Ovila Abbey Saison - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

DrJay

Massachusetts

3.73/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Slightly hazed orange/gold colour with a fluffy white cap. Lemony aroma, very floral, grassy and peppery, bready, some coriander and faint apple. The flavour profile was a bit different, more of a focus on spiciness (peppery with some coriander) with a dry maltiness. Citrus and floral character was more muted, though there was still a light apple sweetness. Slight warmth, peppery and grassy finish, medium bodied with moderate carbonation, fairly dry. I enjoyed it and would purchase again, particularly if I found it on tap.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2011 22:10:30 | More by DrJay

Georgiabeer

Georgia

3.83/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A solid Saison. I hope to see the Abbey brewing their own one day. Pours golden with a nice high head that settles to a respectable cap. Smells yeasty, slightly sweet, and lightly bready, with some subtle fruit notes of apple, pear, and a bit of white pepper. Quite nice. The taste is a little bit hot, and the fruit notes aren't as clear, but otherwise the taste shares much with the aroma. Not quite as crisp and bracing as I like my Saison's, this seems almost in the direction of Belgian Pale. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it well enough.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2011 18:50:05 | More by Georgiabeer

JohnGalt1

Idaho

3.98/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked this one up at the COOP a while back... I'm watering the lawn and boxing beer... it is still freaking hot outside and in the house... the saison is sounding refreshing.

Poured into my Portsmouth goblet.... Scant 1" white head dies pretty quickly... no real lacing to speak of... the brew is a hazy lite orange.

The nose seems a bit tame IMO.. mildly phenlolic with some citrus and bready notes... not alot more surprisingly.

Flavor is better with better ester profile.. some pear and maybe apricot playing around... the spicy elements are the bigger player... white peppercorn and a touch of clove... some banana shows with warmth and seems a little out of place..

Body and carbonation are about right..

Not the best saison in the USA.. but still is pretty good.. I will buy it again certainly... I may even pick a few up for the cellar. I am digging the Ovila series and respect the motives for it... good work and God's work :-)

3.5/4/4/4/4

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2011 07:06:48 | More by JohnGalt1

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Sierra Nevada Ovila Saison

25 oz bottle, corked and caged, opens with a fierce pop. Pours a cloudy straw, with a large foamy head and some lace. Aroma of bubblegum, white pepper, and citrus. In the flavor, estery Belgian yeast, wheat, clove and a mild bittering balance. Mouthfeel is loose, wet and cleansing. Overall, a decent saison style beer with big yeast elements. Pretty nice.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2011 01:25:48 | More by Stinkypuss

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Pours a hazy yellow to orange-ish color with an off white head. In the aroma, fruity, earthy, and yeasty. In the taste, fruity, tart green apple, yeasty and a hint of earth. A sour bite and medium to lighter bodied mouthfeel, with a dry sour green apple in the aftertaste. Almost Fantome like, very enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

09-14-2011 12:23:13 | More by OWSLEY069

avalon07

South Carolina

4.18/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a yellow-brown color and a cloudy texture. There was a huge, creamy, long-lasting head. Below average lacing.

S: Smelled of that typical saison barnyard funk, along with a fruity aspect and malt.

T: Tasted of fruit (apples), malt, some pepper and the aforementioned barnyard funk. A solid, well-rounded flavor that is oddly satisfying.

M: A highly carbonated beer with a smooth, yet earthy finish. Medium-bodied.

O: One of the better American versions of saison.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2011 13:08:24 | More by avalon07

gford217

Georgia

3.63/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750ml cork and caged bottle.

Pours a slightly hazy golden with a thick creamy beige head that recedes slowly to a thin collar with a stream of bubbles feeding it.

Aroma is spicy initially with some black pepper and coriander as well as plenty of sweet malts and hints of Belgian yeast though there isn't a lot of fruitiness in the nose. There is a hint of lemon zest and herbal grasses.

Taste is a little sweeter than the aroma and has some of the fruity esters that the aroma lacked. The spices are dialed down a bit though there is a peppery finish in the end. The lemons are present up front with some grainy malts underneath.

Mouthfeel is very active with lots of carbonation and medium bodied. It's not quite as dry as I would expect in a top-tier saison.

I don't think I like this one as much as the dubbel but it's another good interpretation of a Belgian style from Sierra. A little too watery to be world class for me.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2011 01:52:59 | More by gford217

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

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

I enjoyed this bottle at Bully's on Main in Columbia PA.

The color is a slightly dark than golden, perhaps apricot color with slight haze and pillowy thick white cream which has average sized bead and is visibly carbonated with subtle lace. The smell is very pleasant with a strong yeast aroma with slight tart wheat tang in the nose w/ light toasted grain and mild tropical fruit accents. The body is semi-full with moderately strong carbonation and moderate hop acidity with sliht creamy presence and light nutty/earthy texture with semi dry finish.

The taste of this saison is good with mostly tropical fruit from the yeast with a light tanginess from what I gather to be wheat with some hints of pineapple and almond with slight element of hops which could be adding floral notes, but seem to favor citrus with slight peppery and herbal quality. The yeast and malt work together to make a light spice and bready flavor which is very pleasant with light woody notes and mild toasted sweetness. The Saison works for me on the drinkability, I really enjoyed this and could have consumed the whole bottle if I wasn't sharing it with my wife and friend Steve.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2011 18:42:03 | More by Slatetank

beertunes

Washington

3.48/5  rDev -9.8%
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

kylehay2004

Florida

3.58/5  rDev -7.3%
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

twiggamortis420

Texas

4.05/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

750 mL bottle pours a very hazed, dark gold color with a nice, large cap of off-white head. Nice retention and lacing. A good-looking brew all around, though I am surprised at just how cloudy it actually is.

Nose is crackery grains, sharp, zesty yeast with a bit of cloves and a decent leafy hop aroma.

I like the fact that Ovila is neither bone-dry nor sugary sweet. It has a nice grainy, lightly honeyed malt flavor and the yeast does a pretty good job showcasing saison flavors...zesty cloves and even gets a little lemony. Hops are there plenty, pretty juicy and floral/citric - shows both flavoring and bittering. I like this one much better than the Dubbel. I think this is a pretty good American-brewed saison...not much farmhouse feel to it and is a relatively 'clean' beer. But tasty beverage overall.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2011 23:48:57 | More by twiggamortis420

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

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

750 ml cork and caged bottle poured into a Sierra Nevada tulip and Ovila chalice.
7% ABV, 1151616126 printed on the neck.

A - Lightly hazed, this saison is a brilliant golden yellow in color and is crowned by a dense off-white foam. Great retention despite the lack of carbonation - surprising from the easy and loud cork pop. Wispy lace sticks to the glass effortlessly.

S - Earthy Belgian yeast erupts into the air with a delicate pungency so common to the classic saisons. Subtle citrus notes follow up with a blend of more yeast characteristics; wet clay, white pepper, and a drop of exotic fruit I can't put my finger on.

T - The spice characteristics of the nose carry through to the flavor well. The light citrus burst is a bit more noticeable, signalling some nice hop character. Unfortunately the yeast qualities are offset by a lingering minerally, slightly metallic finish, mainly felt in the feel.

M - The faintly tinny finish in the feel really detracts from the otherwise fantastic beer that's going on here. The soft, medium-light body is delectable; complimented by a low level of carbonation. Alcohol content in this beer remains unseen on any level. Very well-balanced and slightly dry.

O - Delicious despite minor faults, Sierra Nevada's Ovila Saison showcases a superb use of Belgian yeast, especially in balance. It's hard to keep from over or under use of the yeast, but this brew does a fantastic job. Dangerously drinkable at 7% ABV, the earthy qualities of this saison would lend the beer to be a great late summer, early fall brew to sip on a lazy Saturday afternoon.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2011 03:14:24 | More by BeerFMAndy

FosterJM

California

3.78/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

692nd Review on BA
Bottle to Tulip
750 ML, C/C

App- A lighter orange with some yellow bulbous colors around the edges. A gigantic three finger head presented and fell quite nicely.
A little bit of bubbles came up from the center of the glass on this one.

Smell- Right off the bat it has that unique saison scent with a little citrus tucked back in there nicely. The bread comes in next with a little bit of layering along the lines of a damp field.

Taste- I'm not sure where I stand on this one. It's a nice saison. Nice being key word. It didn't bowl me over with a WOW or underwhelm with off flavors. It has a nice start with a little yeast and a little citrus note. A bit dry with a white pepper spike to it as well.

Mouth- It's a bigger saison and it's medium bodied and medium carbonated. Leaves a bit of a green apple flavor behind with some spice and some yeast.

Drink- I was very excited for this second bottle in the series. I have to say I was a bit let down with this one. I expected something more than what it was. It could be my expectations vs what the brewers were going for. Thats okay. People don't have to like every beer out there. This was still nice. It had a good balance but seemed to be a bit underdeveloped and a big too thick or big so to speak. I might have this again but CA is a good mecca for beer and saisons so I don't know.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2011 04:29:42 | More by FosterJM

bluejacket74

Ohio

3.7/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750 ml caged and corked bottle, Sierra Nevada date stamp code on bottle says this was bottled on May 26, 2011. Served in a tulip glass, the beer pours a hazy orange color with about an inch and a half off-white head. Head retention is good, and there's a decent amount of lacing. Aroma is very nice, it smells like peppery spice, citrus, dried fruit, bananas and some wheat. The brew tastes like bready malt/wheat, grass, peppery spice, cloves and a bit of fruit. There's also a slight bitter finish. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's smooth and is well carbonated. I think it's decent enough and worth trying. $9.99 a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2011 22:07:36 | More by bluejacket74

dgilks

Australia

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

Hazy golden amber colour with a big, rocky, off-white head. Good head retention.

Big, candy like, spicy aroma with notes of coriander, clove and banana. Mild hard fruit esters.

Creamy malt gives way to mild pear and stone fruit notes. The spicing is strong with plenty of pepper and coriander. A touch of earthy bitterness adds depth. Quite good.

Medium body with moderately-high carbonation. Good.

A really nice American Saison that is better than many other examples. Supremely drinkable and refreshingly dry, this is a good beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2011 06:45:45 | More by dgilks

Brent

Kentucky

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

A solid saison across the board. A touch of barnyard, but not too much. Indistinct notes of apple and orchard fruit, with some bright, white wine notes toward the finish. Firm malt backbone with lively carbonation. Barest bit of pepper at the finish.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2011 13:13:26 | More by Brent

blackie

Virginia

4.1/5  rDev +6.2%
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

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -9.3%
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

champ103

Texas

3.13/5  rDev -18.9%
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

woosterbill

Connecticut

3.98/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at Prime 16 into (inexplicably) a Chimay chalice. Not my preferred glassware for a Saison, but what can you do.

A: Hazy orange-gold body topped with a finger of fine, light, off-white foam. Average retention and spotty lace. Not bad, but nothing special.

S: Pleasant, very fruity aroma. Classic Belgian yeast esters provide apple and overripe pear, while the hops give some pleasant citrus. Not much to speak of in the way of spice, but there is a bit of lightly (and inoffensively) medicinal, band-aid-like phenolic presence. Quite enjoyable.

T: Juicy, fruity goodness - overripe apple and pear, orange and grapefruit hops, bready malt, and a clean finish with moderate minerality and plenty of bitterness. Perhaps a bit overly sweet with the malt and nigh-rotten fruitiness, but quite tasty.

M: Smooth, moderately carbonated medium body. Not as lively as I like a Saison to be, but its beautifully creamy feel is plenty pleasant.

O: I really enjoyed this one, but it didn't impress me with its authentic Belgian-ness nearly as much as the Ovila Dubbel - the hops in particular seemed quintessentially Sierra Nevada. I'm torn between enjoying this beer for what it is and wishing it were more of a dry, spicy refresher like Dupont. I think I'll just live in the moment and do the former.

Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

08-07-2011 00:16:37 | More by woosterbill

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

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

750ml bottle served in a tulip glass.

L - hazy copper color with a white head that left waves of lacing behind.

S - yeast and earthy spices.

T - spices and yeast are blended well in this tasty beer that finishes dry with slight tartness.

F - medium bodied with good carbonation that tingles the tongue.

O - a good example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2011 21:51:34 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

merlin48

Kentucky

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

Corked and caged bottle pours a hazy golden body with a large offwhite head. Good patchy lacing is left on the tulip glass.

Aroma features grassy hops, dusty yeast, fruity ripe pears, and vague funky farmhouse notes.

Medium body and carbonation.

Taste mirrors the aroma. Grassy and floral hops, a hint of fruity pripe pears, earthy yeast, wheat malt, spicy white pepper notes, and a bit of yeasty funk.

A solid saison, certainly, but not outstanding. I would prefer a Hennepin for an American brewed saison most days of the week.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2011 23:48:36 | More by merlin48

Gmann

New York

4.13/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a slightly hazy golden color with a nice pillowy white head that settled in to a puffy cap.

The aroma is lightly tary and funky. Very nice clovey spice from the yeast with bubblegum and a sharp fruitiness. Pretty Beligan yeast aroma though it borders on too strong for the saison style. Smell great though.

The taste is of a slightly bready malt, a bit heavier than it should be for the style. There is a lovely apple and pear fruit flavor coupled with the clove and bubblegum from the yeast. Very tasty. Some coriander as well.

The feel is moderate with active carbonation. Sits sweet on the palate with a touch of a peppery spice from the yeast. The malt feels heavy at first but the beer finishes dry, like it should.

I love how this beer tastes but seems a bit off for the style. A bit, and I mean a bit, too heavy for the style. Not quite dry enough, not quite tart enough. Stellar BSPA though. This is a top notch beer, much better than the dubbel.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2011 03:52:01 | More by Gmann

lordofthewiens

Maine

3.98/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Nice beer. In a room service glass, the beer was a dark gold color with a small white head.

Sweet candy aroma. Outdoorsy. Peppery spice.

Yeasty taste, wheat. Banana and citrus. A bit of spice.

Medium-bodied, very smooth. Great beer to drink while watching the Red Sox.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2011 11:51:50 | More by lordofthewiens

ngeunit1

California

4.28/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours a cloudy and bright orange-yellow color with a huge layer of frothy white head atop. The head fades down slowly leaving behind some lacing.

S - Aroma is a mix of lemon and yeast scents. There is also a bit of light spices and funkiness mixed in as well.

T - Starts off with some lemon and yeast flavors and just a touch of light spices. Through the middle, the flavors get a bit stronger with a bit of banana and funkiness coming thorough. The finish is again a mix of rich yeast and lemon flavor with just a touch of bready yeast flavor.

M - Medium-light bodied with fairly strong carbonation. Feels very smooth and lively on the tongue with a nice dry mouthfeel.

D - Very drinkable. Not quite the complex balance of a true Belgian saison but very close. The mouthfeel is right on through.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2011 05:13:16 | More by ngeunit1