Das Wunderkind! Saison - Jester King Craft Brewery

brandon911

Texas

4.1/5  rDev -0.5%
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

billab914

Virginia

4/5  rDev -2.9%
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

womencantsail

California

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

A pale yellow color with a tall white head. Starts off with a mild lemon nose and some tart melon. Great wine aroma and a moderate funkiness, mostly straw and grass, maybe a hint of must. The flavor is more enjoyable than the nose. Great lactic tartness with some white grape, wine, and a hint of green apple. A light citrus note, plenty of straw and grass, and a bit of oak. Really an all around great beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2012 19:07:55 | More by womencantsail

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.35/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bomber into a 25cl Duvel tulip. Big thanks to Dan for sharing this one.

A: Cloudy orange body with a thin, fine off-white head. Not all that great.

S: Bright, fruity, vibrant. Tart lemon + lime, sharp blue cheese, and grassy hay-like funk. Really nice.

T: Even more sour than the nose, with lovely fruitiness and citric acidity ahead of some vegetal, earthy funk. Vanilla and dry tartness on the finish. Excellent.

M: Moderately light-bodied with vigorous carbonation. Nice and lively.

O: Really, really tasty little sour. Refreshing, complex, and easy-drinking. I'd love to have it again, and look forward to trying more stuff from this newly funkified brewery.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2012 22:27:13 | More by woosterbill

cnbrown313

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I had to make a trade with a friend in Texas to get my first bottle of this, but I was glad that I did! I liked it so much that I traded for a 2nd, shared with friends, and took some notes. Poured from a 750ml bottle into 3 wine glasses.

A - Pours a beautiful, golden / straw color with about 1/2 a finger of off white head.

S - Has a very tart smell that hits you right away, followed by some barnyard funk smell.

T - Very tart, sour, crisp and refreshing. A great beer for a warm Summer day. Also, very complex. You can taste the oak flavors from the white wine barrel aging. There is definitely a lot of funk from the Brett and several strains of wild yeast in there too. Amazing sour taste!

M - Very fine carbonation with an almost oily and buttery consistency that coats your mouth with every sip.

O - Outside of Belgium, this is the best sour I have ever had. Hands down.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 20:18:25 | More by cnbrown313

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

4/5  rDev -2.9%
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

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -15%
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

FosterJM

California

4.35/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

1212th Review on BA
Bottle to Goblet
750ml

Thanks to lnashsig for this one.

App- A very hazy golden yellow with soft orange highlights. A very quick fading 1/2 white bubbly head with zero cling.

Smell- A soft sour with punchy fruit, yeast and a thick malt backbone. Retains the wheaty soft and light Saison notes but is dominated by the sour.

Taste- Well, for 4% this has some great flavors. I get some apple, sour candy, orange and lemon citrus sour. On the back more yeast and wheat saison with a good balance and small pockets of flavors.

Mouth- A very light and grainy body with a light and fresh cabonation. Left huge residual sour notes and citrus orange and lemon.

Drink- Very good. Highly drinkable and small. Big pockets of sour and a balanced yeasty, wheat like small saison. Ive enjoyed the small drinkable sours.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2012 02:23:36 | More by FosterJM

MasterSki

Illinois

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

Bottle shared by Mike (Thorpe429) in an attempt to prove that Jester King brews shouldn't be judged by their hideous labels. Served in a tulip.

A - An finger of off-white foam settles to a thin collar, topping a hazy peach body.

S - Nice funky brett, some sour lemons, mild toasted grains, crackery malts, and a hint of lotion.

T - Taste is equally enjoyable, with lemon and lactic sourness, a bit of dry wood, mild crackery malts, and some stone fruit in the periphery. Quite refreshing.

M - Smooth yet dry texture, surprisingly hefty medium body, medium-low carbonation, and no apparent alcohol. Thought this was bigger than 4.2%, so color me impressed.

D - Quite nice - if Jester King is getting these flavors from their local terroir I may need to seek out future farmhouse offerings from them. Well played Mike - this was a really nice beer that was a well-timed palate cleanser during the evening. I may need to trade for a bottle or two to enjoy during the summer months - or hopefully this gets distributed in our neck of the woods.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2012 23:49:33 | More by MasterSki

mdfb79

New York

4.15/5  rDev +0.7%
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

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.1/5  rDev -0.5%
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

mdaschaf

Washington

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

Big thanks to Lee for hooking me up with this one!

A: Pours a hazy golden color with orange highlights. A one finger white head forms upon pouring and reduces to a thin rung on top. Spotty lacing.

S: Definitely funky with a bit of barnyard/hay. A nice sour component with some lemon and apricot.

T: A great, tart fruit flavor hits right away with more apricot, lemon, and some green apple. A little bit of a woody/earthy flavor with nice sourness.

M: Light to medium bodied, low to medium carbonation, but drinks very easily. Had no problem drinking the entire bottle. Slightly dry finish.

O: A great beer. Almost like a gueuze with the flavor profile. Would drink this all the time if I could.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2012 01:02:48 | More by mdaschaf

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Huge thanks to wsnich for getting some of this out my way. Thanks to kjkinsey and wagenvolks for providing bottles for future tastings.

Served in a Jester King goblet.

Pours a very hazy apricot color with a short white head. Retention is fairly poor and there isn't much lacing on the way down. No cap or collar either.

What it lacks in appearance it really makes up for in aroma. From the start I get some fairly-brisk lactic notes plus a moderate amount of fruit -- mostly peach and apricot, but also a bit of strawberry. Light earthiness to the background. Very well integrated with complexities throughout.

The flavor meets the high bar set by the nose. There is light acidity at the front end, followed by a mélange of fruits and mild perceived sweetness through the palate. Some barnyard funk hits alon side some peach, melon, and strawberry. Lactic acidity is Perfect.

Body is light with nice lactic and Brett presence throughout. The carbonation is a bit low, but that's the only place I can knock it.

Great overall beer and something I would be thrilled to drink again and again.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2012 00:24:58 | More by Thorpe429

Phelps

Arizona

3.53/5  rDev -14.3%
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

kzoobrew

Michigan

4.2/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Hazy goldenrod colored body. A one and a half finger bone white head develops. The head recedes is short order, scant cap is left floating atop. Slight amount of lacing is left behind.

Funky, rustic aroma is noted right off the bat. Underlying graininess from the malt provides a pleasant base. Bright lemony aroma is coupled with a sweeter tangerine aroma. A bit of a bretty mustiness develops on the back and. Slight woody earthiness noted through out. Very pleasant aroma, develops nicely from beginning to end.

Tart fruit flavor immediately develops on the tongue. Tart lemony flavor is not over powering but develops as it sits on the palate. Mandarin orange sweetness accompanies the tart flavor up front. Very subtle malt flavor, again displayed with a slight graininess. Brett flavors are not assertive, they become most notable post swallow as they linger on the tongue.

Very light bodied Saison. Carbonation is much lower than I expected but still manages to hold up the beer. Finish is rather dry, nearly zero residual sugars or lingering flavors.

An impressive beer. Light in body but full flavored. Jester King has not developed the complexity that Jolly Pumpkin has in similar beers but that should not be held against them. The flavors that are developed are tremendously enjoyable. If this were to be available locally I would drink it often. Big thanks to Lee for the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

02-29-2012 21:37:37 | More by kzoobrew

inlimbo77

Delaware

3.73/5  rDev -9.5%
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

UTCengOwl

Texas

3.88/5  rDev -5.8%
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

mjtiernan

New York

4.13/5  rDev +0.2%
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

champ103

Texas

3.35/5  rDev -18.7%
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

StoneBrewFanatic

Virginia

4.43/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours into my Jester King glass hazy golden straw in color with about one finger of soapy white head that has moderate retention and minimal lacing.

S - Forefront is barnyard funk with lemon and orange citrus as well as sour cherries and grassy hops.

T - Delightfully sour and tart, orange and lemon zest, sour cherries and grassy hops, grainy malt and funky brett.

M - Tart and dry, medium body with mild carbonation.

O - This is a top notch beer from a top notch brewing company. These guys know what it's all about and know how to deliver. Highly recommend trying this if given the chance.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2012 04:18:45 | More by StoneBrewFanatic

elNopalero

Texas

4.63/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This was fantastic. Poured a dark golden cidery-straw color. Limited carbonation, just a few bubbles lingering around. Big citrusy aroma, reminiscent of citron or lemon zest. Wonderfully tart flavor that just goes on for days. Pucker up and pour me one more! Another great sour from Jester King.

Serving type: cask

02-13-2012 17:43:04 | More by elNopalero

tjkinate

Texas

4.2/5  rDev +1.9%
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

zander4dawin

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -9%
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

drummermattie02

Texas

4.55/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle says 4.5% ABV. Golden yellow and a bit cloudy, not the most attractive beer, thin white head subsides to a ring of larger bubbles.

Smell is fantastic, earthy brett and a hint of lemon peel and peach.

Tastes very sour, floral and dry. A bit of saison spiciness.

Carbonation is very good, and this beer feels more substantial than the ABV suggests. Jester King has done good with this one - probably the best sour I've had from a TX brewery.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2012 00:57:38 | More by drummermattie02

fatmcb1

Texas

4.1/5  rDev -0.5%
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