Jack D'or - Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project

WillCarrera

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle, bottled in November 2011, poured into a tulip.

A- Pours a slightly hazy golden color, topped with a thin fizzy white head.

S- Spice is foremost, blended with light citrus and some yeast funk.

T- Spicy clove and coriander, grain and yeast funk, has a considerable grassy hop bite before easing into a zesty citrus finish.

M- Light bodied, high carbonation, has a smooth and slightly prickly feel, perfect feel for a saison.

O- A damn good saison, very refreshing and flavorful, the spice is really great.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2012 03:20:24 | More by WillCarrera

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.33/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Black Raven pint glass. Pours a clear straw amber with a half finger fine head that is constatant replenished by active carbonation, looks nice. Aroma of light bready malt, lemon, slight saison funk. Nice wheat and lemon start, with bready malt and light fruit developing. Finish is hop bitterness with funky saison yeast lingering. This starts off tasting like a weizen, but quickly develops more sour, complex citrus leaning saison flavors. A nice flavor progression. Light bodied but a nice sharp mouth feel from the active carbonation. Very refreshing and pleasant to drink. Another great Pretty Things ale.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2012 03:24:50 | More by LiquidAmber

TangTKE402

New York

4.1/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

*Note: Beer was bottled July, 2011, and consumed/reviewed March 12, 2012.

A: Poured from a bomber bottle into a large, stemless wine glass. Hazy in texture, and light in color, this has the blonde hues of straw, and a paper-white, 1-finger, frothy head. Minimal lacing.

S: Pretty smell, with notes of banana, spice, peaches, light citrus, bready yeasts, and suntan lotion. Very inviting, and it's a great smell for warmer weather.

T: The taste is not quite what you would expect... It starts out innocently enough, with ample saison light barley notes and coriander, spice, and banana, but when it finishes, there is a dry-hop bitterness to it that is unexpected. I personally find it delightful, but the dry taste and bitter aftertaste are not what I would consider in the standard profile of a Farmhouse Ale. It could also be a result of the beer being 9 months old... Flavor notes: Malted barley, Belgian yeasts, bread, sediment, earth, bright notes of lemon pound cake, some banana and spice, with a dry, bitter aftertaste.

M: Chewy without being rough, this is light in the mouth with a dense finish. Bubbly on the tongue, with a bone-dry after-feel, but overall a nice presence in the mouth.

O: A nice spring/summer beer that takes a different approach to a Saison, and it comes out distinctly American. Would buy again, but maybe not immediately...

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2012 21:16:57 | More by TangTKE402

Duke

British Columbia (Canada)

4.05/5  rDev -1%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

(From a tulip glass)

Appearance: Jack D'Or is very pretty indeed. The beer is an opaque yellow-green - grapefruit-like, I'd say - with a hint of dusty cloudiness in amongst its deep, intense colour. There was a healthy head which lingered, leaving a bold spider's web of lacing.

Smell: My olfactory senses had to be on full alert for this one since the beer's scent is quite light. But fresh, doughy white bread comes first before lemon takes over; there's some spicy coriander in there, and it's slightly tarty all the way.

Taste: Spice and hops. Spice and hops, spice and hops. The immediate taste of the hops made me check the brewer's website for an IBU count and I wasn't surprised to see a score of 57. The bread I smell carries through to the mouth, and that lemony citrus is there too, but those spicy herbs are what this beer's flavour is all about.

Mouthfeel: This is a smooth, medium body. The carbonation is strong but welcome and not overwhelming. That hop bitterness works its way into a slight prickliness on the tongue which serves as a nice underlining for the beer.

Overall: I like Jack D'Or a lot. Saisons are not typically my thing but this is beer so well balanced with its bold flavours and clarifying spices that I find myself very impressed. In a couple of words: highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2012 07:24:28 | More by Duke

Gobzilla

California

3.78/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: poured a pale orange with pale straw yellow highlights and had almost head which virtually left no lacing sticking to the glass.

S: Lots of bready wild brett yeast was noticeable on the first whiff with some herbs coming thru as well, slight citrus, hints of barnyard funk but had sweetness as well.

T: Had a little hop bitter nibble on the front alongside the bretty quality, citrus and slight herb notes but with a touch of funk.

M: the brew was medium in body with a very low amount of carbonation which had a sweet, funky, bretty, citrusy, and very mld tart finish.

O: it was definitely a solid saison and liked the little hop profile it did have, glad I got to try this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2012 04:20:09 | More by Gobzilla

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a tulip.

A: Pours a brilliant yellow/gold with 1 finger of white head that dissipates quickly. Slightly hazy with low to low-medium carbonation.

N: Lemon juice, doughy biscuit and hay along with light notes of coriander and wheat. Very subtle nose.

T: Pear, lemon juice, hay, notes of doughy bread and a subtle earthy funk upfront. This is followed by crisp light grains, golden delicious apple, wheat, hay and some grassy noble hops mid-palate. Finishes with bitter lemon zest, grassy hops, Bosc pear, a light funk, faint black pepper and perhaps some cantaloupe and banana.

M: Light bodied, crisp, clean, juicy and bitter.

O: Nice complexity. Has some huge pear notes that couple great with the lemon and hay. Moderate bitterness and lighter funk notes set it apart from other Saisons. Very refreshing and surprisingly juicy.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2012 15:04:51 | More by justintcoons

NoLeafClover44

Delaware

4.08/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Bomber poured into a Golden Monkey goblet.

A - Almost clear pale gold with a one finger head that rises after the pour. I am used to more head for the style. Head dies and no lacing remains by the time I drink it down.

S - Floral, Belgian yeast, lemon, some grass

T - Very herbal and bready on the front. I get a little bit of funk and granny smith apple. Finishes with a hoppy, spicy bite and leaves a funky grassy aftertaste.

M - Perfection for the style. Medium bodied with significant carbonation that has a velvety feel. Despite the smoothness it leaves a prickly feel on the tongue after its down. Leaves my mouth watering from the feel alone.

O - Very good saison with a funky dry taste and an excellent feel. I first had this beer on draft but I think I prefer it out of the bottle. It is inexpensive and readily available. Saison is my favorite style and Pretty Things brews a good one in Jack D'or. I wish more breweries made an easy to get year round saison of this quality.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2012 03:53:40 | More by NoLeafClover44

TWStandley

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a standard pint glass- probably not the best glass but all that I had on hand.

Appeared a hazy gold/yellow color with a light, bubbly, bright white head - about an inch tall.

Smell was quite interesting - definetely some "off" smells at first - which is to be expected - followed up with some nice farm/fruit smells - reminded me of walking into a barn during apple-season.

Taste was quite complex - definetely fruity up front, with some cinnamon/spicy undertones. Reminded me a bit of a witbier mixed with a tripel mixed with some funky flavors.

Mouthfeel was spot on. Pretty lively.

Overall this was a quality brew. Definetely was all over the place in terms of smell and taste - which is what I look for in a Saison. Definetely would like to try this on tap.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2012 01:37:44 | More by TWStandley

SLeffler27

New York

4.03/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

An enormous white meringue converts to seafoam after a few minutes, then quickly drops, leaving patchy lace. Clear brass beer with a constant stream of carbonation fills the glass below.

A Unibroue tulip glass concentrates the strong white pepper and musty funk while essence of dry white wine lingers in the background.

Opens with a tart marmalade followed by apple juice. There is a quick, sharp hop flavor within the first few sips. While simple, this one is well done. Grains emerge with warmth. The long finish is subtle, but balanced between tart and bitter elements.

The body is light to medium with a surprisingly modest carbonation. Overall, this Saison is rather dry.

A certain winner for a lazy, warm spring day. Jack D’Or could replace white wine for casual occasions.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2012 22:17:50 | More by SLeffler27

fmccormi

New York

4.22/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Straight pour from pry-off 22oz bomber to a Belgian Independence Day tulip; bottling date of July, 2011 printed on the paper seal on the cap (“BOTTLED JULY 2011”)

Appearance (4.0): Clear, pale, straw-colored body on the first pour, with a fine, bone-white head starting around 1.5 fingers and fading to a rocky seal on top of the body. Subsequent pours are more and more cloudy until it’s nearly opaque. Fine bubbles stream from the bottom of the glass to the top continuously, and the head leaves some spotty lacing on the sides. Very pretty brew, though I’d love to see a stickier head.

Smell (3.5): Hay and a bit of spiciness come through first, though it’s not as strong as I was expecting. Mainly hay and some plain, dry, pilsner-like malt body behind it.

Taste (4.5): Much, much hoppier than I was expecting, partly because it is a saison and partly because it’s already six months old—but holy cow, this is nice! I guess that’s the “Americaine” part. No alcohol is detectable. The yeast note is surprisingly subtle, but complex—it’s equally spicy, hay-like, and fruity (think lemons light stone fruit, but very subtle), and it’s hard to tell where the yeast ends and the hops begin in regards to the spiciness here. Very well-mixed. Hops are aggressively herbal, but add a citrus pith note in there, too. Very cool stuff. Why isn’t this in 12oz bottles?

Mouthfeel (5.0): Exceptional. This is what a saison is supposed to feel like. Velvety with extremely fine but prickly carbonation spread evenly over the tongue. Just fantastic.

Overall (4.0): This saison is a treat in a lot of ways. It’s light, it’s drinkable, it’s got enough going on to hold its own against heavy, rich food, and it’s got such a dry finish you don’t want to put it down. This would be a perfect candidate for some format other than bombers, though I’d have no trouble finishing one by myself.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2012 00:55:35 | More by fmccormi

sergeantstogie

Afghanistan

4.45/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Found this bomber in De Bierkoning in Amsterdam. Bottle dated September 2010 Batch 19.

Beautiful bright gold color with a slight haze. Surprising since I only let this rest 24 hours after the long drive home. A lil more fluffy head and it would have been a 5.

It's times like this I don't like the smell category. Alcohol dominates a very subtle suggestion as to what this beer will taste like.

Wow, this tastes as fresh and vibrant as other saisons I've had that were really fresh. The melange of spice and subtle fruit flavors are abundant. Now I see why they emphasize that no spices are used for Jack D'or on their website.

Perfect mouthfeel, whatever that means. I like it.

Overall, Damn this makes me want to be a better brewer. Great beer. I wish I could buy it in 6 packs, 12 packs, kegs. This is the beer that could convert those curious macro drinkers to craft....if it weren't so damn hard to get. For me anyway.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2012 18:20:04 | More by sergeantstogie

barleyroad

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Gold and clear in appearance. Smell is very aromatic. Smell is clean, with some floral hints. This is a well crafted beer, nice job Dann and Martha. Mouthfeel is clean and the taste is exceptional. Overall this is a very nicely brewed beer. We found this to sit well in the glass with real nice foam. Fridge worthy.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2012 02:22:43 | More by barleyroad

shoky01

Texas

2.73/5  rDev -33.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

22 oz poured into stemless red wine glass.

A: Tiny bit of white head. Good lacing and carbonation. Very yellow and cloudy. Got a lot of yeast in the bottom.

S: Fruity sourness.

T: Very light. Sour bitterness. Yeah sour. And hoppy.

MF: Chalky

OA: Don't dig it, not sure if its supposed to be this way or if drink a hot chocolate prior to this had an affect.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2012 05:02:55 | More by shoky01

beerbiatchMD

Maine

3.93/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle into a pint snifter.

A: light yellow, fairly fizzy white head, nice lacing.

S: hay, yeasty, fresh, some zesty Belgian spice.

T: nice and light spice-peppery with a bittery finish. Well balanced. Have a difficult time picking out any more specifics.

M: light bodied, crisp, good carbonation.

O: a very good saison good hop/malt balance. Would certainly recommend.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2011 22:26:48 | More by beerbiatchMD

pfrdaly

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served from bottle into a pint glass.

A- Medium yellow in color (Rosco #12 straw for you theatre folk). Cloudy with a 1/4" of head. Looks appealing to drink.

S- Smell is less potent than other Saisons, I've had. Reminds me a lot of sea grass.

T- Smooth to drink, a good amount of acidity or sourness. I really don't like Belgians but this was an exception. I was able to get through this and think favorably of it.

M- Full bodied, doesnt dissappoint.

O- I liked it beyond any other beer I've had in its type.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2011 03:10:57 | More by pfrdaly

cps98

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured in a fresh pint glass from the fridge. Beer was fridge temp (pretty cold).

A – Golden yellow, very slight haze. 1 finger white head that dissipates quickly to a ring that hangs for the entire drink. Not much lacing.

S – Hop citrus and green apple, floral from the yeast a little bready.

T – The hops hit me first nice and bitter, some lemon, and bready yeast.

M – Nice bite from the hops and carbonation but then the saison comes through on the finish. The beer is medium bodied with medium carbonation.

O – Overall I really liked this beer a lot of hop bitterness upfront then mellows to that familiar saison on the backend. I am glad I have another bottle to enjoy!

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2011 01:25:42 | More by cps98

Gatch

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Cloudy, hazy yellow with a fluffy, bubbly white head.

S - Honestly not much there. Some malt and spice.

T - Bready, fruity, nutty flavors with spice notes. Great, subdued, balanced finish of spicy hops and fruity malt. Has a nice funky, farmhouse character.

M - Smooth and incredibly easy to drink. A sign of good beers to come from Pretty Things.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2011 04:20:47 | More by Gatch

Bubba83

California

4.13/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured at 45 degrees into an allagash tall tulip glass. Pours a dark yellow color, fairly hazy, with a bright white soapy looking head, about two finger widths tall after a rather vigorous pour. The bottle says it was bottled in July 2011. Lacing is good and the beer manages to retain a small ring for quite a while despite the head's soapy nature. I'd prefer the head to be a little more foamy/creamy.

A very pleasant aroma of pears, green grapes, mellow apple, freshly cut grass, and barnyard funk. I really like how this smells a lot, there's just something "fresh" and vibrant about it. This may partially be from some of the citrus notes I'm getting in the nose too from the hops. Even some tropical fruits and apricots here too, really complex, lots of yeasty qualities to explore. I find no faults at all in the aroma, it's exactly what I'm looking for.

Comes off a lot more funky in the flavor profile than in the aroma. There's some banana up front followed by peach and apricot before a big barnyard funk note. Not like a light hay/field pollen flavor but more like a sweaty horse blanket type taste. Gets pretty earthy and then the stone fruits are able to speak again for a bit before finishing with some black pepper and a bit of lemony goodness. It's quite interesting for a Saison, not a boring one by any means.

The mouthfeel is pretty good. It feels a little wet in the mouth, and maybe a tad heavier than I'd expect for the ABV. The finish is dry, and the carbonation is on the mellow side. The whole thing could be a bit more fluffy which I think could enhance the flavor profile.

Overall this is a very well put together Saison. I really like the complexity in the aroma and the flavor profile. If there was a bit less horse blanket character, it might allow the rest of the flavors to dance around a little more in balance. I think the mouthfeel could be improved a bit too, but all in all this is one of my favorites to have around.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2011 07:23:42 | More by Bubba83

dasenebler

Maine

3.6/5  rDev -12%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz. Bottled October 2011.

Pours a lightly hazy, glowing gold with a modest one-finger head. Nice lacing.

The aroma is pungently funky and a touch sulfuric. Fresh, American hops come through as well.

The flavor is bitter and dry, with lots of leafy hop flavor. Farmhouse flavors are apparent, and this beer is not particularly "clean" in that regard. Complex, but some off-flavors nip my excitement in the bud, namely, plastic-like phenolics and a harsh, grainy finish. The mouthfeel is medium-light and could use a bit more carb to fluff things up.

A decent and hoppy Saison. Not very smooth or balanced, but interesting.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2011 23:27:51 | More by dasenebler

nickfl

Florida

3.88/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours with a small head of white foam on top of a a hazy, golden body. The head settles quickly and leaves little lace on the glass.

S - Herbal hop aromas and a strong, spicy yeast character. Very musty and a bit peppery.

T - Bready malt up front with some musty yeast character. Notes of coriander, black pepper, and clove in the middle. Lemon and pepper dominate the finish with a touch of musty hop character.

M - Medium-thick body, moderate carbonation, and a dry finish.

D - This is an interesting saison, very spicy, musty and peppery. I generally prefer saisons that lean more towards a fruity character, but the herbal, earthy character works well here and it really brings out the underlying wheat notes that might otherwise get lost in a fruitier example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2011 04:47:18 | More by nickfl

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

3.8/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle split and poured into a New Belgium globe.
6.4% ABV, Bottled Feb 2011, Batch #22

Thanks to Beerwolf77 for sharing this one with me. After reading about these guys, I definitely wanted to give their stuff a try!

A - Faintly hazy but bright golden yellow in color, a poorly retained white head is fleeting while specks of lace show it's former self.

S - Inviting yeast spiciness draws you in with clay earthiness that balances fantastically with the lemon grass citrus and spicy hops. Great spicy, balanced aroma!

T - A bit unbalanced in flavor, it's very bland at first. The spice hits pretty quickly though. Without malty balance, I find this too heavy on the lemon grass-like citrus, clove, and yeast esters.

M - A little more malt balance to get this one in the not-so-dry-and-spicy range would be a great service. Smooth despite it's high carbonation level, Jack D'or is a lighter-bodied saison.

O - Pretty Things has a darn good saison in this bottle, but it could use a bit more balance I believe. Growing on me til poured with yeast at the end where it gets very farty.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2011 16:52:36 | More by BeerFMAndy

spicelab

Australia

3.35/5  rDev -18.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bomber thanks to Lukie@IBS.

Hazy apricot with a large white head that drops idly leaving good spotty lace and a raised ring.

Nose has a mellow musty spiciness and lots of sweet esters. Rockmelon, marjoram, pear, candy floss, cherries, clove, lemon rind, white pepper and a touch of grassy funk. Coheres brilliantly.

Unfortunately the flavours are obscured by a kind of metallic tartness. They're all in the mix, but it's hard to enjoy them given how tainting the metallic character is. Thankfully, as it warms this recedes a little, salvaging things somewhat.

Similarly, the unpleasantness extends to the mouthfeel contributing an astringent, kind of saliva stripping quality.

Disappointing. Don't know what causes the metallic character, but it near ruins what would have been a delicious beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2011 08:52:30 | More by spicelab

BilbosNuts

California

3.93/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass.

A: Pours a very pale yellow and light golden color. There is some light carbonation present. It has a one finger, frothy white head that dissipates to a thin ring.

S: It smells very farmy with lots of grass, wheat, and hay-like qualities. There is some light sweet fruitiness present also. Toasted and bready malts make a significant appearance as well.

T: Very similar to the aroma. Toasted malts are the backbone of the taste. Sweet light fruits and the same farm-like qualities (grass, wheat, hay) show up again.

M: It has a medium body and is lightly carbonated; just enough to push the flavors around on the palate. It has a slightly oily feel to it, yet a dry finish.

O: This is a very solid saison. There isn't much to complain about here. Just a quality offering.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 16:29:44 | More by BilbosNuts

Durge

Connecticut

4.47/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Discovered at the Beacon Grille in Woburn, MA this shows a brilliant yellow gold color served in a Pretty Things giant chalice. It includes a healthy white foam cap with solid lacing. The aroma is a delicious wheat banana blend with some subtle spice notes. Very refined. The flavor offers a grainy potpourri blended effortlessly with apple-banana and pear. A velvety smooth feel with a solidly medium body. This is very special and something not to miss, especially on tap! Beautiful.

Serving type: on-tap

11-16-2011 04:16:18 | More by Durge

JohnnyChicago

Illinois

4/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22oz bottle into an oversized wine glass.

A: Pours with a golden body and three fingers of off-white head.

S: Crisp, light malts and Belgian yeast light up the nose. The hops are also a little heavier than is common in Saisons.

T: Same flavours as aromas. Bigger hops cover up the traditinal Belgian flavours a bit, but it isn't terrible off-balance. Bubblegum, cloves, and funk mixed with grapefruit and tangerine.

D: Smooth and easy-drinking, but a bit one-note. Still, I wouldn't mind having this to accompany dinner tonight.

Overall: Pretty good stuff, but about average for an American Saison. I wouldn't mind having this again, but the next time I'm at the beer store, I'll be reaching for GI Sofie instead.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2011 15:01:05 | More by JohnnyChicago