Saison VOS - Sly Fox Brewing Company

irishkyle21

Ontario (Canada)

4.22/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I poured this beer slow and I mean real slow. Ended up with a goblet full of foam (only 1/4 was beer). Leaves some lacing as it finally starts to settle. Has a cloudy golden color, tons of carbonation.

Smells of fruits (apples, grapes and oranges), some yeasty mustiness and pale malts.

Tastes of fruits (apples and oranges more than anything IMO), yeast, spices and malts. This is very complex for such a quaffable beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2008 01:44:08 | More by irishkyle21

Imsothirsty

New Jersey

4.2/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750 into some large wine glasses. Huge head, nice bubbles streaming from the bottom, lighter orange/dark yellow. Big chunk of sediment in the bottom of the bottom.

Smell is sweet floral, grassy, and a little alcohol

Taste is excellent: Grassy, earthy, cloves and other spices, some banana, the alcohol comes through for just an instant, otherwise its well covered. Some bready yeast. Overall a little too much spice for my personal taste, but really good complexity

Mouthfeel: Light and very bubbly, clean

A solid beer, good complexity for the style, very glad to have tried this.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2011 02:16:08 | More by Imsothirsty

assurbanipaul

Texas

4.18/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a light and pale green-gold with a massive, massive white head (as in 10% liquid, 90% head, takes forever to fill the glass). Aroma is grassy and musty, grainy sour just like it should be with a hint of sugar and lemon.

Taste is light and toasty, faintly malty, a little on the sweet side. Flavor elements of cream (?), yeast, dried grass and hay. Light white pepper, maybe some cardamom, a little fruity. Finish is dry and has just a hint of lemon, with no trace of alcohol flavors.

Mouthfeel is light and fluffy, lots of carbonation, even zippy. I would prefer more farmhouse funk and less ease-of-drinking sweetness, but it's a nice alternative to champaigne.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2006 02:14:43 | More by assurbanipaul

GCBrewingCo

North Carolina

4.18/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The beer poured into the glass crystal clear golden with a super high off-white frothy and moussy head which lasted for days to lace the glass.

The aroma was earthy, grassy and a bit spicy. The spice characer was low and in the background while the aroma was more floral and fruity as the beer warmed and the head finally fell. Some honeylike aromas were also present along with some DMS (cooked corn).

The flavor was rather light with a very nice and subtle spice character coupled with a perceptible, but low sweetness that reminded me of honey. The flavor had just a pinch of pepper along with a very slight cinnamon. Earthy characteristics were in the flavor just as in the aroma, but at a lower level.

The finish was dry with lasting light spice and a very light honey hanging on till the bitter end. The body was medium with a high carbonation and a creamy mouthfeel. The carbonation was just a bit overdone and a light warming does occur in the esophagus after consumption. A tasty treat!

750 ml corked and bailed bottle. Thanks BeerBeing!

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2006 22:03:14 | More by GCBrewingCo

meathookjones

Virginia

4.13/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Growler from the Phoenixville location. Golden orange with a good sized white head that laced up the glass fairly well. A good amount of funky things are going on in the aroma along with some fruity sweetness. A bit spicy as well. Flavor starts of a bit sweet with noticeable fruit notes coming through. Nice musty earthiness to it with some spice backing it up. Good mouthfeel for the style and it is quite refreshing. Pretty drinkable stuff as I had no problem finishing the growler.

Serving type: growler

10-20-2005 20:39:27 | More by meathookjones

BeardedBoffin

Minnesota

4.13/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer pours a sightly golden color with a big cap of white foam that left plenty of lacing down the tulip glass. Nice aroma of yeast, pear, pepper, spice and lemon--a very appetizing combination.

On the palate, the beer is light to medium bodied but with nice carbonization. Club cracker-like malt along with with fruitiness from the yeast. Refreshing through the center with a pleasant sourness. Spice finishes it off.

A drinkable and tasty brew. I enjoyed it very much.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2009 20:41:04 | More by BeardedBoffin

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.13/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

very hazy medium yellow color came gurgling out of the bottle, quickly coming to a head that reached a height of maybe two inches. There was then a rich coating of side glass lace that thoroughly coated the glass with some nice carbonation being visible throughout the session.

The aroma was highly charged on this one. Lots of light fruit swirling around with a healthy dose of spice in it as well. Nice touches of coriander, lemon, hints of pepper coming through, with a touch of pears warming up to it as it came up to room temperature. The initial taste was peppery, with a rush of lemon following suit almost immediately. A wonderful sense of light fruit really just ran all over this one. I was quite impressed I have to admit. Smooth mouth feel was more the adequately carbonated and really just kept the profile popping throughout. An easy sipper, the moderate ABV lended itself well to a warm late summer evening.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2011 02:43:29 | More by mikesgroove

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

goodbyeohio

Oregon

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

750ml corked and caged bottle from the royersford location.. sweet label!

a bright golden brew in my chimay chalice. very intricate weblike lacing and belgian in its mild haziness, foamy head with small bubble stream. orangey, yeasty aroma is inviting and more belgian pale than saisony. flavor dips into the pilsner realm, fresh and fruity with ripe summer citrus. very comfortable brew to sip, very safe. spice is there but very mild, and presented in a way that introduces less peppery notes and more christmas, sweet spice. this would be a good place for a yuengling drinker to cut his teeth on spiced/saison ale.. i found this to be an excellent beer, just mislabeled. do not go for this if you're looking for something to hit the high funk notes of a fantome or the hoppy green notes of theriez or la chouffe.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2005 23:15:14 | More by goodbyeohio

ggaughan

Pennsylvania

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

Served from the 750 ml bottle into a tulip glass. The beer poured a vibrant golden color with a huge foamy white head and very active carbonation. The head took quiet awhile for the foam to subside enough to drink but throughout there was a very strong citrus and hop aroma that is enjoyable. The taste is a nice mix of lemony citrus, hops and a bit of orange. Overall this is a very good representation of the style and with a medium body, easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2006 03:06:02 | More by ggaughan

NolanGTI

Pennsylvania

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

A nice Saison from Sly Fox. Presented in a nice bomber with great looking white label and cork finish. Bottle conditioned. Head is thick and white as a ghost, lasts for awhile on top of a pale cloudy raft of beer. Mouthfeel is nice and tight with lots of carbonation going on. Very peppery and not much citrus going on, slight hint of lemon here and there. Not a huge yeast profile, little souring, more spicy than anything. Could use a bit more orange/lemon and a bit less pepper, but overall very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2006 18:36:00 | More by NolanGTI

4.1/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750ml bottle, purchased at Capones.

Clear, bright yellow. Large, rocky, yellow tinged head. Good lacing, no legs.

Scent was lemon and grass.

Taste was candi sugar, with lots of citrus - orange and lemon. Spices. Crackery middle. Good herbal bittering at finish.

Light to medium body. High carbonation, could tone down a bit. Fairly dry.

Very tasty session beer. A little sweeter than I like, but very good. Sly Fox puts out another winner.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2008 16:10:44 | More by

beerthulhu

New Jersey

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

A: Poured a clear golden-rod with a huge billowy white head that was fully lasting leaving a great film lacing behind. Visible carbonation was high and steady.

S: yeasty, bursting with a big banana aroma, some lemon bread and light dried citrus.

T: The flavor was spicy, lemons, dry oranges, coriander and bananas. There is also a noticeable fruitiness (pineapple) and some spicy tart citrus notes as well a lemony hopping.

M: medium bodied, citrusy and very clean with a good carbonation bringing out the spicy tart nature of the beer.

D: Great drinkability, clean and well balanced drinking very nicely. Can easily drink this in multiples and not tire of it, great complexity and spiciness.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2008 14:55:13 | More by beerthulhu

KAP1356

Pennsylvania

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

Poured from a 750ml bottle into a glass that I have no idea how to categorize or name...

A- Pours a hazy yellow straw color with about 2 fingers of perfect white foamy head that takes a little time to subside.

S - Lemony aroma up front with some spices and some yeasty/bready smells to it as well. A nice honey like aroma comes out as well.

T - Very sweet, yeasty and lemony flavors. A good bit of spices comes out as well; coriander and clove I think. Some grassy, earthy notes as well which makes it more like a saison than a strong pale ale to me.

M - Quite carbonated as I would expect from this style. A bubbly mouthfeel with a nice crisp feel as well.

D - Quite drinkable and would be great during the hot summer months. Very easy to drink and is light and airy enough to come back for seconds.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2010 17:45:56 | More by KAP1356

mltobin

Connecticut

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

I picked up a bottle of this at Whole Foods , Bowery, NYC.

Appearance is a light golden color with a small head that does not sit for very long. Its smell has sugar, light clove, banana. Saison VOS has a taste of orange, yeast, coriander, an earthy quality, with a faint bitter finish. Mouthfeel has more of the aforementioned earthy quality with proper carbonation for the saison style. Drinkability is solid for this very nice beer from Sly Fox. I am glad that I finally got around to trying this one.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2010 23:22:03 | More by mltobin

blitheringidiot

Pennsylvania

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

Undone gold caged & corked bottle released into a Duvel tulip with a fantastic hazy straw light golden pour loaded with frisky bubbles topped by a huge ivory headcap that just won't quit. Amazing lacing and retention. Truly deserves this 5/5.

Scents are lightly peppery and doughy with a welcome airy note that opens up to a dry signature Belgian doughy aroma.

First swigs: Mirroring the nose, a light dough and pepper with an airy Earthiness. Some mineral notes and a touch of flour dough and a touch of lemony zest. Dry lingering aftertaste. This saison is like all other Sly Fox beers in that it is spot on. Just a fine interpretation of dry peppery dough and airy.

Feel is a medium bodied and super clean with a slight dry aftertaste. Quite frothy in the kisser and a frothy shush in each sip.

Last swigs: Was looking for a bit more horseblanket to please my personal palate, but still quite flavorful. Paid $12 for a 22 oz bottle at my local Union Jacks. A little step but I don't mind supporting Sly Fox, especially at a good local beer bar. This is also a great bottle to trade with fellow BA saison appreciators. Not Saison Dupont, but dry like it and a touch less funk.

Beer is good. Happy saison local beering.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2006 01:38:13 | More by blitheringidiot

DaggerEyes

New York

4.05/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

the cork really shot out of this bottle, thought I was popping a bottle of champagne not a bottle of beer.

pours a hazy gold with a thick craggy froathy white head with small beads of carbonation rising to the surface...only visible when held to the light.

clean peppery aroma with sweet notes of lemon and some funky earth

Tons of spice on the taste, hits the tip of the tongue like a ton of bricks. Cirtus notes mingle with some bubble gummy flavors

Medium Carbonation/body a clean and somewhat dry finish

Super drinkable beer...I could just drink decent Siason's all night

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2007 04:06:30 | More by DaggerEyes

WesWes

New York

4.05/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The beer pours a nice gold color with a towering white head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is great! It has a wondefully fruity nose along with a dry spiciness as well. The grassy noble hops blend nicely with the yeast esters. The taste is good. It has a solid pilsner malt flavor that goes down easy and finishes quite dry and fruity. THe earthiness is outstanding. The mouthfeel however is lacking. The carbonation is a bit too powerful. Otherwise, this is a top notch saison. It's well brewed and easy drinking.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2008 20:58:33 | More by WesWes

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

SickGnar

Pennsylvania

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

A: Huge rocky white head with a storm of bubbles rising to join it. Pours gigantic (be patient), settles reasonably, and leaves fair lace. Quite clear golden dark straw with just a touch of amber.

S: Earthy yeast, tart lemon, bready malts, peppery spice, herbal and grassy hops in the background. Maybe faint coriander? Good, but it leans a tad heavy on the yeast and to a lesser degree the lemon. Still, some decent complexity does come through.

T: Pepper spice and earthy yeast front and center. Some soft mustiness. A good dose of sweet / tart lemon fills in and then fades into bready & softly toasty sweet malts that have a nice juicy pils quality. It gets a bit more fruity as it warms with some tropical fruit notes. But it keeps that rustic (and almost brash) pepper/spice and earthy / yeasty base backing all the way through. Herbal and grassy hops come in at the end but stay fairly unassuming. Wheat notes come out more as it warms and malts lean more toward sweet bread.

M: Soft, yet plentiful, carbonation that is expansive, mouth-filling, and lusciously creamy. Medium body, but carbonation more than matches it to keep it feeling light. Still, it is sweeter than most saisons. Barest leaning toward a drying finish. Gets dryer as it warms. Refreshing and smooth.

D: The great mouthfeel saves this one (relatively speaking). Otherwise, without the softness of the feel, the palate strays too close to being rough and angular. Although it lacks some of the more forceful character of the style, this is a distinctly rustic brew. Highly drinkable though, and no doubt better with food. It does improve as it warms and the juicy pils and fruitiness comes out more. Some might say it closer to a Belgian Pale.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2011 20:07:48 | More by SickGnar

DrJay

Massachusetts

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

Cloudy straw yellow with a rocky, fluffy, white head supported by constant streams of bubbles. As the foam subsided, thick clumps of lace were left on the glass. Very nice. Lemony, bready aroma with a bit of tartness and white pepper. Sweet, doughy flavour with some citrus and spice. Alcohol and peppery tingle lingers on the palate along with a hint of tart fruit and white grapes. Medium/light body and high carbonation that fills the mouth with foam at each sip. Just off-dry with a hint of residual sugar. Nicely balanced and quite enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2006 01:02:31 | More by DrJay

ClockworkOrange

Pennsylvania

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

Poured from a corked and caged 750ml bottle into my Duvel tulip glass. Appears a dark golden yellow with a huge three fingers of dense and fluffy foam. Smells of peppery spices, and citrus. Tastes fruity, bitter from hops, sweet from the malt and spicy from the yeast. Stays very dry through the finish. Very crisp and clean tasting with moderate carbonation. This is one of my favorite Saisons. It paired nicely with some Asiago, Fontina and crackers.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2007 03:08:40 | More by ClockworkOrange

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

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

rawfish

California

4.01/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4

Thanks to lookrider for the opportunity. Corked and caged 750mL bottle. Pours a glowing summer sun yellow, opaque with yeast but with a dense cap od white that sticks through the entire drink. Terrific.

Yeasty, active carbonation brings up the aroma of orange peel, coriander, powder, ginger and lemon zest. Not much fruit or other complexities here.

Bright lemon zest, orange peel, and powdery yeast and coriander. Very bright. Unobtrusive malt character. Finishes very clean, powdery and palate scrubbing.

Active carbonation, bright and lightens up the yeast considerably. Not detection of alcohol. High carbonation doesn't impede the flavor profile either. Ideal.

Very nice take on a saison, not very complex but a bright beer, perfect refresher. Clean and crisp.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2013 06:23:55 | More by rawfish