Das Wunderkind! Saison - Jester King Craft Brewery

purdueflyguy

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev +3.2%

11-30-2012 22:34:37 | More by purdueflyguy

Brewsephus

Massachusetts

4.7/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

750 ml bottle poured into a tulip glass.

A- Golden yellow with a massive pure white head. Large bubbles give way to very fine effervescent bubbles. A light haze is apparent, but doesn't take away from the appearance.

S- Pollen, lemon stand, fresh cut grass, wheat, lemon sherbert.

T- A little tang, some definite funk; it's not overwhelming, but nicely plays into the body of the beer. Lemon, sage, white pepper, sweet orange peel. Bitterness is present but hides behind the farmhouse characteristics. Really exceptional summer flavor profile.

M- Super effervescent, but not over done. The extra carbonation helps to make this beer feel light and airy, allowing all the flavors to dance on your palate. Doesn't taste thin, as some in this style can sometimes be. This beer really relies on it's exceptional farmhouse character, without being gimmicky. Lovely.

O- I am in love with this beer. It's something I could drink everyday. At 4.5% it is superbly sessionable. This is something that all American Farmhouse brewers should strive to be more like. Balance is the key here.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2013 21:27:39 | More by Brewsephus

FreshmanPour77

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +3.2%

06-12-2013 17:39:31 | More by FreshmanPour77

GrindFatherBob

New York

4.5/5  rDev +9.2%

06-06-2013 19:00:31 | More by GrindFatherBob

Daemose

Texas

5/5  rDev +21.4%

06-06-2013 18:02:49 | More by Daemose

BlackBelt5112203

South Carolina

4.44/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750 mL bottle poured into a snifter at cellar temperature.

L – Cloudy deep gold color with a nice 3-finger creamy, frothy, cream-colored head. Great retention and some awesome sheets of lacing.

S – There is a ton going on with this beer! I’m getting bready wheat and caramel malt, tart green apple and lemon esters, musty oak, citrus and apricot hops, and barnyard Brett funk. Awesome.

T – It starts off sweet and tart with caramel malt, apricot, green apple, and lemon flavors. Grainy wheat and peppery yeast come in next, followed by woody oak and musty Brett. At the very finish, some earthy and grapefruit bitter hop flavors appear. Very tasty.

F – Light-to-medium-bodied, good carbonation, a sticky, somewhat creamy, mouth-coating, and tart feel, and a slightly tart, earthy, funky, and very dry finish.

O – This is a great beer and a terrific saison. It’s very drinkable, sessionable at 4.5%, looks good, smells fantastic, and tastes great with a great balance between fruity sweetness and tartness, yeast earthiness and spiciness, and Brett funkiness. With so much going on, it would be so easy to create a disorganized quagmire of flavors and aromas. However, Jester King doesn’t do that. They create wonderfully complex beers that are perfectly layered – a real treat that is tough to find elsewhere. I highly recommend this one.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2013 02:52:27 | More by BlackBelt5112203

Pesci

Texas

3/5  rDev -27.2%

06-05-2013 23:09:57 | More by Pesci

drlovemd87

Colorado

4/5  rDev -2.9%

06-04-2013 19:40:01 | More by drlovemd87

tectactoe

Michigan

4.33/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Big thanks to huskermike for throwing this in as an extra. Pours a light-orange sunburst, hazy and cloudy like any saison ought to be, with a a big-bubbled, light white head that grows big and settles quick with some wet legging left behind.

A big cloud of funk blankets the entire aroma, under which lies a collage of tart fruits; apples, grape, maybe even some lemon zest. The fruits have a tartness to them, as well as a light vinous character that's floating around somewhere.

Slightly vinegary and acidic on the aroma as well - this one definitely smells like it's gonna be tart. The funk overcast is comprised of some oak, wet hay, musk, cork, and a solid handful of yeast. Pretty spot on for a saison, I'm really digging the way this smells.

The taste starts off with some damp and musky cellar-like funk at first, but a sharp tartness quickly escalates and takes over; sour apple, grapes, lemons - very acidic and vinegar like, not as vinous as the nose suggested, but there's still a bit of oak and tannin notes to be had.

There's a nice harmoniousness between the funk and the tart, masterfully balanced here, making this one super drinkable. I guess the fact that it's only 6.5% ABV helps a bit, too. The aftertaste is made up of some fading tart-turned-sweet fruits, along with a mildly wet, oaky and funky finish, dry and full of yeast. Light-medium bodied with higher carbonation.

Didn't know what to expect from this one, but I've heard good things about Jester King. So I was definitely pleasantly surprised. This was a damn good and easily drinkable saison with lots of tartness and lots of funk, especially at the moderately low ABV tag. Hell yeah!

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2013 00:45:03 | More by tectactoe

rdooley

Texas

4/5  rDev -2.9%

06-04-2013 00:08:03 | More by rdooley

tvl89

Texas

4.75/5  rDev +15.3%

06-02-2013 05:19:53 | More by tvl89

Dreadnaught33

District of Columbia

4/5  rDev -2.9%

06-01-2013 02:02:19 | More by Dreadnaught33

nmann08

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -9%

06-01-2013 01:56:24 | More by nmann08

superspak

Michigan

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

750 ml bottle into signature tulip glass, no bottle dating. Pours lightly hazy bright golden amber color with a 1 finger foamy white head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Spotty foamy lacing clings on the glass. Aromas of tart apple, lemon, pear, orange zest, pepper, clove, wheat, hay, grass, floral, funk, oak, light leather, light vinegar, and earthy yeast spiciness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of yeast notes with moderate barrel and hop notes. Taste of tart apple, lemon zest, pear, orange zest, hay, grass, floral, pepper, clove, wheat, oak, funk, light vinegar, and earthy yeast spiciness. Light tartness on the finish; with lingering notes of light fruits, citrus, floral, pepper, clove, oak, funk, light vinegar, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Damn nice balance and complexity of hop, yeast, and barrel flavors; with good robustness of flavors and no cloying after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a moderately creamy, lightly acidic, and smooth mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a slight warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is an excellent sour saison. All around nice balance and complexity of yeast, hop, and barrel flavors; and very smooth to sip on. A very enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2013 04:13:58 | More by superspak

ckeegan04

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +3.2%

05-28-2013 17:03:01 | More by ckeegan04

raffy313

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +3.2%

05-26-2013 17:30:23 | More by raffy313

frogfan

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -9%

05-23-2013 19:04:11 | More by frogfan

pauldevay

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +3.2%

05-21-2013 18:42:44 | More by pauldevay

JamLand

Texas

4/5  rDev -2.9%

05-19-2013 17:07:48 | More by JamLand

jakeox

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +3.2%

05-19-2013 01:55:54 | More by jakeox

jl28r1

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -9%

05-18-2013 16:14:12 | More by jl28r1

SocalKicks

California

4/5  rDev -2.9%

05-17-2013 04:43:40 | More by SocalKicks

htdoerge

Texas

4.75/5  rDev +15.3%

05-15-2013 20:25:41 | More by htdoerge

bccocx

Texas

4/5  rDev -2.9%

05-15-2013 17:11:26 | More by bccocx

Compton25

Texas

4/5  rDev -2.9%

05-10-2013 17:53:26 | More by Compton25