Carnevale - The Lost Abbey

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.96/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

this is as much a tripel as it is a saison, a beautiful marriage of the two. the pour is hazy and golden, with just a finger or two of white lasting head that leaves wedding style rings on the edges of the chalice. the nose is sweet and yeasty, big high gravity malt body with some attitude, also more booze than it really is comes through. I taste Belgian cultured yeast before any farmhouse funk, and there is that malty sweetness of a classic tripel, cornsyrupy in a good way and lots of carbonation and body. this is sort of a genre bender, dry and sweet both, unusual in that way. maybe a little overpriced, but its complexity is appreciated here. really round and smooth in the feel, I wish it would quit straddling the fence between a farmy saison and a sugary tripel, it cant quite decide, and that hurts it a little. this is a beer without a true identity, but one with plenty of unique flavors and a mind of its own. on tap at cheeky monk on Colfax for more than its worth, but it tastes good and itll drink forever. lost abbey is back.

Serving type: on-tap

03-29-2013 05:04:07 | More by StonedTrippin

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev -7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

First had: on tap at TJ's, Paoli, PA

Cloudy straw-yellow pour, with a huge puff of white head that took a while to settle to a servable size, but was pretty tame after that. Barnyard funk in the nose, hints of citrus pith and fruity esters. Funky taste, echoing the aroma, toasted grains, notes of peppery spice and citrus pith. Light-medium body, with a dry, bitter aftertaste. Pretty typical for the style all around. If you like standard saisons, you'll like this.

Serving type: on-tap

03-28-2013 02:49:47 | More by Rifugium

Murrhey

Montana

3.35/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured on tap in a taster at The Lost Abbey in San Marcos, Calif. Reviewed from notes.

A- Half finger white head. Medium retention. Filmy lacing. Clear pale straw color.

S- Sour, straw, grains and sugar.

T- Sour, vinous, some sugar sweetness.

M- Vinous and light.

O- Weird beer. Not a huge fan. Might like to try it again though. I feel I wasn't able to give it a fair shake.

Serving type: on-tap

11-16-2012 04:04:28 | More by Murrhey

czfreeman

Michigan

3.63/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured in a 12 oz glass
smells of bubble gum lemon, orange, sour wheat, grains touch of floral and herbs. A nice blast of pepper and yeast adds another note of complexity. Finishing up the blend notes ofplum sour grain and somehow chocolate comes into play
Vanilla, orange, lemon, pepper, lavender all with a pinch of pepper and spice.the bitter malt, sweet mix of candi sugar and low hop profile almost create a gruit
I'm left with a nice pepper lingering tingle in the throat. This beer is slightly on the sweet side for me in the saison category but the herbal spice chapter add a nice depth that I really like.
overall not my favorite from lost abbey but having said that, still a stellar brew heads and shoulders above most.

Serving type: on-tap

06-14-2012 01:49:57 | More by czfreeman

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

3.9/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured on-tap and served in a tumbler pint, the beer is a slightly hazed, goldenrod coloring with a slow flow of carbonation bubbles and a dense, chunky, white head with decent retention. Aromas of subtle coriander and nutmeg spicing, with a toasty biscuit backbone. Flavors are smooth, with a subtle honey sweet kick to the toasty backbone, both supporting the spicey overtones. Nutmeg, coriander, and lavender flavors dance on the tongue, and the more you drink the more diverse the flavors get. Smooth bodied with a crisp finish from all the spicy input. The aftertaste is slightly hopped, with some cedar and bitters joining the already complex spice profile. Tasty brew.

Serving type: on-tap

05-29-2012 17:30:13 | More by GarthDanielson

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.93/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in a 10 oz chalice glass

Appearance – An orange colored body with a light haze. Upon serving there was a light white head. The head faded fast giving away to a very light amount of lacing.

Smell- The smell is the funky aroma expected with a bit of bitter and astringency, but also has some sweeter lemon citrus and tropical fruit aromas. Lemon, orange, a light pineapple and banana are detected and are mixed with a nice yeasty and malty base.

Taste- The taste follows the nose quite well. It has a citrus taste upfront. It is sweeter at first and sours up a bit as the taste advances on. Toward the end of the taste the presence of the yeast becomes more pronounced and with the souring flavor leaves a rather interesting aftertaste in the mouth. Not bad.

Mouthfeel – The mouthfeel is fairly average overall. It has a somewhat creamy body with a medium level of carbonation. Pretty standard.

Overall – Not bad. It got some nice spiciness and flavors. Well worth a try.

Serving type: on-tap

03-30-2012 00:15:07 | More by Darkmagus82

garuda

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Mostly clear gold, white cap has nice retention and spotty lacing.

S - Yeasty, barnyard funk, solid earthiness in there, followed by a bit of lemongrass.

T - Nice yeastiness again in the taste, a little candy sugar, and finishing a little on the bitter side with some herbal hops.

M - Medium to light in body, crisp, dry finish.

O - Really enjoyed it, and paired well with some seafood. I'd get it again.

Serving type: on-tap

03-23-2012 22:24:52 | More by garuda

UCLABrewN84

California

3.95/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at The Los Abbey/Port tasting room in San Marcos, CA.

Pours a clear yellow with an off-white head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Foamy rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of grain/malt, citrus, spices, and yeast. Taste is the same with a mild spice bitterness on the finish. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good saison that is pretty tasty and easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

03-06-2012 23:20:32 | More by UCLABrewN84

SoCalStout

California

4/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

on tap at The Lost Abbey at the Annual Masquerade Party 2/25/2012.

A: Pours a bright, slightly hazy golden yellow with a frothy white head that lingers while leaving some good lacing.

S: Aroma is big, with herbs, spices and yeast up front along with citrus hops, mainly lemon and orange. Slight bit of brett.

T: Taste is sweet like green apples and apricots and has a slight hop bite with lemons. The spices are also present with coriander and cloves with the same hint of funk present in the nose. The finish is crisp with the hops.

M: Mouthfeel is light to medium with strong carbonation leading to a very refreshing feel.

D: This is an extremely drinkable brew and this is going to be a perfect brew as the weather warms heading into summer

Serving type: on-tap

02-28-2012 03:38:54 | More by SoCalStout

ehammond1

California

4.1/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

On Tap

Churchill's Pub & Grille
San Marcos, CA

Somewhat hazy golden and yellow with a thin white cap. Limited lacing down the glass.

Sweet and musty aroma consisting of lemon, barnyard/hay, a little musty funk, and some spice notes: coriander? The aroma on this one, as I've found with a few other saisons served cold from the tap, need to warm up to really express their aroma. When cold, there's almost no aroma whatsoever.

A very well-balanced and highly drinkable saison. All the flavors come together magnificently well: sweet and tart lemon, musty barnyard hay, grass, mild yet biting spice and herb notes (black pepper and coriander).

Medium mouthfeel, though a touch metallic and sharp at times.

A delicious and classic version of a great style.

Serving type: on-tap

08-22-2011 16:25:17 | More by ehammond1

IronLover

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Golden yellow in color with a light orange hue and excellent clarity. Poured with a dense belgian-like frosty head that reduced fairly quickly but left sheets of lacings on the glass. Wheat, biscuit, banana aromas. with a bit of funky, fruity belgian yeast that is difficult to describe. On the lighter side of medium bodied with a light oily feel that surpresses the carbonaton a bit. Wheat, biscuit malt, and banana flavors up front that taper as hoppy lemon bitterness is introduced. Hops and underlying banana flavor carry through and lead to a tangy, not quite spicy feel toward the finish. Finishes with a clean feel accompanied by a lingering hop bittterness. Lots of different aromas and flavors with this ale.

Serving type: on-tap

07-22-2011 17:18:00 | More by IronLover

glid02

Georgia

4/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at the Brick Store.

Pours a hazy yellow-golden color with a one-finger white head. The head recedes into a wispy layer on top leaving decent lacing.

Smells of light malts with good amounts of earthy hops. Also present are solid amounts of pears and lighter green apples, backed by slight spices.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Light malt flavors kick things off and are joined quickly by moderate amounts of pear flavors. Midway through the sip earthy hops come into play and dry things out a bit. Near the end of the sip light spices come into play, carrying through to a mildly bitter ending.

Mouthfeel is good. It’s got a nice thickness with smooth carbonation.

Drinkability is also good. I had no problems finishing my glass and could have another.

Overall this was a solid beer but lacked anything to really set it apart. Worth a shot but not worth seeking.

Serving type: on-tap

05-31-2011 01:19:16 | More by glid02

THECPJ

Delaware

3.95/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes had on tap at Monk's

appearance: golden yellow with a 1 finger white head

smell: citrus, spices, clove,

taste: citrus, spices, with a dry finish

mouthfeel: mild carbonation, medium body,

overall: nice saison well balanced enjoyed quite a bit.

Cheers,
The CPJ

Serving type: on-tap

04-26-2011 17:43:15 | More by THECPJ

LordAdmNelson

Ohio

4.2/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Monk's in Philly.

Good looking saison here, with a nice straw gold color and bone white head. Good retention too, though maybe not as good of head as you might see on Fantome. Nose hits all the right notes for the saison, lemon, grass, bready malt, yeast notes, apples, maybe a hint of funk. Flavor was spot on too--just a straightforward refreshing saison. I don't think I could spend all day searching for nuances in this beer, but it was clean, crisp, and just plain good. Feel was light, well carbonated. Overall, this is a good saison--doesn't change the brewing world, but it is well-executed and worth the try. I'll definitely order it again if I see it.

Serving type: on-tap

04-26-2011 00:01:55 | More by LordAdmNelson

drtth

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Served in a snifter glass. Glass of cold water on the side to sip from periodically.

Appearance: As served the beer is a lightly hazed golden apricot color with a ¾" off-white head that recedes visibly to leave patches and streaks of lacing on the side of the glass. Sipping creates some nice patterns of lacing. Before long the head has become a small ring of foam around the glass with a thin irregular patch on the surface of the liquid.

Smell: The aroma is fresh and filled with the scents of Belgian yeast. It is pleasantly spicy and fruity with some pears and citrus zest. Lurking in the background there seems to be a trace of mustiness and a bit of clove and possibly white pepper.

Taste: The flavors are complex in that they begin with some lightly sweet bready character that gives way to some herbal dry bitterness. The sweetness is a bit like honey with some floral, citrus character. The dry herbal bitterness replaces the sweetness but remains subdued throughout and so doesn't overbalance the beer.

Mouthfeel: The mouth feel is medium to light bodied and nicely smooth with adequate but lightly prickly carbonation. The finish is the great strength and surprise of this beer. Except for any advance information there is, at first, little to warn that this beer is made with American rather than noble hops.

Drinkability and Overall Impression: This is a wonderfully drinkable beer with each sip leading easily to the next. I'll be happy to see this beer again and I'm already trying to figure out where to get a case. My overall impression is of a well-made saison-like beer that is an imaginative combination of a Belgian style made with some uniquely American ingredients (the hops) that just works.

Serving type: on-tap

03-31-2011 01:02:21 | More by drtth

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

on tap at khyber pass in philly

Pours a clouded golden orange with a two finger high frothy white head. A decent film of retention lasts throughout the beer, while leaving collars of lacing on the glass.

A nice plethora of fruit in the nose with banana, pear, and citrus. Assorted spice and clove with some soft Belgian funk.

Spicy hop profile with floral notes up front. A decent dash of fruit throughout with pear, banana, and orange. Slight funk with Belgian yeast and underlying spice. Finishes with fruit sweetness and a hint of fruit dryness.

Medium body, higher carbonation, slightly creamy and smooth. Super drinkable, refreshing, and pleasant from top to bottom.

Serving type: on-tap

03-30-2011 03:55:52 | More by xnicknj

armock

New York

4/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured a golden color with a white head that leaves lacing behind

S - Has a spicy yeasty nose with some fruit and funk to it

T - Like the nose spicy yeast with some fruity hops with a slightly funky finish

M - This beer has a light body with high carbonation to it

D - This is a good enjoyable Saison it tastes good and its easy to drink I could drink a few of these in a sitting worth getting to try sometime

Serving type: on-tap

10-31-2010 17:10:27 | More by armock

zoso1967

Michigan

4.2/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served up a summery yellow with some haze to it. The head is a creamy, slightly fluffy dollop of white foam that has decent staying power and leaves nice lace.

The aroma has a pretty decent funk factor to it and nice citrusy hop character. It carries the sweetness of pale malt as well as some grassy notes that you might expect to blow off of a field in a farm. Not quite as much spice as some saisons, but white pepper and a hint of clove are most definitely present.

The flavor has a nice amount of bready sweetness that blends with lemongrass, orange, grain and spice to create a very pleasant presentation. Much less funky than the aroma, there is still a hint of cellar in the background. This is a very fruity saison with pear and peach creeping in as well as the earlier mentioned citrus. It is very tasty, but I find myself wishing it had a bit more depth.

The mouthfeel is on the lighter side of medium, and it is well carbonated with lively bubbles and a nice finish. The finish leaves lingering flavors of lemon and white pepper on my tongue.

Very drinkable. This is a quality saison, and I enjoy the slight diversions from the usual style. It is not quite up to par with the big players in this style, but it is an enjoyable beer I will seek out again.

Serving type: on-tap

09-08-2010 21:08:48 | More by zoso1967

benclimbs

California

3.95/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

4s all around.

pours golden in a tulip at toronado in sf, big head and plenty of lacing.

smell is fruity and a little yeasty.

taste is all there, a bit of ripe fruit in there, some deep, light bready malt character, and an unmistakably nice peppery spice that is often present in this style.

this is a nice saison, but not extremely dintinctive or a standout brew.

Serving type: on-tap

08-18-2010 01:12:00 | More by benclimbs

oglmcdgl

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at bluedog in chalfont.

A- comes to me with a cm of loose white head the disappears quickly to a mirror finish. Almost perfectly clear brilliant golden yellow in color.

S- crisp and clean with a touch of tart and funky wheat.

T- wet grass and green vegetation. Bright citrus and a mild background wheat hit. Tart and crisp almost slightly sour.

M- less then medium in body with a mid of the pack carb.

D- very drinkable and so easy to do so. Favlorful but never overwhelming. Great saison to kick back with.

Serving type: on-tap

06-20-2010 03:47:57 | More by oglmcdgl

WhiteOak

Connecticut

4.1/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Yellow-orange, good lacing.

S- Huge, bright aroma of Concolor Fir bud resin, Pine, and apricot. A bit floral, yeasty. None of the funk as described elsewhere.

T- Big lemon cookie flavor, faint malt, peppery finish.

M- Dominated by hop dryness and CO2.

D- Certainly a non-traditional interpretation, but worth a try. Very fresh, invigorating.

Serving type: on-tap

06-20-2010 02:10:07 | More by WhiteOak

jdense

Oregon

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

On tap at Le Trappe SFO 25 cl $6.00.

Light golden body, some visible carbonation, 1/2 finger white head, quick dissipation with minimal lacing. Nose is fairly dry with some fruitiness and spice, floral hops. Taste is fruity, orange peel, some pepper, not too much in hops, subsumed by fruitiness, though I do note some floral hops. Mouthfeel is quite dry, high attenuated finish, pretty sweet but not too cloying. In terms of drinkability I prefer Red Barn to this sweeter Saison and the hops were very muted, defeating the purpose of the dry-hopping. Actually, I prefer Upright Seven to both, but that's another story for a sunny Beervana day.

Serving type: on-tap

05-30-2010 15:07:39 | More by jdense

spoons

California

3.58/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Fathers Office.

Pours a Pale mild orange color. Seems to have a pretty weak head here. A fair ammount of lacing following.

Smells acidic in a wheaty way. Some spices coming from the yeast as well. Not a bad armoma just not a great one.

Tastes a little sour/acidic. Not that great. Gets a little sweeter and spicer after the first couple sips.

This is a decent beer but its definitely not my favorite and probably wont order it again

Serving type: on-tap

05-11-2010 15:41:15 | More by spoons

pastradul

California

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

Pours a deep gold, with a thick bright white head. Lives some lacing but not a lot.

I a mild bready yeast smell to it, but nothing over powering with a balancing dark fruit aroma.

The mouth feel is tingly from the high carb...but his is very pleasant. helps break up the sweetness of the fruit a bit.

finishes on the dryer smooth side.

A great beer to start to session of with. All the flavors are so subtle, gets the palat primed for something a bit heavier!

Serving type: on-tap

05-06-2010 18:24:24 | More by pastradul

BretSikkink

Mexico

4.05/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Golden color, white head is served tall but recedes and leaves naught but some bubbles. Nose is shy to me, but includes some fruitiness and subtle spices.

To me, it falls on the fence between a saison and a biere de garde: solid carbonation, but the mouthfeel isn't quite "there" - meaning, I guess, in Flanders. Lots of fruit, with pears and pepper coexisting in a strange field with lemongrass and hay. Right on the money, but in a crowded field it doesn't stand out.

Bottom line: get it on tap if you see it.

Serving type: on-tap

05-06-2010 04:41:28 | More by BretSikkink