Saule
The Bruery

SauleSaule
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From:
The Bruery
 
California, United States
Style:
Old Ale
ABV:
16.1%
Score:
95
Avg:
4.32 | pDev: 6.48%
Reviews:
42
Ratings:
136
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 01, 2024
Added:
Mar 25, 2017
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  25
Saule is French for “willow”, a traditional nine-year anniversary gift. Our ninth anniversary ale, Saule, follows in the footsteps of our anniversary releases before it, which are loosely based on an English-style old ale, fermented with our house yeast strain, aged in bourbon barrels and blended using the solera method. This means that a portion of each anniversary ale is saved in oak barrels and blended in with the next year’s production, providing more complexity and depth of character as the years go by. The result is layered in robust and complex flavors of toffee, caramel, dark fruit, vanilla and oak.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by kjkinsey:
Photo of kjkinsey
Rated by kjkinsey from Texas

4.25/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Oct 31, 2017
More User Ratings:
Photo of colts9016
Reviewed by colts9016 from Idaho

4.74/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Review: 2008
Name: Saule
Brewery: The Bruery
Location: Placentia, CA
Style: B.B.A. Old Ale
A.B.V. 16.1%
Date: 28 Mar 2017
I am drinking Saule today using a tulip glass. I served it at 50 degrees. The pour created a foamy, creamy, two-fingered, light tan head with average retention. The color is dark brown with reddish mahogany hues, charting around S.R.M. 30. The beer is cloudy and semi-opaque. The dissipation has no lacing on the glass. The appearance is above average for this style.
The first aromas are bourbon, cherries, oak, vinous, and dried plums. Swirling the glass a few times and then nosing, I notice toasted bread, toffee, caramel, brandy, vanilla, subtle char, orange, brown sugar, figs, raisins, and earthiness. I can smell the alcohol; it is a boozy, massive-bodied beer.
The alcohol is well hidden for a beast of a beer. The barrel aging tempered this monster, giving way to oak, bourbon, and char. The flavors are dark cherries, brandy, vinous, dried plums, raisins, toasted bread, toffee, caramel, chocolate, vanilla, oranges, floral, and earthy herbal.
The mouthfeel is chewy, touch-tannic, and slightly warm. The body is heavy, with medium carbonation.
No off-flavors were detected in the nose or taste. The bottle aging was perfect. The monster of a beer is sneaky, with its high abv. The beer is smooth, like a 9% old ale. Fantastic brew; I am glad I got to consume it.
Jan 01, 2024
Photo of puck1225
Reviewed by puck1225 from Texas

4.46/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
2017 vintage, stored in the fridge for about a year.

Poured from a bomber into a tulip glass. Dark mahogany with a nice, effervescent initial beige head and light but distinct curtain lacing.

Incredible warm, boozy smell and taste. Very rich flavors of caramel, toffee, hazelnut, cherries, vanilla, dark raisins, brandy. Lovely complexity. Nice feel, but I weave like it to be a bit richer. Very nice beer to help prepare for Thanksgiving festivities!
Nov 23, 2023
Photo of rand
Reviewed by rand from California

4.15/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
750 mL bottle into a teku glass

Dark brown ale, medium viscosity with scant head or lacing. Oaky nose with strong notes of raisin and vanilla. Sweet on the palate, with suggestions of burnt sugar, banana, tobacco.

Profile has definitely become more singular on the palate with age. A sipper, but doesn’t last long.
Dec 27, 2022
Photo of mikeg67
Reviewed by mikeg67 from New Jersey

4.82/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
750 ml bottle. Pours brown with tall, long-lasting, foamy off-white head and nice lacing. Aroma is of cherries, wood, vanilla, and caramel malt. Body is full and crisp. Caramel malt, cherries, wood, brown sugar, bourbon, vanilla, spices and herbal hops fill the mouth. Finish is long and spicy. Great brew.
Apr 05, 2022
Photo of mschrei
Reviewed by mschrei from Illinois

4.54/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Third of the anniversary beers I’ve had from them (2010 and 2016 being the others). This one was drank at 4 years old.

Ended up with three separate pours with the large bottle. Each time I poured it, it started as a cloudy, murky brown with an active fizzy head. Ends with a clearer dark mahogany and mild lacing. Smell presents with dark fruit, barrel, caramel, butterscotch, vanilla, and bourbon barrel. Taste is a mix of dark fruit and bourbon barrel. Big bodied, slightly creamy, smooth and boozy finish.

I scored of the anniversary series I’ve had over 4.5. This one is easily over that. I need to search out more of the series. It’s a great one with age.
Dec 10, 2021
Photo of Treyliff
Reviewed by Treyliff from West Virginia

4.24/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
750ml bottle poured into a tulip

A- pours brown in color with a one finger foamy khaki head that reduces to a ring around the edge

S- creme brûlée and butterscotch up front, along with caramel, tobacco, and leather. Undertones of oaky bourbon barrel, figs, raisins, vanilla, brown sugar and maple

T- an unsuspected tart note up front shows possible signs of turning. Palate opens with a bold note of caramel, toffee and and creamy vanilla. Mid-palate gives some peppery tobacco notes, as well as dark fruit notes of figs, raisins and plums. The finish gives a strong oaky background with notes of barrel juice and vanilla. Lingers of dark fruits, caramel and booze

M- medium body with moderate carbonation leads to a foamy mouthfeel that turns slightly creamy into a warming finish
Nov 25, 2021
 
Rated: 4.65 by Bogdawg from Massachusetts

Nov 25, 2021
 
Rated: 4.66 by Tcsox from Massachusetts

Nov 25, 2021
 
Rated: 4.29 by kmoen from California

Sep 06, 2021
 
Rated: 4.3 by BAsbill from California

Sep 06, 2021
 
Rated: 4.31 by PhineasMcClintock from Massachusetts

Jul 06, 2021
 
Rated: 4.49 by buzzy from Pennsylvania

May 23, 2021
 
Rated: 4.5 by DCMcCutch

May 10, 2021
Photo of StraightNoChaser
Reviewed by StraightNoChaser from Georgia

4.55/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Look: deep amber. Nice tannish/red head on the pour.
Smell: bright vanilla, dark fruit, fat toffee and bourbon.
Taste: flavors aren’t poppin quite as much as they are in the nose. On the flip side, it’s Uber smooth for a 16%er. Another fantastic anniversary from these wizards.
May 07, 2021
 
Rated: 4.25 by Birdlegs from Washington

Mar 30, 2021
 
Rated: 4.5 by bigred89 from Maryland

Feb 20, 2021
Photo of SHODriver
Reviewed by SHODriver from North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A: Poured into a snifter to a ruddy brown beer which is topped by a dense and slightly rocky two finger cream colored head which fades slowly to a collar around the edge of the glass with minimal lacing.
S: Smells of intense dark fruits and oak with some caramel and vanilla from the barrels. Hints of mulling spices as well
T: Taste is dark fruits, caramel and toffee mixed with oak and vanilla along with a touch of alcohol. There's a hint of wine like notes as well. On the swallow there's more intense dark fruits with some red berries, caramel, oak, and vanilla.
M: This beer is on the heavier side of things with a silky feel on the palate. Carbonation is low but it's more than adequate for what we having going on here. Due to the ABV the beer has a drying finish.
O: Overall this is another nice iteration of The Bruery's annual anniversary beer. Big in flavors and complexity and packing a good bit of alcohol. It's a monster of a beer that rewards being sipped and savored.
Feb 20, 2021
Photo of sjrider
Reviewed by sjrider from California

4.34/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a bottle 2017 vintage - murky and turbid dark mahogany with quickly dissipating off white head leaving a scant ring of tiny bubbles. Nose is multi layered sweetness with an alcohol background. Taste follows with malty cereal . apple and stone fruit. Finish is smooth and creamy with noticeable alcohol creep. Easy to get in deep on this.
Oct 07, 2020
 
Rated: 4.36 by DownyIsHungry from Minnesota

Aug 07, 2020
Saule from The Bruery
Beer rating: 95 out of 100 with 136 ratings