Experimenting with the recently developed Japanese Sorachi Ace hop, Brooklyn Brewery delivers in a big way with its beer of the same name. Crafted loosely in the saison style, Sorachi Ace is a distinctive beer, showcasing all the bright citrus aromas and flavors the signature hop is so rightly admired for. Immediately upon pouring, Sorachi Ace suffused the room with intense aromas of citrus and spice. Tom lasered in on the intense citrus, likening it to fresh, zesty lemongrass and noted an almost ginger-like underpinning of spice. Lee, too, keyed on the pervasive pungent lemon aromas rising from the grass; the subtle, Thai basil-like spiciness reminded him of an Asian street market. Pouring a brilliant, sunny yellow, this beer stacks up a prodigious, creamy white head that hangs in all the way to the bottom of the glass. As expected of a “saison-esque” brew, the flavors deftly balance the lush fruit and spice flavors with a soft, lightly sweet malt background. Pete enjoyed the hints of cardamom and star anise lurking just below the malt, and he felt the bitterness perfectly balanced the sweet, fruity, and spicy flavors. Though Rick found it more peppery and warming than did Pete. Riding somewhere between the peppery spice and lightly honeyish malt, Rick found a layer of dried thyme and lemon zest, pronouncing it “not unlike a soothing herbal tea.” Across the board, the judges were effusive in their praise of this eminently quaffable brew. Experimental or not, it would appear that Brooklyn Brewery has a monster on its hands with Sorachi Ace.
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Sorachi Ace
Brooklyn Sorachi Ace is a classic saison, an unfiltered golden farmhouse ale with a wonderfully clean malt flavor and our hero, the quirky Sorachi Ace hop, standing front and center. Dry-hopping releases Sorachi Ace's bright, spicy aromatics to tickle the nose before ascending into a fine harmony between pilsner malt and playful Belgian yeast.
Named after the Sorachi region of Hokkaido, Japan, the Sorachi Ace hop was developed by a large Japanese brewery in the late 1970s. A cross between British Brewer's Gold, Japanese "Beikei No. 2" and the famed Czech Saaz, it had a unique lemony-herbal scent, but this hop was odd and ended up being quickly banished to a laboratory. In 2008, the Sorachi Ace hop was quietly revived by a family farm in Washington State. Less than a year later, we had made it the star of one of our favorite beers ever. Dry, sharp and crackling with flavor, Brooklyn Sorachi Ace is reminiscent of lemongrass, verbena, dill and lemon peels. Originally a member of our limited Brewmaster's Reserve series, Brooklyn Sorachi Ace is a beer we just couldn't let disappear.
Brooklyn Sorachi Ace is sunshine in a glass, a shining example of the versatility of one of the world's most intriguing hops. This beer is a superstar at the table, and we enjoy it with seafood dishes, fresh cheese, poultry, barbecue, and even tomato-based pasta sauces. All by itself it puts on a great solo performance too, and we can honestly say you've never tasted any beer quite like it. Go ahead, pour yourself some sunshine.
