Saison De Sorachi
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant

At the brewpub, this was poured into a pint glass. The appearance had a golden yellow color with a bar pour’s thin foamy white head. The smell had some lemon, grass, herbal and florally sweet, at the end a nice light spice came in (Sorachi Hops?, maybe). The taste was sweet, fresh with a crisp spice overflowing right on out gracefully over top of my taste buds. There was a sweet sticky and peppery aftertaste that lead to a dry finish. On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a decent sessionable quality about it. Overall, really nice saison by Iron Hill. If I lived in the Lancaster area, this would probably be my go to beer by them.

 

Thanks to brewslut and ffejherb for getting this growler for me. Filled last weekend, 29-May-10.

A: The saison is a golden hue, hazy enough to be opaque. It's yellow shade reminding me of trees in autumn. A two finger head resulted from the first pour, although minimal lacing followed.

S: Sorachi ace adds a lemony zest to an otherwise already lush environment. Anise, a touch of yeasty mustinessm and pale fleshy fruits (pears, apples) share the spotlight with the hops, which are rather mild.

T: The sorachi ace hop is a bit player here, not the superstar. As a result, its lemony flavors sporadically peak through the saison, adding a bright citrusy bite. Underneath that lemon, a bright saison lurks. Sweeter tree fruits, pears and apples, along with anise and a musty yeast drive a strong follow-up to the sorachi ace. The whole package, lemon and star anise and strong yeast strain, is impressive, a sweet and sour (in a way) combination that sits so nicely on the palate. A freshly-poured glass, straight out of the fridge, reveals more breadiness upfront and less in the way of sorachi ace. Tell you what though, this is excellent. Hats off to Paul Rutherford for this one. Hot damn! Sooey! Boo-yah! Banzai!

M: The hoppiness isn't bitter, rather the lemony zest of the sorachi ace cradles the saison's delicate fruitiness, nurturing it to maturity. I really like how the flavors mesh together.

D: My only complaint on the drinkability is that the ale is filling, heavy even. Other than that, the ale is stunning. A work of art.

On tap at Iron Hill Lancaster on 5/16/10.

A - Cloudy pale light golden body with a slim but creamy white cap that swelled up with each swirl of the glass, but eventually receded to a thin patchy ring and some spotty lacing.

S - Spicy and peppery aroma with an earthy yeast presence and juicy citrus hops. The citrus is really prominent in the nose and suggests tropical fruit such as pineapple, but also grapefruit. A hint of barnyard funk and sulphur give the nose an earthy twist.

T - Fruity and spicy flavor with hints of pineapple and pepper. The funk of the yeast imparts earthy tones that really come to the forefront in the middle. Concludes with a hint of slightly burnt grain and more spicy hops in the finish.

M - Light bodied with bright and lively carbonation and a syrupy texture. While the sweetness almost becomes too overbearing, it is ultimately balanced by the spicy character of the yeast.

D - Unique take on a saison by incorporating the versatility of the Sorachi Ace hop, which provided a juicy twist on an already tasty style.

I had this on tap at the brewpub across from F & M in lancaster - served extra cold in a tulip.

A - A hazed golden - either from chill or from yeast, it never really warmed to cellar temp or higher than 45 degrees so I would guess yeast. The cap of white is small - a ring really of tight bead around the glass. The lace clings like confetti and streamers and there is some visible carbonation rising

S - Smell is both spiced and malt accented w/ a mild yeast note, slight lemon zest and banana w/ mild pineapple tinges more as it warms w/ slight pepper and very light alcohol w/ a kind of sulfur note

M - The texture is highly effervescent as expected w/ slight creamy feel and mild spiciness from the yeast, very mild hop acidity and slight fruity tinged aspect w/ dry and spiced finish

T - A good deal of the flavor seems to come from the yeast, no shock there, but also a slight nutty malt toasted wheat kind of flavor is present w/ lemony and slight floral almost herbal taste from the sorachi, not as forward as other sorachi beers I have had with the lemon rind more subdued and the yeast flavor is higher in the taste w/ mild pepper and creamy notes w/ hints of lemongrass and the phenolic is tasty w/ a subtle note of pear rounding out the tangy and tasty saison

D - I really enjoyed this, but I have like all of Paul Rutherford's saisons to be honest and this is a well made brew, but either the serving temp is way to cool or the sorachi use is subtle because the usual tropical and lemony balm is not front and center like other Sorachi beers I have tasted - a decent saison in its own right, I just don't think it lives up to the Sorachi moniker