Brooklyn Sorachi Ace - Brooklyn Brewery

Bouleboubier

Pennsylvania

4.51/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

The "lemon" flavor is overstated in this so-delicious Sorachi ale. To be true, lemon is certainly there, but the ratio of lime aroma/flavor to it is about 2:1 (i mixed the fresh juices of each just to see), surely with some banana and floral phenols from the yeast, tropical-ish cannabis, and a dab of sugar-cookie malt in the mix. This goes for smell and taste.

Hazy, lite-brite sunbeam yellow in color, with a healthy rise in cottony foam on the pour. Cotton-candy like bands of lace to and fro. Mellow citrus-peel flavor and bitterness matched with smooth, spicy alcohol warmth up front on the palate, and a fine foundation of doughy, cereal-like pale malt to balance. Light and fluffy texture, disappearing soft-dry, leaving only spicy, cozy alcohol warmth and a semi-sweet/bright-fruity blend of the eponymous hops and esters.

They appear to have kept the recipe simple here and those that follow that blueprint are often the best beers, no? This was my introduction to Sorachi Ace hops a few years back and I savor that flavor in any beer I've had containing them since. So distinctive. WOuld match so well with a light, fruity dessert or peppery salad. Really stellar job on this one!

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2013 19:59:07 | More by Bouleboubier

dar482

New York

4.69/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

The color is a yellow lemon that is slight hazy.

The aroma has lemon, orange, and some biscuit malt. There's a sweet banana candy.

The flavor follows the aroma. Orange, lemon, banana candy. There's a big spiciness of clove and pepper. There's almost an earthy herbal flavor too.

Good bitter hop finish. I've never had sorachi hops before, but this is quite a delicious hops. This really has more complexity than DuPont. It's extremely complex and I think DuPont is more classic and easier to drink, but this surely is a more fun beer.

Serving type: on-tap

05-20-2013 05:58:54 | More by dar482

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance. Pours a hazy light gold with almost 3 fingers of foamy white head. Great lacing.

Smell. Spicy saison yeast, banana and citrus, clove and a bit of light grainy malt.

Taste. Spicy and peppery saison yeast, orange and lemon rind and light grains, some lightly bitter grassy/earthy hops and just a touch of clove and banana.

Mouthfeel. On the low side of medium bodied with medium-strong fine carbonation.

Overall. Classic style saison with plenty of flavour. I enjoyed it.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 02:18:34 | More by Rutager

memphischas

Tennessee

3.91/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Brooklyn is a new comer to TN. Had this previously on tap at Young Ave. Deli. Reviewing 25 oz. bottle purchased at Midtown Spirits in Nashville.

Poured into my tulip glass with a 2 finger head that dissipates fairly quickly, no significant lacing. This Ace has a hazy golden color with a slight pink hue. Smells like Belgian yeast and lemon. Earthy, grassy taste; I can taste the yeast it has a sour tang to it, peach aftertaste. Strong carbonation and medium mouthfeel. Mellows down as it warms and settles. Good brew, I think I preferred the Ace on-tap. From the bottle B+. On-tap A-

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 01:57:22 | More by memphischas

Richiebaseball

Georgia

4.48/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A very solid beer! Just a hint of lemon in the smell. Beautiful color. Nice and golden. Not served too cold which I think is important. Very good taste and aftertaste. Left my mouth tasting just a little dry. This beer just kept getting better with every drink. I would order this ale again anytime!

Serving type: on-tap

05-09-2013 21:41:57 | More by Richiebaseball

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

4.16/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

750ml Bottle from the Wegmans Dewitt NY for 10$

Appearance - Clear gold colour with a large size fizzy/frothy white coloured head. There is a high amount of carbonation showing and there is some good lacing. The head lasted for around 5 minutes.

Smell - Breads/grains, clove/yeast, lemons, ginger, hops

Taste & Mouth - There is a high amount of carbonation and I can taste bread/grains mixed with some lemons, and ginger. There is also some yeast and honey. It ends with a lemony bready aftertaste.

Overall - Really good stuff. Had this with a nice BBQ in the sun and it was perfect. I will buy more of this beer, even with the slightly higher price tag.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 00:23:38 | More by spinrsx

JerzDevl2000

New Jersey

4.2/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Finally got around to having this, splitting it with a friend to celebrate the paying off of the first of my two student loans from Columbia. I was intrigued by the style of this beer and the Sorachi Ace hop but I wouldn't know it was Japanese unless I read what was on the bottle. This was about as a good as Saison/Farmhouse beer that I've ever had and as smooth and grassy as it was, it was also refreshing in so many ways.

The head on this beer had to be one of the largest I've ever seen, as I had pout it and let it settle several times before I had enough at a time to sample. The hue was golden and cloudy as well with the head that remained clinging to the sides of my glass as I worked my way down it. Thankfully, the carbonation that was present there was repeated in the taste, to go along with a ton of grass, straw, champagne, and a good amount of lemon zest. This had a dry mouthfeel to it with only the sourness becoming apparent in the aftertaste.

Likewise for the alcohol - this was fairly strong but in no way did the booze make itself felt until afterwards. While the earthiness of a beer typical of this style is present, the champagne yeast and mountain of bubbles gives this a very lively feel that's present from start to finish. I've never had a bad bomber from Brooklyn and this was no exception. This was wonderful and a great beer to welcome in the warmer days with!

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 21:38:29 | More by JerzDevl2000

CrazyDavros

Australia

3.89/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours pale amber with a large, white head.
Nose shows lemon custard along with softer dill and spicy hops. Pretty tempting.
More lemon and dill as flavours along with soft bready malt and saison spicy notes.
Carbonation is very high, but it works well.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 06:34:35 | More by CrazyDavros

SlothB77

Virginia

4.3/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured from 25.4 oz bomber into glass.

A: A cumulonimbus cloud of three fingers of white foam on top of a clear body. Very light shadings of gold and yellow in the color. Very clear.

S: Nose has melon, pine, herbs, mint, blossom.

T: Flavors of pineapple, grapefruit, lemon, cut grass. I can taste the ginger the prior reviewer mentioned and definitely a peppery spice kick as well. Slightly bitter finish, no charring.

M: medium-bodied, lots of carbonation and acidity.

O: As expected for a saison, lots of fruit and florals. Very sweet. The sugary sweet citrus hits first, but the pine/ mint/ grassy flavor hits almost immediately after and the two mix for a very nice flavor definitely stronger on the mint/ pine/ grassy side.

Serving type: nitro-bottle

04-08-2013 00:19:09 | More by SlothB77

mactrail

California

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

Beautiful 12 oz pour in the tall glass. Light amber color with long-lasting suds. Great mouthfeel-- both creamy and prickly. Medium body. Flavor is totally unique. Tastes like green peppers, black pepper, green apples, and jicama. Most interesting an likable flavors, however indescribable.

This is fairly malty at first, not really bitter even after the hop flavors emerge, but rather tart in the vein of many Saisons. The aftertaste touches on more bitterness. A thoroughly interesting brew I'm glad to have encountered. On tap at Pizza Paradiso in Georgetown. [transcribed from notes ; 06/10/2012 visit]

Serving type: on-tap

03-25-2013 05:50:35 | More by mactrail

PattyMelt

Michigan

3.96/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A- Nothing too special. Amber yellow, minimal white head. Doesn't look fantastic, but looks good.
S- a very, very citrus, slight pine.
T- Starts off light, very crisp on the back. High lemon flavor with a strong kick of ginger. Clean & smooth.
M- light bodied.
O- very refreshing summer beer. I can see myself sitting on my deck drinking this for hours. Love it.

Serving type: on-tap

03-20-2013 02:10:47 | More by PattyMelt

Vixie

Illinois

4.04/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a straw yellow color with a hint of orange. Forms a huge white head that lingers, pour this one slowly.

Smell is a bit bread like, then gets sweet with a lot of lemon as well as fresh mown grass. The smell makes me think of the outdoors.

Kind of hard to pinpoint the exact flavors here, but what I am tasting works. It comes across as earthy, grassy and floral, with a hint of fruit. Finishes with a hop bitterness that is not overpowering, but lingers in a nice way.

Nice feel to this one, there is a good amount of carbonation, so you will feel this one going down. Still, it's smooth, and a bit lively.

This is an unusual beer, and in a good way. Hard to pinpoint any one thing about it, but the overall package works very well. Nice and complex, and goes down easy. I would happily have this one again, highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 02:18:01 | More by Vixie

rdickey

New Jersey

4.8/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Appearance: A slightly too-rough pour reveals a pale straw colored beer, somewhat cloudy, capped by a massive white head. The head persists for a while, and leaves rings of white lacing as I work my way through the glass.

Smell: Lemons are front and center, but they are capably joined by black pepper, a mild funk and a faint hint of bubble gum.

Taste: Wow, this is a keeper. The thing that most strikes me about the beer is that it’s a coherent package – the lemons from the hops continue to be featured, but everything works together so well that you don’t think “oh, a lemon beer.” Aside from the lemon, there’s a certain earthiness and grassiness, as well as traditional Belgian spice. It all works exceptionally well together.

Mouthfeel: Very light and crisp, with relatively high carbonation. Again, it just works.

Drinkability: Quite high; I’d characterize it as sessionable but the ABV is just a tad high for that. Still, this is going to become a part of my regular rotation. Just exceptional.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 21:28:36 | More by rdickey

tectactoe

Michigan

4.05/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Ashley's in Westland. Pours a golden-straw color; translucent with a mild chill haze that eventually fades away as the beer warms up a bit. Big-bubbled, white head is thin all the way throughout, but its small size was most likely due to the pour. Small bits of wet legging cling to the glass momentarily and eventually drip down.

The Sorachi Ace hop is notable for its lemon-like characteristics. Anyone who didn't already know that will definitely realize it after taking a whiff. The nose is packed with lemon in many different hats; lemon peel, lemon zest, lemongrass. Very effervescent; light, yet powerful; smooth, yet crisp. Mild herbal notes, grassy and subtly earthy, showcase themselves alongside the lemon brigade. Belgian yeast is no stranger here, either, adding the classic bubblegum-like aroma that has become oh so familiar. Mild finishing spices; clove, coriander, and faint white pepper.

The taste really integrates the Sorachi Ace hop well - the lemon notes are vibrant and noticeable, yet still manage to blend well with everything else, rather than sound anything out. Lots of flavors clashing all at once with each sip; lemon zest, herbal lemon tea, earthy hops, clove, white pepper, heavy yeast. The malt character is straightforward and basic; sometimes simplicity is the key. They add a nice cracker-like finish with some mild, balancing sweetness. Very like phenol character that only really becomes noticed near the latter half of the glass. Crispy, thanks to the hefty carbonation, finishing pretty dry with fading notes of herbal lemons and spicy yeast in the aftertaste. Thin-medium bodied.

Very good suggestion from Ron. Dangerously drinkable; fresh, crisp, dry, simple, and executed very well. Nice integration of flavor from this unique hop; this beer went down pretty quickly.

Serving type: on-tap

03-14-2013 11:48:18 | More by tectactoe

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

This is a great saison. Nice earthy tones. Grassy and only mildly funky. Carbonation is pretty high; could deal with a little less of that. But this is consistent and on the spot for the style. More of a sipper than anything else. Another nice one from Brooklyn. Keep it up, folks!

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 04:36:51 | More by RblWthACoz

Illuminist

Indiana

4.06/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed this poured into a New Belgium globe glass.

Aroma: Citrus and lemon zest, spices like pepper or coriander. Good floral aromas

Appearance: Beautifully blonde and clear. Great carbonation with help from the glass. White, fluffy head that hung around fairly well. Some alcohol legs.

Taste/Mouthfeel: Bright and bubbly. Fresh splash of citrus zest. Lightly flavored and light mouthfeeel. Lingering, dry finish. Really cleanses the palate.

I enjoyed this thoroughly. Like the bottle says, "it tastes like sunshine in a glass." The Sorachi Ace hops gave it a Pilsner quality that I enjoyed. It's very drinkable and would be a great introductory Saison for white wine and champagne drinkers.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 07:17:26 | More by Illuminist

MrKennedy

Australia

4.03/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle from Platinum Liquor, into a Lost Abbey Teku.

Really pretty hazy golden pour. Nice hiss as it comes out of the bottle and into the glass. Good white, tightly packed foam building on top before settling to a level just above film.

Smells of lemon and lemongrass. Makes HopBack Taiphoon seem tame. A little sweet at times, but the lemon definitely dominates any belgian yeast character that tries to get through.

Tastes of belgian yeast to begin. The lemon and lemon cleaner comes through in the middle. Some lemon sulphur gets through later and as this warms up. Probably the best experience i've had with Sorachi Ace hops. More lemon and lemongrass and less "in your face" sulphur.

ABV is higher, some vinous up front. But otherwise, pretty sessionable and drinkable given the specs and hop used. Body isn't too big at all.

Best use of Sorachi Ace hops i've come across. Nice showcase for it and it doesn't totally take over in the taste with the belgian yeast enough to work with it. Lovely beer and a lot of fun to drink. 750ml serving size is also about right, enough to drink on your own, but still a decent size to share.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 08:25:43 | More by MrKennedy

garuda

Pennsylvania

4.44/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Light gold, slightly hazed, white cap has good retention and decent lace.

S/T - Slightly tart, yeast funk, hay, grass, lemon candy sweetness. Moderate hop bitterness in the finish.

M - Medium body, lively carbonation, fluffy and smooth across the palate. Clean, dry finish.

O - This hop varietal seems to pair perfectly with the saison style. Accentuates the standard lemon/grass/hay flavors of saisons. Well done, I'd like to compare it to the bottle version.

Serving type: on-tap

02-24-2013 19:56:11 | More by garuda

slammo

New Jersey

4.16/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Sorachi Ace is really something special. If you read the back label too intently you might never open it. The ingredients are well thought out and effective. Drinking it right now in February it reminds me of warm summer days and crisp dry satisfaction. The head is white and crisp, the aroma a bouquet and the taste exquisite. I want more.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 02:26:17 | More by slammo

SHODriver

California

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: pours a light and clear yellow with a three finger white head that is slow to fade into an ommegang tulip
S: smells lemony and grassy with a bit of spice and a slight pale malt aroma
T: taste is spicy yeast with some lemony and grassy flavor with some cracker like malt. just a hint of funk as well. swallow brings more spice and lemon with a bit of grassyness plus just a touch of medicinal herb
M: carbonation is assertive but not overly so and the beer has a medium feel in the mouth. fairly smooth on the palate.
O: a very nice saison. good flavors and complexity without anything outshining another flavor.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2013 04:09:06 | More by SHODriver

richj1970

Alabama

4.3/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from 750 ml bottle into Founder's Bolt Cutter glass.

A: Poured pale golden almost lemon color with nice three finger fluffy white head with large bubbles. Nice lacing.

S: Lots of lemon, oranges and citrus mixed with a grassy note that is really enjoyable.

T: More citrus flavors mixed with nice hops and spice. Reminds me of some nice champagnes in some respects.

M: Dry and nicely carbonated. Refreshing to drink.

O: I like this one quite a bit. I just wish they carried it locally. Nearest place to get it retail is about an hour and a half from the house.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 00:59:14 | More by richj1970

Muhly

Alberta (Canada)

4.11/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

(From tasting notes dated January 19, 2013)

Poured from a corked 1 pint bottle into a large brandy snifter. Served after warming 15 minutes from fridge.

A-Pours a very clear yellow gold. Very fine and foamy head that bubbles up quickly. Good head retention that leaves strings of lacing when it drops.

S-Singular citrus aroma unlike anything I have experienced. Very little malt.

T-Lemon citrus that finishes extremely dry. The Sorachi Ace hops are highlighted perfectly. Very little sweetness or maltiness.

M-Similar to champagne. Very dry and ebullient.

O-I've rated this beer quite highly because it highlights the wonderful Sorachi hops so perfectly. Its a hop forward beer that is extremely refreshing. I don't think I'll find anything quite like it and will certainly seek this out again.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 21:55:51 | More by Muhly

TheFightingMongooses

New Jersey

4.06/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

750 ml bottle poured into a tulip. The only bottled/freshness date is a small 2012 printed on the back label. I just have to mention that I love the label design/artwork! It's simple yet incredibly classy, especially the back panel.

Appearance - Big fluffy white head from the initial pour goes down slow. The beer is crystal clear pale golden with moderate yet active carbonation.

Smell - The aroma is light and refreshing. I get slightly sour white grapes, a touch of straw/hay, a good mix of clove-like spice, and a bit of sweet honey. Pleasant, earthy, fruity, complex, awesome!

Taste/Mouthfeel - The beer is silky smooth and light on the tongue, with hints of coconut (or maybe vanilla) and pineapple over a solid honey-sweet malt foundation. The spice is well integrated. At first the aftertaste was coarse and disagreeable, but as I keep drinking it becomes less noticeable.

Overall - The weird aftertaste is the only thing that detracts from this beer, otherwise it is outstanding! This may become my go-to saison when I want something light and complex.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 01:41:32 | More by TheFightingMongooses

ferrouswolf

Delaware

4.4/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bought a bottle after seeing it in the store and looking it up here. I don't normally go for hop-driven beers, but I decided to give this one a try. Here goes!

Appearance: a nice hazy golden color; slight hint of red, but more on the yellow side of yellow-orange. Rocky foam head that sticks around awhile before fading to a ring and partial coverage across the top. Not much lacing.

Smell: lemongrass, bamboo skewer aromas. I could smell it soon after opening the bottle.

Taste: a nice pilsner malt nose followed by a wave of grassy, lemony freshness with herbal and bamboo flavors moving to a short, dry finish. Some lingering bitterness, but properly restrained and not unpleasant.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied, and fine bubbles on the tongue. Almost --but not quite-- too carbonated.

Overall: I don't normally go for hop-driven beers, but this is excellent. Definitely demonstrates the broad range of flavors in beer. I wish the flavors were a bit smoother and more connected (perhaps in a rye version?), but the hops and yeast melded well into a delicious harmony. Very tasty; worth seeking out if you're not really into overwhelming bitterness but want to try a pure expression of a hop varietal.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 00:26:11 | More by ferrouswolf

sevenarts

New York

3.8/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Pale and slightly cloudy yellow. White head, good retention and a bit of lacing.

S: Lemony, grassy, funky with lots of underlying Belgian yeast.

T/M: Lemony and hoppy up front. Then a bit of spice and some musty yeasty notes. The finish is back to the lemon with a lingering bready, yeasty quality. Smooth and quite creamy.

O: A really interesting saison variation with a nice, distinctive hop character from the sorachi varietal. Tasty and subtle.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 21:36:16 | More by sevenarts