Das Wunderkind! Saison - Jester King Craft Brewery

TBoneJones

Texas

3.35/5  rDev -18.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Very hazy apricot look. Little carbonation to see through the unfiltered body. Small head does fade away.
Smells like the funk I had hoped it would! Leather, sour citrus rinds (apple), some perfume.
Whoa sour and tasty, barnyard herbs, sour white grapes, vanilla, oak, acidic but nearing a vinegar aspect I wish wasn't so prevalent. Not a fan of sour ales as far as the style goes (this is pretty much my first), but this brewery is interesting to me. Maybe the artwork drew me in. I much prefer their heavier stout, but for what this wild ale is, it's somewhat complex and I still enjoyed trying it.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 00:32:29 | More by TBoneJones

champ103

Texas

3.35/5  rDev -18.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On cask at the Hey Merchant in Houston, TX.

A: Pours a cloudy/hazy golden/yellow color. A two finger white head forms with good retention. Light lace is left behind.
S: Up front is a sour and funky twang. Slightly acidic. Plenty of passion fruits, pineapple, and lemon aromas that are nice.
T: Follows the nose with the funk, sourness, and passion fruits. Though seems to be lacking . Nothing in the finish, and just feels empty. Needs more "umpth".
M/D: A light body and carbonation Pretty watery and thin. Easy to drink. I can put a few away if I wanted to.

This is almost a great funky/tart Saison. Not there yet. Very enjoyable, especially with the low alcohol. Though not among the better versions of the style IMO. Still very nice and worth a try.

Serving type: cask

02-16-2012 02:12:47 | More by champ103

Clonies720

Texas

3.44/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Jester King Das Wunderkind! Sour saison. 750ml bottle poured into a tulip glass.

Appearance: Pours a hazy golden honey color. Off-white head.

Aroma: Tart and funky. Starts off with freshly cut lemons and then turns to floral perfume-like. Light fruits such as green apple.

Taste & Mouthfeel: Does not taste like any sour I've had before. It's very thin and watery in the mouthfeel. You can hardly taste the sourness, or the saison characteristics that well. Lightly carbonated.

Overall: Very quaffable for a sour. Could use a slightly higher carbonation to give it a crisper mouthfeel. Was expecting a bit more taste-wise judging from the aroma, but all in all 8.5/10 and quite refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 22:15:38 | More by Clonies720

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

pour is cloudy fuzzy orange with a thinner white head with loose . Interesting stuff, lots of dry wood, notes of tart lemon, a touch of lacto, notes of citric orange peel. The taste follows, a touch tannic and a hint of whiskey. Semi dry finish, high tight carb, about empty in the back. More oranges towards the back and a decent sweetness accompanies the lactic acid notes.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2012 15:14:26 | More by cpetrone84

starkmarvelo

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Jester King Das Wunderkind

A- pour hazy cider color with a nice fizzy looking head. The appearance reminds me of a fuzzy peach or something. Quite a bit of lacing sticking to the glass.

S- tart peaches and lemons with some barnyard funk and straw aromas. It smells very tart.

T- Surprisingly it's nowhere near as tart as the aromas would have you believe. Slight lemon tartness up front with straw and funk again and a hint of white pepper and bitterness on the finish. Very mellow, subtle flavors but still tasty.

M- makes my tongue fuzzy. Wanted a bit more carbonation. Still light and mellow.

O- Honestly I was expecting more sour flavors, but I guess it's a Saison not a sour. This would be Le Petit Prince's big brother. Moderately complex, highly drinkable. Needs more carbonation though. Not bad.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 03:12:57 | More by starkmarvelo

Phelps

Arizona

3.53/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

From the bottle: “young beer is blended with mature stock that’s spent several months aging in neutral wine barrels with wild yeast, prior to dry-hopping and packaging.” Shared by ottovon, poured into a tulip.

The color and clarity of peach slices — this is cloudy stuff, though I did get a pour from near the bottom of the bottle. A wispy white head fizzles away quickly.

In the nose: sweet pear, wheat, a bit of funk. Not much else to it.

The nose played a trick on me, hiding a tartness which feigns strength but subsides quickly. Funk is big, overshadowing the lighter notes of pear, lemon and wheat. Finishes a little dry and fairly clean.

Surprisingly thick in body, though again this may be a result of the yeast. Medium, with light and tingly carbonation. The swallow delivers the tartness, but it’s washed away fairly quickly.

Das Wunderkind ist lecker (tasty). Drinkable and refreshing, though lacking in depth and complexity.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2012 04:43:14 | More by Phelps

inlimbo77

Delaware

3.73/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle poured into Deschutes tulip/snifter glass. No bottle date present, but know this is pretty new.

A: Pours a very hazy, cloudy yellow gold color. I got about a half finger of fluffy big bubbled white head. Not a ton of lacing from the swirl.

S: Smells of tart green apples and grapes. I get though traditional funky notes. More sour than Saison. Not getting tons of barnyard (Brett) character on the nose.

T: This is a nice, easy intro to sours. Nice tart apple/grape open. It sort of incapsulates the tongue in the mild palate with the same sourness. You do taste some of that Brett/farmhouse yeast on the close. It's a fairly dry finish, leaves your mouth watering like most sours do.

M: Light bodied, bordering into medium I guess. Nice mouth coating of sourness.

O: I actually really like this one. Solid sour for a new brewery. I would have to go B+ probably.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2012 16:08:35 | More by inlimbo77

zander4dawin

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Golden with a thin head. Smells like a barnyard saison. More sour than saison in taste for sure. Has a tart sour taste that resembles sour patch kids and red bull with a slight saison spicy character and barnyard taste. Pretty intense in the sour department. Overall, first sour ale I've had from Texas so that's exciting. Solid offering.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2012 01:06:51 | More by zander4dawin

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.79/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Served in a snifter.

Thanks to twiggamortis420 for this bottle!

I think we'd all be a lot better off with those kickass goggles... Anyway, this stuff pours a hazy golden topped by a finger of off-white foam. The nose comprises flowers, light honeydew, light mandarin orange, very light tangerine, and a healthy amount of wheat. The taste brings in more of the same, along with a mild tartness in the background that most closely resembles a lightly watered-down lemon twist. The body straddles the line between hefty light and light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a drying finish. Overall, a solid saison, though one whose sourness exists more on the label than in the beer itself. Still, not bad at all.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 05:13:42 | More by TMoney2591

HuskyinPDX

Washington

3.8/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle opened on 9.26.12.

A - Pours a hazy medium orange with a half inch white head composed of large bubbles that slowly fade to the edges.

S - Super tart smelling, it makes my tongue tremble. Mostly light citrus fruit.

T - Some tart lemons, but not as strong as the nose, more saison yeast and farmhouse.

D - Lower carbonation with a thinner body.

O - Tart to the nose, sasion in the drink.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2012 04:53:57 | More by HuskyinPDX

merc7186

New York

3.83/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Bomber into snifter glass.

Thanks to tofuspeed for the great bottle.

A: Hazy Golden Straw Hue/Orangish Hue, Passes Some Light, White Head Ring, Some Lacing

S: Lemons, Hay, Mild Apricot, Mildly Yeasty

T: Hay, Lemons, Mildly Yeasty

M: Decent Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Mildly Yeasty, Mildly Funky

Overall, a pretty nice and balanced saison...didnt get much 'sour' from it though but a nice saison.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 01:40:01 | More by merc7186

UTCengOwl

Texas

3.88/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I got to sample Das Wunderkind at the brewery before they bottled it... so I've always had a soft spot in my heart for this beer. I saw bottles on the shelf today at Whole Foods and had to pick 'em up. Served in a Jester King stemmed farmhouse glass.

The beer looks... well... like some of my undercarbonated homebrew. Nonexistant head. Still, the body does have a nice hazy yellow-orange feel to it.

The nose is wonderfully complex. First sniffs revealed a saison-y farmhouse funk. This was followed by a tangerine-like brett funk. Layered with that is some tartness and maybe some hay. The brett is the strongest aroma at the end... and that's the way I like it. Excellent nose.

The taste isn't quite up to the nose. The brett is more subdued and a yogurty tartness is the main flavor. A bit more bland than I expected / wanted. It's almost like a Berliner. I like the flavors and they're building on me as I drink it... but I wanted more. I'll let my other bottle sit for a while before popping it in hopes of more funk.

Overall, this is a very good beer and something I'm ecstatic to have on the Texas market. Can't wait to have something like this year round. That being said, I feel like the flavors could have been a bit sharper on my tongue.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2012 02:04:10 | More by UTCengOwl

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

4/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a cloudy golden orange. White head.

Aroma/Taste: A nice amount of fruity citrus. Orange and lemon. Some yeast and funk with tart green apples. It has a sourness to it as well. Kind of line a berliner and a gueuze.

Mouthfeel: Sour and tart. Light bodied with a good amount of carbonation.

Overall, this was really easy to drink and really enjoyable. I was surprised by this one. I wish I could drink this more often.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2012 16:49:34 | More by mothman

billab914

Virginia

4/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes, opened as part of a haul from a great group of Texas BA's. Poured from a 750ml bottle into a tasting glass. It poured a cloudy orange color with a thin white head around the edges of the glass.

The aroma is tart with some notes of sour lemon to it. There is a little funk there as well. The taste follows through with a little more of the sour lemon flavors. The taste also shows a little bit of a white wine/grape like quality to it at times as well. A hint of some earthy yeast spice peeks through. It's very tart and crisp with a dry finish.

The mouthfeel is on the thinner side with carbonation being above average. Overall, it was a very solid beer. I especially liked the sour citrus notes to it. It really came together pretty well and was very flavorful and drinkable. Very nice beer overall.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2012 15:32:01 | More by billab914

MattSweatshirt

Texas

4/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Opens with a gush. Pours a hazy golden body filled with carbonation. The beer is topped with a thick fluffy white head.

Has a musty, hay, lemon, peach and sour aroma.

Nice flavor of funk, sour, fruit, and wheat.

Light bodied with a high level of carbonation. Dry.

A great lightweight saison.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 04:48:18 | More by MattSweatshirt

homebrew311

Illinois

4.04/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance is cloudy yellow, with yeast in suspension with minimal head. Nose is full of sourdough, lemon rind, vinegar, and a bit of funk. Taste is light and tart with a bit of sweetness up front and a finish of lemon and tons of acid. Mouthfeel is light and bubbly and fits the beer well. Overall, a clean refreshing brew with nice flavors.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 01:22:59 | More by homebrew311

cmoody91

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Think this beer is under-rated in JK's catalog. Maybe because it leaves those looking for too many saison or sour characteristics underwhelmed. I think it succeeds phenomenally!

Poured into Jacobins Rouge tulip from a bottle chilled for a couple days then allowed to warm up to proper serving temperature. Thin lacing, very small bubbly head. Smells amazing! Preserved meyer lemon, warheads, riesling, fresh hay, cheesy/barnyard funk and a finish of strong yeastiness from the saison part of the spectrum. Overall pretty clean but incredibly complex aroma, can only hope this will get funkier and more complex as it ages. First sip strikes you with a clean but sour lemon and lingering puckering quality. I drink quite a lot of sours, and while this isn't super sour, it does have a slow-puckering quality to me on the finish in an incredibly pleasant way. Reminds me of warheads when I was a kid. As you drink fresh champagne grape and yeasty qualities come to forefront. Definitely more saison forward as it warms in a great way. Really refreshing and drinkable. While the carbonation is low, I enjoy that aspect of the beer, too much would make it more saison forward to me and strip away too much of the sour qualities. However, the first time I had this it was on gravity and that definitely influence my perception of the beer.

Overall I wish I could drink this everyday, especially in the summer. Refreshing, but complex, sour and funky in that way that Jester King pulls off perfectly.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 22:19:53 | More by cmoody91

fatmcb1

Texas

4.1/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On cask at the Jester King 1st Anniversary Party

Poured a hazy yellow straw color with very large bubbled white head that quickly retreated to a ring then dissipated.

Very strong aroma. Funk, pear, sour apple, and caramel malt.

Taste includes the funk and sourness. Vingarish taste combined with spices. Lots of pepper. It is highly tart and has a very drying finish.

Carbonation is on the medium side, as is the body.

Overall, I enjoyed this beer, and am hoping to get a couple of bottles.

Serving type: cask

02-04-2012 19:05:06 | More by fatmcb1

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.1/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer is hazy and straw yellow with a small and fleeting white head. The aroma offers citrus, wild yeast, a touch of lemon, maybe pie crust (malt). Quite good. Easy to drink, light in body. Like a lighter version of RR Temptation. Good stuff, I would have this again.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2012 02:35:02 | More by Huhzubendah

brandon911

Texas

4.1/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

I had this on tap at Jester KIng brewery on September 15th.

The beer was a pale yellow with a fluffy white head that disappeared fairly quickly. The smell had a lot going on, sour grape notes, some bright citrusy hops and some funk in there too. The taste was similar to the nose, a little sour, kinda yogurty and wheaty. The taste was pretty difficult to describe. The mouthfeel is pleasant, very light, low carbonation and very, very easy to drink. I would definitely get this again.

Serving type: on-tap

09-16-2012 20:43:16 | More by brandon911

mjtiernan

New York

4.13/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks for sending me this one lnashsig!

750ml bottle poured into a stemmed tulip. Can’t find bottle date info but I’m sure this is quite fresh.

A: Fairly aggressive pour leaves a white one finger head that dissipates fairly quickly. After that, it’s pretty much gone. Body is a very cloudy honey peach color. Zero lacing.

S: Fruity barnyard funk! Lacto sourness. Light fruit and citrus...heavy green apple, apricot and lemon. A bit of woody oak.

T: Lovely tart sourness. Somewhat floral ...reminiscent of lilac. You get a flash of the fruit from the nose mid-palate along with grassy hops. Only a bit of the oak barrel shows up. Assertive puckering finish with pale malt biscuit in the aftertaste.

M: Light body. Overall carbonation is low but the acidic sourness makes up for it in spades, providing plenty of prickliness on the tongue. No sign of alcohol to be found.

O: The critters were busy with this one! I really enjoyed it and would love to have another bottle to share with others on a mild spring day. I bet this would pair nicely with creamy cheeses like Brie or Camembert.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 02:49:14 | More by mjtiernan

twiggamortis420

Texas

4.13/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

750 mL bottle pours a mostly clear gold color with a small white head. Lots of lace but not much retention.

Nose is surprisingly equal parts saison and sour. The grain and yeast are pleasantly prevalent. Peach, white grapes, honeydew melon and dough. Light tartness.

The base saison is quite impressive - light, grainy and yeasty. If you want a super sour beer though, this is not the beer you seek. The sourness is noticeable, but it is light and delicate. Too light for an expensive 4.5% sour, at least for my wallet. Its a really nice beer, but I just wish it was more sour, either that or less expensive. Mouthfeel is really nice, the carbonation is superfine and the base saison could hang with many of the better saisons from Belgium.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 22:28:41 | More by twiggamortis420

mdfb79

New York

4.15/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From 03/30/12 notes.

a - Pours a murky orange yellow color with one finger of white head and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of sour fruits, peaches, light citrus, earthy notes, floral notes, yeast, and some light funk. Very nice nose.

t - Tastes of sour peaches and fruits, wine, yeast, funk, earthy notes, citrus hops, spice. Again, quite nice.

m - Medium body and low carbonation. Very easy to drink. Very smooth.

o - Overall a very nice beer. Some nice light sourness and funk, but not too much, and very easy to drink. Would love to get more of this one.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2012 17:31:59 | More by mdfb79

ngeunit1

California

4.16/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Hazy golden-orange with a finger of frothy white head. Fades fairly slowly.

S - Sweet wheat and grainy malts, lemon zest, tart green fruits, funky Brett and other yeasts, lactic acid, Belgian yeast, light spices.

T - Sweet grainy malts and wheat, tart green fruits, funky Brett and other yeasts, lactic acid, Belgian yeast, coriander, some other spices, lemon zest, citrus hops.

M - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth with a sour, tart, and dry finish.

D - Great sour saison. Good balance with nice complexity and body.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 00:06:29 | More by ngeunit1

tjkinate

Texas

4.2/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Jester King is quickly becoming my favorite brewery.

A: Single fingered soapy white head that displayed good retention settles to a thin soapy ring around the glass leaving little lacing in its wake. The body is a cloudy yellow with hints of orange, kinda looked like a mango!

S: Barnyard funkiness is detectable but not overpowering. Sour cherries, lemon tart, and oranges are the most dominant scents that really got my mouth watering.

T: This is definitely a sour Saison. After a few sips the sourness on the front begins to mellow allowing hints of tart cherry, lemon, and bitter citrus to present themselves. Grains and spice pull up the backend and really round out this unique entry.

M: Light bodied, extremely well carbonated, fairly dry.

O: I'm usually not a fan of sours, but this one seems to be the exception. I enjoyed this beers complexity not found from competitors. I recommend this beer to anyone who enjoys sours, or to those looking to make the leap into sour beers. Holding onto my remaining bottles to see how time will affect the flavors, hoping for the best.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2012 18:45:32 | More by tjkinate