Ovila Abbey Saison - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

BEERchitect

Kentucky

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

Clean, crisp, and with ultimate dryness, Sierra Nevada's second dip into the Ovila bucket carries a dry fruity ester nature with a spicy, warming finish that should appeal to appreciators of fine sparkling wines.

Pouring a deep golden color with medium yeasty haze, the beer forms a froathy white head with great persistance and intricate lace. The density of haze is a bit unusual for the style.

Pears, white pepper, apples, corriander, and a slight vinous wine note from white grape fill the nose with a zesty character. Backed by malty aromas of light sugar cookies and confectioner's sugar, the beer allows they yeasty esters and spices to command the balance of the nose.

Flavors follow suit, but with a dry bready-sweet to start, the beer takes a quick turn past the sweetness and into a crisp and clean flavor of light fruits and zesty spice in a way that reminds me of spiced pears, but with green apples included. Hop character contributes to the zest but without the signature earthy pungency that's expected from authentic Belgian varieties.

Medium malty weight to start with light, yet fleeting sweetness of powdered sugar. The beer ushers in a quick procession toward a very dry and refresheing finish with medium alcohol warmth. The classic spicy/fruity dryness is exhibited well in the finish.

Another solid effort in the Ovila series of beers. But the slight lack of complexity from blended Belgian yeast strains or the raw grassy-earthy-pungent hops keep the beer from competing with the Saison Duponts of Belgium.

Serving type: on-tap

07-18-2011 20:12:38 | More by BEERchitect

champ103

Texas

3.13/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On tap at the Flying Saucer in Houston.

A: Pours a hazy golden/orange color. At first a two finger white head forms, but recedes to nothing in a second. No lace is left behind.
S: Some yeast and fruity esters. Light banana and zesty lemon in the nose. I don't get much else.
T: Follows the nose with a light banana and lemon flavor. Some musky yeast. Though everything just seems muted.
M/D: A light and much thinner body than I would like. Fairly dry, but missing the great snap of carbonation I love with the style. Not hard to drink if I wanted to. Though there are way to many other Saisons I would reach for first.

Just ho hum and on the safe side in my opinion. Sierra Nevada has much better, and there are much better examples of the style easily available.

Serving type: on-tap

07-18-2011 01:16:43 | More by champ103

DCon

Missouri

4.22/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed on-tap @ Pizza Port Brewing in Carlsbad, CA for $4.75. Tapped from the Black Non-Labeled Tap Handle (with Sierra Nevada Label above it) into a 13oz Tulip Glass.

Aroma- Huge amount of hop from the beginning of the smell. There are a good amount of spices mixed in and then has citrus aroma at the end. Not much sour characteristics and the malt is hidden with the hop aroma...

Appearance- Light golden body that you can see perfectly through with 3 fingers of puffy head that leaves huge, thick lacing.

Flavor- Starts very fruity and sour. The fruits are lemon like and have to do with the malt character. There is a spicy hop taste that keeps the beer interesting all the way through. There is an extra long finish and it more sweet than hoppy. Great!

Mouthfeel- Light- Medium Bodied, High Carbonation, and leaves hop on the palate (more earthy though...).

Overall Impression- This was such a complexed Saison, I hope to see these in bottles soon to have! Very refreshing, nice fruit attributes, and the hops used aren't too overpowering but add a good balance to the beer. This one took me awhile to sip on but I loved every second of it! Would recommend!

Serving type: on-tap

07-16-2011 16:20:24 | More by DCon

SFLpunk

Vermont

4.08/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12oz pour at the farmhouse tap & grill.

Beautiful orange with thick bone white head. Nose is very fruity and spicy. Lots of earthy notes, very complex. Palate is crisp and appropriately sharp. Flavor match aromas but white pepper and lavender come out. Long, floral finish. Lovely but expensive.

Serving type: on-tap

07-13-2011 03:02:21 | More by SFLpunk

ehammond1

California

4.05/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On Tap

K&B Wine Cellars
San Diego, CA

Clear golden orange and yellow. Very thin white head. Not much lacing at all down the glass. Somewhat disappointing.

Beautifully aromatic beer. The lemon and sweet citrus stand out, along with the Belgian yeast, some sweet and slightly tangy farmhouse notes, and a comforting, somewhat bready malt backbone. Very nice.

The flavor isn't quite as outstanding as the aroma. A relatively sweet saison--lemon, citrus, pear, Belgian yeast tang--all comes together very nicely.

A good, medium bodied farmhouse ale. Easy to drink.

A simple, somewhat sweet and uncomplicated, saison. Great on a hot day.

Serving type: on-tap

07-12-2011 14:52:55 | More by ehammond1

Halcyondays

California

4.25/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at Beachwood I,

A: Pours a yellow-orange with a medium white head, average retention, some spotty lace.

S: Lots of pear and yellow apple, the Belgian yeast is apparent. Some light spice.

T: Pears and apricots with a hint of orange. Some residual sugar keeping everything in balance. Hop flavour is minimal, but adds a pleasant earthy backbone.

M: Soft carbonation, easy drinking, medium-bodied overall, very smooth.

O: Sierra Nevada's Ovila label impressed with the dubbel and now with the saison. This is a fantastic American saison beer.

Serving type: on-tap

07-10-2011 21:45:29 | More by Halcyondays

AnswerInQuestion

California

3.9/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- pours a golden/honey/orange, with a little less than a finger of head off the tap that quickly recedes to a thin film along the edges and in the center of the glass. Cloudier than most other saisons I've had.

S- sweet apricot, golden raison, orange zest and belgian yeasty yeast...also something just a bit funky. I wouldn't call it horse blanket, its just a bit sour, almost soggy and faintly unpleasant if sniffed too long.

T- tastes more like a belgian golden than a saison. Not quite as spicy/spiced, with the most pronounced flavors coming from the malt: light apricot and sweet malt. Some citrusy sourness develops as the beer warms. Traditional saison funk most noticeable in the aftertaste, which makes the beer taste unbalanced after all is said and done.

M- adequate carbonation for the style, but a bit too thin coming onto the tongue, and too dry, astringent almost in the aftertaste from the citrus notes. I suppose that's alright for the style though.

O- I'm enjoying this beer, but its not as spicy/funky as I think a saison usually aims to be. Tastes more like a belgian golden or tripel. Very drinkable, nonetheless.

Serving type: on-tap

07-09-2011 06:04:33 | More by AnswerInQuestion

blackie

Virginia

4.1/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

a: poured into a large chalice, medium golden amber in color with a nice layer of off-white carbonation that retains well

s: both clean pils malts and a low amount of sweeter, lightly toasty malts form the malt base of the aroma, aromas of fuzzy pit fruits, spicy yeast influence, pepper, fresh cut grass hops and glimpses of citrus, a lovely saison aroma with lots to hold on to

m: carbonation lively, moderate-high, with a body kicking around somewhere between light and medium

t: the typically crisp pils and pale malts are augmented here with a low dose of something a little darker - caramel perhaps - that lends a residual sweetness that hits lightly in the middle but cleans up well by the finish, some flavors of sweet tree fruits - peach, nicely spicy yeast output and bready yeast flavors, grassy hops in good balance, great range of balanced flavours leading in to a dry, peppery finish

o: quite complex for the style, exceedingly well balanced, and obviously crafted with lots of care - one of the better stateside saisons out there

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 04:04:31 | More by blackie

atigerlife

Hawaii

4.01/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours orange-golden and slightly hazy. Lots of small carbonation rising. A 1-finger fluffy white head. Good retention.

Aroma of hay, citrus, honey, floral notes and some yeast.

Taste has hay, tangerine, grass, green apple, musty barn and some bread. Also some slightly sweet bits in there.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and cleansing.

Overall, very drinkable. Refreshing. Sessionable [OK, 1 bottle due to the ABV]. Nice take on the style. Missing some of the tartness of wild yeast, but still a worthy effort.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 03:36:23 | More by atigerlife

deltatauhobbit

Maine

4.01/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a golden straw color with an orange tint to it, quite hazy looking but not chunkies on the first pour, white fizzy head fades quickly, no lacing.

Smell has a large citrus presence, orange being the dominate citrus aroma, slight peppery spice in the nose but nothing to make you sneeze like other brews made with heavy handed peppercorn, not much funk in this Saison.

Taste starts out with a light citrus hit, mellowed by the sweet malt backing, orange and some decent spiciness character liven things up, hops are essentially non-existent but there is a subtle earthiness to it, carbonation is on the high end and very seltzer like yet works for this beer, finishes light, crisp and a slightly dry.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 22:18:12 | More by deltatauhobbit

JMScowcroft

Vermont

4.7/5  rDev +21.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. - Ovila Abbey Season - 1pt 6fl oz bottle

Look - Pours golden with a tinge of copper. Slight, foamy head with decent lacing. Hazy, no noticeable carbonation.

Smell - Citrus and dry, almost like a high-quality champagne or cider with heartier overtones. If you pay attention you might smell a hint of strawberry.

Taste - Dry, crisp, and refreshing as hell with a creamy strawberry middle and a slight bitter citrus aftertaste that fades quickly.

Mouthfeel - Quite pleasing, this brew encourages you to drink more.

Overall - This is a great brew, this style isn't typically my personal style, but I would definitely get this brew again.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 13:04:25 | More by JMScowcroft

bambam2517

Arizona

4.08/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4

From a bomber to a tulip, split it with the wife at 45F.

A - Cloudy caramel body, nice white crown with a tilted pour that lasted long into the glass, and laced strong throughout.

S - Grassy, just a little citrusy. Fresh flowers, its so reminiscent of spring.

T - Really nice, better than I expected. Nice flavor profile falling right in line with high quality Belgian ales, plus a little honey flavor. A little sweet white wine in the background.

M - The palate is great, bright and refreshing. The aftertaste is a bit funky and lingering.

O - A pleasant surprise, Saisons are not my favorite but I really enjoyed this one.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 03:33:36 | More by bambam2517

DavidST

Texas

3.83/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a goblet, no bottled date. This pours a slightly hazy golden color with a three finger white head which as good retention and leaves a slight lacing and alcohol legs. This smell is a little toned down, faint belgian funk, a little citrus, lemon peel. The feel is medium, higher carbonination. The taste is pretty good, you get some nice citrus flavors, a little peppery finish, some belgian yeast funk, not bad.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 04:53:20 | More by DavidST

themind

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Shared a bottle with a friend. I am surprised that this beer is not rated higher. It is a clean, crisp saison with a satisfying taste. Pours a thin head and goes down smooth. I had Terrapins Moo Hoo after having this and although different styles this brews quality destroys Terrapins offering. It is carbonated nicely and I would buy it again.

Bottom Line: Quality beer and an offering worth its price tag.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 14:18:45 | More by themind

BrownNut

Florida

3.18/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served cool in a tulip.

A - Cloudy dull orange. Sturdy off-white head that fades gradually to a film over a couple minutes.

S - 3.5 - Upon popping the cork, the main note is fruity yeasty. Once poured, earthy yet perfumy spice, faint saison funk, faint candy sweet orange, which may be the main component of that perfumy note.

T - 3.0 - Pretty mild. There are good flavors, but fleeting and substantially fainter than you'd like. Muted. The whole thing comes across diluted, which is really unsatisfying, like the good stuff is just out of reach. The flavors fade and you're left with nothing pretty quickly. There's a twinge of tartness at the end, and a slightly bitter aftertaste that is quickly gone. Mixed with the diluted character, the bitterness comes across in a not good way. I'm not giving it a 3 because I think it's average, but because it's something good that has something wrong with it. It didn't set out to be average and succeed - it set out to be better but failed.

M - 3.5 - Light. Slightly soft. A bit of carbonation tingle on the tongue. Ends just slightly dry.

O - 3.0 - The second Ovila beer I've had, a disappointment like the quad. Not up to Sierra Nevada's standard of excellence. The cork, cage, story and pedigree seduced me, but left me wanting. Giving up on the Ovila line. As in the taste category, this isn't a 3/average because it aimed to be average and succeeded, but because it aimed to be better and failed.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2012 03:04:54 | More by BrownNut

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

secondtooth

Indiana

3.95/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Murky gold, with a thick head of white carbonation. Little trace of lace, though.

Nose is fruity and spicy -- displaying a distinctly Belgian-style character. Nice.

Flavor is spiced fruitiness (berry, orange), followed by a peppery zing. Alcohol (7%) is well-masked, and this is faithful Belgian-style, but not as interesting as I'd hoped.

Additional notes: The fruitiness (and a dry booziness) comes out more prominently as this one warms.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2012 00:43:49 | More by secondtooth

DaveBlack

Virginia

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

A: Cloudy, almost rusty orange color. There is very little head to the beer, despite it being constantly fed from a stream of bubbles.

S: Belgian yeast, slight funkiness, and some sweet malts with grassy notes and citrus peel. When I first poured it the smell hit me like a sledgehammer, but it fades pretty quickly.

T: The taste is actually different than I was expecting, and not as potent. There a slight maltiness at first, followed by the yeast, then it's really the aftertaste that brings a taste of earthy hay, funk and peppery spice.

M: Moderate body, moderate carbonation and dry.

O: A decent saison, but far from my favorite. It's a little too heavy on the Belgian side for my liking.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 20:51:25 | More by DaveBlack

Bung

North Carolina

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

750ml. Effervescent gold pour, 2 fingers of frothy white head.

Aroma, bright and grassy. Citrus, light herbal white peppercorn.

Taste, about the same. Don't get too much sweetness which I like. Earthy yeast spice, minimal pineapple. Light grass/hay and lighter funk.

Well carbonated lighter body. Drinks pretty easy and is quite refreshing. Maybe just a little restrained.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2012 02:02:58 | More by Bung

stephens101

Oklahoma

3.6/5  rDev -7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a reddish, golden orange with nearly 3-fingers of thick white head that is profoundly retentive. Smells peppery and citrusy with a splash of orange and lemon. Sugar and a background of whispering funk arise upon closer inspection. Fruity up front on the tongue, followed by some grain and lemon twang. An earthy aftertaste and a slight candied sweetness evolve slowly and innocuously, adding some complexity. Dry and light bodied. This is a well-balanced beer that works on many levels, but could use some spirit in the flavor department.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 23:19:21 | More by stephens101

Etan

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750ml bottle into a wine glass.

A: Pours a mellow gold with a big, soft, creamy white head. Absolutely beautiful beer.

S: Perfumy pale malt and stone fruit esters. White cake, sugar, peach, mild herbal notes.

T: Similar to the nose, more on the straight BPA side for a saison. Sugary cake, a bit of peppery bitterness, nectarine and apricot, mild hop bite in the finish.

M: Great mouthfeel - creamy and light, perfect carbonation level.

O: Looks and feels really great, but the taste is a little too straight ahead BPA to be distinguished.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2012 00:21:01 | More by Etan

Hopfenpeter

Maryland

3.88/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The color is a hazy amber gold, with a creamy tan head about one and a half fingers high. Dissipates fast, leaving some lacing.
The smell is weak, maybe some fruits.
Tasting the beer, the citrus fruit notes are present first, being followed by a mild yeast flavoring. More peppery spices are towards the end. A well balanced Saison, very drinkable.
Good carbonation, great mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2012 02:06:09 | More by Hopfenpeter

Florida9

Illinois

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

A: Rather cloudy pale amber-yellow in color. Forms a modest white head that does seem to stick around fairly well. No lacing.

S: Bright and slightly acidic with notes of lemon, black pepper, spice and a bit of yeast.

T: Rather mild and unassuming. Starts off with very mild, slightly fruity, pale malts before turning herbal and peppery. Then a hint of lemon and a light bit of yeast with lots of pepper on the finish.

M: On the lighter side with heavier carbonation, a spry mouthfeel and virtually no bitterness.

O: An acceptable, approachable, Saison: I've had better and I've had worse.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2012 02:17:06 | More by Florida9

morebeergood

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up a bottle on sale for $5.99. Seemed very low priced compared to what I have seen it priced at elsewhere. Poured into a tulip glass. Huge pop of the cork. Nice bright yellow-orange color. Tons of carbonation forms a thick white head with a careful pour. Peppery, zesty, and yeasty on the nose. Fruity, spicy, and sweet on the palate. A great combination. The abv is well hidden; very smooth to drink. I was at the same store tonight and the few cases they had on discount are long gone. Damn, I should have picked up a few more bottles at that price.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2012 04:33:44 | More by morebeergood

arizcards

Arizona

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

Picked up a 750 ml bottle from Total Wine in mid-April for $8.99.

Beer poured light orange with a nice healthy head on the initial pour.

Nose is slight funk, grassy, lemony.

Taste is very much like the nose, with a very light pepper finish.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and pretty smooth.

Overall this is a pretty good brew, pretty close to the style. It just lacks the nice peppery finish to be a classic.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 23:34:21 | More by arizcards