Allagash Four

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

Bottled @ Olfestival 09 pre-tasting. clear reddish color, medium brownish head. Fruity, malty, hoppy, belgian yeast. Bit dry palate. Nice stuff.

750 thanks to Mike over on BA. Dark brown, small thick head. Nose is spicy, chocolately, malty, and alcoholic. Taste at first is chocolate and mellow malts, then spiciness rounding out in to a very warm alcoholic finish. Body is thick and smooth. Overall a very nice beer.

(750 ml bottle from Julio’s Liquors, cellared for 1 yr. after purchase) Pours dark slightly rubyish amber, a little hazy. Two fingers of light tan head. Aroma has some Band-Aid, at least initially, along with an almost lemony tang and some candy sweetness. Mouthfeel is initially a bit fizzy, then this dissipates to an almost velvety smoothness. Light weepy rings of lacing melt away quickly. Flavor features an almost sweet and sour quality with candy-like sweetness, light fruits and hints of citrus. There is a bit of chocolate lurking underneath. Didn’t really improve much in complexity or richness as it got warmer and I got deeper into the bottle (as big Belgian-styles sometimes do). A good beer but I was hoping for a bit more of a knockout from this fine brewery.

Bottle. [vintage 2007]
Pours deep red-orange. Large, frothy, off-white head. Settles as a fine, film head. Aroma is sweet and fruity, some marzipan, caramel, alcohol, some cherries. Highish carbonation, fine, creamy mouthfeel. Flavour is very nice, there are cherries, red apples. A very fresh take on the Quad style. Very drinkable, not much sign of the 10 %.

750ml bottle, batch #18. Cloudy brown pour with a light off white head. Yeasty, fruity aroma with some brown sugar, caramel malt. Flavor is dark, dried fruits, brown sugars, oak and cherries with a bit of chocolate and bit a booze in the finish. Mouthfeel is a bit thinner than i expected, but otherwise this is a great beer. Easily one of the best American attempts at the style I’ve ever had.

On tap @ Shady Mcgrady"s. Pours a deep, cloudy brown with no head to speak of. Anise, licorice, raisins, grapes, a hint of booze... Lots going on in the aroma. Silky smooth body reveals dark fruits, brown sugars, lots of malts. A great attempt at a tough style to replicate.

2007, 750ml bottle. Pours a murky brown with almost no head. Caramel, butterscotch, plum, brown sugar, spices, rum, bark and a hint of black tea. I’m usually really skeptical about American breweries trying to mimic Belgian style ales, but Allagash did a good job with this one. It’s a very nice beer.

Source: 750 mL bottle from a tasting.
Glass: Poured into a snifter.
Appearance: Poured a dark amber color with a one finger tan head.
Aroma: Caramel malt, dark ripe fruits and some brown sugar.
Flavor: Caramel malt base with spices and dark fruits. Warming alcohol on the end. Sweet finish.
Palate: Full body with soft carbonation and a chewy, heavy mouthfeel.
Overall: Really liked this. Flavor was similar to most Abts, but appearance was lighter. Very nice.