Saints' Devotion - The Lost Abbey

GRG1313

California

4.73/5  rDev +18.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Here is an example of a beer that has done very well with a little age. It is, simply put, delicious.

Pours a light clear amber with a firm tan/yellow head. Nice looking.

Big, rich, full, bold and creamy mouthfeel. Nose is fresh lightly spiced yeast with floral yeast character. Almost a white bread saison character. One may find a hint of brett since you know it's there but you'd likely overlook it if you didn't know. Nose brett character has really integrated into a pleasant floral spice with age.

The perfect balance and integration of flavors simply make this brew.

Flavors are rich, super well integrated of light malt front to spice then bitter hops. There is brettanomyces in this Devotion but at this stage almost all of the funk is gone and this yeast really has done well here with some age.

Really a delicious drink all around. This could be a universal "go to" drink. One of the most drinkable beers I've tasted and likely to compliment almost any food.

Finish is a bitter grapefruit grassy green spicy character. Leaves you really wanting more.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2010 04:25:47 | More by GRG1313

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.47/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served at ~58°F / 14.4°C into my large Tripel Karmeliet tulip. The beer starts out with a four-finger thick, dense, tan-tinged, off-white colored head. The head leaves lots of lacing sticking to the sides of my glass and it also forms some rocky & mesa like structures as it slowly recedes. The beer is a pale-red tinged, honey color that shows a brilliantly clear orange-gold color when held up to the light. The aroma is nice and hoppy with notes of hay, lemon grass, a touch of pine needles and a nice herbal note. Underneath this the Brettanomyces is noticeable; it is still pretty subtle, but contributes aromas of rubber, a touch of muskiness, and a soft barnyard note. There is also some sweet, grassy grain character and some cracker like malt that I noticed as I was trying to figure out the Brett aromatics.

The beer has a dry, grassy and herbal character to it up front. The middles sees a peppery carbonation and the Brettanomyces kicks in with some tongue coating phenolics that remind me of rubber and musk. A light malt sweetness in the finish helps accentuate (or maybe it is the other way around) some fruit notes reminiscent of pear and apple. This beer is quite light bodied, which is very nice, though there is a certain palate fullness to this beer that seems to be wrapped up somehow in the Brett phenolics. This has an almost velvety texture to it that is quite nice in a beer that is this dry, light and effervescent as this is. The hop character provides a nice bitter hop bite as well as a touch of lemon zest citrus character that morphs into a Meyer lemon note and then even tart orange (this moves more towards orange as the beer warms, though it never loses the lemon zest entirely); there is also a nice herbal component that mixes with the Brettanomyces phenolics. There is a hint of cracker like malt flavor to the finish as well as a grassy grain note that gets wrapped up in the hop character.

I definitely like this a bit more than the standard Devotion, the Brett adds that little something extra to this nicely hoppy Belgian'esque ale. The sharp Brett notes actually compliment the hop character. I really wished I hadn't missed out on picking up a couple extras of this beer, one is simply not enough.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2009 02:02:29 | More by Gueuzedude

HopHeadLouie

California

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

I have to say this was by far the best perk of the Lost Abbey Saints Club. Probably the best use of brett that I have ever tasted. It was incredibly well balanced and integrated. The brett complimented the other flavors rather than overwhelming them. Crisp carbonation, nice hop character, a little bit of funk with just a hint of tartness on the buds and a wild horse blanket aftertaste made this one hell of a nice brew!

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2008 23:28:10 | More by HopHeadLouie

dogfishandi

New York

4.4/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Grant35 for the bottle!

Vintage 2012. 6.66% ABV. 750 ml caged and capped bottle at fridge temp poured into a snifter.

Pours a nice bright golden color with a slight haze, a good solid 2 fingers of white head off the pour, fades to a decent retentive layer. Pretty good lacing sticks to the glass.

Pretty much all about the brett in the aroma. musty basement, horse blanky, floral, a hint of smarties candy and tart green apples.

Tart ripe tropical fruit, some mustiness, smarties candy, a bit of horse blanket, some lemongrass. Finishes with a nice balancing hop bitterness.

Medium to light in body. A high amount, yet fine carbonation.

A very nice easy drinking Brett beer. I'd definatly come back to this, a worthy beer indeed. I have yet to have a bad beer from LA.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 19:44:31 | More by dogfishandi

Halcyondays

California

4.38/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

12.7 oz. bottle,

A: Pours a murky burnt orange with a huge fluffy white head, leaving some thick lace, attractive.

S: Barnyard, leather, tons of Brett with some shiitake mushrooms.

T: Great yeast flavours with rustic bread, sourdough a bit. Some floral and herbal character from the hops.

M: Crisp, medium-bodied, very refreshing, a great food beer.

O: I love regular Devotion and this is just as good if not better. Great yeast oriented flavours, pricey, but certainly worth a pickup on a single.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 02:45:20 | More by Halcyondays

srandycarter

California

4.34/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A - Murky apricot, smaller near white head, leaves fast. Fair amount cling lace.

S - Malt, nice acrid barn, but almost a 'candied' barn. The malt competes with the barn.

T - Barn to start, then sweet malt, then an almost IPA type finish. Interesting.

M - Medium body, good carb, nice balance.

D - Very interesting beer. Kinda gives you a blend of more than one style. Pricey, but tasty.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 05:39:30 | More by srandycarter

popery

California

4.34/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours a glowy golden orange. Quite cloudy. I avoided pouring some chunks into my glass, but there are lots of floaties at the bottom of the bottle. Very large puffy white head. Hard to keep it under control during the pour. The aroma has a big dose of soft funk on top of fresh grain. Very pleasant. It smells like a tropical fruit barnyard. Flowers, leather, mangoes, mushrooms and earth. Wonderful brett notes. Very mild medicinal character. Seemed a bit strong, at first, but it settled into the rest of the beer after a minute. The taste starts with fruity grain sweetness before drying out with funk and adding a touch of lemony tartness. Lots of funky, fruity brett flavor. Mushrooms, lemons, barnyard. I try not to avoid esoteric notes, but it sorta tastes like unripe kiwi. Finishes quite dry with medium to mild bitterness. Grassy hops. Effervescent mouthfeel at first. Definitely reminds me of other brett beers. Personally, I prefer it with a bit less gas, and the carbonation fades quite quickly. Pretty smooth feel after a minute, actually. Otherwise, it's light but full on the palate. Very well suited to the beer and style. No booze. Exceptionally easy to drink. Wonderful balance. This is the sort of beer that I would drink be happy to drink regularly. Surprisingly good price, too, particularly compared to most recent TLA bottles. Anyway, I'm quite impressed by this one. Great beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 03:55:47 | More by popery

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

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

Disembarked from it's tall brown holding cell, Devotion is freed into a Duvel tulip to shine a bright, clouded gold, with gorgeous, powdery white head above. Stays and remains sparkling white and lovely.

Funkified nose. Deep, wide, sour. Myriad spices, various citrus, but masked by the vast funk.

Drinking it...smooth, sly, lush, and tasty. Blast of fresh and palatable, dry fruit, then loads of spice, dry and peppery...but it's all very drinkable, ..yum, funky, brett-y, zesty, ...what was that? Yum.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2008 08:27:00 | More by feloniousmonk

brewandbbq

New Hampshire

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

750ml bottle at 52 degrees, courtesy of my good friend Michael.

Pours clear gold with a half-inch head of white foam into a goblet.
A solid coating on the surface remained throughout the glass as well as plenty of clingy strings of lacework. Happy to see this Lost Abbey offering with more carbonation than some in the past.

Aromatics lead off with lemon pith, grapefruit zest, wet cat, fresh hay, and spice-dusted grass. Hints of horse-rubbed suede, bitter orange, and peppery hops follow through.

On the light side of medium bodied, with a crisp, almost creamy mouthfeel. Pillowy and soft.

Biscuity malt, grassy hops, orange zest, and grapefruit oil start the palate. A drying, minerally, slightly tannic earthiness steps forward along with hints of lemongrass, green straw, and yeasty phenols.

Finishes crisp and bone-dry, with lingering tart citrus and peppery undertones.

What a tasty Brett beer. The peppery, grassy hops are great on top of the funk, and this one is best drunk fresh. I can't really see this one getting any better in the cellar.

A springtime picnic with sharp cheeses, grapes, and pepperoncini would be a perfect match.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2009 00:18:31 | More by brewandbbq

Duhast500

Massachusetts

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

Poured from the tap into a tasting glass.

The color is a cloudy orange with a brownish tint with a finger of foamy white head and some lacing.

The smell is pretty bretty, some barnyard type flavor that is mixed with a bit of green apple and a little bit of honey as well with the constant touch of funk.

The taste is less funky then expected but does have a smooth mellow barnyard flavor. Some fruit flavor is mixed into the sourness with some green apple and a little pear. There is also some spicy flavor that is pleasant and not overpowering.

The feel of this beer is medium bodied and goes down with a nice drinkable feel. It is slightly refreshing and holds a funky character that stays throughout.

Serving type: on-tap

12-08-2010 14:06:21 | More by Duhast500

emmasdad

Colorado

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

Thanks to Ken for this treat. Pours a crisp, light golden color, with a decent white head. Aromas of brett, funk, Belgian yeast, apples, pears and some nice spice. On the palate, this one is medium bodied, complex and refreshing, with bretty fun and flavors of freshly ground black pepper, crisp, juicy apples and pears, Belgian yeast and some candi sugar. ™

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2011 04:51:54 | More by emmasdad

Georgiabeer

Georgia

4.28/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks go to RustyDiamond for sharing this bottle with a few of us Atlanta area BAs. Thanks! Pours a hazy orange/golden with a thin head that settles to a ring. Smells lightly lemony and grassy, and slightly metallic on the finish. This Brett is still young, and this should sour up and become more complex over time. Tastes quite bitter and somewhat funky with a nice earthiness and a little funky, but nbot sour at all. Smooth, bitter, and earthy in the mouth, with a slightly stinging bitterness that lingers. Nice, but will probably get better.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2009 02:43:02 | More by Georgiabeer

DovaliHops

California

4.28/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to Chad for sharing this! Pours a murky straw color with a small white head. Scent is a lot of Brett, Belgian yeast and pepper. Other spices as well. Taste is somewhat salty initially, followed immediately by Belgian yeast and slightly tart green apples. Then I get some orange and lemon peel. Lovely pepper flavors matched with Brett. Mouthfeel is medium bodied and highly drinkable. Overall, this is a better version of the original Devotion. I wish they replaced it with this.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2011 07:08:25 | More by DovaliHops

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

4.28/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

375ml bottle into a tall tulip

A: Pours a hazy golden color with three fingers of fluffy white head.

S: Lots of citrusy Brett. I get lemon zest and barnyardy must mixed with grapefruit and white wine. This beer smells quite fruity.

T: Not nearly as dry as I thought it'd be. I get an underlying grape sweetness mixing with lemon zest and musty, funky Brett. The two compliment each other very well.

M: Medium to thick for the style (though not too thick for any deduction IMO) with appropriately high carbonation.

O: The grape sweetness and funky, citrusy Brett mix quite well together in this beer. I really enjoy it.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 01:49:38 | More by coreyfmcdonald

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.25/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a hazy, pale yellow body with a frothy, delicate, snow white head.

Smell: Let's see what we have here. Lightly malty, pleasantly floral aroma with fruity notes of pear juice and melon and encapsulated by a restrained, funky Brett component.

Taste: Slight pale malts and a meager sweetness. Floral, fruity aspects with a distant hint of spiced sourdough. Sip of still mineral water. All the while, lightly funky Brett tastes weave in and out of the flavor, imparting cotton, dust-covered cobwebs, and old leather bound books. Belated pithy, herbal hops and bitterness. Finishes bone dry and rather crisp.

Mouthfeel: Medium-thin body. Moderate carbonation.

Drinkability: A tasty upgrade to the standard Devotion. The somewhat more subtle Brett addition allows for some fine penetrating complexities without losing sight of the original beer or suffering from lack of drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2009 19:03:47 | More by ChainGangGuy

sweemzander

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

375mL corked and caged bottle poured into a tulip. 2013 vintage.

(A)- Pours a cloudy golden orange color. Produced a giant head of clumpy white froth. Ridiculous retention behind it. Tons of stickly clumpy lacing left behind.

(S)- A very dry yet fruity Brett-driven funk. Even some bright lemon lime citrus zest.

(T)- Quite similar to the smell. A good dry Brett addition that is ever so slightly earthy to it with bright lemon and lime citrus zest.

(M)- A crisp carbonation level. I like the ripe citrus this throws out with the dry but ever so slightly funky Brett. Quite crisp and refreshing!

(O)- This is quite nice, not to mention finally a Lost Abbey beer in the small 375mL bottles that does not cost $17+ a bottle! The Brett is nice and dry without being medicinal and the citrus really livens this up. A welcome sight with the weather improving.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 17:11:54 | More by sweemzander

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.24/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

sensational beer. I was never amazed with the regular devotion, but with the brett addition here the beer is entirely transformed. the pour is thick and hazy pale straw color with an inch of white head and amazing lacing. the nose is funky from the brett, not sour at all, but somehow very wild and farmy, summery, harvest time, I don't know, its fresh and its old world. pale malted barley and wheat malt, and a decent hopping, more than I remember in the regular devotion. the brett yeast really makes the flavors come together, tons of hay and cut grass, and a little citrus before the hop bitterness kicks in. awesome mouthfeel, really bright on the tongue, with very active carbonation and a lighter body that feels bigger than it is. I think this is so well in balance and so interesting, up there with red barn and carnivale and the other saison type beers they brew. this is an A.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 15:57:14 | More by StonedTrippin

sketchpunx

New York

4.23/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

Had this with a buddy in Chicago last night.
Pours a hazy golden copper into a snifter. 1 and a half fingers of lacing recedes to a film that lingers throughout the beer. Minimal lacing.
The smell is all Belgian, lots of funky Brett and yeasty esters. Very nice! The taste follows. Champagne like spritziness and barnyard funk. Tastes of mild spice and some fruity hoppy character balance with the pale maltiness of the beer for a really nice balanced taste. I'd drink this again in a heartbeat.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 22:47:27 | More by sketchpunx

HuskyinPDX

Washington

4.23/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Bottle opened on 3.14.13

A - Gusher! Cloudy pale orange with a huge cream-colored head with good retention.

S - Tons of Brett, oak, hops.

T - Brett, subtle hops and oakiness.

D - Tons of carbonation with a light body and a woody finish.

O - Nice subtle hops behind tons of Brett. Should have aged this one a bit.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 04:45:23 | More by HuskyinPDX

pwoods

Ohio

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

750ml corked and caged brown bottle poured into a tulip. Notes.

A: Light straw color on the pour. A finger or so of light head forms and holds with some retention. A bit of lacing.

S: Soft grain and some light fruity esters. Soft and subtle Brett in the back. A bit musty and barny with the very beginnings of a light cheese in the back as it warms further.

T/M: More of the same in the flavor. Soft, pleasant Belgian malt bill with even more fruity esters. The brett is a touch bigger in the flavor with plenty of musty notes and that very light development of cheesiness. Body is medium light to light with soft, though still Belgian, carbonation.

D: Very drinkable and pretty low ABV. Tasty brew.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2009 22:20:17 | More by pwoods

HopHead84

California

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

Saints' Devotion is Lost Abbey's regular Devotion with Brettanomyces added at bottling and it was created for their Patron Saints Club.

There's a nice pop when it's opened. Poured into my Bruery tulip. Appearance is a vibrant, orange/gold with a nice two finger head. Retention is very good, and the soapy lacing on the glass disappears after a minute.

I served this one too cold so I let it sit for a while and the aroma becomes more apparent. There's a distinctive Brett smell when it warms up. Citrus hops with lemon and apricot aromas. A nice yeasty spiciness and grassy, herbal aromas. There is a lot of hop character to the aroma and the Brett fits in nicely.

The taste is initially hoppy. Like the regular Devotion, Saints' Devotion is a well hopped Belgian Pale Ale, but there is an added layer of sour funk. Flavors of tart lemon, spices, and some coriander. Long bitter, dry finish with a final lingering tartness. The beer is not very sour but the Brett is definitely there. The carbonation is very good.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2008 17:42:09 | More by HopHead84

magictrokini

California

4.18/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours hazy gold with a small white head and good lacing. Wheaty, bretty funk in the nose. Taste was dry; sourdough dough with a rye-ish bread crust. Melons and wheat with light citrus. Very bretty. A nice improvement over the regular devotion; gives it that punch/flavor it was missing.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2008 21:21:33 | More by magictrokini

MasterSki

Illinois

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

Busted one of these out for Super Bowl NBS - shared the bottle with Dave & Bryna. Thanks to fumner (Dan) for getting this to me after much tribulation - best wishes on your New Zealand adventure.

A - Three fingers of off-white foam, with great lacing and retention. The beer itself is a murky peach color. The only improvement would be if the color was a bit more even and less muted.

S - Bretty-funk! There's definitely no confusing this with the regular Devotion Ale. There's the associated horse-blanket and musty barn type smells, but also elements of honeyed apple, spices, and sweet fruit from the malts used.

T - The taste isn't as funky as the smell. The beer starts with a very combination of pears and spiced apple, but ends with the more funky notes. I suspect that if left to sit for a year this would get significantly funkier - too bad I traded my other bottle.

M - Crisp, refreshing, moderate carbonation with a little bit of a tingle to it. There's a bit of residual stickiness, but it goes down very easy. This is exactly what I expect from a Belgian Pale Ale.

D - Easy to drink - the 750ml bottle went really fast. Not trace of the 6.25% listed on the bottle. The restraint to the funky qualities of the beer also kept it exceptionally drinkable.

How much does spiking the bottle with Brett cost? This is much superior to regular Devotion, and I'd buy this regularly (unlike regular Devotion, which I only bought for A/B comparison purposes). Please bring this one back Tomme!

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2009 02:59:55 | More by MasterSki

ehammond1

California

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

On Tap

The Lost Abbey
San Marcos, CA

Hazy golden yellow with a moderately sized near-white crown atop that leaves the glass messy with spiderwebs of irregular lines of lace. Gorgeous.

The aroma is very Brett-forward, and I like it! Along with the big funky yeast notes, there's some lemon, a bit of grass, a touch of pepper. Very, very nice.

The flavor too is very successful as the Brett is dominant and delicious. There's some hay, grass, and lemon notes sprinkled in as well, but this is an exercise in Brett done right. There's just the tiniest hint of Band-Aid flavor that lingers, otherwise, this would get an even better score.

Medium bodied with high carbonation. Incredible drinkability.

A fantastic version of a somewhat boring beer. I would love for this to replace the regular Devotion, or at least be brewed again, please!

Serving type: on-tap

03-12-2012 03:00:17 | More by ehammond1

DenverLogan

Colorado

4.18/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

From corked 12.7 oz bottle into Duvel tulip glass.
Pours a gold with giant head.
Aroma of bread, hay, light fruit rind.
Significant carbonation and penetrating mouthfeel.
Flavors of sage, rosemary, light black pepper, bitter fruit rind, coriander, crystal malt, grassy hops, funky yeast. Overall refreshing and challenging, compelling but not the easiest to drink...it's like a strong barnyard saison.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 00:05:33 | More by DenverLogan