Springhouse Ale - Williamsburg AleWerks

oline73

Maryland

3.53/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had this at the November Baltimore BA tasting. Served from the bottle into a tasting snifter.

Appearance: The beer pours a clear amber color with a layer of off white head that fades to a ring around the pour.

Smell: This one reminds me of a hefe. Light sweet malt, bright and a touch fruity. I'm getting some alcohol as well.

Taste: There is a light fruity sweetness. I'm getting some banana along with a mild citrus presence. There is just a touch of bitterness in the taste, but it fades towards the finish.

Mouthfeel: The body is medium with aggressive carbonation and a finish that's a bit dry.

Overall: There is enough going on to keep you interested, but it's not super impressive. I think I'd pass on having more.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2012 22:28:30 | More by oline73

Chaney

District of Columbia

3.53/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I've seen this one on the shelf for the past couple years but have never take the plunge until now.

A: Poured a cloudy, pumpkin orange color, with about a finger or so frothy head that retained itself throughout the session.

S: I got the farmhouse funk piece of the puzzle in spades, along with more than a helping of candi sugar.

T: The first sip.... didn't much care for it, however, on subsequent drinks, I started to get used to the flavor, which was definitely sweeter than just about any farmhouse saison I've tried in recent memory. Still, beneath that, the farmhouse funk was definitely there. The finish had kind of a diluted "Pixie Stick" dust quality that I personally liked.

M: Drinkability hurt this one, for sure. Still, the sugar was of the fresh variety. The carbonation was probably about right as far as saisons go, but for this one, I would have preferred a bit more to offset the saturated sugar content. Also, this was a bit on the boozy side.

O: Not bad, but I personally found this one a bit tough to get through. Personal preference, for sure, but I prefer my saisons on the citrusy/apricot side as opposed to the candy-like one.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 22:17:32 | More by Chaney

argock

Virginia

3.2/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a 22 oz brown bomber into a nonic pint glass. No freshness date. Purchased at Wine Warehouse (Charlottesville, VA) for $7.29.

A: A light amber brew with 1-2 finger white head with decent retention and a few blobs of lacing.

S: The aroma is light overall with a yeasty character up front more in keeping with a witbier or triple and with some mild lemon to go along with the crackery malt backing.

T: The flavor is fine and enjoyable but not really on target for the saison category. The crackery maltiness is tries its best, but the alcohol and higher than average hopping put this brew outside of the style. The hopping is leafy and herbal in nature. The alcohol adds a dull, slightly bitter flavor that is most apparent in the aftertaste.

M: The mouthfeel is way off for the style as it is lush and only slightly dry. Even the carbonation is low and not right for the style.

O: kind of disappointing with the wrong feel and level of booziness for the style.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2012 03:30:52 | More by argock

siege06nd

Virginia

3.63/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Jackie O's tulip.

A. Pours a deep, cloudy golden orange. Two fingers of eggshell white head quickly recede to a half finger. Excellent lacing down the sides of the glass. I've seen better retention from the style, but it's still a good looking beer overall.

S. Clove, apple, bread crust, honey, strawberry, faint lemon peel, and, oddly enough, a little bit of barn mustiness. Very rounded bouquet with a lot of sweetness to it. Not as complex as some, but certainly not bad either.

T. Follows the nose, with a lot of malt and yeast. The finish is very drying and yeasty, like unsalted crackers. The front and mid are all grapeskin, apple, and clove, but the finish really devolves into a yeasty bread bomb, with a heavy dose of bitter, dry malt and maybe even some booze that really doesn't get balanced.

M. Uneven. Moderate bodied and well-carbonated, but the finish is unbalanced, bitter, and yeasty and doesn't leave the best of lingering aftertastes.

O. As Saisons go, I've had a lot better. Look no further down the aisle than Boulevard's Tank 7 Saison if you want a better example. Things were looking pretty good for this one after the pour and on the nose. But the finish on flavor profile is a bit muddled and unbalanced and the mouthfeel wasn't nailed. A solid beer and definitely worth trying, but with Tank 7 on the shelf, I don't think I'll feel the need to revisit.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2012 21:53:45 | More by siege06nd

vtfan77

Virginia

3.93/5  rDev +11%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- Light golden orange with a decent half inch or so of head which slowly dissipates into a thick lace.

S- Heavy floral notes and a light grapey fruitiness highlight the aroma. A touch of clove gives it that distinct Belgian flair.

T- Heavy on the clove and the Belgian spiciness with what seems like a little pepper on the back of the throat. Again, there's a distinct floral quality to the taste, although I'll be damned if I can pick out a specific flower it reminds me of. There's a savory quality to the taste on the finish that is quite alluring and quite indescribable (at least for me), it almost has a butterscotch type character but I don't think it's diacetyl. The aftertaste is lightly bitter and earthy.

M- Medium-bodied and fairly low in carbonation for the style. There's a slick quality to the mouthfeel and the alcohol contributes little to the taste but a distinct numbing sensation to the tongue that is worth noting.

This is quite the interesting and enjoyable beer. Aspects of it are right in line with what I think of as a Saison, while some of its other qualities veer off in a different direction. It's pretty complex and tasty, and while I certainly wouldn't view it as an everyday beer, I'd recommend picking it up if you're a fan of Belgian styles and are looking for an interesting change of pace.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2012 23:27:24 | More by vtfan77

scottfrie

California

3.53/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle into Anderson Valley snifter. Thanks for the bottle codewarrior.

A: Pours cloudy golden apricot color with a billowing light tan head. The dense head slowly faded into a mound of thick film leaving behind crazy patchwork of sticky lacing down the glass.
S: Sweet notes of coriander, golden fruits and peppery, earthy spices. Pears and golden delicious apples come to mind as well.
T: Follows the nose with sweet fruits including golden raisins, golden pears, and golden/green apples. Spices are prominent as is the flavors of Belgian yeast. The finish has just a touch of mint and bubblegum, and the aftertaste is lightly bitter and hay-like.
M: This is pretty sweet and ‘wet’ for a saison and definitely a knock against the beer in my opinion. The alcohol is a bit noticeable as well. The carbonation is bubbly and creamy though, I just wish this beer was much drier.
O: Great fruity flavor, sits well in the glass too, just a bit too sweet and viscous with alcohol. Thanks again Matt.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2011 01:02:14 | More by scottfrie

ksurkin

Virginia

4/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bomber, 2010 release, from grape & gourmet. pours a gorgeous orange-gold with a massive, creamy, white head leaving thick sheets of lace. aroma is very nice with big, crisp fruit notes of pear, apricot, and green apple skins with hints of red grape backed by belgian yeast, spice notes of coriander and clove and touches of wheatgrass and dry malts. flavor is pretty tasty with sweet, slightly dry fruit notes of apple, pear, and white grape up front backed by dry, slightly funky, yeasty, dark bread, light spice, wet grass, and earthy hops. palate is medium bodied with big carbonation and a dry, herbal yet fruity finish. overall, a tast belgian strong from geoff and the alewerks boys.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2011 18:48:22 | More by ksurkin

rdub

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Purchased a 22oz at the brewery. First off, the bottle and label were beautiful. Very nice. The appearance on an aggressive pour was fluffy head, nice bubbles and a cloudy yellow appearance. The smell was all saison funkiness. Some citrus as well. Taste was funk-a-rific as well. Nice farmhouse saison. I could tell this wasn't from a big brewery since some of the flavors were off a little bit. would love to have on tap.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2011 02:17:01 | More by rdub

DearthVader

California

3.55/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22 oz bomber courtesy of BZero007 from our Loko 4 Locals BIF

Pour is outstanding. A Murky gold with burnt orange hints and carbonation dancing around all over the place. A very tight, thick white head forms atop and leaves very thick intricate lacing. Very visually appealing beer.

Smell is a little soft. Very common smells for saisons come out. Barnyard funk, slight citrus, grass, and soil. Not bad, but nothing really stands out at all.

Taste is nice with a slight tartness at the beginning that fades to a citrus body and a nice dry finish.

Mouthfeel is creamy and a fairly heavy body. Very drinkable.

A middle of the pack saison that would find it's way to my fridge fairly often if it were available in my area.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2011 05:37:22 | More by DearthVader

Suds

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This is a yellow-golden beer with a non-existent head. The aroma is spicy, yeasty, and full of funk. There are also ripe fruit aromas (peach, fig, apricot). The taste is notably spicy, and just a touch warm. Dry. Very phenolic. The beer has a sharp bitterness and a fleeting malt trait that never seems to develop. Full in flavor and very interesting.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2011 01:35:41 | More by Suds

tlazaroff

Virginia

3.88/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a slightly hazy golden-honey color and is topped by a nice white head that quickly gave in to the alcohol content.

S: I pick up some slight sweet notes behind a foreground of funk. Its not that funk that happens when a beer goes bad, it's that nice barnyard funk that a Saison should smell like.

T: Fruity, funky, spicy, and yeasty all in one beer. This tastes like a Saison should taste like, but doesn't push any boundaries with the style. It's defiantly good.

M: Highly carbonated, and somewhere between light and medium bodied.

D: For an 8% beer, it is quite refreshing and very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2011 04:57:13 | More by tlazaroff

pitasoup

Tennessee

3.35/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Thanks to neorunner for this 22oz bomber.

A: Golden orange/yellow, hazy, with a couple fingers of white head.

S: belgian yeasts, lemons, a touch of honey at the end, dust, peppers, banana and clove.

T: taste does not match the smells. overly phenolic to the point of being cloying, harshly unbalanced. a touch of hop bitterness and dust as well.

M: medium bodied, dry and a bit astringent

O: drinkability is a bit low. I'd like to let this sit for a couple of more years and perhaps it'll be more balanced.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2011 00:48:29 | More by pitasoup

Pencible

Virginia

3.48/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: This poured a clear gold with a little white head.
S: It smelled like lager yeast and wheat, with lemon grass and earthy musk, and a bit of citrus and spice.
T: It tasted like lemon and candi sugar and wild yeast, with earthy wheat and spice. It had a clean and crisp aftertaste.
M: It was slightly thick with moderate carbonation. Nice and slick.
D: This really put the farm in farmhouse ale. It didn't smell great to me, but the taste was better. Very nice body and well hidden alcohol made it pretty easy to drink. A generally enjoyable beer, but nothing special or memorable.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2011 20:54:20 | More by Pencible

ebby82

Virginia

3.98/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy gold into a pint glass from my growler. This was kegged only about a week ago, so its still quite fresh.

A- Freshly mown lawn, hops, a summer's day.

T- Bitter hops, with a funky, undefinable taste to follow. Certainly unique, intriguing, and worthwhile.

M- Smooth, with just the right carbonation.

O- I had this last year in the bottle, but this year's version on tap is even tastier. A really refreshing beer, and as I mentioned previously, very unique. I'm really starting to love saisons, and this is a fine example of the versatility of the style.

Serving type: growler

05-08-2011 19:02:51 | More by ebby82

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.23/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Review from notes taken on 1/19/11.

Bomber care of wishuwerebeer, thanks for sharing Bryan. Poured into a couple of wine glasses, this brew appears a clouded orange color. A huge amount of big white bubbly head swells up and over the top of the glassware and just hangs. As it recedes, it leaves patches of lacework all over the glass.

The aroma is spicy with Belgian yeast inidcations. Somewhat sweet smelling with clove and orange peel. A little bit of Pune essence and lemony notes fall into place as well.

The taste is quite sweet with a little too much caramel malt sweetness that lingers with residual sugar. Trying to see past the sweetness, spicy Belgian yeast flavors are present blended with orange peel, lemon and a light amount of funk. A mild earthy and herbal bitterness resides inside the mouth completely clashing with the sugary forefront.

This is a medium bodied brew with an lively, active and excessive amount of carbonation. Very prickly on the tongue even for a high carbed style. A good mix of flavor all across the board but a bit too sweet that prevented me from enjoying more than a glass. A decent effort, I would try this again if they could dry it out a little more.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2011 20:16:03 | More by stakem

ditch

Virginia

4.83/5  rDev +36.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Picked this up at the brewery tour this weekend. Wish I would have bought more!

Pours a hazy apricot. Big white fluffy head. Pour it slow or you'll waste some. Lacing is quite sticky and head continues to cover the top all the way down.

They aroma is spot on for this style. You can smell the Belgian yeast spice. Lemon zest and grass. Very aromatic.

The taste blew me away. Spicy citrus and sweet. White grapes. Almost a dry champagne.A little bit of funk. Slight alcohol burn in the finish.

The mouthfeel is light, dry and very carbonated. The pour lead me to believe it was going to be too much. I believe it compliments the flavor nicely.

Drinkability is great. I could easily drink a bottle or two of these. Will definitely buy more when I see them!

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2011 23:21:55 | More by ditch

tchenery

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

This beer looks beautiful. It has a huge billowy two finger head slightly off white on top of a rich deep orange body. It's a bit hazy, but not opaque.

It smells like grass, herbs, citrus zest, and bread.

The taste is up front funky! It's bready and yeasty and has this strange puckering (but not sour) apricot flavor. It's extremely complex and I'm sure it will taste completely different at the end of the beer as it warms.

Mouthfeel is very full. The lifting power of the bubbles helps, but only slightly. It also leaves you chalky and dry.

Drinkability is pretty average. I can see people not liking this one due to the first taste but if you can dig the funk, it's worth it.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2010 01:09:51 | More by tchenery

jlandis

Pennsylvania

2.85/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

The beer pours crystal clear straw golden in color with a gigantic billowing white head that is at least 4 fingers tall. I'll have to give this one a few minutes to settle down. The aroma is full of clove, lemon, sweet malt and Belgian spice. The flavor is unexpectedly sweet, but the clove and spice are spot on. There is also plenty of Belgian candied sugar and vanilla. The body is solid with tons of carbonation.

I would have liked for a tart dry finish, and the sweetness is a real turn off. The other aspects of the beer are great, but I keep coming back to the sweetness. I kind of wish this was only a 12oz bottle instead of a bomber.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2010 15:09:39 | More by jlandis

bonkers

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I poured from a bomber into a snifter. The pour is hazy orange with a big, sticky, white head. The aroma is full of lemon zest and spices. It taste as good as it smells, big lemon zest notes as well as peach and general spiciness. The finish lingers with a fruity sweetness. The beer is light and effervescent,. I had no idea it was an 8% abv. I really liked this one.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2010 00:10:23 | More by bonkers

Viciousknishs

Virginia

3.58/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

I would just like to start out by saying that the new Alewerks Brewers Choice labels are three piece suit classy. Now lets look at the guts in that suit!

A- Pours a hazy golden amber. Looks like a translucent orange with the sun shining through it. It has a large pillowy eggshell white head with great retention.

S- Initially you get a pleasant burst of lemon and spice with belgian yeast and a little sugary vanilla on the back end.

T- Springhouse has loads of Belgian candi, yeast and sticky sweetness. A slight tinge of vanilla, spice and lemon citrus notes follow the sweetness that is in my humble opinion makes it a little lopsided. The finish is not as dry as I would have liked and that you come to expect in the style, but is not enough to be off putting. Also I would have liked to have tasted a bit more spiciness to balance out the sweetness. Overall pretty solid and definitely worth checking out.

M- Slick and does a good job coating the palate. slight champagne like carbonation.

D- Could only do one or two of these because of the sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2010 01:26:49 | More by Viciousknishs

billab914

Virginia

3.18/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22oz bottle into my Lost Abbey stemware. It poured a light amber/orange color a huge, foamy, white head filling half of the glass. Head retention was pretty good and the lacing on the glass was excellent.

The aroma has a citrusy zest to it with a bit of a peach fruitiness to it. The Belgian yeast adds a some spicy, almost peppery notes. Some sweet, grainy malt flavors come through as well.

The taste has a bit of that sweet, peachy, fruitiness to it as well. The flavor seems a bit too sweet and almost sugary though for me. A bit of the Belgian yeast spice comes through as well. It finishes with more of a tart, fruity flavor with a moderate bitterness.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a little above average carbonation. Drinkability is decent, it had OK flavors to it overall. It felt a bit sweet at times which hurts it some, but still wasn't a bad beer overall. Average tasting for the style at best though.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2010 22:37:21 | More by billab914

andrewinski1

Maine

3.65/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a tulip.

Great looking beer. Large head on this one and the bubbles are just off white and tiny. They look kind of like the bubbles from a well made cappuccino. And the body is light caramel.

The smell is spicy yeast up front followed by a hint of malt sweetness. A hint of grassiness is noticed as well.

I was kind of taken aback by how much flavor was in this one. Lots of peppery spice followed by a hint of sweetness. Well done, but nothing to stand out here.

This one is a little bit heavy for my preference in a farmhouse ale, but not to the entire detriment of my drinking experience. If it was feasible, I would love to share this one again some time.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2010 02:55:55 | More by andrewinski1

yourefragile

District of Columbia

2.78/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 2

New 22 oz bottle with a pretty, rustic label. Poured into a snifter.

Pours a radiant, hazed orange amber with a large frothy white head that has good retention and light lacing. Aroma is interesting and pleasant, a blend of sweet tropical fruits and sugars with a musty, earthy Belgian yeast and estery typical saison base. Body is odd, medium thick and slightly juicy with very active, fine carbonation. Finish is dry and earthy, very refreshing with an undertone of sweetness.

But the flavor...oh the flavor, what happened to this. Hiding in here is a pleasant, earthy saison, but this is so ridiculously over the top sugary and sweet its very difficult for me to continue drinking this. It almost feels like there is a layer of canned peach juice floating on top of an exceptionally earthy and dirty saison in both flavor and body. Ugh, this could have been a very unique, enjoyable saison but the balance before sweet and dry earthy is non-existent in addition to way too much artificial sugar sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2010 02:20:55 | More by yourefragile

MrOH

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

appearance: hazy orange gold, big fluffy white head, could use more lacing and better retention
aroma: yellow stone fruits: peach, apricot, etc., trailed by a hint of musk mixed with alcohol
taste: phenolic spiciness, muscadine grapes, apricot, and a touch of earth, with a cleansing, hoppy finish
mouthfeel: mouthfilling without being sticky, just the right amount of body for an august evening
drinkability: dangerously moreish at 8%

Definitely made for american tastes, so it's not a by the book saison. A bit too much hoppiness, but it blends in fairly well. Definitely an easy to drink, high test summer ale.

Serving type: growler

08-25-2010 23:15:29 | More by MrOH

blackie

Virginia

4/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

new batch from Williamsburg

a: unibroue tulip, rich golden-orange in color, a voluminous head fills the glass and recedes very slowly, great retention

s: nose of delicate fruits - peach, apricot, becoming more grainy as it warms, nice sugar presence stays in check, lightly tropical with some ripe pineapple, orange, and flashes of banana, dusty yeast, hops bright and almost spicy

m: carbonation lively, a bit heavy for the style - ranging towards medium, but not really a detractor

t: pale malt body brings light-moderate sugars, sweet for a saison, and flavors of peach, banana, orange, and apricot before transitioning to a light spiciness and more grain in the middle, finishes bitter with a pulpy citrus hop flavor

d: no problem, a nice little saison and much better than recent tastings of the old version with mr. lou

bomber from Norm's, Vienna, VA

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2010 03:35:53 | More by blackie