Brooklyn Sorachi Ace - Brooklyn Brewery

drtth

Pennsylvania

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

Poured into a large snifter glass. Glass of cold water on the side to sip from periodically.

Appearance: As poured the beer is a hazed golden apricot or salmon color with a fluffy 1” off-white head that recedes very slowly. As the head begins to recede it leaves lots of irregular patches, partial rings and spider-web like lines of lacing Sipping leaves some large patches of foam that cling to the sides of the glass. There is a thin layer of foam on the surface of the liquid to the very end of the beer and even then sipping leaves scattered speckles of lacing clinging to the sides of the glass.

Smell: The aroma is very much the spicy lemongrass and lemon zest expected from the brewery’s description. While the aroma is definitely filled with the hops, they are backed up with some of the Belgian yeast character as well. I also think there is a bit of mustiness mixed in here as well.

Taste: The flavor is filled with rich light malt (probably Pils malt) and yeast flavors but without a lot of sweetness. There is some spiciness and bitterness from the hops that remains in the background without becoming overly dominating. The lemon zest is clearly present here as the focus of the show, but it also plays nicely with a hint of sweetness from the malt and with some of the flavors from the yeast.

Mouthfeel: The mouth feel is on the light side of medium bodied and is clean and crisp but with gentle and ample carbonation. The finish is moderately long and begins with a touch of bitterness from the hops that gets briefly replaced by a bit of sweetness from the malt. However, that hint of sweetness quickly disappears in the long and quite dry finish that fades softly away to leave a trace of bitter dryness so that the back of the mouth is ready and waiting for the next sip.

Drinkability and Overall Impression: Besides being an interesting look at a new hop this beer is a very drinkable one that leaves me wanting more. While I’ll not be buying this one a lot, I do plan on adding a few to my shopping list periodically as I think it is quite nice but also should pair well with a nice serving of grilled salmon. My overall impression is that this is a well made beer that I’m pleased to have had and even more pleased that the Brewery has decided to make it a regular offering so I can have it again.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 01:05:48 | More by drtth

scruffwhor

Illinois

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

Nice, bubbly head after the first pour. Every pour after that, lightning fast head and foam. Hazey sunshine color with a copper tone. Great bubbling.

Effervescent, noce tickling aroma of mildly toasted barley. Nice delicate lemony hop aroma. A little chalky dry, fruity yeast aroma as well.

Bright malt and hop flavor bill from start to finish. Taste like sunshine and a dash of lemons. Chalky palate, but effervescent and bubbly.

This beer tastes and feels great!

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2012 00:32:40 | More by scruffwhor

brewandbbq

New Hampshire

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

750ml bottle.

Pours hazy straw with a two inch-plus head of dense white. Shards of thick lacing and a solid coating on the surface for the duration.

Aromatics lead off with pears, cut grass, apples, cloves, and bubblegum. A hint of lemon pulp and mint follow through.

Light bodied with a crisp, pillowy mouthfeel.

Biscuity malt runs under spicy, clovey yeast with green apples and pears. Hints of peaches, wet hay, honey, and citrus follow through.

Finishes with a mild bitterness,and a dryness beyond a tropical, juicy fairwell.

Nice beer, would love to try this on a dry-hopped cask or a fresh keg.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2012 00:56:41 | More by brewandbbq

FondueVoodoo

British Columbia (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Giant four finger head soodsy white head with champagne like tiny foamy bubbles. Holding reasonably well for a couple of minutes and leaving plenty of bubbles around the rim for show. It's a hazy rich yellow that appears unassuming.

S: At cooler temperatures the scent and flavours are dulled and weakened, pour this out, check it out and reassess after it warms by 5 degrees. The warm scent is rich with natural scents, wild flower honey, fresh apples and pears, rich earthy black hummus ands hints of minerals that round malty sweet.

T: Big yeasty flavours similar to Unibroue with a hint of metallics and hops that pop at the end. The flavour is also bright, light & fresh like lemon oil, with hints of fresh cracked pepper and a hint of malty sweet.

M: Stinging and spritzy with high carbonation, it's also creamy and sparkling. Like champagne with beer taste, the mouth feels is what I like to think of as "expensive".

O: Sorachi Ace was not exciting me when it was chilled - but warmed up it started to develop a complexity that proved well worth the wait. I'm liking this one enough to make it worth the high price. I could see drinking this again with seafood or soft cheese or even sushi for excellent dinning.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2012 03:27:18 | More by FondueVoodoo

ksimons

New York

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

A-a hazy light golden color with more than two fingers worth of white rocky head

S-pale malts, strong lemon, bitter hops, light fruitiness. Very refreshing.

T-Tastes almost exactly how it smells. But with a bit of funky yeast added in. Pale malts, lemon, light bitterness, light apples and pear fruits.

M-light to medium, high carbonation, dry fruity finish

Overall a very interesting beer. Very refreshing, good balance of flavors.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2012 00:30:03 | More by ksimons

DaftCaskBC

British Columbia (Canada)

2.99/5  rDev -27.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

On tap at St Augustines in Vancouver.

A: 1/8" white head over cloudy straw coloured liquid.

S: Lemon, floral hops and yeast predominate along with a strong aroma of cat urine.

T: Lemon, pepper, banana, floral hops, orange rind, wheat and yeast.

M: Medium viscosity and carbonation.

O: Not the most drinkable Farmhouse Ale I have had. Not worth the price tag in my opinion.

Serving type: on-tap

04-17-2012 16:02:55 | More by DaftCaskBC

brureview

Massachusetts

3.3/5  rDev -20.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The beer poured a beautiful amber color with a 4 finger head.

A strong lemon smell from the head, and a well carbonated mouth feel.

The finish was very lemony, but not fruity-smooth as in other saisons, and the bitterness seemed out of place in this style.

Overall worth trying to compare with other saisons. I prefer a mellower saison with more fruited presence and less alcohol in the finish.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2012 02:39:15 | More by brureview

Pahn

New York

3.55/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

750ml bottle into Duvel tulip.

Appearance: Careful pour yields a 3 inch fizzy white head that dissipates slowly and leaves a few spots of lacing. Pours a hazy yellow. Not much lacing.

Smell: Effervescent Belgian yeast aromas and lemony hops. Spicy; some black pepper notes along with the lemon zest and herbal plus candy sweet yeast aromas. Good mix.

Taste: Creamy and lemony up front, then a hit of sweet yeasty flavor, with a bready finish. Moderately dry. Pleasant enough.

Further in, the dryness catches up with me (welcomely, but it is a bit much), along with some mild black pepper flavor. The sweetness also amps up, which is not a good thing. I like the savory aromas and flavors coming from highlighting Sorachi Ace as this beer does, but this sweetness is a bit sickening.

Some sips really work, especially the more savory ones. Others tempt me to pour the rest of the bottle down the drain. The good ones outnumber the bad, and it gets better with warmth. I'm not falling in love with it, but the flavor combo usually makes sense.

Mouthfeel: Light side of medium bodied. Creamy, with high carbonation. Pretty dry finish.

Overall: While this is not a poorly put together beer, and I strongly like some of the hop flavor, the sum of its parts just isn't working for me. Good aroma, some small wow factor in the taste, but in the end I'd rather drink something else.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2012 01:00:34 | More by Pahn

sommersb

Tennessee

4.45/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Tasted On: 04-08-2012
Freshness: Not indicated
Packaging: 750 ml brown bottle
Glassware: Cervoise glass
Purchased: Single from Midtown, Nashville

Appearance features a white, huge rocky head, 4+ fingers high with excellent retention and lacing. The beer's color is a hazy golden.

Aromas are of spices and hops - unlike I've smelled before with the Sorachi Ace - which I found very pleasing to the nose. Citrus/lemon, perfume, and pine aromas compliment the funk and earthiness of Belgian yeast.

Taste is lightly sweet and also somewhat zesty and tart from the lemon or citrus character. The hops bring a medium amount of bitterness but are held in check nicely so as not to overpower the saison.

Finish is dry with a spicy and sour aftertaste. Tangy and crisp mouthfeel with medium to high carbonation.

Overall a wonderful experience. I thought the marriage of sweet, sour and bitter was remarkable.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2012 03:35:45 | More by sommersb

StJamesGate

New York

4/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Hazy goldenrod with piles of sudsy white head. Cream of wheat, peaches, some yeast, and lemon blossoms - deep and interesting.
Wholewheat cracker, more peach and pear, some medicinal yeast in there, then some surprisingly assertive lemon hops with a definite tinge of must.
Citrus oil and white pepper finish and numbing linger. Light creeping towards medium, crispy, fizzy, a bit of mineral.

All the elements are in the right place but something's missing. Saison is all about light and refreshing, but when the hops hit along with that iodine yeast and some tin, it's bracing to the point of aggressive. Astringency leaves it good but not great.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2012 15:27:46 | More by StJamesGate

PorterLambic

Florida

3.45/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Arrives clear and golden with a full finger plus of white foam sitting atop. Drops to a thickish film while leaving copious lace behind.
Smell is weak but notes of wheat, wet cardboard, oak and some faint malt and lemon.
Taste is exactly as expected with malt, wheat, oak, lemon (faint), and light spice notes.
Fairly full bodied for a saison with solid but not overwhelming effervescence throughout. A solid brew.

Serving type: on-tap

04-04-2012 00:23:26 | More by PorterLambic

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A pint on tap at Whole foods for $3. I've been waiting on trying this out as a $15 750ML did not sit right with me. This is super fresh.

Sorachi Ace pours out the spout pretty lovely, a lot of activity with a golden colored brew gliding in the glass. A nice glow to this. Rising bubbles bring forth a frothy bright white foam that sticks to the glass.

smell is pretty bright and full of Sorachi Ace scents. This really displays a dry earthy scent with some lemon and grass. A spritz of saison like yeast with a small trace of pale malts in the latter. It's quite bold and assertive at this fresh stage.

Sorachi Ace is very well balanced, the lightness of all the flavor involved brings out the slightest touch of malt evening out. Saison flavor with some strong sorachi hopping bring a hoppy outcome. Some tropical flavor mixed in with grassy flavor with a drop of malt.

Feel is medium with lively carbonation, spritzy. The flavor sticks around a bit with a nice bready aftertaste with Sorachi sitting in as well. I finished a pint with ease, I never got bored with it, and the alcohol showed just a bit with extreme warming.

Im glad they are putting this in 4 packs.

Serving type: on-tap

04-02-2012 03:26:48 | More by onix1agr

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.03/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at the Black Bear pub in the Hartford airport, served in a Sam Adams Perfect Pint™. Seeing the sign out front that this was the bar's beer of the month was what made me stop in; why not start a journey with some ticking?

A: Clear gold body with some nice fine effervescence building a solid cap of dense white foam; sticky lace. Pretty good.

S: Huh. Some overripe fruit funk is prominent, and unappetizing. Some toasty malt and lemony hops are present, but play second fiddle to the weird fruitiness. Not what I expected, but not entirely offputting.

T: Wow, nothing like the smell. Rich bready malt dominates, with fresh apple and pear esters playing nicely with the citrusy hops midway through. Clean, lightly bitter finish. Very substantial and extremely enjoyable. Weird.

M: Fairly light, moderately carbonated. Solid.

O: The keg kicked on the glass ordered right after mine, and sure enough when I asked for a sample from the replacement keg I found the rotten fruit aromas absent. I definitely think this one should be best consumed fresh.

Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

03-28-2012 14:12:51 | More by woosterbill

goblue3509

Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a hazy dark yellow color with a tight white head which leaves nice lace on the glass. The aroma draws you in with floral notes before honey and then a big lemony citrus smell finishes the beer off. The aroma is big but delicate. The taste follows suit with a green fruit tartness up front before there is a sweet honey and then a big lemon and other citrus flavor comes through. Again the taste is big but delicate. It is light and refreshing. The mouthfeel is crisp with moderate carbonation. Overall a very good beer, the beer is dangerously drinkable for the abv, and is surprisingly delicate for the abv. This beer is a must try.

Serving type: on-tap

03-26-2012 23:04:33 | More by goblue3509

MCDuhamel

Ohio

4.33/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a corked and caged 750 ml bottle into a tulip. Very white, large soapy head forms quickly, and never goes away. Moderate lacing. Beer is pale orange or dark straw, with lots of tiny bubbles, slightly hazy. The nose shows banana, mango, clove, and a little vanilla. Those flavors dominate up front too, especially the mango and tropical fruit, with a wheat-like graininess coming in, followed by a semi-dry finish with a bit of a citrus impression. They yeast characteristic shows predominantly in the nose, and less so in the taste. It's a light, spritzy beer, but it has some backbone to it. Styled as a saison, I'd also believe it as a non-traditional wit in flavor profile. Perhaps unusual at first, but it insinuates itself quickly. Really very good, and a beer I'd definitely seek out.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2012 22:14:27 | More by MCDuhamel

BucannonXC5

California

3.95/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750-millilitre bottle into a pint glass. Color was pale golden. Lots of head, almost three fingers worth. Nice even amount of cloudy white lacing that lasted throughout the beer. Film was fairly non-existent on the sides.

Pungent aroma right off the bat of various fruits and cloves. I got plums, bananas, pear noticeably. Also some sweet sugary notes.

A bit different than the smell. Reminded me of a wild ale, but it’s been awhile since I’ve had a saison, so it could just be the type. Got pear, grapes, plums and some sour lemon wheat up front. That gave way to a quick bite of alcohol. Then finished with watery notes. It was over in less than two seconds.

Medium body. Creamy texture. Heavily carbonated. Quick watery finish. Only bad part to this beer in my mind.

I enjoyed this beer a lot. I seem to give saisons a bit higher rating and this was the first I had in a long time, but it really hit the spot. Lots of flavors and easily drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2012 04:07:28 | More by BucannonXC5

DavoleBomb

Ohio

2.23/5  rDev -46.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Poured into a goblet.

3.5 A: Hazed yellow orange color. Two fingers of frothy white head. Retention is good and a small amount of lacing is left.

2.0 S: I've never experienced sorachi ace hops before, but I'm pretty sure I hate them. They do have a nice lemongrass component, but that's just the beginning. Super herbal with plastic undertones. It's like a plastic pumpkin or something weird like that. The hops are too distracting for me to see what's underneath.

2.0 T: It tastes like it smells, which is unfortunate. Super herbal with plastic pumpkin strangeness. A bit or earth and hay underneath.

3.5 M: Lighter body. Active, spritzy carbonation with a reasonable creaminess.

2.0 D: Not a fan of this. I'll try a sorachi ace beer one more time and if it's anything like this, I'll write them off for eternity.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2012 03:05:37 | More by DavoleBomb

mdagnew

United Kingdom (Northern Ireland)

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

750ml corked bottle bought from Deveneys off licence, Dublin...

Poured a light hazy golden yellow colour. White head poured big, thick and fluffy and a steady stream of carbonation maintained a good covering throughout... some sticky lacing...

A lot going on in the aroma... lots of spicy yeast mixed with tart juicy fruits (pears, grapefruits, mangoes, limes), very floral, talcum powder notes, light honey and candy sugar sweetness, some earthy farmyard traces, hay, some rubberiness, fresh bread, some pine...

Taste - Tart spicy fruits (pears, grapefruits, apples), pithy notes, quite a lot of yeastiness, floral honey, quite perfumed, light earthy funk, grassy hops, chalky, faint coriander, peppery, some thyme herbalness, metallic, sea salt... flavours develop well as the beer warms up...

M&D - Pretty sharp and dry... Light body... Extremely refreshing and dangerously drinkable at 7.6%...

Overall - A top class Saison... As good as any i've had... recommended...

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2012 12:06:26 | More by mdagnew

jjanega08

Minnesota

4.35/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

No freshness dating but I do see a 2721 printed on the back label... batch #?

A= Pours a beautiful hazy yellow color with a nice big thick three finger head on it that holds great retension and some beautiful lacing on the side of the glass. Very lively looking.

S= The smell is a spicy yeasty hop aroma. I read lemongrass somewhere as a way to describe sorachi ace hops and I would say that's a great way to describe the smell. A little grassy and a nice spicey yeast punch to back it all up.

T= The taste is even more interesting than the nose. The hops aren't as much in your face as the nose lead me to believe. It's definitally a major player but the saison yeasty character is a little more dominate. Lemongrass again is a great descriptor for the hop variety that comes through. A nice grassy character with a little extra punch to it.

M= The mouth is actually my favorite part of this beer. Super smooth and creamy while still acting lively on the tongue.

O= A plesant surprise from my boss leads to a great beer from Brooklyn. I haven't ventured too far into their portfolio but this is a winner for sure. I don't know how fresh this bottle is but the hop character was still present. I wish it were a little more assertive in the flavor though. Maybe it is on a fresher bottle I don't know. I'll just have to buy more.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2012 04:18:33 | More by jjanega08

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.48/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from corked 750 ml bottle into a Duvel tulip glass. No dating visible.

Appearance: Pours a hazy golden yellowish orange with a moderate amount of bubbles. Big four finger white head that slowly fades into a thin layer. Lots of lace hanging around the glass.

Smell: Belgian yeast and a big tart lemon zest up front with some barnyard funk. Sweet bready pale malts with some candy sugar and a light hint of honey. Also some fairly vibrant citrus and grassy hops. A pretty tart aroma. Also fairly herbal. The champagne yeast is also pretty noticeable.

Taste: A kick of spicy Belgian yeast and barnyard funk up front with a huge citrus lemon presence. Some sweet pale malts and sugar midway are followed by a nice taste of citrus hops with hints of orange and grapefruit. Also some herbal grassy hops. Taste is a nice combination of sweetness, tartness, and bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Medium to heavy body with a carbonation on the heavier side of medium. Crisp, tangy, and tart. Finishes somewhat dry.

Overall: A very tasty and interesting brew. Its like a combination of a wheat beer, Saison, and Champagne. Very well done.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2012 00:51:53 | More by MattyG85

barczar

Kentucky

3.78/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a slightly hazy light golden yellow color with a fairly solid white head that clings to the rim.

Lemon, sweet bready malt, and hints of herbal hop are evident in the aroma, which is somewhat subtle. There's a champagne-like finish.

A wine-like fruitiness dominates the flavor initially, slightly tangy, with a lemony finish. Cracker-like slightly sweet malt supports the taste, with a dry, peppery finish cleaning up the flavor.

The body is fairly heavy, with moderately high carbonation and a decidedly dry finish.

An interesting take on a saison, more wine-like than anticipated, and somewhat two-note. I'm not a huge lemon fan, so not really my brew.

Serving type: on-tap

03-14-2012 01:55:32 | More by barczar

omokoro

New York

4.55/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Brooklyn Brewery pint glass. The color was a golden straw with a thick white one finger head. Not much visible carbonation. Not much on the nose, some malts and a little hops. This is a very clean tasting beer, lots of lemon peel, pear, very crisp. I do not have a lot of experience with the saison style, but this is excellent. I would look for this beer again.

Serving type: on-tap

03-13-2012 23:51:23 | More by omokoro

cvm4

Mississippi

4.05/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours a hazy golden color with a white 2 finger head. Great lacing.

S - Lemon zest & grapefruit with some yeast.

T - Lemon & herbal with malt. Finishes with a crisp & fruity taste.

M - Heavy for a saison.

O - A malt filled lemony & zesty saison. Very refreshing but can be heavier than most saisons.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2012 19:47:35 | More by cvm4

brewskifan55

Mississippi

4.33/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a Newcastle chalice

A: hazy lemon yellow with a white 2 finger head with staying power. Thick lacing

S: Wow! Citrus, lemony, Belgian yeast. I could smell this one all day.

T: Citrus flows through with a passion. Floral, herbal, spicy. Slightly sour. Semi-dry finish. Very smooth.

M: medium with medium to heavy carbonation. Bubbles do a dance on my tongue.

O: This is an outstanding saison. I think those Sorachi Ace hops and I will get along nicely. I'll definitely be buying more.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2012 04:10:54 | More by brewskifan55

oline73

Maryland

3.73/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from the bottle into my Chimay goblet.

Appearance: Pours a cloudy golden/light amber color with a finger of fluffy white head. There really isn't any lacing, but this one has some good retention.

Smell: Sweet malt with a very strong herbal note. I'm also picking up some citrus notes from the hops. The finish has some mild alcohol to it as well.

Taste: There is a strong herbal presence, it seems to come from the hops and the yeast. Some malt, but not a ton of sweetness. The finish has a mild fruity flavor along with some alcohol.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with a lot of carbonation and a slightly dry finish.

Overall: I enjoy sorachi ace hops, and I think this was a very good use of them. The finish is a bit heavy on the tongue, but overall this is a very nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2012 01:40:56 | More by oline73