Allagash Four

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

Serve in Trappist glass

[bottle] Musty grape aroma with some phenolics. Hazy light brown with a thin ring on top. Sweet sugary flavour that is musty with some slightly "wild" cherry. Light to medium body, moderate carbonation.

Very interesting...first quad I’ve had that was of a golden hue...not a dark fruit, purple color. Draft at pizzeria paradiso Dupont....pours with little to no head. Drinks smooth and sweet, with that natural sugar coming through very strong and smooth. Very lightly carbonated. I enjoyed trying this....I also have a bottle I plan to age for a while,...but it didn’t blow me away.

Served in a snifter. Reviewed from notes. Pours a moderate brown color with a bit of a reddish character. Single finger of white head and a touch of lacing. The nose brings a bit of caramel as well as a light bit of dark fruit. A bit of yeast character comes through as well. The flavor is slightly sweet along with some mild dark fruits and a bit of light caramel taste. A slight amount of bread crust. Mouthfeel is a bit light with low-ish levels of carbonation. Interesting and nothing wrong, but doesn’t quite hit the mark. Serving type: bottle Reviewed on: 11-20-2010

The beer pours a very untypical color for a quad forcing me to ask the bartender if I was given the right drink. It is a super light brown with tons of amber highlights. Its almost totally redish in the light. The head is light tan, super foamy with good retention and lacing. The aroma is pretty light, you get mostly bourbon on the front, sweet closes (no yummy malts), and an on oaky finish. It smells ok, just weird for a quad. The taste keeps up the weirdness. When I think quad I want dark fig malts etc. All you get is oak and alcohol. The feel is way to warm and has a weird aftertaste. Overall, not impressed here. First of all, this may be made like a quad, but its no quad. Even if I can get past the improrper making of a great style, its just not a great tasting beer anyway.

Decanted into a wide-mouthed, stemmed glass from a corked 750ml bottle. The Four pours a hazy reddish orange that glows like the sun against the light. A huge vanilla colored head easily erects into a cloud-like froth. It hangs around for several minutes and leaves thick lacing behind. The aroma starts mild, you really have to dip your nose into the glass to pick up it’s nuances. It smells of sweet malts, light hops, and tons of fruity esters that remind me of bananas and tropical fruits. There is the slightest hing of alcohol, too. Once the head dissipates, though, the aromas really come alive. Palate is clean and full, with layers of flavors that arrange themselves perfectly. I can feel it all over my tongue, mouth, lips, everywhere. There’s a good amount of carbonation to keep things lively. Malty flavors throughout, with medium hop bitterness, a little biscuit, toasted malt, dark fruits, and maybe some red currants. Hints of butterscotch, too. The beer finishes with a heavy malt presence, similar to a scotch ale or wee heavy. The experience never shows the beer’s 10% ABV. This another great offering from Allagash. A very flavorful, unique, drinkable beer. Not a session beer, but it can go with or without food. It’s so heady in it’s appearance, aroma, palate, and taste. I’ll definitely buy a couple of bottles for the cellar.

Poured into a snifter. Four pours a rich amber/mahogany, with a solid white head with good retention. Very nice lacing as well. Aromas are of fall fruits, apples, pears, figs, and some golden raisins, as well as winter spices. Tastes match these aromas perfectly, very fruity mixed with clove and nutmeg, sweet and wonderful. Mouthfeel is smooth, not too heavy for a quad, and just outstanding. I could drink this forever, almost like I did when I toured the brewery and they had the FOUR w/ strawberries...try drinking that at 9:30 am..it was great.

Pours hazy dark amber with a thick, foamy, off white head. Aroma is strong sweet malts, caramel, and some ripe fruit. Taste is very malt dominated, there are a few hoppy hints here and there, but their bitterness is very subdued. Some slightly tangy orange notes comes through at the finish, almost a hoppy citrus flavor. There is also a good amount of booze on the finish. Mouthfeel is lively, as this is a strongly carbonated brew. Not my favorite Allagash, but a decent example of the style. However, it simply does not compare to the good Belgian Abts.

More of an abbot than a quad, which is good. Dark copper color. Lots of yeast in the aroma and flaavor. Sweet malt with spices. Some cardamom. Sweet finish. Not a huge hop character in this one.