Cellar Door - Stillwater Artisanal Ales

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a tulip.

Appearance
Slightly hazy golden/straw with 1 finger of white head that dissipates quickly. Low carbonation.

Nose
Sage, peach, potpourri, tangerine, lemon and hay.

Taste
Sage flows throughout the flavor profile. Pear and peach. Raw grains, wheat, potpourri and dollops of honey. Touches of tangerine and lemon. Finishes with dried hay, white pepper, coriander and orange zest.

Mouthfeel
Light bodied, crisp and dry.

Overall
Herbal and spicy. Crisp and refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 13:41:34 | More by justintcoons

wedge

North Carolina

4.16/5  rDev +1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Pours a foggy, glowing, gold hue with a rather disappointing thin, white covering. Bright herbal, sage, and peppercorn aroma...grassy, yeasty, and very fresh smelling. Good sage notes continue in the flavor, but not overwhelming like some beers that utilize herbs. Spicy, flowery, lemon peel, lavender, yeast, and slight cracker malts. Light, crisp, and very drinkable. Love the 12oz. bottle. I'll be buying a 4-pack soon....

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 21:35:09 | More by wedge

SteveMi

North Carolina

3.9/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a very fresh bottle.

A - It's actually nothing amazing at first glance. My moderate pour resulted in a short lived white head with minimal lace topping the hazy, deep golden beer.

S - Very nice! Peppery, musty and sage. Touch of citrus as well.

T - Pepper, light citrus, mint and grain.

M - Medium body. Carbonation is moderate but does not let one forget it's there.

O - Nice and complex yet easily drinkable and approchable. I'm glad I got a pack and not just a single!

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 01:15:27 | More by SteveMi

doucmehu

Wisconsin

3.84/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

A: Very nice opaque lemon juice color with a substantial fluffy-cloud white head that crackles and pops. Very spring.

S: Nothing overpowering, but very fresh and inviting. Underripe pear, lemon pith, honey, spring wildflowers, Belgian yeast, barnyard hay.

T: Light lemon spice blend, honeydew melon, peppercorn, hay bales, Saison/Belgian yeast, hint of grassy hops and some citric tartness at the tail end.

M: Slightly buttery, tannin-like body, effervescent, lively and rather hot from the middle through the finish, leaving a noticeable warming. Too much carbonation.

O: Very pleasant farmhouse beer. I enjoyed the mild tartness in the finish, as well as the spice and muted Saison yeast. A very seasonal beer of which a bomber went down easily. The only downfall was the over-carbonation and noticeable heat. I would be happy to drink this one again.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 04:14:55 | More by doucmehu

scottfrie

California

3.46/5  rDev -16%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25

Bottle into snifter.

A: Pours a hazy citrus golden color with two fingers of fluffy bright white head that slowly faded into fuzzy film leaving wispy lace.
S: Sage dominates alongside hints of citrus and sweet undertones. I get some lemon and peach.
T: Peppery earthy yeast, sage is strong, citrus beneath and mineral chalky wheat. Sage and lightly malty sweet finish, peppery spice aftertase with slightly bitter hops.
M: Medium body, fizzy carbonation, frothy mouthfeel. Carbonation is distracting.
O: Frothiness takes away from the drinkability. Definitely a sage lovers beer, but only a decent saison. Better once you burn off some bubbles.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 17:33:05 | More by scottfrie

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.88/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

750ml solid-ass bottle, with one hell of an 'obfuscated in the name of art' label. Still (heh) good to see this East coast Yankee gypsy brewer available in our fair province.

This beer pours a hazy pale golden yellow hue, with three bulbous fingers of white whipped cream head, which leaves a few sudsy streaks of upwardly mobile lace around the glass as it evenly subsides.

It smells of dry bready wheat malt, soft earthy yeast, edgy, somewhat meaty citrus rind, a sort of flinty herbal essence, white pepper, and earthy, musty spice. The taste is grainy pale malt, semi-sweet orange and weak lemon juice, musty green herbs, a slight metallic twang, earthy spice, settling dry yeast, and a very mild hint of warming alcohol.

The carbonation is rather frizzy, with a sturdy adherence that it maintains quite steadfastly, the body medium-light in weight, and generally smooth, in an almost genial sense. It finishes mostly dry, the yeast, bitter citrus, and generically earthy spice doing well to make friends and extend the party, as it were.

A decent enough Stateside saison (I know that I'm cribbing this from another Stillwater offering), with the extra IPA-esque hopitude and schizoid spice usage just adding a certain je ne sais quoi (en fonction de la santé mentale de la brasseur) to the whole deal. At any rate, a pleasant, not overly boozy Saturday night special.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 08:11:02 | More by biboergosum

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

4.16/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-slightly hazy golden color with a nice white head and some lacing

S-lemongrass, yeasty bread, pepper, herbal and grassy aromas

T-toasted malt, yeasty funk, lemon, coriander, pepper, grassy and herbal notes, moderately bitter finish

F-medium body with moderate carbonation, crisp and slightly astringent mouthfeel

O-a nice Saison from Stillwater with good flavors, easy drinking

Serving type: on-tap

02-22-2013 22:01:32 | More by MDDMD

ianjsullivan

Maryland

4.48/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

ST: 750ml poured into a wine glass.

A: Cloudy yellow, gold with a thick and fluffy, white head.

S: Beautiful lemon citrus, cracked pepper, wet stone, funky, sour fruit.

T: Lots of spice, sweet citrus, bitter hops, bread, sour lemon peel.

M: Medium and racy dry.

O: What a fantastic saison. Light, zippy, sweet citrus, sour peel, nice spice, delicate stone, with a slightly bready finish: sun in a bottle with complex spice and heft. This is a winner.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 01:38:18 | More by ianjsullivan

Immortale25

Florida

4.06/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured into a snifter. No freshness date.

A- Pours a hazy dark gold color with a 3/4 inch head that soon fizzles away to a paper-thin ring around the edge of the glass and small traces of surface foam. Slippery lacing adheres to the glass for only a short time.

S- Clean, yet mildly funky aroma that's rich and full of yeast richness and spiciness. Slightly effervescent but more sweet and citrusy than anything.

T- Packs a nice punch of saison yeast and hop bite. Alcohol is pretty noticeable but the fruity sweetness counteracts well. The yeast brings about a tartness that's mild and enjoyable. Notes of peach, mango and lemon. A bit soapy.

M- Very active from the high carbonation with a bigger sting from the hops and, possibly, alcohol than expected. The wheat malt provides a relatively substantial body. Gets chalkier and chalkier as the bottle empties.

O- A bit more hop and alcohol presence than I'm used to in a Saison, but it works out well in the end.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 00:39:06 | More by Immortale25

barczar

Kentucky

3.98/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a fairly hazy golden color with a thin, foamy half inch ivory head that dissipates rather quickly, leaving spotty lacing.

The aroma begins earthy and minerally, with the sweetness of confectioners sugar, soft fruit, and must adding intrigue. It's fairly perfumey. Apricot emerges as it warms.

Flavor is more bold, with pear and a wine-like background matching up with hints of lime, mangoes, and grainy malt. The finish is slightly dry and bready.

Body is moderate, with spritzy carbonation that helps lighten the mouthfeel.

Overall, a nice change of pace from the stouts and winter brews associated with the season.

Serving type: on-tap

01-08-2013 02:11:37 | More by barczar

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.33/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The spirit of summer comes alive in Stillwater's "Cellar Door". The brewery exclaims the term as an elegant term, but does the flavor reflect that? ...and why does that Poison song come to mind every time I read the beer's name? "...lock the cellar door, and baby- talk dirty to me"

The pour comes as a murky gold with orange and ruby highlights. It's firm haze never reveals the beer's lightness, instead portrays a visual weight that hardly allows light to penetrate. But above the murk rises a creamy white head of froth. It's long lasting retention laces with intricate patterns as the beer recedes. It's a beautiful, yet heavy looking ale.

Spicy sweet aromas are highly appetizing with notes of honey, lavender, light clove, paradise seed, mangoes, apricots, white pepper, and earthy cumin. Lightly grassy from the hops involved, the beer allows a high level of tropical notes to emerge that's a little unexpected from the style.

Its delicious taste starts dryly malty with the taste of biscuit, honey, and crackers. But then the layers build- first of spicy white pepper, cumin, and fennel. But then the citrusy onslaught seem tropical at first with mangoes and pineapples, but then morph into rich tangerine marmalade taste that dominates the ester side of the beer thereafter. But the complementing dry spices begin to gain tangents of white wine, apple cider, and mild oak. It's definitely a complex taste that deserves exploration.

Medium bodied, the beer has an irresistible creamy mouthfeel that wraps around the beer's acidity and carries it home. Lightly acidic, mildly tannic, and alcoholically warm; the beer finishes zesty, sharp, and decidedly dry.

This is a wonderful beer that not only suits the taste of summer, but will reward any Belgian ale appreciator year round! And I'm considering regrowing my mullet.

Serving type: on-tap

01-05-2013 08:33:31 | More by BEERchitect

nataku00

California

4/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into a tulip glass. Beer pours a slightly hazy yellow with two fingers of soapy loose white head that quickly dissipates to a thin collar. Very effervescent, carbonation streaming quickly from the bottom of the glass.

Nose herbal and floral, with some pepper and coriander spice, lemon peel, light biscuit sweetness, and some light fruity esters.

Taking a sip, herbal and grassy flavors with coriander hit the tongue first, then warming to light peppery and lemon peel flavors. Not much malt sweetness on the taste, very dry finish with lingering herbal flavors.

Light body and well carbonated, scrubs the tongue clean without being aggressive. A solid saison.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 03:14:33 | More by nataku00

match1112

Illinois

4.23/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

a: hazy straw colored body with a toweringrocky head that lasts a good ten minutes.

s: wheat, citrus, yeast and a little spice with a touch of grass.

t: at first sip it's a nice wheat beer then you are hit with the yeast and spice. a nice punch of citrus hops puckers your mouth right before the long dry finish.

m: feels light and crisp because of the carbonation, but actually has a slightly fuller body to it. long dry finish to it.

o: very pleased with this beer, solid example of a farmhouse ale.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 02:45:11 | More by match1112

ngeunit1

California

4.23/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Hazy golden orange with finger of frothy white head. Fades medium-slow.

S - Sweet grainy malt, Belgian yeast, lemon zest, spices, sage, light funk, and some citrus hops.

T - Sweet caramel and grainy malts, citrus hops, some bitterness, Belgian yeast, coriander, sage, touch floral hops.

M - Medium bodied moderate-plus carbonation. Smooth with a dry, spicy, and citrus finish.

D - Good overall balance between hops, spices, and yeast character.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 06:13:46 | More by ngeunit1

Kendo

New York

4.25/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured from the bomber into a Stella Artois glass on Thanksgiving Day 2012. Body is hazy golden with a big (2-finger) white head that retains well.

S: Wow - this is a very nice nose. I get the lemony Citra hops paired with a Belgian-type earthiness. It's both clean and slightly funky at the same time. A nice trick to pull off.

T: Not quite as exciting, taste wise, though it's really good stuff. Slight wheat tang, some earthiness, a hint of spice and then a clean lemony finish. Overall impression of "lightness," which I'm hoping will pair well with dinner - in this case, a heavy feast that could benefit from a lighter beer that won't weigh me down.

M: NIce palate-cleansing fizzy carbonation that reminds me of the better Belgians. Body is light-to-medium in heft, but drinks on the lighter side.

O: Good stuff. Really good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 22:23:16 | More by Kendo

fmccormi

New York

4.4/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Straight pour from 750ml pry-off bottle to a 25cl Duvel Single tulip; no freshness or bottling date present, but I picked this up basically as soon as it was distributed to my area of upstate NY a few weeks ago so I’m assuming this is as fresh as I can, well, reasonably assume.

Appearance (3.5): Bit of a foam show here, not gushing but active enough that it immediately pours a solid five fingers of head that takes its sweet time dying down. Good-looking head, though: fat, crackling bubbles coat all sides of the glass, and the middle of the cap is finer-grained but diminishes nonetheless. The body is basically perfect, a cloudy orange-amber that looks like some variety of orange juice (but not THAT opaque). Not a ton of retention or lacing, very modest on both counts—just some patches of bubbles here and there on the sides of the glass as the head recedes.

Smell (4.5): Sage, obviously, might be the most clear aroma here but it’s not overpowering and it pairs nicely with a mildly spicy, musty grain malt body which in my mind suits the style perfectly—some wet hay that’s drying out. There’s also just a bit of a sweet citrus character underneath, like candied oranges and passionfruit. The spice comes across as some very modest white pepper and somewhat more clove. Again, great for the style.

Taste (4.5): Unbelievably drinkable and balanced, with a ton of flavor here: the citrus (hiya, Citra hops) is bright and lightly tart but still sweet, and sits perfectly on top of the malt body and spicy yeast component. The sage is evident from the beginning, but at no point does it feel unbalanced. Then the malt comes across as somewhat tart at first, thanks to a good dose of light, crisp wheat, but it softens and smooths into this citrusy hop punch (a soft one, but a punch nonetheless) before the spices wash over the palate: following the nose, sage is in the lead followed by clove and white pepper. There’s maybe a bit of apple juice coming from the yeast character too, but this beer is dominated by the wheat malt, sage spicing, and Citra hopping. Finishes with a nice, moderate bitterness that's all grassiness. No alcohol detected.

Mouthfeel(4.0): Following the pour, this beer’s feel is very lively: coarse, tingly bubbles coat your mouth and harass your tongue, before foaming quickly and voluminously. The body comes off as lighter than medium-bodied and finishes dry, with an oily hops component.

Overall (4.5): This is one of my favorite beers, and with good reason. The flavor and aroma of the beer are both so balanced and have so much going on, without being confounding in any way: the sage feels like such a perfect fit with the saison yeast, as do the Citra hops, but on different ends of the spectrum (sage complementing the spicy esters and the Citra complementing the fruity esters of the yeast, respectively). That’s my feeling, anyway. What’s also great about this is that it’s a top-notch saison that would be a great introduction the style for those unfamiliar. This beer is fantastic, I highly recommend it, and will absolutely be seeking it out in the future.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 04:08:27 | More by fmccormi

WillCarrera

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

22 oz bomber, no bottled-on date, poured into a tulip glass.

A- Pours a slightly hazy golden color, topped with a thick white head, decent retention and some spotty lacing.

S- Lots of spice, herbs and pepper. Belgian yeast and sage are very prominent. Hops are minimal and malt is light and slightly sweet.

T- Sweet wheaty malt and apple/pear fruitiness. Lots of spice, white pepper, sage and Belgian yeast. This is alright but it's a bit one-dimensional and the sage gets to be too much pretty quickly.

M- Medium-bodied, high carbonation, smooth and prickly feel, dry finish.

O- A solid saison, the use of sage is interesting but it loses some points on drinkability, an 8oz pour of this would be perfect but, as is all too often the case, there's no reason for this to be in a bomber. The spice and sage are just too much, I don't understand the positive reviews for this beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2012 07:34:24 | More by WillCarrera

Guden

Maryland

4.1/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A- Pours a beautifully clear golden cider color with violent carbonation action in the glass propping up a dense head of large white foam that fades slowly. Leaves thick lacing as I drink it.

S- Fresh hay, fresh cut grass, pears, light herbs and a bit of lemon peel.

T- More herbal and less light on the earthy hay characters than the smell. The start is grainy bread with the middle and end being a mix of candy and smooth mild bitterness. As it warms some cherry pie funk creeps into the picture along with a stronger sense of the lemon peel and hay. Very summery.

M- Lots of bubbly carbonation and a slightly creamy but very dry body.

D- This was quite an enjoyable beer. As it warmed it seemed to express more and more flavors and it looks beautiful from start to finish.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 18:55:40 | More by Guden

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

4.23/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle: Poured a hazy golden orangey color ale with a large foamy head with good retention and some good lacing. Aroma of lightly hoppy notes with light spices and a medium sweet malt backbone is quite interesting. Taste is a complex mix between some lightly sweet rustic malt notes with some fruity ester with dry hoppy notes with light notes of spices. Body is full with limited filtration and good carbonation. Easily drinkable while providing quite a lot of complexity.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2012 18:51:14 | More by Phyl21ca

harrymel

Washington

3.9/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled: unk

Pours light golden diaphanous with a sheet of white foam and nice lace. Nose is peppery, sage, citric tones, lime, coriander, grain and good yeast character. Flavor is full grain, good clay like yeast, some hints of mint, coriander, lime, orange, chickpeas, and some pepper. Medium on full bodied with hi carb and some dryness on the finish. Another good showing from this brewery I only recently approached.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2012 06:36:38 | More by harrymel

thagr81us

South Carolina

3.78/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Signed by the brewer! Served from bottle into a Mikkeller Teku. Poured a golden yellow with a two finger white head that subsided to one finger slowly. Maintained decent lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, earth, spice, fruit, passion fruit, kiwi, and floral. The flavor was of sweet malt, fruit, banana, spice, earth, alcohol, and passion fruit. It had a light feel on the palate with high carbonation. Overall this was a fairly good brew. I really went into this one expecting to find a huge earth dominance going on, but was pleasantly surprised at how much the fruit aspect dominated this one while still having the earthiness present. All was well, but I just wish that the flavor was a little more balanced as the earthiness was the dominate factor in it. There was quite a bit of fruit but it kind of clashed with the earthiness and alcohol. Definitely a must try for any Saison fan out there without a doubt.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2012 10:51:42 | More by thagr81us

rarbring

Sweden

4.08/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A clouded straw colored brew with a high white head, little lacing but good curtains.

Smelling fruity and spicy, grapes, dill, soap.

Sweet bread, fructose, spicy, cray-fish.

Little carbonation, small soft bubbles, smooth and sticky, a good body.

In all a well balanced very good Saison.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 10:13:52 | More by rarbring

mj001jk

California

4.33/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Really crisp and refreshingly herbal with a substantial body and long delicious finish.

Nose is slightly funky with orange, citrus and fresh cut straw. Flavors are similar with an added green apple finish. I would recommend this for someone trying a herbal beer for the first time. Very nice indeed.

Serving type: on-tap

08-03-2012 22:29:41 | More by mj001jk

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.88/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Another interesting saison from Stillwater. Very sage and farmhouse. white pepper, celery, Sterling and citra hops and tamed so both bold and smooth.Caramel and mild orange and tangerine. Good drinker for the summer.
Big head on light yellow body. John' bottle.
I had it again 10 months later and hits the spot, good spice, coriander.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 00:04:34 | More by northyorksammy

DivaTron

3.83/5  rDev -7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A: Golden blonde, lovely foam, good stuff.

S: Sweet, like melon, with just a hint of bourbon (not the booziness, only the sweet/sour tang) in the background.

T: Tart, almost sour. There is a strong focus on sage. The taste doesn't linger. It's refreshing and unique... but not particularly balanced.

M: This is where the bottle fell short for me. It had a watery mouthfeel, with neither the bite of carbonation, nor a smooth creaminess, either of which suit a farmhouse brew well.

O: While the notes above might sound critical, I really enjoyed this beer quite a bit. If you haven't tried it you absolutely should. I can certainly say it has a unique flavor. I wish that it hadn't advertised itself as "brewed with sage" on it's label, as I might have been guessing for a bit what the taste was but, anticipating it, was sort of knocked over by how singularly focused the spicing was. There is just a hint of vinegar to it, which, along with it's sweet/sour flavor, tastes to me like an extremely mild sour ale.

It's not what I typically look for in a saison, but is really interesting, tasty, and not easily forgettable.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2012 06:29:15 | More by DivaTron