Noble King Hoppy Farmhouse Ale - Jester King Craft Brewery

JMScowcroft

Vermont

4.29/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Jester King Craft Brewery - Noble King Hoppy Farmhouse Ale

Look - Pours a hazy honey golden with an ever so slight amber tinge. Smaller fizzy head that dissipates quickly. Abundant sticky lacing.

Smell - Sweet honey with a spicy snap Saison feel (obviously), sour bready Belgian notes that are mouth-watering and round this out quite well. Slight citrus hops here but generally absent in the nose.

Taste - Creamy and fizzy carbonated, a smooth farmhouse intro then a rapid introduction to sour citrus hops blast in the mouth.

Mouthfeel - Mouthfeel is sticky and full, sour citrus lemon, lime, grapefruit, and maybe slight pineapple hops rest on the palate.

Overall - This brew renewed my interest in the style, though admittedly it is a fusion and not fully representative of Saison alone. The hop character did tickle my funny bone just right. Would drink this brew again.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 21:25:42 | More by JMScowcroft

MRsojourner

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

appearance: hazy golden with orange hints and a fluffy head that maintained throughout the glass

Aroma: was not to big but it did have some nice earthy and estery notes in the smell

Taste: big munich/Vienna malts, hay and straw. a bit spicy/peppercorn and a touch of orange citrus. very balanced and easy drinking.

mouthfeel: was to be expected for a saison, nice and dry but the 3711 gives the mouthfeel more perceived body.

overall: very nice, nothing earth shattering here but it does what its meant to do. quench your thirst after yardwork but still giving you a little something to think about as you drink it.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 11:15:15 | More by MRsojourner

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

3.91/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle received form Mattsander in CANBIF8
Poured in to tulip.

A - Hazy medium orange with a big yellow glow around the edges. A huge amount of fluffy bright white head formed and slowly receded.

S - Clove, pepper, Belgian yeast, lemon and some sweet bready notes.

T - Spice/pepper and yeast esters up front. Sweet bready malts, lemon and clove notes in the background.

M - Light to medium boy. Dry. moderate carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 02:41:58 | More by TheSevenDuffs

Beerandboards

New Mexico

3.75/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A - pours an opaque lemonade color. Huge loose white head that sticks around forever.

S - Little bit of funk, little bit of lemon peel, citrus hops are there.

T - nice. Really pretty good balance. Nothing particularly stands out, but everything is nice. It leads with a sort of standard saison mild funkiness, some very mild sourness, then quick to the lemony hoppy citrus bitter finish.

M - pretty smooth, medium but lively carbonation. Good feel.

O - this is a very solid beer. I dont think i would seek it out. But I wouldnt be unhappy if I were to drink it again.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 03:31:54 | More by Beerandboards

thagr81us

South Carolina

3.65/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Served from bottle into a Mikkeller oversized wine glass. Poured a hazy golden yellow-orange with a two finger white head that subsided to one finger very slowly. Maintained phenomenal lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, fruit, banana, spice, earth, sweet fruit, and subtle sugar. The flavor was of sweet malt, earth, fruit, spice, and sugar. It had a light feel on the palate with high carbonation. Overall this was a pretty decent brew. Upon first inspection of the aroma I really like what I came across. A very nice thing going on in that respect. The flavor however wasn't quite up to par with the aroma. There was just a little too much earth and spice going on in it unfortunately. Glad I got to try this one, but there are better ones for the style out there.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 00:50:19 | More by thagr81us

colforbin73

California

4.11/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

new to me, a very welcome farmhouse ale here... bottle conditioned, yeast and hops forward.... very fresh tasting and definitely ALIVE -- this is a winner.

pours a brilliant but cloudy yellow-orange with a very lively foam -- pour slow.... the eruption of white foam chills out, but sticks around.

the smell is yeasty with a hint of citrusy hops -- appealing but not overpowering. the taste is very crisp and dry with a clean finish... the HOPPY in 'hoppy farmhouse ale' is actually in the drink -- promise fulfilled -- this is a hop heads farmhouse.... that being said, these are Noble varieties, EK Goldings and the classic Pils hop, Saaz. a perfect pairing here... definitely more of a Belgian style than anything else.

this beer should rate higher. this is a really REALLY well made brew.

WOULD BUY AGAIN -- AWESOME!

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 01:21:55 | More by colforbin73

Ryan011235

Ohio

3.61/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Delirium snifter on 3/23/13.

Batch 9
Bottled 01/04/13

Shared by PDXHops

Cloudy, light peach and light pineapple hues. Two finger head drops to a large island-like mass of bubbles. Soapy lace across half the glass.

Bright, fruity aroma with notes of pineapple, lemongrass, and peach tea. Herbal overtones and maybe a little touch of the herbal. Pilsner malt and biscuit dust.

The taste is grassier with hits of zesty citrus mixed in. The fruity aspects are still pretty expressive though. Toasty grain and biscuit. The finish is a bit soapy.

The body wants to be a plodding medium but carbonation is too high to let that happen.

Overall, it tastes and smells good but the feel is cumbersome.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 02:06:19 | More by Ryan011235

ADZA

Australia

3.94/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a golden hazed hue with a frothy three finger head and clingy lacing everywhere,the smell is funk,mandarins,grassy noble hops and peach sorbet,the mouthfeel is medium bodied,crisp and dry with tastes of lemon sherbet,barnhouse funk,grassy herbal hops and finished with a crisp zesty dryness and overall it's nice and very drinkable cheers.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 05:36:51 | More by ADZA

superspak

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750 ml bottle into tulip glass; no bottle dating, but it shouldn’t be too old. Pours hazy golden amber color with a 2 finger fairly dense and fluffy white head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Fairly dense foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big pear, apple, lemon zest, grape, orange zest, wheat, pepper, clove, honey, light hay funk, grass, floral, and earthy yeast spiciness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of fruity/spicy hop and yeast ester notes. Taste of lemon, pear, apple, grape, orange zest, pepper, wheat, floral, grass, clove, light hay funk, honey, and earthy yeast spiciness. Light peppery bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of citrus, light fruits, pepper, wheat, floral, grass, honey, clove, and earthy spiciness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice balance and complexity of fruity esters with hop notes; with a great balance of sweetness/spiciness; and zero cloying flavors present after the finish. Medium-high carbonation and medium bodied; with a slightly creamy, crisp, smooth, and fairly prickly mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with pretty much zero warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is an excellent hoppy saison! Very nice balance and complexity of fruity/spicy flavors; and very smooth and crisp to sip on. A very enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 04:32:52 | More by superspak

bmwats

Louisiana

3.49/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a 750 ml bottle into a tulip.

A: Cloudy, golden hue. Lots of effervescence. Pours about a 1 finger, frothy, white head. Craters slowly and unevenly, leaving some dry residue behind as it retreats; and leaving a little blanket. Some decent dry, beer ring lacing.

S: Lightly floral, very yeasty, with a little funky raspberry.

T: White and sourdough breads accentuated with a little subtle hop, and and some light floral and fruity components.

M: Light body, crisp feel, really steely finish and aftertaste.

D: This is one of those brews that is best enjoyed in smaller quantities.

Appearance is very nice. Plenty of carbonation, and a really nice head, that lingers in some state throughout. Also, plenty of lacing. Nose is yeasty, floral, fruity. The bread components really stand out. Light, crisp body, very bready flavor with some complimentary hops, fruit, and flora. Overall, this is a really good quaff.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 04:34:22 | More by bmwats

metter98

New York

3.81/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A: The beer is hazy golden yellow in color and has a light to moderate amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a two finger high bright white head that gradually died down, consistently leaving a short head covering the surface and lots of lacing down the sides of the glass.
S: Moderately strong aromas of earthy farmhouse yeast are present in the nose along with some hints of grassy hops.
T: The taste has flavors of yeast as well as notes of grainy malts and a bit of grassy hops, the latter of which contributes a slight amount of bitterness. There are some faint hints of peppery spices towards the finish.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied and a little dry on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is easy to drink and would probably go well with food, however it doesn't really have any qualities that set it apart from other saisons and would make me want to try this as a standalone beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 02:48:22 | More by metter98

drpimento

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From a tasting put on by dear friend JJ; thanks amigo! Served with a nice, off-white head that slowly subsides over the duration. Color is a hazy dark gold amber. Aroma is a bit sour, hop, fruit, yeast. Flavor's like nose, bitter, crisp and clean. Body is clean, refreshing, and good carbonation. Finish is like flavor, easy drinking, tho perhaps a tad bitter.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 00:47:03 | More by drpimento

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Bulbman for sending this one over to me. The beer poured out with a very active with a big white head on top of a hazy yellowish orange body. The smell of the beer is bready with some earthy hops and grains. The taste is slightly spicy with a mild hop bitterness and malt sweetness. The mouthfeel is light bodied and nicely carbonated. Overall it's a decent beer. Not something I would seek out again but was nice to try.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 03:57:50 | More by Knapp85

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750ml shared w/kasey New Years' Eve brew
A -very hazy deep golden w/copious cream of 3fingers lace clings well

S-strong lemon and piney hop odors w/slight peppery yeast
And mild wheat

M-highly carbonated and assertive hop quality up front w/ earthy dry yeastiness and mild astringency w/ light creamy malt essence
nice dry flavor as it finished

Taste is very earthy & piney hop flavored middle with lemony taste and mild Belgian yeast w/ wheat w/ mild sweetness med high astringency and subtle wheat providing the base for a refreshing herbal and spicy combo of hops and yeast

Overall a pretty tasty Saison! I would gladly drink this again if it weren't for the hefty price tag

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 11:35:04 | More by Slatetank

Florida9

Illinois

3.73/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Fairly cloudy yellow in color. Forms a fairly large, very light tan colored head. Good retention and lots of lacing.

S: Aroma is citrusy and spicy, with notes of lemon rind, grapefruit, and black pepper.

T: Taste is similar to the aroma. Lemon and grapefruit, pepper and spice. Mild malts. Mildly earthy with a bit of herbal hops towards the finish. Neither sweet nor dry.

M: Medium bodied, heavy carbonation, mild bitterness. Again, neither sweet nor dry.

O: A decent Saison. Drinkable and paired nicely with a panini.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 00:39:56 | More by Florida9

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle. The Leo in me is quite fond of the hawk circlet adorned Mustafa-ish king of the jungle beast filling up prime real estate on the label. Other notable notables: made partially with collected rain water (very cool) and vegan suitable (meh). Keep it weird, Austin!

This beer pours a cloudy, medium golden apricot hue, with a teeming amount of bottle refermentation-spawned puffy, chunky eggshell white head, which takes its gentile time melting away, eventually leaving broad, thick, patchy swaths of fuzzy lace around the glass.

It smells predominantly of musty, bitter citrus peel, mixed into a glass of overly pulpy orange juice, some grainy pale malt, mild savoury spices (clove and pepper, mostly), and nicely moderated barnyard yeast. The taste is more fruity orange and grapefruit citrus, juicy and bitter all the same, an understated crackery graininess, a light white peppery spiciness, and a complex yeastiness, well restrained in its musty, funky, and stuffy moving parts.

The carbonation is a tad frothy, but generally well kept, the body a decent medium weight, and really rather smooth, the constituents doing well to keep the hell out of the way in this respect. It finishes off-dry, the fruitiness, bitter and fleshy alike combining with the low-fi malt and soft yeast to gently ride things out.

A crazily agreeable farmhouse ale for me - i.e., one where the sassy yeast knows its place and is turned down to a few notches, without being tuned out entirely, in order to let the subtle (or not) fruit character take center stage. Tasty, quite drinkable, and another cracking offering from this brewery from the liberal heart of Texas - I say that with love.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 07:11:22 | More by biboergosum

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.48/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Average brightness in the orange color, looks pretty, and even more formidable lacing and retention, it originally started out at about 1.5" and stuck around for quite some time, taking well over a few minutes to get down below the 1/2" range.

Aroma was lemony and noble hop, I enjoyed it, reminiscient of that first warm spring day when all the hotties on campus or wherever you might be start putting on their first sun dresses of the season, but I digress.

A real earthy body presence to it, its like there's almost dirt in the bottle, but the good homey earthy kind. Definitely way more hopping than I am used to in a saison, but that's kind of the trend for the last few years, just make an "innovative" take on a style by dumping hops in it. It works just fine here. Crisp, lemony edge to a saison that isn't massive in its yeast flavors. Pull some pepper and grass out of it from time to time.

Something I wouldn't talk someone out of trying, but I don't see myself coming back to it, not because it was bad, it was actually fairly decent.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 21:54:19 | More by Beerandraiderfan

oline73

Maryland

3.9/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured from the bottle into a goblet.

Appearance: The beer pours a very cloudy golden amber color. There is a finger of fluffy white head that fades to a layer on top of the pour and leaves some lacing.

Smell: This one is quite earthy with a light hop note. The overall smell is light with some fruity notes as well. There is a faint note that almost reminds me of white wine.

Taste: There is a strong hop component here, but it doesn't cover up all the interesting things going on in the background. There is an earthy component here as well along with a fruitiness that shows up near the end of the sip. There is also a yeasty component here as well. The finish is quite bitter.

Mouthfeel: The body is medium with very fluffy, full carbonation. It seems like the finish should be dry, but it never really gets there.

Overall: This is a very complex and interesting beer. I liked all the components. I would have liked the beer to be drier, but that wasn't too big a deal. I'd have more.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 21:22:26 | More by oline73

brewandbbq

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle.

Pours murky gold with an orangy hue and an inch-plus head of dense white. Plenty of tattered lacing and a partial skim coat on the surface for the duration.

Aromatics lead off with grassy, earthy, spicy hops and cracked wheat. Hints of honey, apples, cloves, and wet hay follow through.

Light bodied with a crisp mouthfeel. Good effervescence.

Peppery, grassy hops with hay-rubbed biscuits start the palate. Clove dust, appleskins, and a hint of grapefruit follow through.

Finishes bone-dry with plenty of grassy hops, apples, and a mild bitterness.

Nice beer and an easy drinker.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 00:22:06 | More by brewandbbq

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

4.2/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle poured into tulip 16/10/12

A very hazy yellowish orange with plenty of bubbles and sediment, very well sustained three fingers of foam slowly falls to an island leaving lots of soapy lace deep down the glass

S big nose on this one, very citrus, orange peel oil, lemon and grapefruit rind, with some spice, faint booze, bubblegum, hay, and loads of their farmhouse yeast, smells massive

T spicier then the smell but the citrus and yeasty notes are toned down just a tad, leafy and herbal and still pretty solid

M a little airy and medium bodied, after a few swirls you take out enough bubbles and it has a creamy feel, just a little grit and a rind finish

O I enjoyed this one and could easily tackle another 750ml, perhaps two, great nose and I have little to complain about anywhere else

I wish I had a hot Sun to drink this one under but even on this cold fall evening it went down in no time

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 05:14:37 | More by wordemupg

BeerImmediately

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

750ml into wine glass, north of 55.

Pours with a faint, soapy white head over a clear golden body. Good lacing.

Aromas are buttery, sweet, soapy, and peppery... some cardboard as it warms, and plenty of 'fresh' barnyard in the finish.

Flavors continue down a great Saison path. Lemongrass, lavender, light citric bitterness, bubble gum, and white pepper. Lots going on here. Mouthfeel is very smooth up front, with the sharp bitterness bringing a dry finish. Superb.

Great beer. Exactly as advertised - a hopppy farmhouse ale.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 04:27:29 | More by BeerImmediately

barleywinefiend

Washington

4.05/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured a hazy golden straw color with great carbonation leavig a massive, fluffy white cap, loads of lacing and exceptional head retnetion. Legit!

S: A little whiff of hay, straw, some light citrus notes and horseblanket

T: Taste brings an immediate light citrus and hay element that leads into a slight musty like flavor with additional citrus and hay. The finish is a rather dry, clean, light bitterness backed up by some barnyard characteristics. The booze is minimal.

M: Well carbonated, crisp and clean, plenty of citrus and Saison notes to keep the palate happy

O: A hoppy Saison it is.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 18:35:40 | More by barleywinefiend

HuskyinPDX

Washington

4.15/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle opened on 9.25.12.

A - Pours a very cloudy, darker medium orange with a three finger light cream-colored head that fades very slowly.

S - Lots of lemony citrus and a touch of funk.

T - Tart lemon, dull black pepper, and some farmhouse funk.

D - Good carbonation with a light body and a tart finish.

O - Lemony and nice spices with a subtle farmhouse finish.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2012 04:50:19 | More by HuskyinPDX

Reaper16

Alabama

3.9/5  rDev +1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750mL bottle served into a tulip glass

Pours a hazy tangerine color. About 3/4 of a finger of head formed on a gentle pour. Lacing happens in little spots and dots around the glass.

Noble King has a complex nose, and mostly because of the yeast. Aromas of: lilac, white pepper, appleskin, orange, cardamom, lavender, cleaning solution, honeysuckle. It's quite floral & spicy; the fruitiness, while present, plays second-fiddle. I wish there was some funk to the aroma, but it doesn't need any to smell good.

The taste is estery up front, with a lemon & orange burst. The cardamom comes in next, escorting the dry, crackery malt flavors. The midpalate sees a floral character begin to take over -- lavender almost to the point of outright soapiness. The finish has a lingering hop bitterness backed up by the phenolic pepper flavor that has waited this whole time to emerge. That interplay makes this taste a lot like a finer cup of tea in that I swear this tastes tannic.

The body on this Saison is fuller and creamier than I would expect from the style. This would be a significant problem if the beer didn't achieve an appropriate level of dryness.

Overall, this is a darn good Saison. Not as good as American examples from Boulevard or The Bruery or etc., but unique enough in its floral flavor to warrant purchase.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2012 22:00:25 | More by Reaper16

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.8/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sturdy, bright, and zesty- Jester King represents the super dry, fruity, and spicy saison style with a juicier and rounder palate and with a creamy-dry texture to boot.

Opening with a bright gold-amber glow that's similar to the juices of blood oranges, the beer forms a moussey white head that caps the beer like whipped cream. With strong retention and concrete lacing, the beer's appearance is bold and classy. Its heavy haze allows for a diffused glow when back lit.

Sharp and peppery aromas rise first, and do so with impressions of white pepper, cumin, yeasty must, and light plastic. Not far behind is the scent of fruit- represented well by notes of peach, orange, fig, and apple. With light white wine, cider, tea-like herbs, and earthy hop undertones the beer takes the nose in many different directions.

Creamy malt introduce themselves to the palate first with bready sweetness of thinned honey and light biscuit. A rounded sweet taste of fruit with embedded acidity rise at mid palate and provide a sweet peach and orange flavor heading into finish. That's when the spices strike the back of the mouth with fresh cracked white peppercorn, freshly grates cumin and ginger, and a light grassy hop bitterness to close the beer.

Medium-light on the palate, the early sips are engaged by the high carbonaiton that creates a champagne-like spritziness that ushers in the peppery-dry finish far sooner than is expected. But after the beer breathes a bit, its creamy carbonation allows the mouth to explore the sweetness and fruitiness a bit more in depth before concluding with a powdery-dry spiciness and earthiness. Mild warmth and a stern leafy hop dryness assists the peppery notes and dry malt textures to finish the beer.

It's quite rare to find authentic dryness, spiciness, and earthiness in American-made saisons. Many of them are far to simplified and malty. Jester King seems to acknowledge the difference and play to the more traditional farmhouse varieties of Belgium.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2012 05:38:28 | More by BEERchitect