Ovila Saison
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company in Chico, California, United States 🇺🇸
Farmhouse - Saison Rotating Out of Production|
Score
7.16
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A collaboration between Sierra Nevada Brewing Co and the monks at the Abbey of New Clairvaux, Ovila Abbey Saison brings the centuries-old monastery brewing tradition to America.
Ovila Abbey Saison is complex and contemplative-but also refreshingly dry and drinkable. With earthy and spicy aromas, this rustic Saison has note of green grass and a faint citrus tang. The body is light and layered with fruit and spice accents and a dry, peppery finish.
A portion of the proceedsfrom this ale go toward the restoration of the historic Santa Maria de Oliva chapter house on the grounds of the Abbey of New Clairvaux. This medieval building stood for nearly eight centuries in Spain. William Randolph Hearst purchased the monastery in 1931 and planned to use the stones for a castle even grander than his famous San Simeon. Although Hearst’s plan crumbled, these historic stones will rise again in a California Cistercian abbey.
Ovila Abbey Saison is complex and contemplative-but also refreshingly dry and drinkable. With earthy and spicy aromas, this rustic Saison has note of green grass and a faint citrus tang. The body is light and layered with fruit and spice accents and a dry, peppery finish.
A portion of the proceedsfrom this ale go toward the restoration of the historic Santa Maria de Oliva chapter house on the grounds of the Abbey of New Clairvaux. This medieval building stood for nearly eight centuries in Spain. William Randolph Hearst purchased the monastery in 1931 and planned to use the stones for a castle even grander than his famous San Simeon. Although Hearst’s plan crumbled, these historic stones will rise again in a California Cistercian abbey.
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6.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
750 ml. Hazy golden body. Frothy white head, slowly diminishing. Aroma of banana, clove, gum, sugar, pepper. The flavor is moderately sweet and lightly bitter. It finishes lightly to moderately sweet, moderately bitter and lightly acidic. Medium body, watery texture turning syrupy in the finish, lively carbonation. Taste of banana, clove, citrus and candy. Overly sweet, but drinkable. Disappointing as a saison. But if you didn’t know this was a saison ... it’s fine.
Tried
from Can
on 16 Aug 2011
at 17:58
6.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 7
Bottle. Pours with a hazy but vibrant orange to golden hued body with a massive and lasting rocky white head. Aromas are hugely phenolic: herbal, grassy, sage, pepper. Estery, some nectarine. Really spicy overall. Very spicy! Flavors are estery, pear and apple. Hugely phenolic (overdone) with sage and pepper. Malt profile is bready, soft and a light sweetness. Lively bubbles, finishes dry and lightly warming (more so than your average saison).
Tried
from Bottle
on 15 Aug 2011
at 17:42
6.8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
750 ml bottle from BevMo Salinas. Nose is lightl cloves, yeast, citrus, and hints of banana.Hazy gold with a small white head. Flavor is cloves, white pepperiness, banana, and earthy yeast. Decent but nothing to write home about.
Tried
from Bottle
on 09 Aug 2011
at 19:23
6.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Draft. Amber beer with a cream colored head. Spice and yeast aroma. Malt and yeast flavor with spice and light sumemr frutis. Medium bodied. Yeast and spice flavor with earth and light summer fruit.
Tried
from Draft
on 09 Aug 2011
at 11:38
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Served on draft at Beer Run in Charlottesville, VA. Pours a clear golden color with a large creamy white head. Good head retention and lacing. Aroma of banana, bread, big spice notes and some vanilla. The taste is banana, bready notes, stone fruits and nuts. Medium bodied. Nice.
Tried
from Draft
on 07 Aug 2011
at 13:32
7.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 6
Overall 8.5
Pour is a cloudy red-orange. Aroma is very yeasty, spicy and peppery. Flavor is an excellent fruity barnyard with some spice and white pepper. Finish leaves a bit of dry but sweet malt on the tounge along with a equally nice green hop. This is a well done saison that I think i will drink way too fast.
Tried
on 06 Aug 2011
at 14:51
6.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Sample at the Ale Wine & Spirits Saison tasting on 07/28/2011. Pours a lustrous orange-gold color with a medium white head that diminishes steadily. Rings of lacing. Aroma of citrus, bready malt and hops. Light to medium body with a fruity character primarily grapefruit. Notes of grassy hops, sweet malt and yeast as well. The finish is mildly hoppy with a grassy, herbal aftertaste. Decent overall.
Tried
on 04 Aug 2011
at 11:15
6.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 6
Sampled on draft at Smokin’ Joe’s this beer poured a dark amber color with a medium sized white head that faded quickly and left a bit of lacing. The aroma was tart lemon, pepper and dust. The flavor was dry and spicy with notes of pepper, ginger, lemon, dust and bread. The finish was long and tangy with lingering citrus and must. Medium body. Ok.
Tried
from Draft
on 30 Jul 2011
at 19:27
6.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
RFD, DC tap ($6.50): Pours a slightly hazy yellow color with a white head. Aroma has ambiguous fruitiness and a barely noticeable amount of spice. Taste is somewhat on the sweet side. Mild amount of hops and minimal spice. Rather full mouth feel. Well-balanced, but not spectacular. Easy drinking and easily quaffable.
Tried
from Draft
on 27 Jul 2011
at 20:42
8.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9
Night of the Living Saisons Part 2. 750 ml corked and caged bottle into tulip. Pours a hazy cantaloupe hue with a nice-sized off-white head with great retention; doesn’t leave much lace. Aroma is nice and yeasty--like old books; I also smell apples. Taste is sweet, meaty, and spicy; clove, cheese, and apples are noticeable in flavor. It’s better than the Saison Dupont, I think. The grassy flavor in the previous beer got tiring. This one has just a hint of grass. Carbonation and body are medium and the finish is lightly sour. Excellent take.
Tried
from Bottle
on 23 Jul 2011
at 23:27