Saison De La Soeur Spicy
Heavyweight Brewing Co.

Saison De La Soeur SpicySaison De La Soeur Spicy
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From:
Heavyweight Brewing Co.
 
New Jersey, United States
Style:
Saison
ABV:
6.2%
Score:
90
Avg:
4.04 | pDev: 9.16%
Reviews:
32
Ratings:
34
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 27, 2012
Added:
Aug 30, 2005
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Ratings by HimerMan:
Photo of HimerMan
Reviewed by HimerMan from New Jersey

3.32/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
750 bottle, poured into a regular 8 oz sample glass.

Pour/Taste - cloudy brown with a butterscotch hue, nice frothy white head that stays for a while. Very murky in color, spice evident similar to a Belgian beer; but more subdued.

Overall flavor - a bit on the hop side, not too strong, clean after-taste, no alcohol present.

Very different from Belgians without the (alcohol, candy/sugar water taste). However, does have some nice flavor, very different than I expected, and better than my other rated Saison.

Worth a shot trying, if you find it. This is no longer made, as in a few months this company will not produce any more beers.

Cheers.
May 31, 2006
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4 by Beertracker from Oklahoma

Jan 27, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by rab53 from Washington

Dec 01, 2011
Photo of laintringulis
Reviewed by laintringulis from Ohio

4.35/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Served in a wide mouth goblet. Pours with cloudy amber/broze color and thin full head that lasted until the last drop. Large yeast/sediment. Nice lacing.

Smell is not as complex as the taste. Smells of smoky vanilla bourbon, anise, and freshly mowed grass.

Taste as smells with lots of maltiness and was incredibly smooth. I had some other flavors/essences in it that I could not identify, but the overall taste is very good and complex. Not quite full bodied. Nice mouthfeel. It finishes with a slight dryness; not as dry as I expected. It seems to go back and forward between being sweet and sour in a pleasant way. Highly drinkable, but is a slow "sipping" type beer. If you want something to chug, this isn't it. I would gladly drink this again.
Jun 25, 2006
Photo of nlmartin
Reviewed by nlmartin from Ohio

4.47/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
The beer was served in a wide mouthed wine goblet.

Appearance: The beer pours a hazy golden/ coppery coloration. The beer has major amounts of sediment floating in the beer. The beer has a nice creamy off whited head. The head lasted during the entire beer drinking session. The beer left major lacing behind on my glass.

Smell: The smell is very nice. The beer has a very pleasing combo of smells. The beer has abundunt pepperyness to it. The beer has a nice vanilla and anise smell. The beer has a veritable sea of smells here. The beer is pleasingly complex.

Taste: The beer has a very interesting flavor profile. The beer has several taste I just cant identify. Honestly I am being hit with a solid saison. The beer has a very pleasing maltyness. The beer has a mixture of peppery spicyness, perhaps vanilla and a bit of black licorice. Again this is a pleasingly complex beer.

Mouthfeel/ Drinkability: The beer has a slightly bigger body than medium. The beer has good carbonation. This beer is not meant to be quaffed quickly. My wife and I drank this beer over the course of about 1.5 hours. This beer is dam tasty.
Jun 23, 2006
Photo of NiceGuyMike
Reviewed by NiceGuyMike from New Jersey

3.18/5  rDev -21.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
a: Light head, hazey dark gold. Some floating yeasts seen.
s: fruity sweet malt
t: strong phenol alcohol. As it warmed up, or perhaps as I warmed up, more fruity esters came to live. Strange after taste that I didn't care for.
m: medium mouth feel.
d: I wasn't overly impressed with this brew.
Jun 17, 2006
Photo of BuckeyeNation
Reviewed by BuckeyeNation from Iowa

4.35/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Pungent ripe orange with a hint of red when backlit. The liquid contains a sparse cloud of particulates that could either be spices or yeast; or both I suppose. A more gentle than usual pour has generated a two finger cap of lightly toasted pale orange mousse that is both solid and creamy at once. It's also as stubborn as a mule--a good thing--so any lace assessment will have to wait.

The nose is spicy, as advertised. No surprise that the only one of the five spices that I'm able to pick out (coriander) is the only one that can remember drinking in a beer. I don't smell black pepper or licorice root and I have no idea what sweet gale or sweet woodruff are supposed to smell like.

Sweet gale is also known as bog myrtle and I'm fairly certain that I've had beer flavored with that particular herb/spice before, I just can't recall which one. Sweet woodruff is said to smell like new-mown hay and vanilla, but I can't appreciate either one of those aromas. All in all though, it's a complex, enjoyable saison nose.

The flavor is more complex yet. Thankfully, it walks the 'too much spice-too little spice' tightrope with a great deal of balance and skill. A 750 ml bottle would be rough sledding if one had to drink a spice cocktail. Coriander is definitely dominant even though I'm not entirely sure what some of the other spices taste like.

I believe that I can pick up a faint black pepperiness (without any heat) and perhaps a smidgen of licorice/anise. I'll be honest though, without prior knowledge of the spice bill, there's no way that I could have come up with those on my own. New-mown hay? Maybe. Vanilla? Not a chance.

The individual ingredients were well-chosen since the combination adds up to a zesty 'curry' of a saison that reflects the best aspects of each. I'm happy to report that this beer is more than just flash and dash. The sweetish pale malt backbone is substantial and results in a more solid structure than most beer of this style. This ain't no breezy summertime quaff, but a serious, cold weather beer that still manages to retain gulpability.

As alluded to in the previous paragraph, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that more malt was used in Spicy than in Hoppy or Black. I'd have to drink them side-by-side to know for sure though. The body is medium-full for the style and the mouthfeel possesses more (slight) viscosity on finish than one usually sees in a saison. The American, as opposed to Belgian, amount of carbonation is right on the money.

I would like to thank BeerBeing for sending me each one of the De La Soeur Saisons (except for the elusive Golden). They're all vastly different from one another and there're all very good. I wouldn't dream of trying to pick a favorite. It takes incredible vision and the utmost skill to pull off a series of beers like the OneTimeOnlyPfarmhouse (OTOP) collection. That's what I'm going to miss the most when when they turn off the lights at Heavyweight for the last time.
May 30, 2006
Photo of ppoitras
Reviewed by ppoitras from Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
750ml bottle obtained via trade with hopdog. Thanks for the opportunity...

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a 3/4" beige head over the slightly cloudy reddish amber brew. Head lasts nicely, with lots of sticky bubbly lacing. Aroma is sweet pale malt, spicy yeast. Taste has the Belgian-style impression working, spicy and sweet, with the peppery flavor and feel lingering. Mouthfeel and drinkability are both pleasing, and as expected for the style. Tasty stuff.
Apr 19, 2006
Photo of lou91
Reviewed by lou91 from California

3.71/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Great looking on the pour – big lively and dark amber. Nothing really outstanding or distinct on the nose. The spicy part of this is evident in the long and spicy aftertaste – not spicy hot but some herbal, white pepper and even subtle but not distinct fruit. I’m not sure when this was brewed but I don’t think aging will help the beer’s shortcomings. Not bad but not great. Thanks to BeerBeing for sending this as part of Never Again BIF.
Apr 17, 2006
Photo of Crosling
Reviewed by Crosling from Colorado

4.1/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
- Dark rust color, with a large head. Papaya, mango, basil, apple, strawberries and rhubarb, with obvious spicing, but nothing is dominant. The subtle spice doesn’t cover up the Belgiany fruity notes in the nose. Flavor is again, very enjoyable, with obvious yet not overpowering spice. Perhaps a hint of orange peel, but every other spice seems pretty tame and hidden. The heavyweight saison yeast is pretty special imho, not your typical lame saison strain used by other American brewers. These saisons are very special.
Mar 23, 2006
Photo of JMH_
Reviewed by JMH_ from New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Yet another nice offering from Heavyweight, this being from their Saison de la Soeur Series.

The beer pours a very nice, semi-murky amber colour with a big frothy (but creamy) off-white head that is decently sticky.

The aroma is a combination of sweet candy (some licorice maybe?), fruit (sweet and tart), some spice and a touch of hops.

While the aroma was based in sweetness, the flavour hits more upon this brews namesake and is spciy throughout, with pepper dominating the spice flavouring. Sweet candy, yeast and fruit are still mixed in, but not as noticeable as one might think from the smell alone. Licorice kicks in just before the finish, at which time the spice flavouring is the most apparent.

This one is quite smooth overall and might actually be just a touch undercarbonated for the style, but its certainly nothing to fret over.

This is most definitely an enjoyable brew that would be a treat to anyone who can still find it.
Feb 17, 2006
Photo of blitheringidiot
Reviewed by blitheringidiot from Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
Big ole 750 mL bottle pours a hazy copper amber hue loaded up with rising beading carbonation bubbles to an ivory dense pillowy head cap.

Scents of white grape and pear pop out.

First swigs: How to detect the spice is the trick here. Some spice wafer blend hits like a mix of ginger ale and cinnamon. I haven't researched the spices used so I can't say for sure. Middle of carmel and maple syrup candy reminiscent of an oddball Cadburry chocolate that you don't kow what flavor you grabbed.

Feel is rock solid with a delicate carbonation backed by a slick quaffer.

Last swigs: This really pushes the saison style towards an alt style. Several flavors comingle on a saison frame.

Beer is good. Happpy tricky beering.
Feb 17, 2006
Photo of veggiemafia
Reviewed by veggiemafia from Pennsylvania

4.57/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
25oz. bottle served in a balloon wine glass.

I totally completely adore this beer.

Pours a dark hazy brown with a white head that fell pretty quickly to a ring and a thin island in the center of the glass.

Smell is amazing, at least 5 different types of fruit, spices, some hops, phenolic presence in the back that gives the beer a nice tart spine. Apples, berries, pears, cinnamon stick, banana, cloves, allspice, sweet/spicy peppers, all kinds of great stuff.

Tastes almost as good, but for some reason the tastes here are similar, but they're so much more pronounced in the smell. Taste is still great and once the beer is at room temp. there's a really nice lingering tartness that's like granny smith apples and some phenols and peppers.

Mouthfeel is pretty chewy and smooth and great. Not too carbonated, but not slick either.

Drinkability is great. This beer doesn't do one thing in such a huge way that you only want one. I could drink a lot of this. Perfect session saison.
Jan 28, 2006
Photo of jakester
Reviewed by jakester from Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I bought this as a single at Union Jack's on the Manatawny. I drank it in a goblet.

Pours a pretty darn hazy amber with a one finger head of off-white foam. Carbonation appears medium. Head falls to islands and a ring, with intermittent splotches of lacing.

Aroma is fruity, spicy, and citrusy, with notes of lemons, pears, peaches, pepper, faint cinnamon, and sweet caramel candy. A little bit of phenols show up as it warms.

Flavor is sweet, spicy, fruity and just plain delicious. I love saison! Very faint phenols, but they're there. Very light citrus hop flavor? Bitterness low, but detectable. Residual sugars are pretty high. Aftertaste is spicy and sharp.

Mouthfeel is medium to full bodied, with a medium level of carbonation. Body dries out a little in mid-sip.

This is a good saison. It's a little sweet, and maybe could use a little more spiciness and phenols, but I like it. I could have this anytime.
Jan 22, 2006
Photo of HappyHourHero
Reviewed by HappyHourHero from Indiana

4.1/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Poured a dense white head of good size, and fades slowly fo a swirled film that looks like a hurricane from above. A few pocks of lace hold on above the hazy cider colored beer. Bready, yeasty aroma is much tamer then I was expecting. If I concentrate I can pick up a bit of "spicy" hops, but it's faint. The flavor is quite sweet. I'm not saying it's bad, but I was expecting something tart and dry. Big time caramel sweetness with a mild locorice quality that is joined by a solid dose of peppery hops. Mouthfeel is soft and solid making for a smooth drinker. I could suckle this one all day!
Jan 15, 2006
Photo of Citadel82
Reviewed by Citadel82 from New Jersey

3.58/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Purchased at Spirits Unlimited in Red Bank. Pours out a beautiful hazy yellow into my New Belgium Ballon Glass. first glass decanted free of sediment, rather unremarkable. Second Glass I swirled the bottle and poured. It was topped with a cloud of white tightlt nknit foam that gave left solid sheets and pillows of lacing. Aroma of spicy yeast with faint sweetness. Taste was funky malt yeast blended with some nice spice and hops. I was anticipating more than this brew delivered but I will go back and pick up some more to lay down to mellow. Very drinkable now, perhaps it will improve with age.
Jan 14, 2006
Photo of RonfromJersey
Reviewed by RonfromJersey from New Jersey

4.47/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Hazy orange body, topped by a solid slab of firm white foam. Bits of lacing. Then the remainer glass looked more brown.

Nose is indeed spicy, and also fruity. Pepper spars a few rounds with some apricots. Very inviting.

Taste features a sweet underbelly throughout. On the top, spicy, peppery notes bob in the current until washed away by a tide of hops, only to have the spicy, peppery notes re-emerge as the hop wave returns to the sea. (Damn, to have had a bottle of this in Cape May this year.) Light and refreshing but still with some presence.

Delightful, bubbly mouthfeel. Oh so easy to drink, and drink deeply.

A wonderful conclusion to Heavyweight's "Year of the Saisons".
Jan 09, 2006
Photo of Higravity
Reviewed by Higravity from Michigan

4.21/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
A beautiful hazy yellow brass topped with a cloud of white that gave lots of lacing. Smells of a spicy bread with sweetness that is restrained. A great dance is held on my tongue as the peppery spice join with the yeast to parry and turn with the malt and slight bitterness of the hops. A pleasent never ending balance is captured and then lost and captured again. This could have used a little more carbonation but the yeast added some nice body. Very drinkable and I am going back to buy the store out, suckers.
Dec 04, 2005
Photo of Gueuzedude
Reviewed by Gueuzedude from Arizona

3.9/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Pours a hazy, light amber, orange tinted color, which is topped by a frothy, two-finger thick, tan colored head. The aroma is earthy and yeasty in a fresh dough kind of way. The aroma also has notes of orange peel, caramel, cocoa and some sort of sweet smelling spiciness, which I can't quite place. Is it clove (there are definitely some notes of this spice here), perhaps a hint of allspice, though I am not quite sure. Whatever, the aroma is pretty nice; on the sweet side, but not overly so, and it is quite inviting.

The beer is incredibly creamy, with quite a full body to it, especially for a Saison. With the full palate, there is a definite malt sweetness that makes me think of brown sugar. There is a rounded spice character here, which tries to balance the sweetness. I get spicy notes of muted ginger, clove, hints of pepper, orange and a hint of nutmeg. Whatever the mix of spices, it really reminds me of cocoa powder, could this actually be an ingredient?

This beer definitely has quite a bit more body and sweetness than many Saisons, but it makes it quite appropriate on this strangely chilly AZ evening (especially with the cocoa notes). This beer really has a certain richness to it that is not typical; keeps it from being light and quaffable but it is still quite enjoyable.
Nov 29, 2005
Photo of clvand0
Reviewed by clvand0 from Kentucky

3.78/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Pours an amber color with a medium head that falls fast and leaves a little lacing on the glass. The aroma has some fruit, citrus, and hints of horseblanket. The flavor has the same fruit character - citrus, dark fruit as well as a decent spice. The mouthfeel is right on for a saison and the drinkability is good.
Nov 22, 2005
Saison De La Soeur Spicy from Heavyweight Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 90 out of 100 with 34 ratings