5 Seasons North The Question

Brewed by 5 Seasons North
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Alpharetta, Georgia USA

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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UPDATED: MAY 13, 2012
Name: Quinte55ence,The Question
Date: May 05, 2010
Mode: Bottle Conditioned
Source: Brewpub
Appearance: opaque dark brown, burgandy edges, scant head
Aroma: sweet fruity aroma, lots of rich fruits enhanced by the wine
Body: huge body
Flavor: rich fruity flavor, wine melds well with the sweet esters, touch of chocolate, vanilla sweetness

Name: Quinte55ence,The Question
Date: May 27, 2010
Mode: cask
Source: brewpub
Appearance: black, fine tan head
Aroma: the extra carbonation makes the aroma explode with sweet fruity esters and winey grapes
Flavor: rich dark fruity and winey flavor

Name: Quinte55ence,The Question
Date: January 22, 2011
Mode: bottle
Source: brewpub
Appearance: black, headless
Aroma: sweet fruity aroma
Flavor: sweet fruity flavor, winey sweetness, touch of dark fruits, light chocolate, picks up a touch of fruity barrel tartness as it warms
Overall: chocolate covered with grape jelly

Name: Quinte55ence,The Question
Date: May 05, 2012
Mode: bottle
Source: brewpub
drying out, still winey but the dark malts are taking back control, earthy, roasty,

Aroma: 8/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 9/10; Palate: 8/10; Overall: 18/20
Rating: 4.3/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: **** /4

Bottle at the brewpub. Still, dark, almost opaque but some light tries to peek through the dense brown revealing it as not fully black. Barely a few bubbles. Aroma of heavy dark fruit, alcohol, vinuous. Huge flavor, even on the front where the sweetness is more evident- plums, cab, quad, booze, more wine in a port kind of way. Lingers long after the finish, still evolving as it melts away. Definitely a sipper. You don’t need dessert with this- it is dessert. Thick layers of flavor. Not much carbonation at all but it works with this unique brew. Any attempt at description will fall short. Amazing.

Pours a deep, murky mahogany with a few big bubbles along the top that recede extremely quickly to nothing, leaving legs along the sides. The aroma is big and complex with the cabernet really dominating up front with some dry red grapes. The quad underneath lends some chocolate covered raisins and plums and a bit of roasted malt character. The taste is just as big with semi-sweet chocolate, plums, raisins and vanilla. The finish is very, very dry for a quad with the red wine presence leaving a crisp, oaky finish. The mouthfeel is the only drawback on this one as it’s a bit undercarbonated. The body is full bodied but seems lighter due to the light carbonation. This quad drinks very much like a port or other dessert wine. Low carbonation but huge, complex taste. Another excellent barrel-aged Belgian style from Crawford.

Black with no head. Big brandy and red wine and oak aroma and taste with chocolate caramel and vanilla notes and oak to the finish.

Appearance: Pours a dark brown, near black body that’s near still. It fails to form a head, but does cast a few large beige bubbles. Smell: Dark, roasty malts surrounded in vibrant notes of marinated plums and dates, sweet sherry, spices, baker’s chocolate, and lightly charred barley. Taste: Earthy, stout opening of dry, dark chocolate and roasted grains lightly dusted in ground spices. Light tannic wood character along with a tart red wine flavor infiltrates the taste. Increases in tartness as it begins to introduce additional fruit flavors of wine soaked figs, plums, and raisins. Hint of bread pudding. Fruity, semi-dry, warming finish. Mouthfeel: Medium-full body. Low carbonation. A bit port-like, I’d say. Drinkability: It’s good stuff! Often, I demand Answers, but, on occasion, I don’t mind fielding a few Questions.