Lost Abbey Judgment Day

Brewed by Port Brewing/Lost Abbey
Style: Abt/Quadrupel
San Marcos, California USA

Translucent cherry cola in color with pinpoint bubbles hugging the glass and popping on top. Aromatic assurances abound from prunes and black fruited figs, graced by brown sugar. Broiled dates and chocolate soot on slabs of black currant further caress the olfactory. A rig of caramelized and slightly burnt rhubarb sings scentimatically as well. Flavor comes in as ripe for the picking. Black cherries meet a burnt raspberry chocolate underbelly while figs and dates droll up more dark fruited wonderment. Ash crusted pecans create a burnt, woodsy backdrop and the currant and dried concord jam on cocoa rye balances the aggression of the ale. Raw, piney bitterness is kept in check by the singed chocolate bricks. Fuller bodied and bountiful at every angle. It builds momentum through the night. Burnt caramel and blackened - yet caramelized - prune-laden and cocoa-nip accentuated - figgy pudding lays into the finish. Many thanks for the bottle, tpkenned!

Bottle shared with blankboy, HogTownHarry, mds and tupalev - courtesy of blankboy. Reddish-amber colour with a wispy head. Aroma is quite sweet and spicy, with notes of roast malt and coffee. Mouthfeel is soft, very nice. Flavour is sweet off the top, with dark fruit and sugar notes, and a dry yeastiness towards the finish.

I think that I would have enjoyed this one a bit better if the alcohol wasn’t so damned prominant. I really reminded me of drinking some kind of fortified wine at times. An aroma of dark fruit, brown sugar, cherries, and plums. Appearance was a rusty brown, cloudy with no head. Mouthfeel was hot with alcohol. Flavor was an interesting contrast between sweet, dark fruits, candi sugar, some spicyness, and the high alcohol content that’s not hidden in the least. A good beer but one that I think will be even better in a few more years."

Bottle (750ml - corked and caged). Shared with blankboy, GregClow, mds and tupalev, blankboy’s bottle. Deep hazy mahogany, small off-white head. Aroma reminds me a bit of Traquair Jacobite - strong sweet spice, yeast, very sweet roast malt - smooth and elegant. The taste follows, a little sour, the pungency of the yeast detracts a bit. Solid body, very bitter and almost astringent (yeast/spice), mild carbonation, long malty/pungent finish. Excellent NorAm attempt at a quad.

Pours a deep raspberry with little head. Smells of of deep plum, raisin, and grape, with ripe tropical tones (banana). Tastes of slight malt with grape, sweet plum, vanilla, and ripened banana. Very little carbonation, with a sweet finish.

Courtesy of Styles and Secret Santa July ’07.

Bottle: The aroma consists of raisins, alcohol, chocolate, faint plum, grapes, and a hint of smoke. It pours a muddy reddish-brown with a small beige head. The flavor starts with chocolate and caramel with a light raisin backbone. The finish has notes of plum, chocolate, and light alcohol flavor and burn. Full bodied with soft carbonation.

Bottle sample at Cincy Ratebeer Gathering. Poured a dark brown color with an average creamy off-white head that mostly lasted and produced fair lacing. Heavy complex chocolate and fruity aroma. Medium body with a smooth texture. Good complex bittersweet flavor with a medium bitter finish of moderate duration. Good complex standout brew.

Pours a deep brown with some copper highlights when held to the light. Head poured medium creamy light tan with some nice lacing. Aroma of raisins, molasses, peacans, bananas, vinous, brown sugar, dark fruits, loads of malty sweetness, mix of Belgian spices and yeast. Flavor was a mix of dark fruits, toasted malts, sweet malts, raisins, hints of smoke, mixed nuts. Just a great mix of nice aromas and flavors. Probably the best American Quad I have had.