nice, grainy base, a bit of a yeast tang and some spiciness floating in the background.

The body was also pretty typical, medium body without being heavy or thin. Drinkability was good, but I find most saisons to be very drinkable. Overall, a very nice, but not particularly notable, example of the style. Worth a shot if you see it, but I'm not sure it's worth the $12.95 price tag I've seen the 750's going for.

Serving type: on-tap

07-22-2011 02:38:58 | More by beertunes

andrewinski1

Maine

3.48/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a tulip. The color is light straw almost golden, quite clear. There is a 2 inch head that shrinks to about an eighth inch layer of foam.

This smell nice and zesty. There is some sweet spice and some nice peppery hop in the aroma.

The taste is very pleasant, delivering a little bit of sweetness with a nice peppery yeast driven finish.

The body is light to medium. This doesn't drink quite as crisply as I'd like for a saison, and borders on being a Belgian pale ale.

This is tasty but doesn't quite scratch my saison itch, making it a middling to above average offering.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2011 21:24:29 | More by andrewinski1

fo5s

District of Columbia

3.48/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750mL corked & caged, poured into a tumbler and paired with some chipotle. Cork pops quit loudly. No dating, but this is a one-off and is relatively fresh.

A- pours with a massive head but limited lacing.

S- peppery, earthy, grainy.

T- equal mix of funky and citrus, but somewhat muted on the whole. Peppery finish. Smooth.

M- Dry, yet slick. A touch creamy.

O- Overall a fine, unoffensive saison. Somewhat muted, but a nice intro to the style. There are certainly better, widely available saisons at the same pricepoint, and bottles won't be around for much longer. Worth trying, but no need to hunt these down if they become tough to find.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2011 02:08:48 | More by fo5s

mocktm

Virginia

3.48/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Corked and caged bottle, into a snifter.

Straw yellow in appearance with abundant carbonation, laying the foundation for three fingers of thick, yet delicate white head. Champagne like almost.

Nose is spicy, white pepper and clove predominantly, plus aromas of barnyard hay and bananas. Mild funk, but the complexity factor is just not really there.

As with the nose, this just seems a bit muted overall. As it warms, the banana flavor overtakes all others turning this into more of a Hefe than a Saison. The advertised citrus twang is also noticeably absent, which so happens to be my favorite attribute within the style.

Mouthfeel is medium, effervescent and semi-dry, plus a moderate creaminess that's kind of off-putting.

Overall, this just isn't what I look for in a Saison. Some may like it, but I won't be picking it up again.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2011 01:52:12 | More by mocktm

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle: Poured a hazy golden color ale with large foamy head with good retention and some good lacing. Aroma of sweet malt with some light hoppy notes and not much ester discernable. Taste is also a nice mix between some lightly sweet Belgian style malt with a dry hoppy finish. Lacks a bit of ester and yeast is quite tame. Body is full with good carbonation and no apparent alcohol. Not bad though I was expecting a bit more character from this beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2011 17:57:29 | More by Phyl21ca

Infamous7100

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: poured from bomber into snifter a dark golden, near copper color. Very thin white head.
S: grass, pepper, citrus fruits. Nice blend.
T: a tad spicy up front, with a bit of fruit mixed in, apple maybe? Fades to a tartness at the back. The grassy, earthy scents don't seem to come through in the flavor.
M: medium carbonation with some spicy sharpness. Very at the end.
O: pretty good beer. Not my favorite saison, but a good representation of the style.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2011 22:36:40 | More by Infamous7100

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

maybe my least favorite from this series, but not a bad beer at all. it pours a very pale cloudy yellow color with a smallish white head. the aroma is grassy and wheaty, more of a hefeweizen in the nose than a saison, kind of missing that farmy aspect. the flavor is also quite grassy, like cut hay or something, more in the malts than in the yeast. there is a touch of lemon acidity to this as well, but the flavor is quite mild overall. mouthfeel is a tad undercarbonated i think, but the body is light and easy drinking. maybe the season has passed for light saisons, but this one didnt really do it for me. i much prefer the other beers in this line.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2012 23:44:21 | More by StonedTrippin

nickthetick

Maryland

3.53/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: pours hazy burnt orange into a DFH signature glass with a solid white head and doesn't leave any lacing.

S: oranges, apricot, bananas, hoppy and spicy.

T: soft yellow fruits, green apples and a bit of plums. Yeasty and a tad spicy with some good bread and hop notes.

MF: light and smooth, moderate carbonation.

O: this is a good saison for its nice hop quality but I'd like there to be more there.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2011 01:28:40 | More by nickthetick

popery

California

3.53/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From notes 7/21/11. It’s a gentle, pleasant saison that drinks easily but lacks any great depth of character. I would have liked to see SN push things a bit more with this beer. The aroma is fresh grain, bananas, lemons, mild pepper and some more spice - maybe, a little clove and coriander. It kinda tends toward German wheat beer flavors. The taste starts sweet with a little tang and finishes mildly dry with a very nice grassy, citrus hop note. Mouthfeel is kinda low on carbonation for the style but fine, otherwise. Appearance is a translucent and fairly light orange amber with a big white head. This is a good saison but too safe and a touch too sweet for me.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2011 01:44:48 | More by popery

nukem5

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A: Pours a nice dark copper color with a thin head with barely if any lacing.

S: Aromatic with peppery notes, some malts with a carmel taste. It did have a slightly astringent smell to it.

T; Carmels ,spice, with some peppery notes .

M: Medium to full bodied with very little carbonation.

O: Definitly a drinkier and this one went perfect with some calamari and lobster.

Serving type: on-tap

08-27-2011 02:55:45 | More by nukem5

spicelab

Australia

3.55/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle thanks to Adam@Platinum Liquor.

Apricot with a moderate haze to it. Very large white head falls to a film and leaves zero lacing.

Relatively sweet nose with a very distinct floral perfume. Plenty of phenol and ester action with sweet melons, apples, musk, cloves and fairy floss. Smattering of grapefruit pith, citrus peel and peppery spice.

Taste is less sweet, but lacks the depth of the nose. Lots of marmalade, green apple, lemon rind and white pepper. Sweet esters come through a bit more as it warms. Has a modest tartness, but no funkiness to be found.

Mouthfeel is active and verging on abrasive, but becomes more agreeable over the course.

Bit of a mixed bag. The nose verges on great, the taste is not too far behind, however the characteristic Saison funk is lacking as is the drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2011 10:12:57 | More by spicelab

julian

Washington

3.58/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Light coppery/brass color with a respectable creamy white head and decorative lacing. Looks like adequate carbonation too. 4

S: Everything is very subtle. Earth, herbal, pepper, mild fruit and some caramel malt sweetness. Not sure how else to explain this, nothing is dominant enough to really punch me in the face. 3.5

T&M: Mild spice, mild fruit, some lingering sweetness in the back, mouthfeel is dry and to style but the flavor is lacking IMO. 3.5 / 4

O: This didn’t wow me, but maybe it’s just because I’ve had a Fantome Hiver and Boulevard Saison-Brett before this. It’s probably one of the most original Belgian styles I’ve tried from Sierra Nevada, but not as impressive as Boulevard, and definitely eclipsed by Fantome. 3.5

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2011 16:52:41 | More by julian

kylehay2004

Florida

3.58/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: 1.5 finger head, hazy yellow gold color some scattered lacing

S: very nice spicey hop and belgian yeast aroma.

T: initially zesty and spicey with a mellowed out musty and earthy finish with yeasty notes.

M: medium to high carbonation, light to medium body. Dry finish.

Overall: a little too dry but drinkable. Nothing memorable but not too bad.

Serving type: on-tap

10-06-2011 00:21:52 | More by kylehay2004

nataku00

California

3.58/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap poured into a straight sided glass. Beer is pale yellow with a finger of foamy off white head. Decent head retention with some sticky lacing on the glass, took several minutes before it receded to a half a finger collar. Some decent carbonation, small bubbles streaming up from the bottom of the glass.

Nose is a pretty standard saison, earthy, herbal with biscuit malts, some fruity yeast esters.

Taste is earthy and herbal flavors, with some of the fruity esters initially, then mostly malt sweetness through to the medium finish. Some lingering earthiness on the tongue. Tastes similar to a light Saison DuPont, but with fewer yeast traits.

Light to medium body with nice zesty carbonation to really keep it crisp and light on the tongue. Great warm weather beer. Decent but unremarkable saison.

Serving type: on-tap

10-30-2011 08:16:21 | More by nataku00

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle from Rick's in Alexandria. Served in a Mikasa tulip.

Pours a nice golden color with a good white head. Really nice retention and a good deal of lacing on the way down. The nose carries a bit of light fruit plus grain. Faint earth and a bit of spice as well. Flavor hits those same notes, focusing a bit on the graininess, though the yeast doesn't slack. Good body with active carbonation and a semi-dry finish. Pretty good brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2011 23:00:28 | More by Thorpe429

StRocco

New Hampshire

3.58/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - very hazy straw color with a head that is only a few shades off of bright white. Lots bubbles coming up from the bottom of the glass. As expected, there is lots of lacing around the glass.

S - strong sense of hops, not much malt. The smell has a little bit of sweetness and nothing that really jumps out at me

T - taste has that infamous Belgium yeasty taste. There is a slight bitterness.

M - this is a lighter body beer and was expected going in at only 7%.

O - this is a good beer, that's about it. It reminds me a lot of the Ommegang Hennepin.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2011 00:34:55 | More by StRocco

cvm4

Mississippi

3.58/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - A loving light amber/golden in color with a nice 2 finger head.

S - Earthy qualities / yeast / hops

T - A little tart and some bitterness from the hops. Dry and crisp, somewhat thin on body.

M - Light to my mouth, effervescent almost.

O - A pleasing saison that develops nicely as you drink it. I was not in awe of it but it delivered.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 22:31:35 | More by cvm4