Brooklyn Sorachi Ace - Brooklyn Brewery

FightingEntropy

Minnesota

4.83/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Got a bottle from Petschens, and very happy with Brooklyn again. Hazy shimmering gold beer with a lingering white head. Drank it the same day I bought it, so didn't let it settle out, so I may be the cause of the hazy part. Gorgeous complex lemongrass, citrus nose and strong peppery spice that is clean and multi-layered at the same time. Carbon tang on the tongue and the yeast and spice fills the mouth fully. Dry finished that accents the hops. Brewed with rare Japanese Sorachi hops (according to the website), the lemony character is intrinsic to the hop. I'm a fan and would love to get some more of this beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2011 01:00:42 | More by FightingEntropy

lumikuuro

British Columbia (Canada)

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

Appearance: Hazy yellow ochre with huge off white head with amazing retention, leaving some thick patches of lace. The head is meringue like in texture and likes to form mountains and craters.

Aroma: Yeasty, rich lemon pie and zest, some lemongrass.

Taste: Yeasty, rich lemon pie and zest, some lemongrass. Hints of orange and sweet grapefruit. Some pepper. Very prickly but refined hop behaviour. A little tartness balances the modest sweetness. Abv well hidden.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, moderately dry. That prickly hop sensation is very enjoyable. Very crisp and refreshing from the champagne yeast.

Drinkability: A very nice beer that showcases the unusual flavours of the sorachi ace hop. Worth buying a second bottle to age.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2010 01:42:02 | More by lumikuuro

diamondc

Texas

4.8/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Super pale. Huge head and some decent lacing.

S: Amazing. I've never smelled anything like this from a beer before. Lavender, lemon oil, apricots, wax.

T: The lemongrass flavor dominates everything. There are some decent grainy malt and orange citrus notes to not make this so one-dimensional. Reminds me of a amped up witbier mixed with a saison.

M: Bubbly, quaffable. A real big flavor with a light body.

O: This one is flat out great. The best Brooklyn beer I've had so far. This one is more expensive than the Local 1/2 though so who knows when I'll buy this again.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2012 08:31:18 | More by diamondc

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

cosmicevan

New York

4.78/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

when on saw this available for growler fills I simply could not pass this up. enjoyed several pours in my brooklyn snifter on 7/9 while I was "on Hiatus."

a - just like the bottled version, it poured a golden yellow with champagne-like carbonation and a thick 3 finger frothy head with super sticky lacing.

s - candy and bubblegum. perfect for the summer weather. crisp and vibrant with some peppery fruit.

t - saison maximus. one if the better ones out there. great soft white pepper fruitiness. candy and bubblegum.

m - Silky and smooth with an undeniable zest.

d - Fantastic. One of my fav saisons. glad they made it year round and delighted to get this in growler. a true masterpiece and a must try for any fan of beer.

Serving type: growler

Serving type: growler

08-01-2012 01:39:14 | More by cosmicevan

PhageLab

Virginia

4.75/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

400th review. 750ml bottle poured into a pilsner glass.

A - Effervescent and slightly hazy pale golden coloration. Huge bubbly head displayed some good staying power.

S - Quite hoppy, smells like a fresh IPA. Yeast and lemon notes are also present, but are easily dominated.

T - Perfume on the tongue, and a little like champagne, but that could be psychological knowing which yeast is used. Pepper and lemon peel make up the profile, with a floral finish.

M - Crisp light body, sharp carbonation that works very well here. Finish is dry.

D - Slightly odd, but overall a fantastic beer. A hybrid of sorts, but simply superb. I've got to get another one of these before they're gone. If you see one, don't hesitate. Well worth the twelve or thirteen dollars.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2011 21:26:40 | More by PhageLab

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.74/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

one of the best beers i have ever had. no kidding. beautiful packaging cork and cage set up for 27 bucks at harry's seafood restaurant in wilmington, deleware. poured a heady golden a little hazy into a frosted pint glass. smells like a saison, yeasty, grassy, and way way way more hoppy than these usually are. almost ipa-esque in the nose. the flavor is unreal, not nearly the hop bomb promised by the aroma. instead a balanced complexity. i can detect vanilla, cut grass, citrus fruit, and a delicate malt backing band. mouthfeel is perfect, medium bodied, brilliantly carbonated, and smooth as anything. has a sort of richness in the feel that most beers dont have, especially saisons. the bottle mentions a champaigne yeast, which is the first ive heard of it, but it imparts wonderful flavor and feel to this beer. worth the money and was excellent with our massive seafood feast. i will be reccommending this beer to everyone, its absolutely winderful!

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2011 16:52:29 | More by StonedTrippin

hosehead83

Ohio

4.72/5  rDev +14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured from a smart-looking bomber bottle into a wine goblet
Cloudy, orange-gold, with a big fluffy head of foam
Aroma-Fruity, lemony, some subtle funkiness
Taste-Very crisp, lemon essence, coriander notes, snappy earthy hop notes, peppery. Very flavorful and refreshing, bright and zesty. Delightfully complex yet "gulp-able" in its drinkability. An instant classic. Top shelf all the way. Truly "sunshine in a glass". Get some!!

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2010 14:51:46 | More by hosehead83

Mcculler

Ohio

4.72/5  rDev +14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Would like to have had more before reviewing, but wanted to review this beer since Im not sure when Ill get to another.

Poured a towering head that quickly receded without all together dissipating. Left huge chunky lacing in the Sam Adams tulip pint glass.

Smelled immediately of flowery, herbal citrus. Especially lemon. Some tropical fruits. Slightly earthy and funky.

Tastes of yeast, herbs, lemon, orange, pear, papaya, mango(?), with an earthy funk that adds a little mystery.

Good mouthfeel - not too thin or thick for the style with moderate carbonation.

This beer is beautifully clear in its expression of complex notes, while at the same time withholding just enough to be a little mysterious. Has a long finish that lingers and unfolds on the palate. I imagine this would be great with food, but was equally great by itself with some company. I especially love Saisons these days - but with that caveat, I feel I can say this was one of the best beers Ive had. I am in love. Many thanks to Ryan for picking up this bottle and sharing it.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2010 15:03:55 | More by Mcculler

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

DIM

Pennsylvania

4.68/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

a: This was a slightly cloudy straw colored yellow. It was served to me with a short white cap that faded to moderate lace.

s: Lemon, lemon, and more lemon. By far the lemoniest beer I've ever smelled. In the backround was a little dry, spicy Belgian yeastiness. Overall though, this was absoultely a hop showcase.

t: Here as well; hops first, saison a distant second. The fresh, lemony but not bitter sorachi ace hop took center stage and it is fantastic. The peppery Belgian yeast was barely noticeable. I'm not sure I could have identified this as a saison if I didn't know what it was going in. This is a beer for hopheads, no doubt.

m: Crisply carbonated and refreshing. Slightly dry at the finish.

d: I tried this at the Drafting Room and they had several beers I wanted to try. I couldn't pull myself away from this though. As a saison, this is an interesting experiment. As a hop showcase, this is a clear winner. I can't recommend this strongly enough.

Serving type: on-tap

08-15-2009 15:20:56 | More by DIM

twelvsies

Maine

4.68/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Loving the Sorachi Ace hop right now. And loving the way Brooklyn showcases said hop in this delicious saison. Pours a vibrant orange-tinted golden hue, nice large head atop. The aromas pouring out of this beer are pretty unreal... Deeply layered and complex. Starts of with a heavy dose of mango hops (the sorachi ace is the mango hop in my opinion), deep and fruity, and plenty of classic saison earthyness and dust. Excellent fruity esters from the champagne yeast. Really interesting, and I'm almost getting an umami or ripe cheese overtone here... Crazy. This beer is superb on the palate as well. So much going on. Again hops forward, mango to the max, but in a super floral juicy way, not much bitterness, though remains quite dry. There is a nice fruity aspect to this beer too - great yeast and bottle conditioning in effect. A deepness to it as well, a la Belgian tripel or something. Rustic. Super soft yet lively mouthfeel, delicious. Could definitely drink this all day long, given a keg and a day off. This beer is clearly paying homage to the great Belgian saisons, but is just another great example of an extremely creative American interpretation. And as such, it becomes something else entirely. Amazing, would drink again.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2010 14:28:53 | More by twelvsies

LittleDon

Texas

4.65/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22oz bomber into a tulip-shaped glass. Golden with lots of haze. Plenty of bleached white head is produced due to lots of carbonation. It eventually subsides into intermittent lace. Aroma is predominantly bananas, with a hint of cloves and mustiness. Carbonation bite up front. Noticeable acidity in the middle reminiscent of a citrus twang. Very pleasing light finish that leans towards the dry side. To date, I have had nothing quite like this. Contrary to the description found under Saisons, I found it to be on the delicate side with little bitterness. The spicy/fruity Belgian yeast characteristics are noticeable in the aroma, but not as much in the taste taste, which was very light bodied and acidic. A must try.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2010 20:13:37 | More by LittleDon

IronDjinn

Alberta (Canada)

4.65/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

From a 750 ml brown magnum, caged and corked. Pours out a cloudy yet very bright deep straw/light apricot hue, massive tight rocky white head with excellent retention.

Wow, incredibly clean and straight-forward aroma for this style--crisp clean lemon zest, mandarin and tangerine, even some dry lime, dry grains and some dry spicy and grassy hops. Dry, clean yeast becomes apparent as it warms.

The flavour is incredibly clean for the style as well, another wow. I'm not giving it a full 5 in this category because it's still lacking at least a hint of funk or sharpness (making it seem more like a Tripel or Strong Pale), but the clean balance otherwise must be commended. Clean grainy wheat up front blended with lemon zest, light citrus fruits throughout the middle along with mild spice, light leafy and dry spicy hops on the finish. Nice dry aftertaste of hops, yeast and citrus lingers briefly.

Medium-light mouthfeel, slippery slick texture, with moderate carbonation.

This stuff is awesome. Saison or personal interpretation of a Saison this is a total winner for me, worth every penny (as expensive as it is), and sadly for my wallet I'm going back for more to stock up. This is the bottle I'm bring to every dinner party I attend while it's still available, and it's now my go-to for New Years as well. An all around enjoyable beer that needs to be experienced, and very accessible for those not familiar with the style.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2010 08:28:45 | More by IronDjinn

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

crossovert

Wisconsin

4.63/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Elegantly packaged 750 ml corked and caged brown bottle.

It pours an elegant clear yellow/gold with a billowing bright white head. It looks clean for the style, but it does look magnificent.

The smell is a bouquet of springy fruit flavors. The hops give a huge lemony scent off to go along with the peachy, apricoty, spicy saison yeast. It has a touch of sugar in there too, smells like a summer breeze.

This one has such a fruity flavor. Apricot, orange, lemon, maybe some melon, it is pure light fruity goodness. The malts here are also dynamite, they accent the yeast to perfection. There is a subtle bitterness but not overpowering that make sit even more of a refresher. With more tastes I'm getting some candied mango int eh flavor. The yeasty spice complements the fruit flavors, especially the peach exceptionally.

They did this one right. It seems like American craft brewers have learned to perfect the Saison, I was enthralled by Sofie, this one takes my enthrallment to a whole new level.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2010 03:33:34 | More by crossovert

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

4.63/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A-Pours a hazy golden color. Pretty white cap. Head retains well and leaves misty lacing. Ambient coloring of the body.

S-Smells absolutely delicious. It smells so much like a Piña Colada. Coconuts and grassy hoppiness. A very slight whiff of funk. The Piña Colada aroma is magnificent.

T-Tastes a lot like NEBCO's Gold Stock Ale (one of my all time favorites by the way). That super unique pineapple flavor is supremely delicious. Nice grassiness. Lemon zest, light funk and spice. Still tastes like a Piña Colada in my opinion.

M-Feels lighter that the ABV would allow you to believe. Nice, crisp carbonation. Light bitterness. Great feel.

O/D-I truly wish I didn't wait so long to try this. So unique. It reminds me of a slightly less perfect version of one of my perhaps Top 5 favorite beers. Plenty to love about this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

05-08-2012 01:21:24 | More by VelvetExtract

jimilayne

New York

4.63/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Purchased at Eagle Provisions in Brooklyn. Poured from bottle into a chalice glass.'

Appearance: Nice sun yellow body with a thick, foamy 2-finger head.

Smell: Strong bitter yeasty nose with some citrusy and hoppy goodness. Doesn't reflect the taste and

Taste: Yeasty, champagne-y taste but not overpowering on the tongue. Refreshing even. Hint of lemon in there. Based on the nose I expected it to have a strong lingering aftertaste, but it doesn't.

Overall: Surprising burst of deliciousness after the bitter nose. Well done.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 00:32:49 | More by jimilayne

Gatch

Massachusetts

4.6/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On tap at the Roadhouse in Brookline, MA.

Fantastic stuff. You can tell it's unique from the first sip.

A - Very cloudy with a pale yellow hue. Fluffy head.

S - Very fruity, especially citrus.

T - Soft and creamy with a lot of citrus in the finish. I kept thinking of mangoes after each sip.

M&D - Very clean and fresh as soon as it hits your mouth. A little sour but it's inviting. Very easy to drink and highly recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

08-12-2009 19:09:48 | More by Gatch

Bitterbill

Wyoming

4.6/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Growler fill courtesy of the super trader known as NutBrown. Thanks Alan!

From the ever versatile GT 1 Liter swing top bottle.

A big pop when I opened the swing top, it pours a clear straw gold colour with a +2 finger head of foam. There is some nice lacing.

The smell is wow....lemon, lemon grass..I have never smelled a brew like this before so I gotta put it down to the special hops used. I also get some spiciness and some yeast but the lemon influence is huge and very inviting.

The taste, again, wow. The lemon smell transfers to the taste big time with a goodly amount of pepper and near the finish, I seem to get an almost earthy maltiness...maybe it's actually a Brett-yness, that quickly succumbs to more lemon that has a nice balance between bitter and tart.

Yeah man. This is a uniquely flavoured Saison that's really hitting my palate on all the right notes.

The mouthfeel is on the light side of medium and the carbonation is medium. Very nice. And...head retention is superb and look at all the lacing!

Drinkability? This is at my comfort level for the style, abv wise, but a Saison has to bring their A game to keep me interested for the whole session. This one surely did that so for me, it is very damn drinkable and surprisingly refreshing. A superb job by Brooklyn!

Serving type: growler

08-15-2009 01:37:55 | More by Bitterbill

HattedClassic

Virginia

4.6/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a nice pale and clear golden color. The head is white and rises quite readily. A little bit of lacing around the glass but not much.

Smell: A beautiful lemongrass smell with hints of yeast. The hops certainly dominate the palate quite a bit. I also get a slight citrusy taste in addition to the lemon.

Taste: A strong lemon taste with yeasty undertones.

Mouthfeel: Medium carbonation with a smooth feel.

Overall: I really enjoyed this beer and I liked the Sorachi Ace hops that were used. I really enjoyed drinking a Farmhouse ale in winter.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2011 01:56:53 | More by HattedClassic

jefe2

Texas

4.58/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance - hazy pale straw with fairly quickly dissolving white flat foamy head
Smell - lemon zest and spicy yeast and a little sweet like lemon chess, and a bit of powdery grain smell.
Taste - follows smell, but dry and with some metallic iron flavor just after the dry fore taste. There is a distinctive somewhat rubbery biscuity malt flavor in the middle that is probably from the yeast strain and the uncommon hop (Sorachi Ace). Dry airy finish. After taste is nice, little bit of powdery graininess and little bit of hop spice and tangy malt, but the flavors fade out evenly, without one dominating unpleasantly.
mouthfeel: light and airy, nice
drinkability - very drinkable, light but interesting with a lots of subtlety in underlying flavors.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2010 05:40:29 | More by jefe2

nickfl

Florida

4.58/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours with one and a half fingers of snow-white lace that rests on top of a slightly hazy straw yellow body. The foam settles slowly and leaves nice, thick lace.

S - A lightly citrusy hop aroma with some musty yeast character. Pepper, basil and (I'm shocked, but it lives up to the description) lemongrass.

T - Tart wheat and musty hops up front with some spicy yeast character. The hops bloom in the middle with notes of coriander, basil, and lemongrass. It finishes with more citrus and just a hint of green, american-pine hops before it closes on a note of lemony hops and pineapple yeast.

M - Medium body, high carbonation, and a fairly dry finish.

D - This beer is really something special. The hop character is extraordinary, the lemongrass and basil notes are like nothing that I have ever had before and it was an inspired choice to use them in a saison. The spicy yeast and creamy wheat character frame these unusual hops perfectly and seem to meld with the herbal, citrus character of the sorachi ace hops to produce a very coherent, well balanced beer. There is a really remarkable lemongrass aroma and flavor that, along with notes of coriander and basil reminds me vividly of Thai cooking. This is a spectacular beer, both for the way that it showcases this new hop variety and simply as a refreshing, spicy, and very drinkable saison.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2010 05:40:19 | More by nickfl

bigfnjoe

Pennsylvania

4.58/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Poured from a bottle into a Duvel tulip

A- pours a dark shade of yellow, with a gorgeous, very puffy, four finger white head. The head sticks around for awhile and leaves some OK lacing. Beautiful looking beer

S- strong aroma of lemongrass, and it is an absolutely luscious, inviting scent...makes me think of the summer

T- very light and crisp, the backbone is lemony, but it's not overly tart or too sweet. Perfect combination of flavors

M- it's actually not very thick at all, nice thin body

O- fantastic beer, especially on a warm day like today. I wish it was cheaper and popped up more often. Hey Brooklyn, get on that!

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2011 18:58:29 | More by bigfnjoe

SFC21

New York

4.58/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a hazy, golden straw color with a huge 3 inch head that dissipates somewhat quickly down to about 1/2 inch.

S - wow, smelled amazing from the second I popped the bottle. The lemon zest combined with the floral aroma of the Sorachi Ace hops is heavenly.

T - Follows the nose. Lemon zest, some orange citrus, floral from the hops, finishes a little peppery. Delicious and refreshing.

M - light and airy with lots of carbonation. Again, very refreshing, great for a hot summer day.

O - While a bit pricey this was well worth it. An excellent take on the style that I enjoyed immensely.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2011 01:36:44 | More by SFC21