Allagash Four

Brewed by Allagash Brewing Company
Style: Abt/Quadrupel
Portland, Maine USA

Had this at Vail Beer Fest. 2-oz sample in a snifter. The beer poured a murky medium-gold color without any head. The aroma was moderately malty with notes of roasted grain and cookie; light hoppy notes of pine, dry straw and green apple; light yeast notes of basement and barnyard with miscellaneous notes of vanilla, clove and insence. The flavor was moderately sweet and lightly bitter with an average-length, lightly bitter finish with cool green apple retros. The body was light-to-medium, the texture was watery and the carbonation was soft. I would like to have this again and spend a little more time with it—it’s pretty engaging.

Opened with a vigorous pop and dispensed a brilliantly clear ruby brown body under a thick off-white head that leaves beautiful sheets of lace as it falls. Caramel and dried fruit aroma. Smooth and full with a overall sweetness that avoids being cloying. Very nice brew although not a deeply complex one.

This bottled brew corked and caged poured a small sized head of finely sized mostly diminishing unnoted colored bubbles that left behind a fair lacing. The body contained unnoted carbonation, was unnoted and light caramel brown in color. Its aroma contained notes of brown malt chocolate and was different. Its mouth feel is initially tingly with a bubbly palate and a flavorful aftertaste. Its flavor contained mildly vinous mild roasted caramel malt notes. An excellent beer that I would buy again.

Brown with a thick tan head. Short retention. Aroma of port, cherry, caramel, courant, dark fruits and brown sugar. Taste is very pleasant but had a bit of a cherry medicinal taste. Not too bothersome. Good port palate similar to the Dubbel Reserve. Overall a nice effort but lacking in dimensions.

Pours a dark ruby brown hue that is not clearly visible through because of how murky it is. Small layer of head stretches across the glass momentarily until its given enough time to break apart into patches of foam. The aroma is a welcome greeting of spiced yeast and malt that is of true Belgian authenticity. The drink is strong with flavor of mostly sugar and yeast that’s of spice and fig background, but i also find sweet vanilla extract and a very faint trace of spearmint. Texture is creamy and well rounded allowing this to finish smooth. Some alcohol heat is produced.

Bottle. Pours a hazy light brown color with a moderate light brown head that diminished slowly and produced good lacing. Good complex malt and yeast aroma. Medium body. Full yeasty malt sweet flavor with a balanced finish with a small alcohol bite. Very good brew.

Pours amber with a good size off-white head. Aroma is malty and a bit musty. Taste is extremely malty. Signs of all kinds of sugars. Honey, molasses brown sguar, its all inthere. Hints of dark fruits. Very complex taste.

Update:2/07 - Recently had a bottle that had been cellared for almost two years. I was very dissapointed. I thought this beer would really get better with age. Another outstanding beer from Allagash. Rapidly becoming one of my fav brewers. I’ve been holding onto a bunch of these for months. I just couldn’t bring my self to open open (if I drink one I’ll only have 5 left). Finally broke down and drank one for Thanksgiving Eve; had to rationalize it). Anyway, aroma was great. Even though there are four malts in this, I really didn’t notice it or the hops. What I really noticed was the cherry and ruby port. Head was creamy, light-brown, excellent lacing, that mostly diminished. Color was dark amber. Heavy sweet initial flavor that lessens. Definitely can taste the malt now. Finish was very long. The body was not as full as some quads. Texture was syrupy and flat with incredibly little if any alcohol finish. One of my favorite quads. It was very smooth without too much cherry, like Three Phils. Very interested to see how this matures. Now only if Allagash would distribute to Georgia.