Brooklyn Sorachi Ace - Brooklyn Brewery

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

samoblue

California

4.43/5  rDev +7%
look: 2 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Kudos to rtepiak for adding this beer, a brew I first tried about a week ago and have sought out all over NYC ever since. This review comes from the pint I had at The Pony Bar in New York City on 7/28/09.

Pours a surprisngly light pale yellow, a tad brighter and more vibrant than your standard BMC but otherwise not much different. A satisfying finger of tight, creamy head crested the top of the pint glass.

The aroma is the first indication that this beer is something special. Floral notes unlike anything I'd ever smelled in a beer before--must be the Sorachi? (Which, I'll admit, I had to Google). Lemon, chamomile, and honeysuckle also contribute.

Taste is very floral and honeyed, but finishes quite dry. Carbonation is high, but bubbles are fairly tight so the bite isn't overpowering. Feels a bit thin on the mouthfeel, but for such a delicate beer that's probably to be expected, and given the heat we had last night, was quite welcome.

I found this to be a very drinkable beer (I had a full growler of it last Friday night), but at 6.5% it is NOT the session beer that its initial color might lead you to believe. Some may find it too flowery for their tastes, but I thought it was a beautiful beer in its delicacy. Will definitely look for this again, before it's gone forever.

Serving type: on-tap

07-29-2009 15:12:38 | More by samoblue

shageman331

Maryland

3.8/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml was about $13. Poured into my Allagash glass.

Appearance- slightly hazy straw lemon color with a large rocky white head... maybe four fingers from a moderate pour

Smell- more muted than I expected but I get hints of lemon-ish and a very slight mustyness fitting a saison

Taste- probably poured too cold.... definitely opened up as it warmed. Lemongrass is there up front (I'm assuming the sorachi hops)... interestingly enough I get a little bit of a hefeweizen taste on the back end (banana, cloves). Finishes nice and dry.... a solid saison

Mouthfeel- carbonation is lively and crisp... on par with what I have had with other saisons

Overall - I think this is quite a solid brew. Not quite as interesting as I was hoping, but solid nonetheless. As a side note, this paired quite well with greek yogurt.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2010 03:47:58 | More by shageman331

Nutwood

Kentucky

5/5  rDev +20.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Saw this on the new drafts board at my main spot. Inquired about the style and was informed is was a Saison on tap.

Draft, 10 oz. pour into a goblet at ideal temperature.

A: Rich, slightly hazed golden color; half-finger of lingering head, a nice slightly yellowish off-white that lingered and laced pleasantly.

S: Country air aroma of hay, light fresh earth, spice, a touch of pine and lemongrass, an impression of tropical and floral without being sweet or perfumey. Nice notes of yeast hinting at the flavor to follow.

T: Follows nose and adds delicately balanced malt and hops. Taste is assertive but not aggressive; complex but very cohesive. Any bitter components present in the Sorachi hops are subdued and integrated into the overall complexity. There is a mellow spice hops flavor balancing the malt on the front, and the finish returns to the floral and lemongrass. There is a bit of elusive fruit here, the closest I can come is pear. After-taste is lip smacking fresh and clean and makes you want to savor and reflect before sipping again.

M: Medium body with carbonation present but in proportion to the flavor; the bubbles have presence but do not interfere with the taste.

O: This beer for me was inspiring; after a day of very high IBUs this was a refreshing eye-opener. It showed up big-time and reminded me there is more to beer than booze, bitterness and in-your-face attempts at "boldness". This is personal and is probably just an individual reaction, but the second and third sips of this gave me a bit of goose-flesh. This is a beer I will return to soon and often.

Serving type: on-tap

07-15-2012 16:14:58 | More by Nutwood

wstein70

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Got a bottle of this to trade with Icharus and I decided to get one for myself to try out since I haven't had it and I am a fan of saisons. I have to say this is a very good beer and the A- BA rating is well deserved.

A: Poured out a golden color with a nice foamy head that will stick around a while.

S: A pleasant cirtusy smell. Also IPA type hoppy smell.

T: Here is the great part about this beer. To me it is a cross between a IPA and a saison. You have the intense hoppy taste as the Sorachi Ace hops comes out. Also, there is the sweet malty flavor of the saison coming right behind the hoppy-ness.

M: This beer left a clean taste without a strong after-taste. Very pleasant.

D: This beer is a good candidate to enjoy by the pool on a hot day or to relax in front of the tv watching a football game in Dec.

I am thoroughly pleased with this beer and will have to put it into my rotation of beers

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2011 02:19:55 | More by wstein70

martincm

North Carolina

4.58/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Wow, this glass is disappearing fast. It is a very smooth brew and looks beautiful in the glass with that intermittent lacing. It is lacking in saison-tartness, but makes up for it in an interesting sweetness. Maybe just a touch more of hops would put it out of the park.

Overall: Buy it.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2011 01:25:00 | More by martincm

glassbrass440

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Aroma: Citrus peel, candied ginger, and grass fill my nose.

Appearance: Ever so slightly cloudy. Straw gold with a bright white head that lingers. Tiny bubbles slowly migrate to the top of the glass much like champagne.

Taste: Lemon. Lots of lemon. Very unique. Some grassy notes as well. There is a slight metallic character that comes in far behind the citrus. As the label states, "it tastes like sunshine in a glass", and I couldn't agree more.

Palate: Amazingly light for such a strong brew. Very well attenuated and dry without being thin. The carbonation is reminiscent of champagne.

Overall: This is a good toasting beer as elegant as the label.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2011 05:30:10 | More by glassbrass440

canjeeps

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Very excited to pop this one with Bottlequeststeve. Picked it up at wegmans a few months ago for $12ish. Any to the brew
A- very gold to light gold color. Very well carbonated. Bubbles were sticking on the sides of the glass. Decent head

S- very Saison like. Earthy a touch of sweetness and then I got the Sorachi hop presence. Quite strong hop smell

T- the first sip was like how it first smelled. Good at first then ingot pounded by the hop bitterness. I like hops but this one was just bitter and outbid balence.

M- good, exactly what it should be for this style

O- this one was disappoint. It was just to bitter and not in a good way. Maybe with some more time the hop bitterness will fade

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2011 15:24:28 | More by canjeeps

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

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

SourCK

3.68/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: Golden and unfiltered. Very carbonated with a thick white head a little over one finger thick.

Smell: Strong scent of lemon and citrus. Subtle hop character. Hint of barnyard.

Taste: Characteristic belgian yeast flavor dominated by lemon. The hop flavor is over powered by the lemon. I like the tart character, but wish that the beer was a little more balanced.

Mouthfeel: High carbonation levels, typical of saisons. Somewhat coarse and tingles the palate.

Overall: This was a good representation of the saison style. I think there was too much lemon zest over powering the other flavors for my taste. I would drink this beer again, but I won't rush out to buy another immediately.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 00:47:00 | More by SourCK

mark1703

New Jersey

4.38/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I had this beer at the Vermont festival on 7/18. I was well into the festival by the time I came to this beer, so may review may be a bit off. Very aromatic hoppiness. Very floral with fruity notes. A different hop flavor or something. It was very drinkable as I spent a ticket on a second sample. I ordered a sixtel for this weekend, so I plan on getting to know this beer better. Definitely a unique beer.

Serving type: on-tap

07-31-2009 01:19:22 | More by mark1703

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

Gwynn400

Virginia

4.7/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured from a 750 bottle into pint glasses. Initially, tons of white frothy head, a good couple of inches. The head slowly subsided, leaving a decent amount of lacing on the glass.

The beer pours a typical saison color, yellow and opaque. The aromas are banana and citrus. I think I get the very slight smell of the hops, but hard to identify because its a different smelling hops than I am used to.

The first sips are highly carbonated, but excellent. Tastes of citrus are prevalent and tasty. The beer was less bitter than I expected, but the hop flavors are definitely there. This beer is different than any I have had before. I definitely recommend this to anyone.

Bottom line, if you enjoy the saison style and are looking for something a little interesting, this beer fits the bill.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2010 23:14:28 | More by Gwynn400

jmball

Minnesota

4.65/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Tried this with a co-worker. Poured a fizzy golden hue, nice soft head. Nose is crisp and clean, exceptionally refreshing for a summer evening.

Taste was effervescent. I described it as effervescent artic sunshine - and then read the bottle - turns out I'm spot on. Hints of lemon and just a faint touch of onion add a nice little kick.

Definately one of my favorite beers of the summer.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2011 22:49:24 | More by jmball

dca1972

Ohio

3.35/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sorry if Ive got this wrong ... long time member, first time reviewer.

A ... Light, golden
S ... Floral, bright, hoppy
T ... Creamy hop character
M ... bubbly, light

Has a lingering taste that changes. More Pils than Saison. Unexpected ABV @ 7.5%
Impressive offering from Brooklyn Brew
Seems to mellow as it breathes, warms

Serving type: on-tap

08-02-2011 22:13:34 | More by dca1972

Brian

4.88/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I have never tasted a beer with this flavor. It was very smooth and full bodied, almost a hybrid of a wheat beer and rich pilsner. Apparently there is lemon and citrus flavor in this beer, however it is so smooth I did not find it to have any bitterness. My experience was that it had a rich vanilla-like flavor. Extremely unique beer compared with your typical summer pilsner or hoppy ale. Highly recommended, you will enjoy every drop.

Serving type: on-tap

02-26-2012 18:21:25 | More by Brian

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