Brooklyn Sorachi Ace

The late arrival of a house guest recently was preceded by a text message with the simple declaration "Beer Night." 'Nuff said - Mondays can be tough and an opportunity to unwind with friends over a beer will never be denied. Far be it for me to disappoint a guest in my home, so I visited the beer cellar to see what would work. The hour was late, so something not too heavy, with a moderate ABV, was called for. I also knew that our visitor was fond of the Saison style. I came across a bottle of Brooklyn Brewery Sorachi Ace I had picked up a while back out of curiosity, so figured it was time to try it out.

The Sorachi Ace Saison was poured into, appropriately, some Brooklyn Brewery snifters that just happened to be sitting out in the kitchen. The golden amber, slightly hazy liquid is topped by a fluffy white head. The color was warm and rich. The aroma had a bit of yeastiness to it, along with fruit and a touch of lemon zest. The flavor is mildly spicy, with hints of white pepper. There's a distinct lemon zest flavor, not sour, over a substantive malt base. The finish is quite dry with lingering bitterness. The beer has less of the "funkiness" of a typical Saison, and comes across relatively mild. It maintained its flavor as it warmed over discussions of life and politics.

We all enjoyed the Sorachi Ace, although it is not a hearty Saison, it had a nice quality for a late night when you want something to take the edge off, but don't want to be knocked to the floor. It was tasty and interesting, but somewhat understated. I prefer the rich rustic heartiness of typical Saison enjoyed with bold appetizers, but in the waning hours of a long day, this had enough Saison to be special, but was not so strong that it's repercussion would be felt getting up for day two of a busy week.

Thanks to Colleen for her input, and discerning tastebuds, for contributing her impressions of Sorachi Ace for this review.