Brooklyn Sorachi Ace - Brooklyn Brewery

chanokokoro

Illinois

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

Poured from a 750 ml bottle into 15 oz. gold-rimmed Brooklyn Brewery-branded stemware.

Pours an attractive hazy gold with a huge pillowy three finger clean white head that has almost supernatural retention. Leaves behind considerable lacing. Pleasant smells of bread and slight citrus dominate. Mild grassy and citrus flavors combine with an exceptionally creamy mouthfeel that finishes dry with just the right hint of spice. The refreshing flavors make this beer a joy to the tastebuds and the quinntesential warm weather saison.

Truly a world class beer and one of the most original and highest quality saisons brewed by a American craft brewery. A must try.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2012 12:14:10 | More by chanokokoro

TheHopHeadGirl

District of Columbia

3.5/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

It's a single hop saison, germanpilsner malts, with spices, golden farmhouse ale. Has a 7.6% etoh. Reminds me of honey basil from berkley & saison du buff from dogfish. It would be great with food. My 1st time having it is @ pig & fish in rehoboth for $i a 16oz glass.

Serving type: on-tap

05-24-2012 22:30:31 | More by TheHopHeadGirl

wedge

North Carolina

4.23/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

@ The Federal

Slightly hazy pale yellow color with a tight, frothy head that extends up over the edge of the pint glass. Had this been served in a larger tulip glass or something similar, I think the overall appearance would have been more impressive. Nevertheless, a fine looking beverage with drippy lace all the way down the glass. Perfumy floral and lemongrass aromas over a solid pilsner malt base. Increased juicy, zesty citrus and fresh herbs at it warms a bit. Sweet, juicy lemon and a certain soft, creamy, almost honey-like character in the mouth with, again, a nice pale malt presence. Dough, fresh herbs, clove, pear, and cedar. Overall phenolics are light. Very flavorful, yet soft and smooth. Medium bodied and fairly well carbonated. Properly bitter and dry. I've had this before, but don't remember being this impressed. Well done.

Serving type: on-tap

05-15-2012 15:04:48 | More by wedge

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

ADZA

Australia

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

Ive been hanging to try this as i love the Sorachi Ace Hop and it pours a hazy yellow golden hue which leaves a two finger head that stays and leaves sporadic lacing,the smell is Sorachi all over with aromas of lemon sherbet,orange leaves,lavender and freshly cut limes,the mouthfeel is smooth,medium bodied and creamy with tastes of lime zest,sherbet,mandarins,champagne and finished with a creamy lemon cheesecake bittersweetness that makes me want another sip and overall im abit biased as i love this hop but it certainly suits the Saison Style and i love this drop definately something id buy again that be perfect with seafood cheers.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2012 12:49:56 | More by ADZA

siradmiralnelson

Iowa

4.23/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 750ml corked and caged bottle.

A. Poured 3 finger head. Good retention. Moderate lacing. Color is hazy golden yellow.

S. Belgian yeast, lemon, citrus, earthy, a little sour, and a little funk. Some spices, a little white pepper. Good smelling saison. Can't say that I distinguish a lot of Sorachi Ace hop smell.

T. Nice taste. Nice citrusy lemon flavor, maybe a litte apricot even. Might be the Sorachi Ace I am tasting for the first time. A little bit of spice on the back of the tongue. Pretty nice fruity taste. A bit of belgian yeast, ans some funkiness are there in the background. Maybe one of the fruitier tasting Saisons that I have had. Taste goes, sweet, fruit, spice.

M. Medium bodied. Medium carbonation. Finishes with just a touch of sweetness, otherwise drinks pretty dry.

O. Nice Saison. A little different than most. A touch sweeter and fruitier, which worked for me. Saison is one of my favorite styles, and this is a beer I would get again.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2012 20:19:46 | More by siradmiralnelson

facundoCNB

New Jersey

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

a hazy golden yellow pour with a generous amount of fluffy white head. smells of fresh cut grass, lemons, belgian yeast, basil, oregano. a very mellow saison with a giant blend of herbs and spices. it almost tastes like spaghetti with a garlic sauce that's subtle in flavor. very nice, very refreshing, very different. champagne like light body with great amounts of sticky lacing - perfect for any time of the year. overall, this is a perfect example of what a saison should be. the sorachi ace hop works perfectly with this beer style.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2012 12:05:15 | More by facundoCNB

angelmonster

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a huge 2 inch ultra white head. Body is a hazy, lemon-yellow color. Lots of bubbles and carbonation, head retention and lacing are great.

First smell is of spicy yeast, peppercorns, and clove. Also hints of straw malt and lemongrass. Hops are really light and alcohol isn't detected.

Taste is light and crisp, with lots of spice and pepper bite. A lemony twang is also in the mix, with a slight alcohol aftertaste. Not getting much hops, some citrus, light malts round out the beer.

Mouthfeel is light, highly carbonated, and astringent. Head contributed a little to the beer.

Overall this is a semi sessionable, refreshing beer. Would pair great with salads or lemongrass chicken/asian food. Not my favorite style but its a solid beer and glad I tried it.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2012 05:53:20 | More by angelmonster

BlurryVisi0n

New York

4.18/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served in a pint glass.

Appearance: A light amber which comes off slightly and I do mean slightly hazy, (white) head rising to maybe a 1/4" after a gentle pour.

Smell: A light citrus smell, smelling it before tasting it you think automatically it would come off bitter.

Taste: Upon tasting this I seriously can feel the complexity of the beer. Light lemon which comes off peppery and a tad sweet(hints of banana peel). Then again I feel the yeast and bitterness.

Mouth: Definitely a medium to full, and after taste that just stick like feathers to tar.

Overall: A bought a beer that scream bang, I absolutely love it. So much going on and no complaints in my department. It delivers and that's what counts. Salud!

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2012 06:54:33 | More by BlurryVisi0n

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