Brother Levonian Saison - Ballast Point Brewing Company

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.89/5  rDev +4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Modest head that leaves some streaky/spotty lace. The color is dark gold and clear.

Rich aroma of bittering hop and mildly toasted malt. Very appealing blend.

This is, perhaps, the most hopped Saison I've ever had. No earthiness and actually very little malt. The tale is about the bitterness--almost a Saison IPA. I like it as it emphasizes my preferences, but it is NOT a typical Saison. Full body with ample carbonation.

Serving type: on-tap

04-27-2013 16:55:53 | More by smcolw

UCLABrewN84

California

3.59/5  rDev -4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Boneyard Bistro in Sherman Oaks, CA.

Pours a clear yellow with a foamy 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 malt, grain, yeast, and spices. Taste is much the same with a chalky flavor on the finish. There is a mild amount of spice bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and dry mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer that is pretty tasty but has a better smell in my opinion.

Serving type: on-tap

02-10-2013 08:57:33 | More by UCLABrewN84

garuda

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Pale golden body, slightly hazed, white cap has good retention with some lace.

S/T - Slight yeast funk, style considered, but this is more of a saison that ends up on the lemon candy, sweet side of things. Underlying yeast profile is slightly spicy with some herbal, grassy notes. Finishes dry.

M - Medium body, lively, delicate carbonation. Crisp, finishes clean.

O - Ok, but nothing particularly memorable. A sweeter saison with the funky yeast staying more in the background.

Serving type: on-tap

02-01-2013 13:33:16 | More by garuda

joefuzz

New York

4.3/5  rDev +15%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at double windsor saison night

Pours a hazy orange with a small white head. Smells kind of bready with a slight tropical fruit presence. At first sip it is very typical saison but as it warms up huge tropical mango, papya and star fruit. Mouthfeel and carbonation are session saison to the tee. Overall amazing beer....ballast point needs to send more draft only to the east coast

Serving type: on-tap

05-02-2012 23:04:12 | More by joefuzz

drl1990

California

3.15/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured a slight amber color, has a skunky pilsner smell and tastes slightly like it as well, crisp and belgiany if that's a word. Basically if I made a crisp pilsner/belgian ale it would turn out like this beer. I prefer something with more hops but the fact this beer is not too skunky like some beers may be, but also not bland like some are is a nice balance, the difference between flavor and refreshness has been found but not perfected. Wonderful try at harrys hofbrau San Jose

Serving type: on-tap

03-09-2012 05:25:21 | More by drl1990

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.05/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Sampled on tap 1702, Tucson; October 2011
Arrives from the tap a burnished gold color that shows a mostly clear, straw gold color when held up to the light. The head is a creamy textured, off-white color. The aroma initially smells of stale beer, but there is also a touch of straw like and cracker like grain, and the finish has some green apple and pear like fruit aromatics that actually get pretty strong after a bit.

Cold, creamy textured and with a finish that tastes of stale beer and a bit of creamed corn. There is a touch of spice to the finish, but it is quite slight with perhaps a touch of ginger and white pepper. Somewhat sweet and a touch full bodied for a Saison, but I wouldn’t call it sweet tasting per se. This tastes a bit of dried-grassy grain, touches of pale cracker like malt, perhaps a touch of honey-like maltiness and some chewy white bread crumb notes. The spice character is quite muted here, there is a touch of phenolics character that seems more musty than clove like at times, plus there is something that seems to remind me a bit of oxidized nutmeg for some reason. The fruit character from the nose carries through to the flavor with ample notes of pear, perhaps a touch of melon rind and a hint of green apple flavors.

Not sure if there is something about stale tap lines influencing this beer or not, but even if so, the “Saison” character of this beer seems quite a bit more muted than I would like to see. Really not that great for a Saison, though it is not a bad beer; drying this out and getting some proper Saison yeast character in this brew would go a long way towards improving this.

Serving type: on-tap

02-15-2012 03:17:40 | More by Gueuzedude

mactrail

California

3.4/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pretty typical Saison at first taste. Slightly spicy, rather thin body. Moderately acidic. Just a slight fragrance of funk and flowers. A flinty, austere character. Pleasant hint of malt gives a fleeting glance. Clear amber in the glass with modest foam and lacing. Crisp yet flat in flavor. Maybe a good gulp at a picnic, but not particularly interesting for the style.

On tap at Local Habit in San Diego.

Serving type: on-tap

12-12-2011 03:55:34 | More by mactrail

HopHead84

California

3.4/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

9/2/2011

On tap at Home Brew Mart. This is a fresh batch that was put on today while I was enjoying Longfin. I haven't had this for a couple years.

A: Hazy yellow gold with a finger of white froth.

S: Strong spicy pepper phenols with notes of pear and ripe golden apple. Coriander is evident. Malt is grainy with a little sweetness.

T: Pepper-like spiciness up front with pronounced fruity esters reminding me of pear and apple. Malt is bready and slightly sweet. Bitterness is low and herbal. The finish marks an increase in pepper-like spiciness with coriander and accompanying grainy malt.

M: Medium body with lower high carbonation.

Overall: A solid Saison, but the pepper spiciness was a little too strong.

Serving type: on-tap

09-02-2011 21:08:45 | More by HopHead84

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy yellow to orange-ish color with a white head. In the aroma, lemon zest and a sweet earthiness. In the taste, just like the aroma, lemon zest and a small tart earthiness. A small bite and medium to light bodied mouthfeel, with a dry earthiness in the aftertaste. Really nice flavor and quite easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

09-22-2010 16:01:12 | More by OWSLEY069

emmasdad

Colorado

3.45/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the tap a dark golden color, with an impressively rocky off-white head. Aromas of Belgian yeast, coriander, brown spices and lemon zest. On the palate, I got bready malt, more lemon and a little grapefruit. Refreshing on a hot summer day.

Serving type: on-tap

08-26-2010 00:22:10 | More by emmasdad

bulletrain76

California

3.3/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Draught at the brewery. Clear gold with a small head. Aroma of some spices, lemon and oranges. The flavor is dry and bready with some spicy pepper and other spice. I'm getting quite a few things, but they seem to muddle and cancel each-other out. Light on body with lots of carbonation. I'd love to have this out of a bottle; I think that the conditioning could add some nice nuance, on-tap this was a bit messy.

Serving type: on-tap

12-23-2009 06:45:26 | More by bulletrain76

callmemickey

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: A clear orange-golden color with a cm tall white cap. Moderate retention and very light lacing. Inviting color.

S: A floral/grassy tone highlights a delicate fruit and honey center. Not getting any of the yeasty/funky/tart notes that I'd like to smell, at the very least, in the background.

T: Good clean flavor profile... the notes aren't muddled... definitely a floral-honey-pear? presence. Like the nose, a lot of typical saison flavoring is missing... while not always a bad thing, its presence would up the complexity here

M: As noted, clean presentation on the palate.. smooth.. somewhat refreshing.. good carbonation.. could use a more pronounced finish

D: A good saison, worth a try, it might do the trick for you.

Serving type: on-tap

07-31-2009 20:50:21 | More by callmemickey

glid02

Georgia

4.1/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had on-tap at Beachwood BBQ in Seal Beach, CA.

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

Smells of herbal hops and light fruits with a good amount of grassiness.

Tastes very good. A light malt backbone is overtaken quickly by herbal hops with very light fruit undertones. The ending is neither sweet nor bitter, it's just there.

Mouthfeel is good. It has a nice thickness with solid carbonation.

Drinkability is very good. I didn't have a problem finishing my glass and could certainly have a few more.

Overall this is a solid low ABV saison. Nothing stands out as exceptional but this is a very easy-drinking saison and one I would certainly have again. Worth a shot.

Serving type: on-tap

07-28-2009 04:31:12 | More by glid02

magictrokini

California

3.78/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tap @ O'Brien's. Poured hazy yellow-gold with a puffy white head that shrank but lingered on top. Earthy, fruity nose, but not funky. Light, grain and fruit flavors. Orange, lemon, and honey are prominent, with a backing of spice and pepper. The yeast washes everything with a sweet coating. Kind of a bitter finish, but dry. Nice.

Serving type: on-tap

07-23-2009 23:12:57 | More by magictrokini

illidurit

California

3.53/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Stone. Deep golden orange color with a finger of solid white head. Aroma is grainy and malty with floral and clove notes. Flavor is honeyed malt with some lemon zest, clove, bananas, and yeast. Sweeter than your standard Belgian saison but still pretty tasty. Medium body, semidry finish, decent drinkability.

Serving type: on-tap

07-14-2009 06:43:23 | More by illidurit

Halcyondays

California

3.98/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Beachwood BBQ,

A: Pours a cloudy yellow-orange, with a soft white head.

S: Fragrant nose of stone fruit, peppery herbs and grass.

T: A peppery, coriander dry taste overall. Mild fruit, I get a little Anjou pear, nectarine and golden delicious apple, similar to Saison de Lente in a lot of ways.

M: Light/medium body, off-dry, smooth.

D: Another winner from BP. Not the best saison ever, but a solid example and it's for a great cause. Drink up.

Serving type: on-tap

06-17-2009 23:37:46 | More by Halcyondays

paytoplay

California

5/5  rDev +33.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Best Saison I've ever had. After hearing the touching story about the man who came up with the recipe it just added to the greatness this beer is. Stunning complexity and elegance. Saisons can being very strait and narrow, this one wonders but you always have a feel like it's on course. It's worth seaking out if you can find it on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

06-22-2008 22:22:32 | More by paytoplay

sfoley333

Brazil

4.25/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured on tap at Pizza Port C-Bad into a pint glass. Poured golden clear color with a finger thick white head little lacing. Smell is a mixture of spice, yeast, a little green orchaid fruit, a semi sweet malt aroma. Taste is sligth green apple, honey, pepper, fruit ester profile with a little green sourness. Mouthfeel is smooth light body with a really mellow but active carbonation level. This is really an easy drinking beer( finished my first in under 2 minutes and had several more) would be perfect for a nice sunny day. A wonderful tribute beer RIP Brother.

Serving type: on-tap

05-27-2008 22:41:36 | More by sfoley333

MiScusi

California

4.4/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Stone for the San Diego Storm. Pours a really clear golden with a small light fizzy head. The smell is real earthy, yeasty. The taste was grainy, bready, belgian-like. Overall it was a very light beer, easily drinkable, yet interesting and tasty at the same time.

Serving type: on-tap

05-16-2008 00:10:47 | More by MiScusi

Stoneman78

California

4.3/5  rDev +15%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On draft at Hamilton's

Appearance is a murky bright orange hue, fair amount of white foam dissipates to a ring, watery lacing

Smell is a delicious range of fruits and spices, honeysuckle, orange blossom, light malts, honey, cotton candy, hints of cinnamon, pepper, light fruits, and hops

Taste is an initial push of sweet malts and fruits and spice, opens up to sweet honey and vanilla, finishes thick and sweet

Medium-bodied, fairly thick texture, lively carbonation a touch on the high side

Drinkability is high, this is one flavorful saison bursting with taste and amazing aromas, great example of the style

Serving type: on-tap

05-12-2008 00:08:04 | More by Stoneman78