Sierra Nevada Ovila Golden
I like what Sierra Nevada is doing with their Ovila series. They’re producing some really tasty products in this line. The Dubbel was a solid effort, while the Saison was down right excellent. I know that I’ve had the Quad, but apparently never took any notes on it — shame on me. I just recently spied their Belgian Strong Golden Ale the other day and knew I had to pick it up.
This 8.5% ABV ale is not only a tasty brew with a smooth complexity, it’s dangerous as hell. Within seconds of removing the cage from the bottle and turning to put it aside, the cork took off like a rocket, bouncing off the basement ceiling with a solid impact. Perhaps, I should have given the “contents under pressure” warning sticker more respect — usually those stickers are benign. Thankfully, the beer wasn’t a gusher and all of its contents remained in the bottle while I recovered from dodging bullets corks.
Appearance
As noted, the cork had places it wanted to be, so it left in a hurry. That aside, the beer pours a golden amber in color with a large, frothy head.
Aroma
Light fruits, clean peppery yeast, subtle hints of clove, a light sweetness and cereal malt come together for a pleasing nose.
Taste
Light cereal and grain appear first, but are quickly overtaken by a myriad of fruits (pear, apple), peppery yeast, light herbal/spice notes (clove, orange peel) and a subdued level of hop bitterness that lingers nicely in the slightly warming finish. This beer is complex and flavorful, without causing too any chaos for the palate. The crisp mouthfeel refreshes.
Overall
I thoroughly enjoyed the Ovila Saison, but I think this might be my favorite of the bunch. It’s full flavored yet light on the palate. The violent ejection of the cork aside, this brew was excellent.
Rating: 4.25/5
