Saison VOS - Sly Fox Brewing Company

TheMultiYeast

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in a pint glass. Clear yellow/orange.

Smells like bananas, cloves, some ginger, pears, tea qualities.

Taste is spicy like the nose..more cloves, slight vinegar taste, grapes, pears, slight booze, little bitterness.

Had this with some wood fired pizza, twas tasty.

Serving type: on-tap

09-13-2012 01:21:49 | More by TheMultiYeast

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.68/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Served on-tap in a 12 oz chalice

Appearance – A medium golden body with a slight off-white head. The head is filled with large carbonation bubbles and upon fading leaves a bit of lacing on the side of the glass.

Smell – The smell is largely fruity up front, with nice citrus and some more tropical aromas. There is a biscuit-malty aroma toward the middle which is mixed in with an ever so slight astringent “funky” aroma.

Taste – A little on the sour side initially with some lemon and citrus. The more subdued sourness gives way to some hoppy and sweeter flavors toward the middle - sweeter citrus fruits with some more tropical’s; orange, mango, sweet lemon (lemonade) and even a little sweet apple. These sweet flavors are mixed with some yeasty flavors and a more sour green apple-lemon flavor, which come into play and rounds out the flavor profile.

Mouthfeel – A lighter bodied beer with a moderate to fairly high level of carbonation. The carbonation suits the beer quite nicely with the lighter body making it quite drinkable, although its thickness is lacking a little bit and it could use a bit more.

Overall – A nice “wild” brew. A little thin in the body which when mixed with the sourness makes it taste a little like an ale with a bit of lemon squeezed in (but just a bit; overall it is vastly better than this). It is well worth a try.

Serving type: on-tap

02-15-2012 15:19:06 | More by Darkmagus82

merc7186

New York

3.5/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had this beer poured on tap in a pint glass.

The beer has a nice clear golden color to it with a well carbonated one head and minimal lacing. The smell of the beer has a mellow yeast scent, a small amount of spice and lemon zest that follows. The taste is very earthy with a nice spicey, lemon flavor to it. It also has some minor malty flavor that kind of lingers around tool. The mouthfeel is decent with a clean, crisp, mildly bitter finish that hangs around. Overall, a decent saison but nothing flashy or out of the ordinary.

Serving type: on-tap

08-05-2011 00:37:41 | More by merc7186

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Finally a Slyfox brew that I can enjoy. This beer poured out as a really nice clear golden yellow with a fizzy white head and that doesn't leave much lacing. The smell is a little on the muted side but there are some fresh grains on the nose. The taste is very floral and hoppy, there is a nice sweet malt finish to it and is pretty refreshing. The mouthfeel is light and sharp, very crisp feeling. Overall it's a pretty damn good beer. Glad I had it!

Serving type: on-tap

06-21-2011 22:57:54 | More by Knapp85

HotHands

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - arrived a clear gold color with a very rich, creamy white head.

S - Belgian yeast, citrus, fruitiness.

T - lots of different fruity and spicy flavors dancing around here with a good yeast backbone. There is a bit of toasty smokiness going on in the background, but it's significant. Finish is bitter and clean.

M - slightly below average carbonation. Good body.

Overall - a very nice American made saison that could give Hennepin a run for its money. Good job, Sly Fox.

Serving type: on-tap

04-10-2011 05:27:45 | More by HotHands

drtth

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in a 10 oz goblet. Glass of cold water on the side to sip from periodically.

Appearance: As served the beer is a bright clear golden yellow color with a 1/8" white head that quickly recedes to a small ring around the glass. The ring persists for a while leaving small speckles of lacing when sipping. Not much clings to the sides of the glass.

Smell: The aroma has some light malt character that mingles with and supports the spicy yeast. No alcohol is detectable.

Taste: The flavor is much as expected from the nose with some nice light sweetness from the malts that mingles well with the spicy, white pepper flavors created by the yeast.

Mouthfeel: The mouth feel is medium to light bodied with light carbonation that persists to the end but isn't very noticeable. The finish is medium length and is where the dry bitterness of the hops show as the sweetness fades first, leaving them behind.

Drinkability: This was an easy drinker which I enjoyed and could easily have another. That said it seemed to me to be a touch lacking in complexity so I'll not be going out of my way to stock it and there are a few others I'll buy in preference.

Serving type: on-tap

11-21-2010 22:39:00 | More by drtth

IronCitySteve

Pennsylvania

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

A: Pours a nice bright golden orange color. Provides a thick white foam head with sufficient lacing.

S: Plenty of spice and yeast up front. There is some suble fruityness that comes through in the way of peaches or necterines.

T: A yeasty and spicy beer, with some nice citrus fruit undertones. There is a slight hop bitterness present as well.

M: A very dry and sweet taste on the palate, if that is possible.

D: This is a very nice Saison that should be tried. Not overly complex but quite tasty.

Serving type: on-tap

11-07-2010 20:53:44 | More by IronCitySteve

jwhancher

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had this on tap at SF in Phoenixville. Appears clear gold with little head retention. Very spicy and clove-like in aroma. Pepper notes aplenty. Tastes spicy with good hop presence that tinges the tip of your tongue. Light bodied feel that does not feel like a 6.9% ABV brew!

Serving type: on-tap

09-10-2010 16:22:38 | More by jwhancher

Bouleboubier

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pretty decent beer. Doesn't jump out at you as "saison". Belgian pale similarities... Really, the closest thing this resembles is a saison, I guess.

Served in a 10oz chalice. Has the color of peach nectar - yellow-orange and slightly hazy. No head.

The aroma is fruity and only vaguely spicy. Has a juicy, medium-light bodied, mellow feel despite some noticeable carbonation in the appearance. The essence of peach or blush remains potent in the aftertaste and my mouth gradually became puckery and bordering on dry with successive each sip. The "special strain" of yeast felt pushed to the back. It's presence was just enough to notice and far from strong enough to frighten away someone hesitant about or uninitiated to the style.

Paired wonderfully with their amazing Jamaican Jerk wings. The fruit factor dropped out quite a bit and the beer became more crisp and clean.

It's a solid beer, lacking much of the zippy yeast and farmhouse nuances that characterize the style. But it's quite Refreshing and enjoyable, nonetheless.

Serving type: on-tap

07-26-2010 01:18:31 | More by Bouleboubier

scottbrew4u

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: This beer had a slight haze and the color was golden orange with a thin white head.

S: Citrus, honey, vanilla, jasmine, toasted grains and spicy yeast.

T: Sweet and spicy with a healthy dose of floral and citrus hops. Very fresh tasting hops. Toasted grains and mild honey with some spice and a nice belgian yeast.

M: Smooth light to medium body with small carbonation.

D: Very easy to drink and refreshing with a true to style flavor.

Serving type: on-tap

03-28-2010 01:00:50 | More by scottbrew4u

AltBock

Ohio

3.43/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

I was able to try this Sly Fox beer on tap during High Street Grill's Sly Fox promo on 4/22/2008. They served it to me in a Sly Fox standard pint glass.

This Sly Fox poured a lightly hazy golden sunshine yellow with a decent 1/2 inch fluffy head of white foam. I thought it had good retention that left behind a small white film and single solitary blot of white lace. The aroma was lightly citrusy with hints of lemon, bubblegum, yeast, and pine needles. While the aroma was lighly citrusy, the taste couldn't get enough of the citrus flavors. Beyond the citrus flavor front was pine needles, grapefruit, lightly toasted wheat, yeast, and ended with a mild hop punch of dried citrus hops. The mouthfeel was light like it should have been, but it had a funky aftertaste that mixed together dried citrus hops, malted wheat, and something that tasted like it was antiseptic. It's hard to explain, but it sure was funky. In the end, I think Sly fox did a great job on their Saison. It's just too bad the aftertaste had to be funky.

Serving type: on-tap

04-23-2008 16:47:40 | More by AltBock

dennarb

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +14%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

I had my first taste of this surprising beer from a freshly opened keg at Standard Tap. Bright yellow with a big snow white head. This is a crisp, exceptionally refreshing beer with a hint of apple cider in the nose and a fun spicy quality including a little smack of home made root beer when it goes down. As the days get hotter this is going to become a favorite.

Serving type: on-tap

04-05-2008 23:29:36 | More by dennarb

Brianmerrilyn

New York

4.6/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into mini-heffe glass at 08 Long Island Brew festival. Brian Riley said this farmhouse ale is better in a bottle because it carbonates itself. Regardless, the tap version had my eyes rolling in pleasure. Cloudy golden to my eyes with mammonth head, white head reatined well.. Light and dry taste and fluffy sudsy mouthfeel and more pungent and tangy(lemon peel/white peper, floral something) as you finish it off. Very impessive saison and hope it's more complex next year as I hit Phonexville one mo time!

Serving type: on-tap

04-01-2008 01:21:48 | More by Brianmerrilyn

Stimack

New York

4.3/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had this one on tap when visiting the Royersford brewpub. Came in a 10-ounce glass, has a quite clear golden color with a slight haze to it. Also has a fair sized white head that has good retention leaving lacing along the sides of the glass. The aroma is very nice, malt is noticeable but it is the spices that clearly come out, mostly a peppery scent. The flavors that seems to come across the most clearly is a peppery spiciness but is not the only thing as I pick up a clear malt flavor that seems to give a bready taste with highlights of light fruit flavors and it ends with a nice spicy hop. I definitely did not do this beer justice in the review but needless to say it is well balanced, easy drinking and overall a very good brew. Clearly worth trying.

Serving type: on-tap

10-09-2007 02:03:21 | More by Stimack

ski271

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a lightly hazy medium yellow with a large, white, pillowy head with good retention. The smell is of moderate wheat over yeast and mild malt aromas. Citrus, flowers, coriander, melon, green apple and some light banana. The fruitiness is light but very nice. Taste-wise, it’s quite similar to the nose, but better. Malts come on a little stronger accompanied by some fruity esters, dry hops, and a little more spiciness. The finish is floral, lightly bitter and slightly astringent. It has a medium-light body and slightly syrupy texture. Pretty good, but nothing spectacular.

Serving type: on-tap

04-26-2007 19:20:29 | More by ski271

jdg204

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this bad man as part of a sampler at the Sly Fox brewery and restaurant, both highly recco'd.

Appearance - Very nice hazy golden color, definetly lived up to Belgian standards.

Smell - Nice spiced citrus odor, would've like it to be a bit more powerful.

Taste - Very nice balance here between the sweet malt and citrus and the slightly bitter spices, extremely well done. The natural graininess really comes through nicely as well.

Mouthfeel - The is a big flavor beer so you definetly need to take your time drinking it, almost a bit much.

Drinkability - This was a high quality Saison, and Sly Fox deserves a lot of credit for having the guts to take a shot at this brew. This doesn't quite live up to Ommegang's Hennepin standards, but then again what does? If you happen to get to Sly Fox, do youself a favor and have this brew, but I'm not sure this is a go out of your way beer.

Serving type: on-tap

02-06-2007 05:09:10 | More by jdg204

Rastacouere

Quebec (Canada)

3.25/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Clear dark gold body, wearing a medium sized white head. Soapy hop/yeast carbonation appears both woody and herbal in the nose, but further studies reveal appealing candyish honey malts and underlying spices that, in mouth, take the shape of mustard seeds, coriander and sage. Developping a soft grassy bitterness, but despite full carbonation, it can’t hide its insufficient attenuation and therefore wins most of its saison character from the spices. Medium bodied, foamy texture. Too bad they didn’t have any of those famed bottles yet.

Serving type: on-tap

11-08-2005 01:24:33 | More by Rastacouere

weeare138

Pennsylvania

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

Appears a light hazy gold with mild streams of carbonation coming up to the top. Solid white head does not want to yield to the surronding pressure. Spotty and streaky lacing abound.
Smell is of slight barnyard funk mustiness with apple skin, coriander, pepper, and lemon zest with perhaps just a touch of bananas.
Taste is of the same aromas matched with that slight funkiness.
Mouthfeel is dry with some of the lemony zest and coriander peaking quickly before the dry finish.
This is going to be the shiznit when bottled. Only a few weeks away.

Serving type: on-tap

10-02-2005 21:01:54 | More by weeare138

bmills1608

Pennsylvania

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

Darker yellow with an orange tinge in color. Smallish head, fades fast.

On the nose was a little funk, floral/citrus goldings and a wee bit of earthy goodness. Taste was bright and clean, with spicy Belgian yeast notes. Overall very drinkable, with some slight earthy tones. Towards the end a lot of orange flavors began to push through. Carbonation was good, not super fizzy but not too soft either, nice and tight. Finish was fairly dry, clean with some more spice.

Overall a very drinkable and approachable beer. Perfect for summer quenching. Perhaps a bit on the light side with lower end complexity, but very well done.

Serving type: on-tap

08-24-2005 00:14:09 | More by bmills1608

francisweizen

Australia

4.1/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer is a dark yellow/golden colour with some patchy lace and very good head retention. The aromas of this brew are spicy with hints of coriander, lemon peel, and funky farmy hops. The taste is spicy up front and very wit-like. Fresh herbal hops hit you in the tongue, and than you are pummeled by various spices, and some zesty citrus flavors. The mouthfeel is medium bodied>light and the drinkability is very good. An interesting saison that drinks like a saison/wit hybrid.

Serving type: on-tap

11-16-2004 22:49:23 | More by francisweizen

Gavage

New Jersey

4.38/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This was simply a great beer.

Appearance: Slightly hazy pale yellow in color with a short 1/4" head that actually lasted a bit and some nice lacing developed.

Smell: the aroma was of spice, a hint of pepper, and some field grains.

Taste: the flavor was a nice balance of malt and spice as coriander, clove, and pepper were matched with some grapefruit and yeast. Alcohol is barely noticeable.

Mouthfeel was crisp at the start and finish as the carbonation levels were just right.

Drinkability: This was very drinkable and extremely enjoyable. A must have if it is available.

Serving type: on-tap

10-29-2004 23:26:36 | More by Gavage

Boto

Connecticut

4.3/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Draught @ Sly Fox: This one was a cloudy, lighter golden color. There wasn’t much head evident. The aroma contains many scents. It was somewhat spicy (mainly corriander). with some fruitiness coming through also(mainly citric and banana). Maybe musty also. A very well balanced taste. Yeasty, bready, spicy, all just in great proportions. A very nice beer.

Serving type: on-tap

09-09-2004 20:59:41 | More by Boto

stingo

Pennsylvania

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

Pours a pale straw color with hints of orange. Nose is light fruit flavors suggesting hints of banana and something citrusy/acidic, carried on an earthy, open breeze. Most of the taste is centered in the middle of the palate, with the flavors in the nose carried through. It seems to be fairly temperature sensitive - when served too cold it has an astringently dry taste which sours the rest of the experience, but when served somewhat warmer that dryness receides into the background to form the foundation of the beer. Mouthfeel is near ideal, with a light small finish.

Serving type: on-tap

08-18-2004 04:49:59 | More by stingo

Jarod

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer came to me fresh at the brewery.

It was poured a golden yellow color that had a slight misty appeal to it not cloudy because I could see the carbonation bubbles all through it. The head was pure white in color that was thick and foamy, and well lasting. The aromas that came from it were somewhat simple, very straight forward, I nosed malts, ash, earth, some hops, spices (bitey like white and green peppercorns) and a slight yeast. The tastes came from the glass were amazing. I tasted spices (again the bite from the peppercorns), breads, sweet malts, ash, dry earth, some hops, and fruits that seemed to come in and go out all through each swallow. This beer was smooth and all the flavors, from the first sip to the last sip, seemed to blend with each other very well. A very good beer from a very good brewery. I look forward to making another trip.

Serving type: on-tap

04-07-2003 13:35:27 | More by Jarod

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +14%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Clear golden in color (only a very mild haze) with a full frothy bright-white head that holds quite well. Streams of tiny slower moving bubbles gently rise as larger, standard sized bubbles race to the surface. Very nice appearance! The aroma is of a peppery spiciness above an earthy maltiness. The body is medium with a firm carbonation that gives it a crisp mouthfeel. The flavor is an immaculate blend of spice and lightly bready malt with a swirl of fruitiness running throughout. It's quite straightforward, but also kind of mesmerizing. At first the peppery spiciness commands the stage, followed by a "juicy" fruit-laced (and lemony) maltiness that's enhanced by earthy and spicy hops. But as you progress through the glass it warms, bringing the fruitiness to center stage, sending the maltiness to the wings, and relegating the spiciness to serve as the ever present (but large and wide) backdrop. Hop bitterness is well restrained. Very clean - almost too clean compared to imported versions - and exceptionally well balanced. Another brilliant example of the brewers art from this small brewpub. Absolutely worth trying.

Serving type: on-tap

12-01-2002 18:28:28 | More by NeroFiddled