Cascade Noyaux - Cascade Brewing / Raccoon Lodge & Brewpub

ccrida

Oregon

4.9/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On draught at the barrel house, Noyeaux is a hazy dark peach with a small white head that leaves scattered lace.

Smell is mostly on the sweet side, some raspberry, but with a nice little funkiness on the tail end.

Taste is great, a nicely balanced level of pucker really plays well with the robust raspberry flavor, with a nice wash of white port on the finish. This is super tasty, a really drastic improvement over when it first came out (1+ years IIRC). I'm surprised how much the raspberry has come out, with the port mellowing, and the overall complexity increasing drastically. I could personally stand a stronger pucker factor, but I like my sours to the extreme, and this is still a great beer. I'm not sure how much I'm getting for the extremely manually intensive toasted apricot nuts though.

Mouthfeel is on the slick side, lighter bodied, nice, fine carbonation.

Drinkability is pretty high, this is an amazing beer.

Serving type: on-tap

10-06-2010 00:28:21 | More by ccrida

Bitterbill

Wyoming

4.9/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Purchased online from the Brewery.

It's an orange coloured brew , cloudy, small head of foam that shrinks but doesn't go away totally. The little bit of foam still does leave some nice lacing behind and, oh, I see the beer's entry has the name spelled wrong. It's Noyaux. Update to be sent.

The smell, well, it's just heavenly. Big apricots, almost as big raspberries, the aroma you get from oak barrel aging...sourness supreme but I suspect, the taste won't be way over the top.

Apricot sourness, raspberry sourness, woody notes..man, this is one hell of an American Wild. Every new sip seems to kill the previous sip and this is one example(of many) of why certain brews *should* be bottled in the 750ml format. 8.94% abv? It doesn't drink that strong at all; this is dangerously drinkable.

Medium bodied, lightish to moderate carbonation(lightish on the front, moderate on the back end), the mouthfeel is just right for the style.

To sum things up, Noyaux may be the best Cascade brew I've had the pleasure of drinking and none that I've had came close to disappointing me. A BIG thumbs up to Cascade's brewing efforts!

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 16:34:37 | More by Bitterbill

stealth

Minnesota

4.9/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Orange/apricot colored beer, murky (like the other Cascade brews I've had), with no head (it dissipates rapidly). Lots of carbonation bubbles while you drink. Very sour, fruity aroma. Just take a whiff and you know your palate is going to be working hard. A taste presents a hard blast of sour and fruity tartness. Very well balanced beer with tons of flavor. Some sours get hard to drink as you work through a bottle because the sourness builds and builds and your mouth just gets tired, but this beer is extremely drinkable and a 750ml didn't wear me out. Zero hints of the alcohol in this brew. I thought this had lots of prickly carbonation, really tickled my tongue as I drank it.

Overall, if you like sours, you will want to try this. Absolutely delicious beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2012 18:22:10 | More by stealth

boMD

Oregon

4.8/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Had the pleasure of enjoying this twice during Zwickelmania, once poured by Ron Gansberg right from the Zwickel at Cascade Brewing, the second was off the tap at Saraveza. Also enjoyed a couple times during Puckerfest over the summer and a little once the new Barrel House opened.

Pours a golden/orang-ish with a thick, fluffy, white head. Aroma of sour berry fruits, lactic-like yeast, and surprisingly, a very noticeable almond-like note from the apricot nut. Dry palate, very sour and puckering and very astringent. The raspberry lent towards fruit tones, but didn't stand out as raspberry. The Noyeaux made an appearance towards the finish.

Serving type: on-tap

11-09-2010 21:38:20 | More by boMD

JoEBoBpr

Missouri

4.8/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Cascade Brewing Noyaux
2011 Project

Poured into a tulip glass from a 750ml bottle.

Pours a very nice deep and dark orange color with some nice amber hues. There is a nice half-inch white head that form and is quite lively, receding quickly to a thin ring around the glass. (4.0)

Aroma starts with some nice tart notes. Fruit sourness mostly. Apricot sweetness and sourness comes through the nose with intense raspberry notes. Nice and fruity with some slight wood notes. There is some awesome mild sweetness in the nose as well. (4.5)

The flavor starts with sharp fruity tartness. Big apricot and raspberry notes that are tart and sharp but also have a nice sugary sweetness on the back end. There is a nice woody oak note to the flavor as well, slightly earthy. This brew has an amazing sour fruit flavors with some nice fruit notes and a great woody balance. Mouthfeel is light to medium with complex flavors but a clean and crisp finish that is also dry. (5.0)(4.5)

I have yet to be disappointed by Cascade. Quickly climbing my favorite brewers list. There is a great combination of flavors with some nice woody notes. This is an amazing brew with mix of raspberry and apricot flavors. (5.0)

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 02:23:33 | More by JoEBoBpr

jegross2

Illinois

4.74/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Reviewing Noyaux from Cascade Brewing out of Portland, Oregon. Cascade makes some awesome sours, but they are not cheap.

Score: 98

2012 vintage bottle served in a GLASS and enjoyed on 03/06/13.

Appearance: Hazy orange in color. A thin amount of white head off the pour settles down to a ring around the glass. Below average lacing, average retention. No floaties. 4/5

Smell: Lots of apricot. Sour raspberries and oak. A touch of vanilla and some peach. A little plasticky funk too, but in a good way akin to Cascade's Strawberry. 4.75/5

Taste: A nice medley of tart raspberry, tart apricot and peach. Lingering tart citrus zest and peach. Nice tartness and growing pucker as it warms up. Faint oak and a hint of plastic in finish. 4.75/5

Mouthfeel: Medium-light bodied, low carbonation. Super tart, increasingly so as it warm. 5/5

Overall: Probably my favorite Cascade sour had to date. This beer is a tart bomb and is loaded with delicious sour citrus flavors. Make sure that you get a bottle while you still can online!

Cost: $25 for a 750 ml bottle.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 03:36:55 | More by jegross2

djbreezy

Washington

4.7/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On-tap at the Barrel House in Portland, OR. Served in a snifter.

appearance - glowing orange, some elegant lacing that spottily hangs around, opaque

smell - raspberry, apricot, oak, fruity

taste - tart, citrus, raspberry grape, funk, sweet, sour

mouthfeel - fairly smooth, well carbonated

drinkability - truly an amazing AWA, complex and enjoyable

Serving type: on-tap

09-24-2010 21:20:42 | More by djbreezy

Gobzilla

California

4.7/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A: poured a dark burnt orange in color with slight reddish highlights and a thin bubbly head that left little wisps of lacing sticking to the glass.

S: plenty of raspberry fruit were noticeable upfront in the aroma with nice funky character, a bit of acidic notes in a good way, signs of apricot, mild vinous barrel coming through and hints of citrus.

T: the apricot fruit character was more apparent on the palate alongside great raspberry fruit flavor, oaky wood accents, good vinous barrel notes, a touch of vanilla, subtle apple and acidic tart qualities. Mmmmm

M: the brew was medium in body with a fair amount of carbonation which had a fruity, vinous, woody, acidic, mild sweet, slightly funky and tart finish.

O: exceptional beer all the way around and definitely glad I have more to crack open at my dispose. Geeahh!!

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 09:28:44 | More by Gobzilla

Shanonbanana

Oregon

4.68/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served on draught at Cascade Barrel House in a snifter.

A- Cloudy orange colour, reminiscent of apricots. No head to speak of, yet with light lacing throughout.

S- Barnyardy up front, like freshly harvested hay. The tartness of raspberries immediately follows.

T- Just as expected from the smell, a strong tart flavour of raspberry hits the tongue initially. The requisite, yet lovely, bitterness of a sour coats the tongue while an unexpected sweetness of raspberry puree rounds out the finish.

M- Light-medium body, with an effervescence which stays constant throughout.

D- A perfect companion on a hot evening; what I fondly refer to as a porch-sipping beer. Simply a pleasure to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

10-02-2010 05:00:46 | More by Shanonbanana

jvillefan

California

4.58/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: The head is a lacy ivory white head that disappears quickly. The body is a light beautiful pink tinged orange color.

S: A rich aroma of berries and funk. There tart comes off potently and blends perfectly with the essence coming from the berries.

T: Sweet and tart at the same time. The berries add a pleasant flavor and the souring yeast is very obvious and delicious. In the background of the beer there is a creaminess that finishes the beer nicely. Well blended and perfectly balanced.

M: A little thin body but great carbonation.

O: Graet sour. On of my favorite. Well worth actively seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 05:01:04 | More by jvillefan

jsm1289

New York

4.53/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

well well well, we are at it again, this time with a delicious order of sours from Cascade.

although irrelevant to the beer review, the bottle i find to be quite sexy,

on to more pertinent topics

appearance- I rarely deduce anything from the appearance of the beer, nice reddish orange color, mildly hazy

smell- nice sour funky ness with a lot of raspberry notes, typical lambic notes, smells like it has some solid sweetness going on

taste- well definitely one of the best I have had in a while, full on delicious sour raspberry notes, followed by a soft, lingering sweetness. mouthfeel is superb, the sweetness stays on the palate and does a folk dance across my tongue, it really won't go away . nice singe at the front of the tongue upon sipping, sour notes and a clean sour bite hit you while the sweet raspberry flavors play around and hang around long after you swallow this excellent brew. I shall certainly be ordering more from Cascade.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 04:03:50 | More by jsm1289

Etan

Illinois

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

750ml bottle from the recent release, into a Cantillon tulip.

A: Pours an apricot-like orange with a nice white head.

S: Nose is all funk and fruit. The noyaux is slightly sweet, yet also almost medicinal. The raspberries give the aroma an acidic edge. Plenty of oak and wet hay funk.

T: Puckering raspberry skin and apricot acidity, slight sweet raspberry flesh, drying oak, gamey brett, slightly nutty. Lactic and dry in the finish. Fruit lingers on the palate.

M: Light-bodied with moderate carbonation. Very dry.

O: This beer is a fruit bomb, and very sour. I really liked how the combination of raspberries and noyaux worked. Just a really great beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 03:23:57 | More by Etan

DovaliHops

California

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

Bought two bottles of this...may need to buy more. Pours a cloudy reddish-pinkish-orange color with a small-medium white head that disappears quickly. Very nice-looking beer. Scent is wonderful. Good amount of acidic stone fruit and fresh raspberry. Wow, such ripe fruit aromas. Raspberries are more in the nose than any apricot (or other fruit) aromas. Wine-like aromas...chardonnay. Taste is immediately reminiscent of a dry chardonnay...but with a ton of raspberry flavor. The raspberry flavor is not forced or out of place though. Very fresh and complimentary to the flavor. Acidic, but only for the sake of great fruit flavor. This beer sure does have some great fruit flavor. Mainly raspberries, but as it warms up, you get apricots, nectarines, plumots, and a hint of strawberry. Oaky, wine-like finish. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, somewhat dry, and puckering in the finish. Drinkability is very high. Almost 9% ABV is non-existent in the aroma or taste...possibly there in the mouthfeel. Maybe a slight warming sensation. Overall, Cascade is just killing it with the sour genre. Never had a bas sour beer from them. I will continue to support this brewery if they continue to put out delicious gems like this one. I'm hesitant to age my other bottle, considering how tasty the fruit profile is right now.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 09:25:33 | More by DovaliHops

sukwonee

Washington

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

2011 Project, 750ml bottle poured into Russian River Tulip

A: Cloudy-murky Orange / amber color body with two finger head that quickly disappears. Good amount of lacing. Warning* watch out when you open this bottle. It gushes a little bit. I lost about maybe an oz of beer

S: Smell-wise, it just smells like any other Cascade Sours. Citrous, yeast, funk, some bready malt. All normal (in a good way here).

T: WOW. Awesome. It's subtle but the "Noyaux" - whatever this is (I still can't quite figure out what it is after reading the description of what it is) really comes through nicely. It sort of rounds out the acidic sourness that is common in Cascade sours. This beer is definitely sour, but I would say it's not as acidic and sour as "the Vine". I get apricot, peach, citrus, sour grapes. After taste is bready malt. Very tart.

M: Medium to light body with lots of carbonation. Dry.

O: I think this is my 2nd favorite beer from Cascade (first one being Nightfall). Quite pricey though at $25 a bottle. Seek this one out!

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 06:29:44 | More by sukwonee

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

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

The beer is a beautiful golden sunset hue. Upon pouring, the is a quarter inch of head but this immediately vanishes with a violent hiss.

The aroma offers apricots, white wine, oak, tart and sour notes, sour cherries.

Absolutely delicious beer. Apricots dominate the fruit aspect of Noyaux, leaving the raspberries in the distance. Nice marriage of oak barrels, wine, and apricots. Sufficiently tart yet soft and light on the palate, even despite the nearly 9% abv.

Overall, this was delightful. A terrific beer from Cascade.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 02:28:18 | More by Huhzubendah

AlexFields

Tennessee

4.49/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Opened at a tasting 1/26/2012.

Pours a light apricot color with only a hint of pink, very nice but doesn't look like a raspberry sour.

Smells bright and very acidic, apricots and other light fruit, hints of raspberries, butter, and nuts.

Taste is similar, very bright and very sour, some apricots, more raspberry than in the nose, some of the same butter and nut flavors I got from the nose, hints of malty spice in the finish. Fruit is definitely present but doesn't dominate. Delicious sour.

Good carbonation, pretty drinkable despite the high acidity.

Excellent sour, my second favorite Cascade after Sang Noir. Maybe the most sour Cascade beer too.

9.2/10

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 20:45:31 | More by AlexFields

WillCarrera

Illinois

4.48/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750 ml bottle, 2011 Project, poured into a tulip glass.

A- Pours a slightly hazy golden apricot color, produces a thin white head, has nice retention and leaves a bit of lacing.

S- Lots of raspberries and skins, as it warms the noyaux aroma really comes out, which has a really interesting sweet, almost almond-ey character.

T- Sharp lactic acidity, lots of fresh raspberry and a hint of apricot, the noyaux is nicely present again, with some sweetness and almond flavors, it's really interesting and unique.

M- Medium-bodied, I wouldn't have guessed this was 9%, has a sharp acidity with a dry and tannic finish.

O- A damn delicious beer, so far I haven't had anything from Cascade that wasn't excellent, and this is up there with Sang Noir with my favorites from them, the use of noyaux is really awesome and unlike any other beer I've had before, this is a really great beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 07:35:13 | More by WillCarrera

Docer

Washington

4.47/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Just had on tap at their new barrel house... my new home!

- Light golden slightly cloudy color... almost a slight touch of ruby red to it.... nice silky head.. leaves a nice thin layer on top and some slight lace..

- Huge raspberry, sweet tartness... light golden grains, biscuit.. all around goodness....

- Taste is much the same as the smell.. just better as always... hard to beat an A with another A... lovely light currants, raspberry, sweetness.. awesome tart.. candy almost...

- Light bodied, very well carbonated... mouth watering goodness.

- Another huge win in the sour department.... this is up at the top of my favorite sours from them. I can't wait to see their lineup expand even more!

Serving type: on-tap

09-24-2010 20:36:01 | More by Docer

notchucknorris

California

4.45/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a dark apricot color. A thin white head oes down quickly.

S: Oak, raspberries, raspberry skin, apricot skin, some lactic sourness and some faint almond paste. Smells pretty fantastic.

T: Raspberry jam, apricot flesh, some tart mango, a good dash of lactic sourness without ever becoming too sour, tart plum and some oak. Really good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 06:28:06 | More by notchucknorris

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4.45/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Appearance. Pours a lightly hazy peach-gold with a finger of white head.

Smell. Lactic sourness, peach, almond, sweet fruity Belgian style yeast, berries and light fruits. Yum.

Taste. Sour red berries, a little vinegar, some fruity yeast, a bit of almond and peach. Nice. Sour, but not overwhelmingly so. Really tasty.

Mouthfeel. Medium+ body, low+ fine and slightly spritzy carbonation.

Overall. One of the better tasting sours from Cascade imo. Really enjoying this one and wish I had bought several more bottles.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 01:14:39 | More by Rutager

HopHead84

California

4.43/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2/20/2010

Growler opened by stoad at Woodshop 5.0. I heard this was poured at The Raccoon Lodge during Zwickelmania and I was dying to try it. Thanks for the opportunity. It appears dark cloudy orange.

The aroma is an amalgamation of various fruits, including oranges, apricots, peaches, raspberries, and white grapes. The sour character is lactic with earthy and light musty notes.

The flavor is of slightly tart apricots, raspberries, oranges, and white grapes, with a light acidity and a fairly clean lactic sourness. A slight musty quality is evident. Sweetness is at a moderate level and I notice a faint nuttiness. Carbonation was very low, but the acidity adds some texture. Another unique and enjoyable beer from Cascade.

Serving type: growler

02-23-2010 08:40:43 | More by HopHead84

brewandbbq

New Hampshire

4.43/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle.

Pours hazy copper with an orangy hue and a thin, whitish head. A thin bead rings the glass with a few streaks of lacing for the duration of the glass.

Aromatics lead off with soured fruit and bright acid. Tannic, tart apricot pits with appleskins and a hint of raspberry. A bit tropical with hints of grapeskins and peaches.

Medium bodied with a sharp, crisp mouthfeel. Puckering and a bit perky in the jowels.

Sour, tart orange fruits with aspirin-dusted peach and apricot pits start the palate. Vineous and quite sour with loads of under-ripe fruit and lemon-pulp following through.

Finishes with a lingering soured fruit assault, jowel-watering and puckering in nature, with a pithy intensity.

One of Cascade's more intense beers. Very nice but some funky brett would really blow this one out of the water.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 01:47:26 | More by brewandbbq

4DAloveofSTOUT

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

huge thanks to ArchEnemyBrew for sending this beer my way! Thanks Hollis!!!

reviewed from notes on 11/21/12.

poured into a Cascade snifter/tulip hybrid glass.

Appearance: medium orange / peach bodied beer with a thin white head that drops down to cap.

Smell: really tart berries and vinegary notes seem to dominate. Its getting my palate ready for a sour bomb!

Taste: this beer is on the high end of a moderately sour beer. Its also got a big vinegary presence to it. Hint of berries, not much peach to speak of... a nice oak note. Its got influences of ripe melons and its pithy. Maybe even some stone fruits for good measure!

Mouthfeel: light bodied beer almost a medium bodied beer. Moderate carbonation levels. Super tart with a semi dry finish.

Overall: This is a really awesome Cascade sour! I am definately a fan of Cascade Sours! They have done this beer right as expected!

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 09:54:42 | More by 4DAloveofSTOUT

standardcherry

Massachusetts

4.4/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle served into a snifter. Thanks for this one Tom!

A: Murky orange/brownish color. Thin white head that receded very quickly.
S: Citrus sourness. Burst of raspberries. Some oakiness, a touch of apricot and grapes. Tons of lactic acid.
T: Faint apricot and mango. Lots of raspberries and woody flavors. Slight vinous notes. Very sour!
M: Medium body with good carbonation. Very drinkable despite the sourness.
O: Excellent sour by Cascade. I've loved everything I've had by them so far. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 04:55:05 | More by standardcherry

msubulldog25

Oregon

4.38/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A teardrop glass ($5), early evening on Thurs 3/25. Sat at a booth in the Den, watching NCAA hoops and guys play video poker.

A: The cop-out would be to call an apricot-based beer 'apricot' in color, but it's just about the perfect description...guess I'll go with 'butterscotch' to aptly characterize the hazed orangeness roiling in the glass. Plenty of carbonation rises to a 1/2 finger of dense white cream. Head dwindles shortly, long drips of lace trail each sip.

S: Big and pungent, an earthy nose that shares its tart fruitiness liberally. Apricots, of course - then a bracing sting of woodsy mustiness that sweetens and mellows when given some time.

T: As brash a tartness as one could ask for: a tangy citrus-like squeeze from the start. A bit of Meyer lemon, a murky tartness (that sometimes seems more like raspberries or blackberries) of white grape and the requisite apricots. Sneaking nuttiness that speaks of the 'noyeaux'/apricot pits used in crafting this...a mellowing sugariness that balances the sourness. Wonderful blend, a joy to sip.

M: Crisp carbonation, refreshingly quenching in a way that only fresh-squeezed lemonade can mimic. Medium body that never builds as much as the higher gravity and yeastiness led me to suspect; stayed lively/springy. Cleaner finish, fine notes of 'barrel' smoothness the further into the glass I went.

D: For an 8.5% brew that smacks of all things tart and funky - well, it's pretty damn drinkable. The subtlest boozy glow, but really the test is how much 'wildness' one's palate can accept. The 10-12 oz. in this glass was plenty good in a short sitting, but I coulda/woulda/shoulda enjoyed another had I had more time to spare. Worth seeking.

Serving type: on-tap

03-30-2010 05:38:57 | More by msubulldog25